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Vide. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +.long {width: 65%;} +.mid {width: 45%;} +.short {width: 20%;} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; +} /* page numbers */ + +.blockquot {margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + +.tinyfont {font-size: 50%;} +.smlfont {font-size: 75%;} +.midfont {font-size: 120%;} +.lrgfont {font-size: 135%;} + +.padtop {padding-top: 3em;} +.smlpadt {padding-top: 1.5em;} +.smlpadb {padding-bottom: 1.5em;} + +.p1 {text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; text-indent: -1em;} + +.center {text-align: center;} +.right {text-align: right;} +.u {text-decoration: underline;} + +.tnborder { /* border for Transcriber's Note */ + margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; + margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 3em; + border: 2px black solid; + padding: 1em; + } + +.tnindent { /* hanging indent in Transcriber's Note */ + margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 2em; text-indent: -2em;} + +.tntitle {font-weight: bold; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;} + +.pubindent {margin-left: 20%;} /* indent of Publisher's info */ + +/*TOC */ +.tdr {text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;} /* right align cell */ +.tdrt {text-align: right; vertical-align: top;} /* right top align cell */ +.tdcbk {text-align: center; vertical-align: top; padding-bottom: 1em; + font-size: 140%; font-weight: bold;} /* center align cell */ +.tdcch {text-align: center; vertical-align: top; padding-top: 1.5em; + padding-bottom: 1em; font-size: 120%;} /* center align cell */ +.tdcch1 {text-align: center; vertical-align: top; padding-top: 1em; + line-height: 0.15em; font-size: 120%;} /* center align cell */ +.tdindp1 {text-align: left; vertical-align: bottom; padding-left: 0.5em; + padding-right: 1em; padding-bottom: 0.25em; text-indent: -1em;} /* hanging indent */ +.tdindp2 {text-align: left; vertical-align: bottom; text-indent: -1.5em;} /* hanging indent */ + +/* Footnotes */ +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em; padding-top: 1em;} +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} +.fnanchor {vertical-align: super; font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none;} + +/* Poetry */ +.poem {text-align: left; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.5em;} +.poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} +.poem br {display: none;} +.chpoem {padding-bottom: 1em;} +.pfont {color: #5E5E5E;} + +.poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} +.poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 1em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} +.poem span.i4 {display: block; margin-left: 2em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} +.poem span.i6 {display: block; margin-left: 3em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} +.poem span.i8 {display: block; margin-left: 4em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} +.poem span.i10 {display: block; margin-left: 5em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} +.poem span.i12 {display: block; margin-left: 6em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Sketches of Aboriginal Life, by V. V. Vide + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Sketches of Aboriginal Life + American Tableaux, No. 1 + +Author: V. V. Vide + +Release Date: August 14, 2010 [EBook #33433] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SKETCHES OF ABORIGINAL LIFE *** + + + + +Produced by Julia Miller, Rachael Schultz and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<div class="tnborder"> +<p class="tntitle">TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE</p> + +<p>In the original text, verses in the chapter headings were typeset in +Gothic font; they are displayed below in a <span class="pfont">gray font</span>. Footnotes are +indicated within the text by a capital letter in brackets (e.g., [A]) +and are located at the end of their respective chapter. Omitted page +numbers reference blank pages in the original text. Punctuation has +been standardized. For details on typographical corrections, please +refer to the <a href="#endnote">note</a> at the end of the text.</p> + +</div> + +<hr class="long" /> + +<p class="center lrgfont padtop">AMERICAN TABLEAUX,<br /> +<br /> +No. 1.</p> + +<hr class="short" /> + +<h1>SKETCHES<br /> +<br /> +<span class="tinyfont">OF</span><br /> +<br /> +ABORIGINAL LIFE.</h1> + +<table class="poem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i0">’Tis like a dream, when one awakes,—</span><br /> +<span class="i2">These visions of the scenes of old;</span><br /> +<span class="i0">’Tis like the moon, when morning breaks;</span><br /> +<span class="i2">’Tis like a tale round watch-fires told.</span><br /></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<hr class="short" /> + +<h2>By V. V. VIDE.</h2> + +<hr class="short" /> + +<p class="center smlpadt smlpadb">NEW-YORK:<br /> +<span class="midfont">PUBLISHED BY BUCKLAND & SUMNER,</span><br /> +79 JOHN-STREET.<br /> +1846.</p> + +<hr class="long" /> + +<p class="center">Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1846, by<br /> +BUCKLAND & SUMNER,<br /> +in the Clerk’s office of the District Court of the United States, for<br /> +the Southern District of New York.</p> + +<hr class="long" /> + +<p class="padtop pubindent">Stereotyped by Vincent L. Dill,<br /> +128 Fulton st. Sun Building, N. Y.<br /> +<br /> +C. A. Alvord, Printer, Cor. of John and Dutch sts.</p> + +<hr class="long" /> + +<h2 class="padtop">PREFACE.</h2> + +<hr class="short" /> + +<p>The American Tableaux lay no claim to the respect +and confidence, which is justly shown to authentic +history; nor do they anticipate the ready favor usually +accorded to high wrought romance. They are neither +the one nor the other. The general outline is designed +to be historical, and true to the characters of individuals, +and the customs of nations and tribes; and the +drapery in which it is arrayed is intended rather to +illustrate the truth, and place it in bolder relief, than to +weaken its force by irrelevant inventions. It is proposed +rather to shade and color the naked sketches of history, +and restore them to their natural setting and accompaniments, +than to alter or distort them. The characters +of history are usually stiff, cold, and statue-like, +and their drapery, if they have any, is of the same +marble rigidity with themselves. The Tableaux would +transfer them to canvass in their natural colors, strongly +relieved by a back-ground of familiar scenery and every +day associations, and shaded or lightened, as the case +may be, by the sorrows or joys of social life, and the +cares or honors of public station. It may be presumptuous +to hope that all this has been accomplished. +It is safer to say, it has been attempted.</p> + + + +<hr class="long" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[Pg v]</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="padtop">CONTENTS.</h2> + +<hr class="short" /> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="70%" summary="Table of contents"> + <tr> + <td class="tdcbk" colspan="2">THE AZTEC PRINCESS.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdcch1" colspan="2">CHAPTER I.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt smlfont" colspan="2">PAGE</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdindp1">BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE OF TECUICHPO.</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_15">15</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdindp2" colspan="2"> +The Horoscope—Faith in the revelations of +Astrology—Montezuma in his palace—The message +delivered—Resignation—Fatalism—Infancy of the +Princess—The slave Karee—Obtains her freedom—The +Chinampa—Genius and faith of Karee—Her devotion to the +Princess—Chivalry of the Aztecs.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdcch" colspan="2">CHAPTER II.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdindp1">YOUTH OF THE PRINCESS—HER EARLY LOVE REVEALED—PROPHETIC +ANNOUNCEMENT, AND SUDDEN ARRIVAL OF THE SPANIARDS.</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_27">27</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdindp2" colspan="2"> +Superstitious forebodings of Montezuma—Loveliness of his daughter—Her +suitors—The Prince of Tezcuco—Karee-o-thán—A +secret revealed—Guatimozin—The ancient legend—The +young Pythoness—Her vision—Warning and appeal—The +vision realized—The pictured scroll—Agitation of Montezuma—A +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[Pg vi]</a></span> +second courier—The royal council—Courtesy to +the strangers—Splendid embassy—Their meeting with Cortez—Munificent +presents—Avarice of the Spaniards—They +make interest with the Totonacs, and send proposals to Tlascala—Their +proposal rejected—They meet and conquer the +Tlascalans—An alliance formed—The compeers of Cortez—Xicotencatl—The +strength and weakness of the Aztecs.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdcch" colspan="2">CHAPTER III.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdindp1">SUPERSTITIOUS FEARS AND VACILLATING POLICY OF MONTEZUMA.</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_45">45</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdindp2"> +Frequent embassies and rich presents to the Spaniards—Montezuma, +fearing to act openly, plots their destruction secretly—Cortez +cautioned by the Tlascalans—His prudence and strict +discipline—Cuitlahua urges Montezuma to bold decided measures—Scene +in the royal garden—Mysterious chant—Warning—Its +effect—Montezuma roused to action—Energy of +Cuitlahua—The army in motion to repel the enemy—Confident +of victory—The monarch changes his plan—A stratagem—Cholula—The +army arrested in its march—The Spaniards +in Cholula—Hospitable reception—Sudden change—Suspicion +of treachery—Perilous position and bold bearing of +Cortez—His demand upon the Cholulan princes—Charges +them with conspiracy—Their alarm and apology—Terrible +massacre—Conflict on the great Teocalli—The Spaniards +victorious—Painful position of Cuitlahua and his army—Tlascalans +in Cholula.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdcch" colspan="2">CHAPTER IV.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdindp1">AGITATIONS IN THE CAPITAL—THE ROYAL HOUSEHOLD—THE +SPANIARDS STEADILY ADVANCING.</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_65">65</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdindp2" colspan="2"> +Montezuma’s duplicity—Shuts himself up in despair—Divided +counsels—Mistaken policy—Triumphant advance of Cortez—His +ambitious views—His military caution—Montezuma in +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[Pg vii]</a></span> +his family—His youngest daughter—Her loveliness—Her +clouded destiny—The royal household—A family scene—A +dark superstition versus a cheerful faith—Excursion on the +lake—The royal cortege—The Princess—Guatimozin—The +dream and its echo—Prophecy—Signal and sudden return—Preparation +to receive the Spaniards—Cacama’s embassy to +Cortez—Exchange of courtesies—Reception of the strangers +at Iztapalapan—Lofty bearing of Cuitlahua—The Capital +and its environs.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdcch" colspan="2">CHAPTER V.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdindp1">ARRIVAL OF THE SPANIARDS AT THE CAPITAL—THEIR +RECEPTION BY MONTEZUMA—DETERMINED HOSTILITY +OF GUATIMOZIN.</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_81">81</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdindp2" colspan="2"> +Singular relative position of the Spaniard and the Aztec—The +power and timidity of the one, and the danger and boldness +of the other—Speculation—Cortez advancing—The +Grand Causeway—The Fort of Xoloc—The Emperor’s retinue—Abject +deference of his lords—Magnificent palanquin—His +personal appearance and costume—The reception—Exchange +of presents—Montezuma retires—Cuitlahua escorts +the Spaniards to their quarters—Their admiration on seeing +the splendor of the city—Curiosity of the people—The +omens of that day—Their influence upon Montezuma—Guatimozin’s +true devotion to his country—His interview with the +Princess—True interpretation of the omens—Filial devotion +versus patriotism—The pledge—A new omen—The parrot +turned prophet—Karee and her prediction—Extreme sensitiveness +of the Princess.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdcch" colspan="2">CHAPTER VI.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdindp1">MUNIFICENCE OF MONTEZUMA—THE ROYAL BANQUET—THE +REQUITAL—THE EMPEROR A PRISONER IN HIS OWN +PALACE.</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_97">97</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdindp2" colspan="2"> +Grand military display by the Spaniards—The terror of the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_viii" id="Page_viii">[Pg viii]</a></span> +Aztecs—Fearlessness and high purpose of Guatimozin and +others—The Banquet—The company—A contrast—The +strangers presented to the Queen—Her grace and dignity—Beauty +of the Aztec women—Awkward position of the admiring +Cavaliers—Their ingenuity in pantomime—Readily +matched by the Aztec—Sandoval and the Princess—Cortez +and Karee—Guatimozin and Cacama in argument—The +Princess interposes—Sternness of Guatimozin—An +incident—Orteguilla—Alvarado and the Naiads—Metamorphosed into +a flower-god—Pays homage to the Princess—The feast—The +true character of the invaders—Bold movement of Cortez—Montezuma’s +blind submission to fate—Voluntarily +becomes a vassal to the crown of Spain—A still bolder movement +of Cortez—Montezuma remonstrates, but yields, and +becomes a prisoner in the Spanish quarters—Indignation of +the nobles—Portentous omen—Distress in the palace—The +Princess expostulates with her father—The parting, and the +promised meeting—Guatimozin departs in disgust—His interview +with the Princess at Chapoltepec—Courageous hopes—Oracle +and omens—Timidity made bold by love.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdcch" colspan="2">CHAPTER VII.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdindp1">TREACHERY AND RETRIBUTION—MASSACRE OF THE AZTEC +NOBILITY—DEATH OF MONTEZUMA.</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_121">121</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdindp2" colspan="2"> +Cortez visits Vera Cruz—Alvarado in command in the Capital—His +character—The Aztec festival—Unprovoked attack and +massacre—The whole nation in arms for revenge—Alvarado +in imminent peril—Cortez returns—The Aztecs threaten the +entire destruction of the Spaniards—Furious assault upon +their quarters—Desperate sortie—Implacable spirit of the +Aztecs—Their leaders—Cortez persuades Montezuma to +interpose—Cacama summoned to the royal presence—His +noble reply—The Princes’ rendezvous—Guatimozin warned +of danger—His escape—Cacama and Cuitlahua arrested—The +latter released—Fresh assaults upon the Spaniards—At +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ix" id="Page_ix">[Pg ix]</a></span> +the instigation of Cortez, Montezuma appears and addresses +the people—Their loyalty and deference—Suddenly changed +to uncontrollable rage—The Emperor mortally wounded by +his own people—A temporary suspension of hostilities—Death +of Montezuma—His funeral obsequies.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdcch" colspan="2">CHAPTER VIII.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdindp1">BRIEF REIGN OF CUITLAHUA—EXPULSION OF THE SPANIARDS—GUATIMOZIN +CHOSEN EMPEROR—HIS MARRIAGE +WITH TECUICHPO.</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_137">137</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdindp2" colspan="2"> +Cuitlahua elected to the vacant throne—His resolution—Cortez, +realizing his danger, resolves to evacuate the city—Attempts +to steal away in the night—Assaulted on all sides by the +Aztecs—Perils of the retreat—Awful position on the Great +Causeway—Hemmed in on all sides—Terrible slaughter—A +remnant escape—Cortez in tears—Singular neglect of his +adversary—Activity of Cuitlahua—His sudden death—Grief +and despondency of the nation—Guatimozin elected to his +place—His activity and prudence—He claims the hand of +the Princess—Her timidity and her devotion—Love finding +the bright side of the picture—The nuptial festival—Grand +procession to the Capital—A nation’s welcome.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdcch" colspan="2">CHAPTER IX.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdindp1">FESTIVITIES AT THE COURT OF GUATIMOZIN—THE NEW +HYMENEAL VOW.</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_151">151</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdindp2" colspan="2"> +Character of Guatimozin—His practical wisdom and activity—Gaiety +of the court—The young Queen—Nahuitla, the +Prince of Tlacopan—Atlacan, a princess of Tezcuco—Her +brother, Maxtli—Her suitors—The Merchant of Cholula—Mercenary +views of Maxtli—Endeavors to thwart Nahuitla—How +he is thwarted himself—The betrothal—Sanctioned by +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_x" id="Page_x">[Pg x]</a></span> +the Emperor—The nuptials—Polygamy abjured—A new +Imperial statute—Torch dance—Significant pantomime.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdcch" colspan="2">CHAPTER X.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdindp1">RETURN OF CORTEZ—SIEGE OF TENOCHTITLAN—BRAVERY +AND SUFFERINGS OF THE AZTECS.</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_161">161</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdindp2" colspan="2"> +Guatimozin prepares for a new invasion—Cortez approaches with +a new army—Orders vessels built at Tlascala—Takes possession +of Tezcuco—Makes liberal overtures to Guatimozin—Rejected +with scorn—Determined spirit of Guatimozin—Success +of Cortez in reducing some of the smaller towns—Narrow +escape at Iztalapatan—General defection of the tributary +cities—How accounted for—The Spanish fleet on the +Lake—Genius of Cortez—Tenochtitlan invested—Preparations +for the siege—Spirit of the Aztecs—Their supplies cut +off—The Queen in her reverses—Famine—Distress in the +city—Love stronger than hunger—The famishing fed—Desperation—an +assault—an ambush—The tide of battle suddenly +turned—Perilous position and severe loss of the Spaniards—Cortez +narrowly escapes—Disastrous retreat.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdcch" colspan="2">CHAPTER XI.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdindp1">STRAITNESS OF THE FAMINE—THE FINAL CONFLICT—FLIGHT +AND CAPTURE OF GUATIMOZIN—DESTINY FULFILLED.</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_179">179</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdindp2" colspan="2"> +The Mexicans encouraged—Oracular declaration of the priests—It +fails to be fulfilled—Cortez resolves to lay waste the city—A +wide spread ruin—Terrible sufferings of the besieged—Love +and loyalty outliving hope—Death preferred to submission—Nahuitla +proposes a plan of escape—Guatimozin rejects +it, but is overruled by the unanimous voice of his +people—Prepares for flight—The battle of the ghosts—The +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xi" id="Page_xi">[Pg xi]</a></span> +retreat—Guatimozin on the lake—Pursued by the enemy—A +captive—Brought before Cortez—His noble spirit and +bearing—The Queen and the conqueror—Her destiny fulfilled.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"><hr class="mid" /></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdcbk">THE FLIGHT OF THE KATAHBA CHIEF.</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_193">193</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdindp2"> +The dream of Minaree, the young bride of Ash-te-o-láh—Its effect +upon the Chief—He goes to the chase—Power and prosperity +of the Katahbas—Beauty of their villages—The wigwam +of Ash-te-o-láh—The Chief in his canoe—The deer—The +foe—The chase—He turns upon his pursuers—Slays +seven of their number successively—Is taken—Marched off +as a captive—His boldness and dignity—Arrives in the territories +of his enemies—Insulted and beaten by the women—Condemned +to the fiery torture—Led out to execution—Breaks +away and escapes—Pauses to defy his pursuers—Distances +them all—Stops to rest—Finds a place of concealment—Plans +the destruction of the pursuing party—Succeeds—Returns +home in triumph, laden with trophies and spoils.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"><hr class="mid" /></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdcbk">MONICA—THE ITEAN CAPTIVE.</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_209">209</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdindp2"> +Reverence for the dead—Indian burial—The journey to the Spirit +land—The favorite dog killed—Food for journey—Mementoes +of the departed—The grave of an infant boy—The Itean +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xii" id="Page_xii">[Pg xii]</a></span> +encampment—A sister’s grief—Her dream—She visits the +grave by moonlight—Her song—Enters a canoe and floats +down the stream—A captive, devoted to the “Great Star”—Pagan +rite among the Pawnees—Preparing for the sacrifice—Ignorant +of her fate—Gathering of the Pawnees to the festival—The +victim led to the stake—The terrible orgies commence—Are +suddenly interrupted—The captive unbound—The +flight—Parting with her deliverer—Meets her friends—Reaches +her home in safety—Petalesharro, her deliverer—His +person and character—Bloody rite abolished.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"><hr class="mid" /></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdcbk">THE HERMITESS OF ATHABASCA.</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_227">227</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdindp2"> +The wigwam of Kaf-ne-wah-go—His family—Tula, his only +daughter—O-ken-áh-ga, her husband—The Athapuscows +steal in at night—The chiefs murdered—Tula a captive—Her +infant boy murdered before her eyes—The Chippeways in +pursuit of the murderers—Following the trail—The enemy +overtaken—Retribution wreaked upon the innocent—The +deep grief of Tula—Her weary marches—Her captors +encamp—The tempest—She escapes in the darkness—Vain +attempts to discover her retreat—Seeks to find her way back +to her people—The forest—A midnight intruder—She climbs +a tree—Is besieged—Assaulted—Repels and destroys the +enemy—Intricacies and dangers of the forest—An opening, +but no light—Bewildered—Resolves to go no farther—Finds +a convenient spot—builds a cabin—her house-keeping—Her +ingenuity, industry and taste—The Hermitess discovered—Her +solitude reluctantly abandoned—Indian mode of obtaining +a wife—Journeyings—A new party—An unexpected meeting.</td> + </tr> +</table> + + +<hr class="long" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="padtop">THE AZTEC PRINCESS,<br /> +<br /> +<span class="tinyfont">OR</span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smlfont">DESTINY FORESHADOWED.</span></h2> + +<hr class="short" /> + +<table class="poem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i8">Rapacious Spain<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Followed her bold discoverer o’er the main;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A rabid race, fanatically bold,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And steeled to cruelty by lust of gold,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Traversed the waves, the unknown world explored,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The cross their standard, but their path the sword;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Their steps were graves; o’er prostrate realms they trod,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">They worshipped Mammon, while they vowed to God.<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14"><!-- blank page --></a></span></p> + +<hr class="mid" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="padtop">THE AZTEC PRINCESS.</h2> + +<hr class="short" /> + +<h3>CHAPTER I.</h3> + +<p class="p1">BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE OF TECUICHPO.</p> + +<table class="poem pfont chpoem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i0">Tell me, ascribest thou influence to the stars?<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p class="blockquot">“Wo! wo! wo! to the imperial House of Tenochtitlan! +Never saw I the heavens in so inauspicious an +aspect. Dark portentous influences appear on every +side. May the horoscope of the infant daughter of +Montezuma never be fulfilled.”</p> + +<p>These were the awful words of the priestly astrologer +of Tenochtitlan, uttered with solemn and oracular +emphasis from the lofty Teocalli, where he had been +long and studiously watching the heavens, and calculating +the relative positions and combinations of the +stars. A deep unutterable gloom seemed to pervade his +soul. Several times he traversed the broad terrace, in +a terrible agitation; his splendid pontifical robes flowing +loosely in the breeze, and his tall majestic figure +relieved against the clear sky, like some colossal moving +statue,—and then, in tones of deeper grief than +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> +before, finding no error in his calculations, reiterated +his oracular curse—“Wo! wo! wo! to the imperial +House of Tenochtitlan!” Casting down his instruments +to the earth, and tearing his hair in the violence +of his emotions, he prostrated himself on the altar, and +poured forth a loud and earnest prayer to all his gods.</p> + +<p>“Is there no favoring omen in any quarter, venerable +father?” inquired the agitated messenger from +the palace, when the prayer was ended—“is there no +one of those bright spheres above us, that will deign to +smile on the destiny of the young princess?”</p> + +<p>“It is full of mysterious, portentous contradictions,” +replied the astrologer. “Good and evil influences contend +for the mastery. The evil prevail, but the good +are not wholly extinguished. The life of the princess +will be a life of sorrow, but there will be a peculiar +brightness in its end. Yet the aspect of every sign in +the heavens is wo, and only wo, to the imperial House +of Montezuma.”</p> + +<p>Faith in the revelations of astrology was a deeply +rooted superstition with the Aztecs. It pervaded the +whole structure of society, affecting the most intelligent +and well-informed, as well as the humblest and most +ignorant individual. In this case, the prophetic wailings +of the priestly oracle rolled, like a long funereal +knell, through the magnificent halls of the imperial +palace, and fell upon the ear of the monarch, as if it had +been a voice from the unseen world. Montezuma was +reclining on a splendidly embroidered couch, in his private +apartment, anxiously awaiting the response of the +celestial oracle. He was magnificently arrayed in his +royal robes of green, richly ornamented with variegated +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> +feather-work, and elaborately inwrought with gold and +silver. His sandals were of pure gold, with ties and +anklets of gold and silver thread, curiously interwoven +with a variegated cotton cord. On his head was a rich +fillet of gold, with a beautiful plume bending gracefully +over one side, casting a melancholy shade over his +handsome but naturally pensive features. A few of the +royal princes sat, in respectful silence, at the farther +end of the chamber, waiting, with an anxiety almost +equal to that of the monarch, the return of the royal +messenger.</p> + +<p>The apartments of the emperor were richly hung +with tapestry of ornamental feather-work, rivalling, in +the brilliancy of its dyes, and the beautiful harmony of +its arrangement, the celebrated Gobelin tapestry. The +floor was a tesselated pavement of porphyry and other +beautiful stones. Numerous torches, supported in massive +silver stands, delicately carved with fanciful figures +of various kinds, blazed through the apartment, lighting +up, with an almost noonday brilliancy, the gorgeous +folds of the plumed hangings, and filling the whole +palace with the sweet breath of the odoriferous gums +of which they were composed.</p> + +<p>The emperor leaned pensively on his hand, seemingly +oppressed with some superstitious melancholy +forebodings. Perhaps the shadow of that mysterious +prophecy, which betokened the extinction of the Aztec +dynasty, and the consequent ruin of his house, was +passing athwart the troubled sky of his mind, veiling +the always doubtful future in mists of tenfold dimness. +Whatever it was that disturbed his royal serenity, his +reverie was soon broken by the sound of an approaching +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> +footstep. For a moment, nothing was heard but the +measured tread of the trembling messenger, pacing +with unwilling step the long corridor, that led to the +royal presence. With his head bowed upon his breast, +his eyes fixed upon the pavement, his person veiled in +the coarse <i>nequen</i>,<a name="FNanchor_A_1" id="FNanchor_A_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_1" class="fnanchor">[A]</a> +and his feet bare, he stood before +the monarch, dumb as a statue.</p> + +<p>“What response bring you,” eagerly enquired the +emperor, “from the burning oracles of heaven? How +reads the destiny of my new-born infant?”</p> + +<p>“The response be to the enemies of the great Montezuma,” +replied the messenger, without lifting his eyes +from the floor, “and the destiny it foreshadows to the +children of them that hate him.”</p> + +<p>“Speak,” exclaimed the monarch, “What message +do you bring from the priest of the stars?”</p> + +<p>“Alas! my royal master, my message is full of wo—my +heart faints, and my tongue refuses its office to +give it utterance. The old prophet bade me say, that +the celestial influences are all unpropitious; that the +destiny of the infant princess is a life of sorrow, with a +gleam of more than earthly brightness in its evening +horizon. And then, prostrating himself upon the great +altar, he groaned out one long, deep, heart-rending wail +for the imperial House of Tenochtitlan, and the golden +realm of Anahuac.”</p> + +<p>A deeper shade came over the brow of Montezuma, +and heaving a sigh from the very depths of a soul that +had long been agitated by melancholy forebodings of +coming evil, he raised his eyes to heaven, and said, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> +“the will of the gods be done.” Then, waving his +hand to his attendants, they bowed their heads, and +retired in silence from the apartment.</p> + +<p>“It has come at last,” inwardly groaned the monarch, +as soon as he found himself alone—“it has +come at last—that fearful prophecy, that has so long +hung, like the shadow of a great cloud, over my +devoted house, is now to be fulfilled. The fates have +willed it, and there is no escape from their dread +decrees. I must make ready for the sacrifice.”</p> + +<p>Nerved by the stern influence of this dark fatalism, +Montezuma brushed a tear from his eye, and putting a +royal restraint upon the turbulent sorrows and fears of +his paternal heart, hastened to the apartments of the +queen, to break to her, with all the gentleness and caution +which her delicate and precarious circumstances +required, the mournful issue of their inquiries at the +court of heaven, into the future destiny and prospects +of their new-born babe.</p> + +<p>A deep gloom hung over the palace and the city. +Every heart, even the most humble and unobserved, +sympathized in the disappointment, and shared the distress, +of their sovereign. And the day, which should +have been consecrated to loyal congratulations, and +general festivities, became, as by common consent, a +sort of national fast, a season of universal lamentation.</p> + +<p>The little stranger was welcomed into life with that +peculiar chastened tenderness, which is the natural +offspring of love and pity—love, such as infant innocence +wins spontaneously from every heart—pity, such +as melancholy forebodings of coming years of sorrow to +one beloved, cannot fail to awaken. She was regarded +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> +as the most beautiful and the most interesting of all her +race. Every look and motion seemed to have its peculiar +significance in indicating the victim of a remarkable +destiny. And it is not to be wondered at, that a +superstition so sad, and an affection so tender and solicitous, +discovered an almost miraculous precocity in +the first developments of the intellectual and moral +qualities of its subject. She was the attractive centre +of all the admiration and love of the royal household. +Imagination fancied a peculiar sadness in her eye, and +her merry laugh was supposed to mingle an element of +sadness in its tones. Her mild and winning manners, +and her affectionate disposition made her the idol of all +whom she loved; and each one strove to do her service, +as if hoping to avert, in some measure, the coming doom +of their darling; while she clung to the fond and +devoted hearts around her, as the ivy clings to the oak, +which receives its embraces, and is necessary to its +support.</p> + +<p>When the young princess, who received the name of +Tecuichpo, had arrived at the age of one year, she was +given in charge to a young and beautiful slave, whom +the Emperor had recently obtained from Azcapozalco. +Karee was gifted with rare powers of minstrelsy. Her +voice had the sweetness, power and compass of a +mocking bird, and all day long she warbled her ever-changing +lays, as if her natural breathing were music, +and song the natural flow of her thoughts. She soon +became passionately devoted to the little pet, and exerted +all her uncommon gifts to amuse and instruct her. +She taught her all the native songs of Azcapozalco +and Mexitli, instructed her in dancing, embroidery and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> +feather-work, and initiated her into the science of +picture-writing and the fanciful language of flowers. +Karee and her royal charge were never apart. Gentle +and timid as the dove, Tecuichpo clung to her new +nurse, as to the bosom of a mother. Even in her early +infancy, she would so sweetly respond, like an echo, +to the gentle lullaby, and mingle her little notes so symphoniously +with those of Karee, that it excited the +wonder and admiration of all. Karee was passionately +fond of flowers. It was indeed an element in the +national taste of this remarkable people. But Karee +was unusually gifted in her preceptions of natural +beauty, and seemed to have a soul most delicately +attuned to the spirit and language of flowers, the painted +hieroglyphics of nature. She loved to exercise her +exuberant fancy in decorating her little mistress, and +often contrived so to arrange them upon the various +parts of her person and dress, as to make her at different +times, the emblematic representation of every bright and +beautiful spirit, that was supposed to people their celestial +paradise, or to hover, on wings of love and gentle +care, about the path of those whom the gods delighted +to favor.</p> + +<p>It was the daily custom for Karee to carry the young +princess into the apartment of the Emperor, as soon as +he rose from his siesta, to receive the affectionate +caresses which her royal father was so fond of lavishing +upon her. At such times, Tecuichpo would often +take with her some rich chaplets of flowers which +Karee had woven for her, and amuse herself and her +father, by arranging them in a coronet on his brow, or +twining them, in every fantastic form, about his person, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> +to make, as she said, a flower-god of <i>him</i>, who was a +sun to all the flowers of her earthly paradise.</p> + +<p>One day, when the young princess was sleeping in +her little arbor, the ever watchful nurse observed a +viper among the flowers, which she had strown about +her pillow, just ready to dart its venomous fang into +the bosom of her darling. Quick as lightning she +seized the reptile in her hand, and, before he had time +to turn upon her, flung him upon the floor, and crushed +him under her sandalled heel. Passionately embracing +her dear charge, she hastened with her to the apartments +of the queen, and related the story of her narrow +escape, with so much of the eloquence of gratitude for +being the favored instrument of her deliverance from so +cruel a death, that it deeply affected the heart of the +queen. She embraced her child and Karee, as if both +were, for the moment, equally dear to her; and then, in +return for the faithful service, rendered at the hazard of +her own life, she promised to bestow upon the slave +whatever she chose to ask. “Give me, O give me +freedom, and a chinampa, and I ask no more,” was the +eager reply of Karee to this unexpected offer of the +queen. The request was immediately granted; and +the first sorrow that ever clouded the heart of the lovely +Tecuichpo, was that of parting with her faithful and +loving Karee.</p> + +<p>A <i>chinampa</i> was a floating island in the lake of +Tezcuco, upon whose very bosom the imperial city was +built. They were very numerous, and some of them +were large, and extremely beautiful. They were +formed by the alluvial deposit in the waters of the lake, +and by occasional masses of earth detached from the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> +shores, held together by the fibrous roots, with which +they were penetrated, and which in that luxurious +clime, put out their feelers in every direction, and +gathered to their embrace whatever of nutriment and +support the richly impregnated waters afforded. In the +process of a few years accumulation, the floating mass +increased in length, breadth and thickness, till it +became an island, capable of sustaining not only shrubs +and trees, but sometimes a human habitation. Some +of these were from two to three hundred feet square, +and could be moved about at pleasure, like a raft, from +city to city, along the borders of the lake. The natives, +who were skilful gardeners, and passionately devoted +to the cultivation of flowers, improved upon this +beautiful hint of nature, to enlarge their means of supplying +the capital with fruits, vegetables and flowers. +Constructing small rafts of reeds, anchoring them out in +the lake, and then covering them with the sediment +drawn up from the bottom, they soon found them +covered with a thrifty vegetation, and a vigorous soil, +from which they were able to produce a large supply of +the various luxuries of their highly favored clime.</p> + +<p>It was to one of these fairy gardens that the beautiful +Karee retired, rich in the priceless jewel of freedom, +and feeling that a chinampa all her own, and flowers +to train and commune with, was the summit of human +desire. Karee was no common character. Gifted by +nature with unusual talents, she had, though in adverse +circumstances, cultivated them by all the means in her +power. Remarkably quick of perception, and shrewd +and accurate of observation, with a memory that +retained every thing that was committed to it, in its +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> +exact outlines and proportions, she was enabled to +gather materials for improvement from every scene +through which she passed. Her imagination was +exceedingly powerful and active, sometimes wild and +terrific, but kept in balance by a sound judgment and a +discriminating taste. Her love of flowers was a +passion, a part of her nature. For her they had a language, +if not a soul. And there was not one of all the +endless varieties of that luxuriant clime, that had not a +definite and emphatic place in the vocabulary of her +fancy. The history of her life she could have written +in her floral dialect, and to her, though its lines might +have faded rapidly, its pages would have been always +legible and eloquent. Her attachments were strong +and enduring, and there was that element of heroism +in her soul, that she would unhesitatingly have sacrificed +life for the object of her love.</p> + +<p>It is not to be wondered at, that, with such qualities +of mind and heart, Karee was deeply impressed with +the solemn and imposing superstitions of the Aztec +religion. The rites and ceremonies by which they +were illustrated and sustained, were well calculated to +stir to its very depths, a soul like hers, and give the +fullest exercise to her wild imagination. That pompous +ritual, those terrible orgies, repeated before her eyes +almost daily from her infancy, had become blended +with the thoughts and associations of her mind, and intimately +related to every scene that interested her heart, +or engaged her fancy. Yet her soul was not enslaved +to that dark and dismal superstition. Though accustomed +to an awful veneration of the priesthood, she did +not regard them as a superior race of beings, or listen +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> +to their words, as if they had been audible voices from +heaven. Her spirit shrunk from many of the darker +revelations of the established mythology, and openly +revolted from some of its inhuman exactions. Its +chains hung loosely upon her; and she seemed fully +prepared for the freedom of a purer and loftier faith. +Her extreme beauty, her bewitching gaiety, and her +varied talents, attracted many admirers, and some noble +and worthy suitors. But Karee had another destiny to +fulfil. She felt herself to be the guardian angel of the +ill-fated Tecuichpo, and her love for the princess left no +room for any other passion in her heart. She therefore +refused all solicitations, and remained the solitary +mistress of her floating island.</p> + +<p>Karee’s departure from the palace, did not in any +degree lessen her interest in the welfare of the young +princess. She was assiduous in her attention to every +thing that could promote her happiness; and seemed to +value the flowers she cultivated on her chinampa +chiefly as they afforded her the means of daily correspondence +with Tecuichpo. She managed her island +like a canoe, and moved about from one part of the +beautiful lake to another, visiting by turns the cities that +glittered on its margin, and sometimes traversing the +valleys in search of new flowers, or exploring the +ravines and caverns of the mountains for whatever of +rare and precious she might chance to find. The +chivalry of the Aztecs rendered such adventures perfectly +safe, their women being always regarded with the +greatest tenderness and respect, and treated with a delicacy +seldom surpassed in the most civilized countries of +Christendom.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> +This chivalric sentiment was, not improbably heightened, +in the case of Karee, in part by her extreme beauty, +and in part by the power of her genius and the brilliancy +of her wit. She commanded respect by the force +of her intellect, and the purity of her heart; while the +uncommon depth and splendor of her imagination, when +excited by any favorite theme, and the seemingly inexhaustible +fruitfulness of her mental resources, invested +her, in the view of the multitude, with something of the +dignity, and much of the superstitious charm of a +prophetess.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a name="Footnote_A_1" id="Footnote_A_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_A_1"><span class="label">[A]</span></a> +A mantle of coarse cotton fabric, which all who approached the emperor +were compelled to put on, in token of humility and reverence.</p> +</div> + + + +<hr class="long" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span></p> + +<h3 class="padtop">CHAPTER II.</h3> + +<p class="p1">YOUTH OF THE PRINCESS—HER EARLY LOVE REVEALED—PROPHETIC +ANNOUNCEMENT AND SUDDEN ARRIVAL OF +THE SPANIARDS.</p> + +<table class="poem pfont chpoem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i0">Breathe not his noble name even to the winds,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Lest they my love reveal.<br /></span></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="center">———</td> + </tr> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i6">I have mystical lore,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And coming events cast their shadows before.<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + + +<p>The childhood of the fair princess passed away without +any event of importance, except the occasional +recurrence of those dark prophecies which overshadowed +her entrance into life. Her father, who had +exercised the office of priest before he came to the +throne, was thoroughly imbued with the superstitious +reverence for astrology, which formed a part of the +religion of the Aztecs. To all the predictions of this +mystic science he yielded implicit belief, regarding +whatever it foreshadowed as the fixed decrees of fate. +He was, therefore, fully prepared, and always on the +look-out, for new revelations to confirm and establish +his faith. These were sometimes found in the trivial +occurrences of every-day life, and sometimes in the +sinister aspect of the heavenly bodies, at peculiar +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> +epochs in the life of his daughter. With this superstitious +foreboding of evil, the pensive character of the +princess harmonized so well, as to afford, to the mind +of the too credulous monarch, another unquestionable +indication of her destiny. It seemed to be written on +her brow, that her life was a doomed one; and each +returning year was counted as the last, and entered +upon with gloomy forebodings of some terrible catastrophe.</p> + +<p>As her life advanced, her charms, both of person and +character matured and increased; and, at the age of +fourteen, there was not a maiden in all the golden +cities of Anahuac, who could compare with Tecuichpo. +Her exceeding loveliness was the theme of many a +song, and the fame of her beauty and her accomplishments +was published in all the neighboring nations. +While yet a child, her hand was eagerly sought by +Cacamo, of the royal house of Tezcuco; but, with the +true chivalry of an unselfish devotion, his suit was +withdrawn, on discovering that her young affections +were already engaged to another. The discovery was +made in a manner too singular and striking to be suffered +to pass unnoticed.</p> + +<p>In the course of her wanderings in the forest, Karee +had taken captive a beautiful parrot, of the most gorgeous +plumage, and the most astonishing capacity. +This chatterer, after due training and discipline, she +had presented to her favorite princess, among a +thousand other tokens of her unchangeable affection. +Tecuichpo loved the beautiful mimic, to whom she +gave the name of Karee-o-thán—the voice of Karee,—and +often amused herself with teaching her to repeat +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> +the words which she loved best to hear. Without +being aware of the publicity she was thus giving to her +most treasured thoughts, she entrusted to the talkative +bird the secret of her love, by associating with the most +endearing epithets, the name of her favored cavalier. +While strolling about the magnificent gardens attached +to the palace of Montezuma, Cacamo was wont to +breathe out, in impassioned song, his love for Tecuichpo, +repeating her name, with every expression of +passionate regard, which the language afforded. Karee-o-thán +was often flying about in the gardens, and +soliloquizing in the arbors, the favorite resorts of her +beautiful mistress, and often attracted the notice of +Cacamo.</p> + +<p>One evening, as the prince was more than usually +eloquent in pouring into the ear of Zephyr the tale +of his love, the mimic bird, perched upon a flowering +orange tree, that filled the garden with its delicious +perfume, repeated the name of his mistress, as often as +her lover uttered it, occasionally connecting with it the +name of Guatimozin, and then adding some endearing +epithet, expressive of the most ardent admiration. The +prince was first amused, and then vexed, at the frequent +repetition of the name of his rival. In vain did +he endeavor to induce the mischievous bird to substitute +his own name for that of Guatimozin. As often as he +uttered the name of the princess, the echo in the orange +tree gave back “noble Guatimozin,” or “sweet Guatimozin,” +or some other similar response, which left no +doubt on the mind of Cacamo, that the heart of his +mistress was pre-occupied, and that the nephew of +Montezuma was the favored object of her love. The +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> +next day, he bade adieu to Tenochtitlan, placed himself +at the head of the army of Tezcuco, and plunged +into a war then raging with a distant tribe on the west, +hoping to bury his disappointment in the exciting +scenes of conquest.</p> + +<p>Guatimozin was of the royal blood, and, as his after +history will show, of a right royal and heroic spirit. +From his childhood, he had exhibited an unusual +maturity of judgment, coupled with an energy, activity, +and fearlessness of spirit, which gave early assurance +of a heroism worthy of the supreme command, and an +intellectual superiority that might claim succession to +the throne. His training was in the court and the +camp, and he seemed equally at home and in his element, +amid the refined gaieties of the palace, the grave +deliberations of the royal council, and the mad revelry +of the battle-field. His figure was of the most perfect +manly proportions, tall, commanding, graceful—his +countenance was marked with that peculiar blending +of benignity and majesty, which made it unspeakably +beautiful and winning to those whom he loved, and +terrible to those on whom he frowned. He was mild, +humane, generous, confiding; yet sternly and heroically +just. His country was his idol. The one great passion +of his soul, to which all other thoughts and affections +were subordinate and tributary, was patriotism. +On that altar, if he had possessed a thousand lives, he +would freely have laid them all. Such was the noble +prince who had won the heart of Tecuichpo.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, to the anxious eye of her imperial father, +the clouds of fate seemed to hang deep and dark over +the realm of Anahuac. Long before the prophetic wail, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> +which welcomed the lovely Tecuichpo to a life of sorrow, +Montezuma had imbibed from the dark legends of +ancient prophecies, and the faint outgivings of his own +priestly oracles, a deep and ineradicable impression that +some terrible calamity was impending over the realm, +and that he was to be the last of its native monarchs. +It was dimly foreshadowed, in these prophetic revelations, +that the descendants of a noble and powerful race +of men, who had many ages before occupied that +beautiful region, and filled it with the works of their +genius, but who had been driven out by the cruelty +and perfidy of the Toltecs, would return, invested with +supernatural power from heaven, to re-possess their +ancient inheritance.<a name="FNanchor_B_2" id="FNanchor_B_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_B_2" class="fnanchor">[B]</a> +To this leading and long established +faith, every dark and doubtful omen contributed +its appropriate share of confirmation. To this, every +significant event was deemed to have a more or less +intimate relation. So that, at this particular epoch, not +only the superstitious monarch, and his priestly astrologers, +but the whole nation of Azteca were prepared, as +were the ancient Jews at the advent of the Messiah, for +great events, though utterly unable to imagine what +might be the nature of the expected change.</p> + +<p>These gloomy forebodings of coming evil so thoroughly +possessed the mind of Montezuma, that the +commanding dignity and pride of the monarch gave +way before the absorbing anxiety of the man and the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> +father, and, in a manner, unfitted him for the duties of +the lofty place he had so nobly filled. He yielded, as +will be seen in the sequel, not without grief, but without +resistance, to the fixed decrees of fate, and awaited +the issue, as a victim for the heaven-appointed sacrifice.</p> + +<p>It was about fifteen years after the prophetic +announcement of the doom of the young princess of the +empire, that Montezuma was reclining in his summer +saloon, where he had been gloomily brooding over his +darkening prospects, till his soul was filled with sadness. +His beautiful daughter was with him, striving to cheer +his heart with the always welcome music of her songs, +and the affectionate expression of a love as pure and +deep as ever warmed the heart of a devoted child. She +had gone that day into the royal presence to ask a boon +for her early and faithful friend, Karee. This lovely +and gifted creature, now in the full maturity of all her +wonderful powers of mind, and personal attractions, had +often been admitted, as a special favorite, into the royal +presence, to exhibit her remarkable powers of minstrelsy, +and her almost supernatural gifts as an improvisatrice +of the wild melodies of Anahuac. Some of +her chants were of rare pathos and sublimity, and sometimes +she was so carried away with the impassioned +vehemence of her inspiration, that she seemed an +inspired messenger from the skies, uttering in their language +the oracles of the gods. On this occasion, she had +requested permission to sing a new chant in the palace, +that she might seize the opportunity to breathe a prophetic +warning in the ear of the emperor. She had +thrice dreamed that the dark cloud which had so long +hung over that devoted land, had burst in an overwhelming +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> +storm, upon the capital, and buried Montezuma +and all his house in indiscriminate ruin. She had +seen the demon of destruction, in the guize of a snow +white angel, clad in burnished silver, borne on a fiery +animal, of great power, and fleet as the wind, having +under him a small band of warriors, guarded and +mounted like himself, armed with thunderbolts which +they hurled at will against all who opposed their progress. +She had seen the monarch of Tenochtitlan, with +his hosts of armed Mexicans, and the tributary armies +of Tezcuco, Islacapan, Chalco, and all the cities of that +glorious valley, tremble and cower before this small +band of invaders, and yield himself without a blow to +their hands. She had seen the thousands and tens of +thousands of her beloved land fall before this handful +of strangers, and melt away, like the mists of the morning +before the rising sun. And she had heard a voice +from the dark cloud as it broke, saying, sternly, as the +forked lightning leaped into the heart of the imperial +palace, “The gods help only those who help themselves.”</p> + +<p>Filled and agitated with the stirring influence of this +prophetic vision, Karee, who had always regarded herself +as the guardian genius of Tecuichpo, now imagined +the sphere of her duty greatly enlarged, and deemed +herself specially commissioned to save the empire from +impending destruction. Weaving her vision, and the +warning it uttered, into one of her most impassioned +chants, and arraying herself as the priestess of nature, +she followed Tecuichpo, with a firm step into the royal +presence, and, with the boldness and eloquence of a +prophetess, warned him of the coming danger, and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> +urged him to arouse from his apathy, unbecoming the +monarch of a proud and powerful nation, cast off the +slavery of his superstitious fears, and prepare to meet, +with the power of a man, and the wisdom of a king, +whatever evil might come upon him. Rising with the +kindling inspiration of her theme, she ventured gently +to reproach the awe-struck monarch with his unmanly +fears, and to remind him that on his single will, and the +firmness of his soul, hung not only his own destiny but +that of wife and children; and more than that, of a +whole nation, whose myriads of households looked up +to him, as the common father of them all, the heaven-appointed +guardian of their lives, liberty and happiness. +At length, alarmed at her own energy and boldness, so +unwonted even to the proudest noble of the realm, in +that royal presence, she bent her knee, and baring her +bosom, she lowered her voice almost to a whisper, and +said imploringly—</p> + +<table class="poem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i0">Strike, monarch! strike, this heart is thine,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">To live or die for thee;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Strike, but heed this voice of mine<br /></span> +<span class="i0">It comes from heaven, through me;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">It comes to save this blessed land,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">It comes thy soul to free<br /></span> +<span class="i0">From those dark fears, and bid thee stand<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The monarch father of thy land,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">That only lives in thee.<br /></span></td> + </tr> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i0">Strike, father! if my words too bold<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Thy royal ears offend;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The visions of the night are told,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Thy destiny the gods unfold—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Oh! be thy people’s friend,<br /></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> +<span class="i0">True to thyself, to them, to heaven—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">So shall this lowering cloud be riven<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And light and peace descend,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">To bless this golden realm, and save<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Tecuichpo from an early grave.<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p>The vision of the beautiful pythoness had deeply and +powerfully affected the soul of Montezuma; and her +closing appeal moved him even to tears. Though +accustomed to the most obsequious deference from all +his subjects, even from the proudest of his nobles, he +had listened to every word of Karee with the profoundest +attention and interest, as if it had been from the acknowledged +oracle of heaven. When she ceased, there was +a breathless silence in the hall. The monarch drew +his lovely daughter to his bosom in a passionate +embrace. Karee remained prostrate, with her face to +the ground, her heart throbbing almost audibly with the +violence of her emotions. Suddenly, a deep long blast +from a distant trumpet announced the arrival of a +courier at the capital. It was a signal for all the attendants +to retire. Tecuichpo tenderly kissing her father, +took Karee by the hand, raised her up and led her out, +and the monarch was left alone.</p> + +<p>In a few moments, the courier arrived and entering, +barefoot and veiled, into the royal presence, bowed to +the very ground, handed a scroll to the king, and +departed. When Montezuma had unrolled the scroll, +he seemed for a moment, as if struck with instant paralysis. +Fear, astonishment, dismay, seized upon his +soul. The vision of Karee was already fulfilled. The +pictured tablet was the very counterpart of her oracular +chant—the literal interpretation of her prophetic vision. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> +It announced the arrival within the realms of Montezuma, +of a band of pale faced strangers, clad in burnished +armor, each having at his command a beautiful +animal of great power, hitherto unknown in that +country, that bore him with the speed of the wind +wherever he would go, and seemed, while he was +mounted, to be a part of himself. It described their +weapons, representing them as having the lightning and +thunder at their disposal, which they caused to issue +sometimes from dark heavy engines, which they +dragged along the ground, and sometimes from smaller +ones which they carried in their hands. It delineated, +faithfully and skilfully their “water houses,” or ships, +in which they traversed the great waters, from a far distant +country. The peculiar costume and bearing of their +commander, and of his chiefs, were also happily represented +in the rich coloring for which the Aztecs were +distinguished. Nothing was omitted in their entire +array, which could serve to convey to the eye of the +emperor a correct and complete impression of the appearance, +numbers and power of the strangers. It was all +before him, at a glance, a living speaking picture, and +told the story of the invasion as graphically and eloquently, +as if he had been himself a witness of their +debarkation, and of their feats of horsemanship. It was +all before him, a terrible living reality. The gods +whom he worshipped had sent these strangers to fulfil +their own irresistible purposes—if, indeed, these were +not the gods themselves, in human form.</p> + +<p>The mind of Montezuma was overwhelmed. Like +Belshazzar, when the divine hand appeared writing his +doom on the wall, his soul fainted in him, his knees +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> +smote together, and he sat, in blank astonishment, +gazing on the picture before him, as if the very tablet +possessed a supernatural power of destruction.</p> + +<p>Paralyzed with the influence of his long indulged +fears so singularly and strikingly realized, the monarch +sat alone, neither seeking comfort, nor asking counsel +of any one, till the hour of the evening repast. The +summons aroused him from his reverie; but he regarded +it not. He remained alone, in his own private apartments, +during the whole night, fasting and sleepless, +traversing the marble halls in an agony of agitation.</p> + +<p>With the first light of the morning, the shrill notes of +the trumpet, reverberating along the shadowy slopes of +the cordilleras, announced the approach of another +courier from the camp of the strangers. It rung in the +ears of the dejected monarch, like an alarum. He +awoke at once from his stupor, and began to consider +what was to be done. The warning of Karee rushed +upon his recollection. Her bold and timely appeal +struck him to the heart. He resolved to be once more +the monarch, and the father of his people. Uttering an +earnest prayer to all his gods, he awaited the arrival of +the courier.</p> + +<p>Swift of foot as the mountain deer, the steps of the +messenger were soon heard, measuring with solemn +pace, the long corridor of the royal mansion, as one who +felt that he was approaching the presence of majesty, +and bearing a message pregnant with the most important +issues to the common weal. Bowing low, with that +profound reverence, which was rigorously exacted of all +who approached the presence of Montezuma, he touched +the ground with his right hand, and then, his eyes bent +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> +to the earth, delivered his pictured scroll, and retired. +It was a courteous and complimentary message from the +strangers he so much dreaded, requesting that they +might be permitted to pay their respects to his imperial +majesty, in his own capital. The quick-sighted monarch +perceived at once that prudence and policy +required that this interview should be prevented.</p> + +<p>A council of the wisest and most experienced of the +Aztec nobles was immediately called. The opinions +of the royal advisers were variously expressed, but all, +with one accord, agreed that the request of the strangers +could not be granted. Some counselled a bold and +warlike message, commanding the intruders to depart +instantly, on pain of the royal displeasure. Some +recommended their forcible expulsion by the army of +the empire. The more aged and experienced, who had +learned how much easier it is to avoid, than to escape, a +danger, proposed a more courteous and peaceable reply +to the message of the strangers. They deemed it +unworthy of a great and powerful monarch, to be +angry, when the people of another nation visited his +territories, or requested permission to see his capital. +To manifest, or feel any thing like fear, in such a case, +would be a reproach alike upon his courage and his +patriotism. So long, therefore, as the strangers conducted +themselves peaceably, and with becoming deference +to the will of the emperor, and the laws of the +realm, they should be treated civilly, and hospitably +entertained.</p> + +<p>To this wise and prudent counsel, the monarch was +already fully prepared to yield. It was strongly +seconded by his superstitious reverence for the heaven-sent +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> +strangers, and his mortal dread of their superhuman +power. He, therefore, selected the noblest and +wisest of his chiefs as ambassadors, to bear his message, +which was kindly and courteously expressed; at +the same time conveying a firm but respectful refusal to +admit the foreigners to an interview in the capital, or +to extend to them the protection of the court, after a +reasonable time had elapsed for their re-embarkation. +This message was accompanied with a munificent royal +present, consisting of the richest and most beautiful +suits of apparel for the chief and all his men, with +gorgeous capes and robes of feather-work, glittering +with jewels—precious stones richly set in gold, and +many magnificent ornaments of pure gold.</p> + +<p>At the head of this embassy were princes of high +estate, and most noble bearing, commanding in person, +and of great distinction, both at the court and in the +camp. When they arrived near the encampment of +the strangers, which was the spot where the city of +Vera Cruz now stands, they sent a courier forward, +to announce their approach, and prepare for their +reception.</p> + +<p>The meeting of the parties was one of no little pomp +and ceremony, for the courtly manners and chivalric +bearing of the European cavaliers were scarcely superior, +in impressiveness and effect, to the barbaric splendor, +and graceful consciousness of power, which characterized +the flower of the Aztec nobility. The chief, +advancing towards the invaders, bowed low to earth, +touching the ground with his right hand, then raising +it to his head, and presenting it to his guest, announced +himself as the envoy and servant of the great Montezuma, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> +sole monarch and master of all the realms of +Anahuac; and demanded the name of the stranger, the +country from which he came, and the motives which +induced him to trespass upon the sacred territories of +his royal master, and to presume to ask an interview +with the emperor, in his capital. The Castilian chieftain, +with a courteous and knightly bearing replied, +that his name was Hernando Cortez—that he was one +of the humblest of the servants of the great Charles, the +mighty monarch of Spain, and sovereign ruler of the +Indies, and that he had come, with his little band of +followers, to pay his court to the great Montezuma, and +to bear to him the fraternal salutation of his master, +which he could only deliver in person.</p> + +<p>The reply of the Mexican was dignified, courteous, +and pointed, and left no hope to the Spaniard, that he +would then be able to effect his purpose, of visiting in +person the golden city. “If,” said the prince, “your +monarch had come himself to our shores, he might +well demand a personal meeting with our lord, the +emperor, but when he sends his servant to represent +him, he surely cannot presume to do more than communicate +with the servants of the great Montezuma. +If it were possible that another sun should visit yonder +sky, he might look upon our sun, in his march, and +move and shine in his presence. But the moon and +the stars cannot shine when he is abroad. They can +look upon each other only when he withdraws his +light.”</p> + +<p>The royal message having been delivered, the presents +which accompanied it were brought forward, and +spread out upon mats, in front of the general’s tent. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> +The Spaniards were struck, with surprise and admiration +at the fineness of the texture of the cloths, the +richness of their dyes, the gorgeous coloring and tasteful +arrangement of the feather-work, the masterly workmanship +and exquisite finish of the jewelry, and, above +all, the immense value, and magnificent size of the +golden toys which were presented them. They conceived, +at once, the most exalted ideas of the riches of +the country, and the munificence and splendor of the +monarch that ruled over it. Their avarice and cupidity +were strongly excited, and more than one of the inferior +officers, as well as their general, formed the immediate +resolution, that, in despite of the imperial interdict, +they would endeavor, either by diplomacy or by force, +to win their way to the capital, which they supposed +must of necessity be the grand depository of all the +treasures in the empire. Their intentions were kept +secret, even from each other, and, under cover of a specious +submission to the expressed will of the monarch, +Cortez requested permission to delay his departure, till +his men should be recruited, and his stores replenished +for his long voyage.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, taking advantage of this unauthorized +reprieve, the artful and indefatigable Castilian contrived +to draw off from their unwilling and burdensome +allegiance to Montezuma, the Totonacs, a considerable +tribe, residing in that part of the country where he had +effected his landing; and so to impress them with a +sense of his own power and the lenity of his government, +as to bind them to him in a solemn treaty of alliance. +He also sent an embassy to the Tlascalans, a +nation that had long maintained its independence +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> +against the ambitious encroachments of Mexico, and +held Montezuma their natural and only foe. They +were a brave and warlike people, and nearly as far +advanced in the arts of civilization as their enemies. +Their government was a kind of republic. Cortez, with +magniloquent pretensions of invincible power, and inexhaustible +resources, proposed to assist the Tlascalans in +reducing the power of Mexico, and putting an end to +the oppressions and exactions of Montezuma. For this +purpose, he asked leave to pass through their country, +on his march to the great capital.</p> + +<p>Distrusting the intentions of the strangers, and fearing +that, instead of a disinterested friend and ally, they +should find in them only a new enemy, whom, once +admitted, they could never expel from their dominions, +and whose yoke might be even harder to bear than +that which the Aztec monarch had in vain attempted +to fasten upon them—the proposed alliance of the +Spaniards was rejected, with such bold and ample +demonstrations of hostility, as left no room for doubt, +that any attempt to force a passage through their territories, +would be fiercely and ably contested.</p> + +<p>Never daunted by obstacles, though somewhat perplexed, +the brave Cortez rushed forward, encountered +the almost countless hosts of the Tlascalan army, and, +after several severe and deadly contests, in which the +skill and prowess of his handful of men, with their +terrible horses and yet more terrible fire-arms, were +nearly overpowered by the immense numbers, astonishing +bravery, and comparative skill of the enemy, he +succeeded in terrifying them into submission, and winning +them to a treaty of alliance, offensive and defensive, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> +against the tyrant Montezuma, the common enemy +of all the nations of Anahuac. By these singular and +unparalleled successes, the little band of Castilian +adventurers found themselves fortified, in the heart of +the country, in close alliance with two powerful tribes, +who swelled their army to ten times its original number, +besides supplying them liberally with all the provisions +that were needed for themselves and horses.</p> + +<p>Never was adventure so rashly undertaken, or so +boldly pushed, as this singular expedition of the +Spanish cavaliers. And never, probably, were there +associated, in one little band, so many of the master +spirits of chivalry, the true material of a conquering +army. The compeers of Cortez, who submitted to his +authority, and acted in perfect harmony with him, as +if they were but subordinate parts of himself, were +each competent to command a host, and lead it on to +certain victory. The impetuous, daring Alvarado, the +cool, courageous, trusty Sandoval, the high-spirited, +chivalrous Olid, the rash, head-long, cruel Velasquez +de Leon, and others, worthy to be the comrades of +these, and of Cortez—when have the ranks of the war-god +assigned so many master spirits to one enterprize? +And the brave, the gifted, the indomitable Xicotencatl, +the mountain chief of Tlascala, whom the Spaniards, +with so much difficulty, first subdued and then won to +their cause, as an ally—what a noble personification +of the soul and spirit of heroism, realizing in personal +bravery, martial skill and prowess, and in all the commanding +qualities of person and of character, which go +to constitute the victorious warrior, the best pictures of +the type-heroes of epic poetry and history.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> +In all their previous discoveries in the New World, +the progress of the Spaniards to victory was easy, and +almost unresisted. The invaders of Mexico, however, +found themselves suddenly introduced to a new people, +and new scenes—to nations of warriors, to races intelligent, +civilized, and competent to self-government and +self-defence. And all the skill, courage, and energy of +their ablest commanders, and their bravest men, would +have availed them nothing in their herculean enterprize, +if they had not craftily and skilfully worked +upon the jealousies and differences existing between +the various tribes and nations of Anahuac, and fomented +the long smothered discontents, and unwritten complaints +of an over-taxed and sternly-governed people, +into open and clamorous resistance to the despotic sway +of Montezuma. It is curious and melancholy to +observe, how eagerly they shook off the golden yoke +of their hereditary monarch, for the iron one of a new +master, and exchanged their long-established servitude +to their legitimate king and their pagan gods, for a +more galling, hopeless, and wasting slavery to the cruel +and rapacious invader, under the life-promising Sign +of the Cross, the desecrated banner of the Prince of +Peace.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a name="Footnote_B_2" id="Footnote_B_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_B_2"> +<span class="label">[B]</span></a> One version of this singular prophetic legend represented the +expected invaders, as the descendants of the ancient god Quetzalcoatl, +who, ages agone, had voluntarily abdicated the throne of Anahuac, and +departed to a far country in the East, with a promise to his afflicted +people, that his children would ultimately return, and claim their +ancient country and crown.</p> +</div> + + + +<hr class="long" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span></p> + +<h3 class="padtop">CHAPTER III.</h3> + +<p class="p1">SUPERSTITIOUS FEAR AND VACILLATING POLICY OF +MONTEZUMA.</p> + +<table class="poem pfont chpoem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i0">The land was ours—this glorious land—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">With all its wealth of woods and streams—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Our warriors, strong in heart and hand,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Our daughters, beautiful as dreams.<br /></span></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="center">———</td> + </tr> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i0">And then we heard the omens say,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">That God had sent his angels forth<br /></span> +<span class="i0">To sweep our ancient tribes away—<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p>While these events were transpiring in the ever +moving camp of the victorious invaders, the imperial +court of Tenochtitlan was agitated and distracted by the +divided counsels and wavering policy of the superstitious, +fear-stricken monarch, and his various advisers. +At one time, deeply offended by their audacious disregard +of his positive prohibitions, and roused to a sense +of his duty as a king, by the prophetic warning of +Karee, which never ceased to ring in his ears, Montezuma +was almost persuaded to give in to the war-party, +and send out an army that should overwhelm the +strangers at a blow. But, before this noble purpose had +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> +time to mature itself into action, all his superstitious +fears would revive, and, without coming to any decision +either to move or stand still, he would pause in timid +inaction, till some new success had made the invaders +more formidable than before, and invested their mission +with something more of that preternatural sacredness, +which alone had power to unman the monarch, and +disarm his craving ambition. At each advance of the +conquering Castilians, he realized the growing necessity +of prompt and efficient measures of defence, while at +the same time he felt a greater reluctance to contend +with fate. The result was, that he only dallied with +the foe, by continually sending new embassies, each, +with larger and richer presents than the preceding, +having no effect but to add fuel to their already burning +thirst for gold, and strengthen their determination to +accomplish their original purpose.</p> + +<p>These royal embassies were less and less firm and +peremptory in their terms, until they assumed the tone +of expostulation, and assigning various and often conflicting +reasons why the Spaniards should not pursue +their route any farther towards the imperial city. At +length, when the courier announced the arrival of the +mysterious band at Tlascala, and the consummation of +the alliance between them and his old and bitter +enemies, together with the defection of many cities and +districts, he felt it impossible to remain any longer +undecided. His throne trembled under him. He must +act, or it would fall, and involve him and his house in +inevitable ruin. Instead, however, of a bold and +masterly activity in the defence of his capital and +crown, he changed his policy altogether, and sending a +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> +new embassy with more splendid gifts than ever, +invited the strangers to his court, and promised them all +the hospitalities of his empire. He designated the route +they should pursue, and gave orders for their reception +in all the towns and cities through which they should +pass.</p> + +<p>Montezuma was politic and wise in some things; and +the purpose he had now in view, if it had not been +frustrated, would have been deemed a master-stroke of +policy, worthy of the ablest disciples of the Macchiavellian +school. Perceiving the necessity of breaking +up this combination of new and old enemies, he had +recourse to stratagem to effect it, intending that the +strangers, whom he dared not to oppose with direct +violence, should fall into the snare they had laid for +themselves, in thrusting themselves forward, in despite +of his repeated remonstrances, into the heart of his +empire. He feared to raise his own hand to destroy +them, because they were, in his view, commissioned of +heaven to overturn his throne; but he deemed it perfectly +consistent with this reverence for the decrees of +fate, to lay a snare into which they should fall, and so +destroy themselves. He little understood the watchfulness +and circumspection of the man he had to deal +with, or the tremendous advantage which their armor +of proof and their engines of destruction gave the +Europeans over the almost naked Mexicans, with their +primitive weapons of offence. It was his plan to separate +the foreigners from their new Indian allies, and invite +them to come alone to the capital, as was first proposed. +And he designed to assign them accommodations in one +of the ancient palaces, in the heart of the city, where, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> +surrounded by high walls, on every side, they should +be shut up from all intercourse with the people, and left +to perish of famine.</p> + +<p>When this purpose was formed, the monarch kept it +a profound secret in his own breast. The ambassadors +whom he sent to the Castilian camp, were of the highest +ranks of the nobility, and were accompanied by a long +train of slaves, bearing the rich presents, by which the +wily monarch hoped at the same time to display his +own royal munificence, and to propitiate the favor of the +dreaded strangers. Every new display of this kind +only served more effectually to defeat his own hopes; +for the avarice of the Spaniards, whose lust of gold was +absolutely insatiable, was so far from being satisfied +with this profusion of royal gifts, that it was only the +more inflamed with every new accession to their +treasures. The only effect, therefore, of these repeated +embassies was to confirm the Spaniards in their convictions +of the conscious weakness of the Mexicans, and +make them the more resolute in pushing forward to +complete the subjugation of the whole country, and +possess themselves of all its seemingly inexhaustible +treasures of gold.</p> + +<p>Montezuma had now another difficulty to contend +with, in his endeavor to rid himself of the intruders. +The Tlascalans represented him to Cortez as false and +deceitful as he was ambitious and rapacious, and used +every argument in their power to dissuade him from +committing himself to his hands. But the bold adventurer, +always confident in his own resources, seemed +never to think of danger when an object was to be +accomplished, or to regard any thing as impossible +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> +which he desired to attain. As soon as the door was +thrown open to his amicable approach to the capital, he +set himself to prepare for the march. The expostulations +and suspicions of the Tlascalans made him, perhaps, +more careful in his preparations against a surprise, and +more rigorous in the discipline of his little corps, than +he might otherwise have been. Wherever he was, his +camp was as cautiously posted, as fully and rigidly +guarded as if, on the eve of battle, he was hourly +expecting an assault. This watchfulness was maintained +throughout the whole adventurous campaign, as +well when in the midst of friends and allies, as when +surrounded by hostile legions.</p> + +<p>After the royal ambassadors had departed with their +pacific message, the mind of Montezuma was harassed +and agitated with many doubts of the propriety of the +course he had adopted. His nobles, and the tributary +princes of the neighboring cities of Tezcuco, Tlacopan, +and Iztapalapan, were divided in their opinions. Some +complained, though not loudly, of the weak and vacillating +policy of the king. Some, even of the common +people, feared the consequences, anticipating the most +disastrous results, in accordance with their superstitious +veneration for the oracles of their faith. The third day +after the departure of the envoys, the king was pacing +up and down one of the beautifully shaded walks of the +royal gardens, listening with a disturbed mind to the +powerful expostulations of his brother, Cuitlahua, who, +from the beginning, had vehemently opposed every +concession to the invaders, and urgently solicited permission +to lead the army against them, and drive them +from the land. Suddenly, a voice as of a distant choir +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> +of chanters arrested his ear. The melody was solemn, +sweet and soothing. It seemed to come sometimes +from the upper regions of the air, in tones of silvery +clearness and power, sometimes from beneath, in suppressed +and muffled harmony, as when the swell organ +soliloquises with all its valves closed,—sometimes it +retreated, as if dying into an echo along the distant +avenues of royal palms and aged cypresses, or the +citron and orange groves that skirted the farther end of +the garden, and then, suddenly, and with great power, +it burst in the full tide of impassioned song, from every +tree and bower in that vast paradise of terrestrial sweets. +Enchanted by the more than Circean melody, the +brothers paused in their animated discourse, and stood, +for a few moments, in silent wonder and fixed attention. +Presently the chanting ceased, and one solitary voice +broke forth in plaintive but emphatic recitative as from +the midst of the sparkling jet that played its ceaseless +tune in the grand porphyritic basin near which they +stood. The words, which were simple and oracular, +struck deep into the heart of Montezuma, and found a +ready response in that of his royal brother.</p> + +<table class="poem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i0">The lion<a name="FNanchor_C_3" id="FNanchor_C_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_C_3" class="fnanchor">[C]</a> +walks forth in his power and pride,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The terror and lord of the forest wide—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">When the fox appears, shall he flee and hide?<br /></span></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="center">———</td> + </tr> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i0">The eagle’s nest is strong and high,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Unquestioned monarch of the sky—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Should he quail before the falcon’s eye?<br /></span></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="center">———</td> + </tr> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> +<span class="i0">The sun rides forth through the heavens afar,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Dispensing light from his flaming car—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Should he veil his glory, or turn him back,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">When the meteor flashes athwart his track?<br /></span></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="center">———</td> + </tr> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i0">Shall the eagle invite the hawk to his nest?<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Shall the fox with the lion sit down as a guest?<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Shall the meteor look out from the noonday sky,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">When the sun in his power is flaming by?<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p>The pauses in this significant chant were followed +by choral symphonies, expressing, as eloquently as +inarticulate sounds could do, the most earnest remonstrance, +the most moving expostulation. When this +was concluded, the same sweet voice broke forth again, +in tones of solemn tenderness and majestic power, in a +prophetic warning to Montezuma.</p> + +<table class="poem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i2">Beware, mighty monarch! beware of the hour,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">When the pale-faced intruder shall come to this bower!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Beware of the weakness that whispers of fear,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">When the all-grasping, gold-seeking Spaniard is near!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Beware how thou readest the dark scroll of fate!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Its mystic revealings may warn thee too late,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">That the power to command, and the strength to oppose,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Are gone, when thou openest the gate to thy foes.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The white men are mortal—frail sons of the earth,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">They know not, they claim not, a heavenly birth;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">They bow to disease, and they fall by the sword,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Pale fear can disarm them, grim death is their lord;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And those terrible coursers, so fiery and strong,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">That bear them like ravenous tigers along,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The fleet winged arrow shall pierce them, and slay,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And leave them to eagles and vultures a prey.<br /></span></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td><br /> +<span class="i2">Up, monarch! arouse thee—the hour is at hand<br /></span> +<span class="i0">When the dark howling tempest shall sweep o’er thy land.<br /></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> +<span class="i0">Thy doubts and thy fears, ever changing, are rife<br /></span> +<span class="i0">With peril to liberty, honor and life;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And this timid inaction shall surely bring down<br /></span> +<span class="i0">To the dust, in dishonor, thy glorious crown;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And leave, to all time, on thy once-honored head,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The curse of a nation forsaken, betrayed.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Oh! rouse thee, brave monarch! there’s power in thy hand<br /></span> +<span class="i0">To scatter the clouds that hang over thy land.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Speak, speak but the word, there is magic in thee,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Before which the ruthless invader shall flee,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And myriads of braves, all equipped for defence,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Shall leap at thy bidding, and banish him hence;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And the gods, who would frown on the recreant slave,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Will stand by their altars, and fight for the brave.<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p>The effect of this mysterious warning upon the mind +of Montezuma was exceedingly powerful, and seemed, +for a time, to change his purpose and fix his resolution. +With an energy and decision to which he had long +been a stranger, he turned to his brother, and said, +“Cuitlahua, you are right. This realm is mine. The +gods have made me the father of this people. I must +and will defend them. The strangers shall be driven +back, or die. They shall never profane the temples +and altars of Tenochtitlan, by entering within its gates, +or looking upon its walls. Go, marshall your host, and +prepare to meet them, before they advance a step +further.”</p> + +<p>Exulting in this sudden demonstration of his ancient +martial spirit in his royal brother, and fired with a +double zeal in the cause he had so much at heart, by +the thrilling influence upon his soul of the mysterious +oracle, whose message had been uttered in his hearing, +Cuitlahua scarcely waited for the ordinary courtesy of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> +bidding farewell to the king, but flew with the speed +of the wind, to execute the grateful trust committed to +him. Despatching his messengers in every direction, +only a few hours elapsed before his army was drawn +up in the great square of the city; and, ere the sun had +gone down, they had passed the gates, traversed the +grand causeway that linked the amphibious city with +the main land, and pitched their camp in a favorable +position, several leagues on the way to Cholula.</p> + +<p>The ardent imagination of the prince of Iztapalapan +kindled at the prospect now opened before. The +clouds, so long hanging over his beloved country, were +dissipated as by magic, and the clear light of heaven +streamed in upon his path, promising a quick and easy +conquest, a glorious triumph, and a permanent peace. +He had been in many battles, but had never been +defeated. He believed the Mexican army invincible +any where, but especially on their own soil, and fighting +for their altars and their hearths. Terrible as the +invading strangers had been hitherto, he had no fear +of the coming encounter. He confidently expected to +annihilate them at a blow. Happily his soldiers were +all animated with the same spirit, and they took to +their rest that night, eager for the morning to come, +that should light them on their way to a certain and +glorious victory.</p> + +<p>No sooner had the army departed, than a change +came over the spirit of the ill-fated Montezuma. The +demons of doubt and fear returned to perplex and harass +his soul, and to incline him again to that vacillating +policy, those half way measures, by which his doom +was to be sealed. In an agony of distrust and suspense, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> +he recounted to himself the history of the past, reviewing +all those dark and fearful prophecies, those oft-repeated +and mysteriously significant omens, which, +for so many years, had foreshadowed the events of the +present day, and revealed the inevitable doom of the +empire, sealed with the signet of heaven. The impressions +produced by the recent warnings of Karee faded +and disappeared before the deep and indelible traces of +those ancient oracles, on which he had been accustomed +from his youth sacredly to rely. He was once +more adrift in a tempest of contending impulses, at one +moment abandoning all in a paroxism of despair, at +another, vainly flattering himself with the hope of +deliverance in some ill-formed stratagem, but never +nerving himself to a tone of resolute defiance, or venturing +to rest a hope on the issue of an open encounter.</p> + +<p>The result of all this agitation was, another abandonment +of his noble purpose of defence, and a new +resort to stratagem. But the plan of operations, and +the scene of execution, were changed. Cholula was +selected as the theatre of destruction. The Spaniards +had already been invited to take that city in their route, +and orders had been given, and preparations made, for +their hospitable reception. It was now resolved to +make their acceptance of that invitation the signal and +seal of their destruction. They were to be drawn into +the city, alone, under the pretence that the presence of +their Tlascalan allies, who were the ancient and bitter +enemies of the Cholulans, would be likely to create disturbance +in the city, and lead to collision if not to +bloodshed. The Cholulans were instructed to provide +them with a place of encampment, in the heart of their +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> +city, where they could easily be surrounded, and cut to +pieces. The streets of the city were then to be broken +up by deep pits in some places, and barricades in +others, to impede the movements of the horses, more +dreaded than even the thunder and lightning of their +riders. This being completed under cover of the +night, the city was to be filled with soldiers ready to do +the work of execution, while the brave Cuitlahua, with +the flower of the army of Tenochtitlan, was to encamp +at a convenient distance without the walls, to render +prompt assistance, in case it should be needed.</p> + +<p>This plan being fully arranged in the mind of the +Emperor, messengers were despatched with the light of +the morning, to arrest the movements of Cuitlahua, and +convey the necessary orders to the governor of Cholula. +The warlike chieftain was deeply chagrined, and bitterly +disappointed, in finding his orders so suddenly +countermanded. He saw only certain ruin in the ever-wavering +policy of the king, and was unable to conceive +of any hope, except in striking a bold and decisive +blow. He was willing to stake all upon a single cast, +and drive back the insolent invader, or perish in the +attempt. But Montezuma was the absolute monarch. +His word was law; and, though not irreversible like +that of the Medo-Persian, it was never to be questioned +by any of his subjects. The hero must therefore rest +on his arms, and await the issue of a doubtful stratagem.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, the eager and self sufficient Castilians +had pushed forward to Cholula, and entered its gates, +under a royal escort, that came out to meet them, and +amid the constrained shouts and half hearted congratulations +of a countless multitude of natives, who with +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span> +mingled fear, hatred and curiosity, gazed on the conquerors +as a superior race of beings, and made way for +them on every side, to take possession of their city. +They were received with the greatest deference and +consideration by the chiefs of the little republic, and +the ambassadors of Montezuma, who had halted on +their way, to prepare a more honorable reception for +their guests, and further to ingratiate them with their +master, by doing away, as far they could, the unfavorable +impressions of him and his people, which might +have made on their minds, by their intercourse with +their old and implacable enemies of the republic of +Tlascala.</p> + +<p>Such was the mutual jealousy and hatred of these +neighboring nations, that, while the Cholulans could, +in no wise agree to admit the Tlascalans to accompany +Cortez into their city, they, on their part, were extremely +reluctant to allow him to go in alone, assuring +him in the strongest terms, that they were the most +treacherous and deceitful of men, and their promises +and professions utterly unworthy of confidence. Scorning +danger, however, and determined at all hazards, to +embrace every opening that seemed to facilitate his +approach to the Mexican capital, he marched fearlessly +in, and took up his quarters in the great square, or +market place. Here, ample accommodations were provided +for him and his band. Every courtesy was +extended to them by the citizens and their rulers. +Their table was amply supplied with all the necessaries +and luxuries of the place. They were regarded with a +kind of superstitious awe by the multitude, as a race of +beings belonging to another world, of ethereal mould, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> +and supernatural powers; and their camp was visited +by those of all ranks, and all ages, eager to catch a +view of the terrible strangers.</p> + +<p>A few days after their arrival, a new embassy from +the imperial palace was announced. They held no +communication with Cortez, but had a long consultation +with the previous envoys still remaining there, and +with the authorities of the city. From this time, there +was a striking change in the aspect of the Cholulans +towards their guests. They were soon made to perceive +and feel that, though invited, they were not +welcome guests. The daily supplies for their table +were greatly diminished. They received but few and +formal visits from the chiefs, and but cold attention +from any of the nobles. Cortez was quick to perceive +the change, but unable to divine its meaning. It +caused him many an anxious hour, especially when he +remembered the serious and urgent representations of +his Tlascalan allies of the deceitful and treacherous +character of the Cholulans. His apprehensions were by +no means diminished, when he learned from the morning +report of the night guards, that through the entire +night, which had hitherto been a season of perfect +silence and repose in the city, sounds were heard on +every side, as of people earnestly engaged in some +works of fortification, sometimes digging in the earth, +sometimes laying up stones in heaps, and in various +other ways, “vexing the dull ear of night with uncouth +noise.” It was found, on examination, that the streets +in many places were barricaded, and holes, in others, +were lightly covered with branches of trees. Unable +to explain these matters, and not wishing to give offence +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span> +to his entertainers by enquiring too curiously into what +might be no more than the ordinary preparation for a +national festival, he sent one of his chief officers to +report to the Tlascalan commander, without the gates +of the city, and enquire what might be the meaning of +these singular movements. Having learned in reply, +that a hostile attack was undoubtedly contemplated, +and that a large force of Mexicans, under command of +the brave Cuitlahua, brother of Montezuma, was encamped +at no great distance, ready to co-operate with +the Cholulans at a moment’s warning, and that a great +number of victims had been offered in sacrifice, to propitiate +the favor of their gods, the haughty Spaniard +found his position any thing but agreeable. He was a +stranger to fear, but he was certainly most sadly perplexed. +And, when, in addition to the information +already received, he learned from Marina, his female +interpreter, that she had been warned by a friend in the +city to abandon the Spaniards, that she might not be +involved in their ruin, he was, for a time, quite at a +loss what to do. To retreat, would be to manifest fear, +and a distrust of his own resources, which might be +fatal to his future influence with the natives. To +remain where he was—inactive, would be to stand still +in the yawning crater of a volcano, when the overcharged +cauldron below had already begun to belch +forth sulphureous flames and smoke.</p> + +<p>The character of the conqueror was one precisely +adapted to such exigencies as this. Through the +whole course of his wonderful career, he seems to have +rushed into difficulty, for the mere pleasure of fighting +his way out. In order to extricate himself, he never +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> +lost a moment in parleying or diplomacy. His measures +were bold, decided, and direct, indicating a self-reliance, +and a confidence in his men and means, +which is the surest guaranty of success. In this case, +having satisfied himself of the actual existence of a +conspiracy, he sent for the chief rulers, upbraided them +with their want of hospitality, informed them that he +should leave the place at break of day the next morning, +and demanded a large number of men, to assist in +removing his baggage. Promising to comply with this +demand, which favored the execution of their own +designs, the chiefs departed, and Cortez and his band, +sleeping on their arms, prepared for the coming +conflict.</p> + +<p>Punctually, at the peep of dawn, the princes of Cholula +marched into the court, accompanied by a much +larger number of men than Cortez had required. With +a calm bold air, the haughty Castilian confronted them, +charging them with treachery, and detailing all the circumstances +of the concerted massacre. He upbraided +them with their duplicity and baseness, and gave them +to understand that they should pay dear for their false-hearted +and cruel designs against those, who, confiding +in their hospitality and promises of friendship, had +come to their city, and slept quietly within their gates.</p> + +<p>Thunderstruck at this unexpected turn of affairs, +and fearing more than ever the strange beings, who +could read their very thoughts, and fathom the designs +which were yet scarcely matured in their own bosoms, +the disconcerted magnates tremblingly pleaded guilty +to the charge, and attempted to excuse themselves, by +urging their allegiance to Montezuma, and the duty +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> +and necessity of obeying his commands, however +repugnant to their own feelings.</p> + +<p>It was not the policy of Cortez to admit this plea, in +extenuation of their treachery. He preferred to cast +the whole burden upon them alone, and leave the way +open for an easy disclaimer on the part of the emperor, +hoping thereby the more readily to gain a peaceable +entry into the capital. Without waiting, therefore, for +any further explanations, or instituting any inquiry +into the comparative guilt of the parties, he gave the +signal to his soldiers, who, with a general discharge of +their artillery and fire arms, rushed upon the unprepared +multitude, mowing them down like grass, and +trampling them under the hoofs of their horses. A +general massacre ensued. Not one of the chiefs +escaped, and only so many of their panic-struck followers, +as could feign themselves dead, or bury themselves, +till the tempest was past, under the heaps of their slain +comrades.</p> + +<p>Thus taken by surprise, and driven, before they +were ready, into an unequal conflict with enemies who +had, by some miracle, as they supposed, anticipated +their movements, and struck the first blow, the Cholulans +rushed in from all parts of their city, hoping to +retrieve, by their numbers and prowess, the disadvantage +of the lost onset. Cortez had prepared for this. +He had ordered his artillery to be stationed at the main +entrances to the square, where they poured in a raking +fire upon the assailants, rushing in from all the avenues. +The surprise being so sudden, and the leaders +having been shot down at the first charge, confusion +and consternation prevailed among the discomfited +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> +Cholulans, who alternately fled, like affrighted sheep, +from the scene of slaughter, and then rushed back, like +exasperated wolves, to the work of death.</p> + +<p>In anticipation of this conflict, the Spanish general +had concerted a signal with his Tlascalan allies, without +the gates, who now came rushing in, like hungry +tigers, revelling in the opportunity to inflict a terrible +vengeance upon their ancient enemies. Falling upon +their rear, as they crowded in from the remoter quarters +of the city towards the field of carnage, they drove +them in upon the weapons of the Spaniards, from +which there was now no escape. Turning upon this +new enemy, they fought with desperate bravery, to win +a retreat. But they were cut down on this side and that, +till the streets were scarcely passable for the heaps of +the dead and dying that cumbered them. Those who +took refuge in their houses and temples, found no +safety in such retreats, for they were instantly fired +by the Tlascalans, and their defenders perished miserably +in the flames.</p> + +<p>There was one scene in the midst of this desolating +conflict, that was truly sublime,—one of those strange +combinations of moral and physical grandeur, which +sometimes occur in the dark annals of human warfare, +investing with a kind of hallowed interest, which the +lapse of ages serves only to soften, but never destroys, +those spectacles of savage but heroic cruelty, where +every death is elevated into a martyrdom, and the very +ground saturated with human blood becomes a consecrated +field, clothed with laurels of never-fading green. +It was the last act in that bloody drama, enacted on the +lofty summit of the great Teocalli, the principal temple +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> +of Cholula, and the centre of attraction to all the votaries +of the Aztec religion, throughout the wide realms +of Anahuac. Driven from street to street, and from +quarter to quarter, and falling back, as a forlorn hope, +upon the sanctuary, and the support and encouragement +of the hoary men, who presided over the mysteries +of their faith, they made a bold and desperate +stand, in defence of all that was dear and holy in their +homes and their altars. Step by step, they contested +this hallowed ground, till they reached the upper terrace, +where the great temple stood. This was an +area of four hundred feet square, at an elevation of +two hundred feet from the level of the surrounding +streets. On this elevated platform, the furious combatants +fought hand to hand; the priest, in his sacred +garments, mingling in the savage conflict with the +humblest of his followers—the steel-clad Castilian, the +Tlascalan and the Cholulan, of every rank and grade, +each eager only to slay his man, grappled in the mortal +conflict, till one or the other fell in the death struggle, +or tumbled over the side of the mound, to be dashed in +pieces below. As the half-armed, half-naked natives +melted away before the heavy and destructive weapons +of the invulnerable Spaniards, they were repeatedly +offered quarter, but scorned to accept it. One only submitted, +when, pierced with countless wounds, he could +stand no longer. All the rest, to a man, fought desperately +till he fell, and many, even then, in the agonies +of the last struggle, seized their antagonists by the legs, +and rolled with them over the parapet, to the certain +death of both.</p> + +<p>At length the conflict ceased for want of a victim, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> +and the conquering Castilian, with a few of his Tlascalan +allies, stood alone, in undisputed possession of +this lofty vantage ground. The disheartened Cholulans, +without leaders, without counsellors, seeing their sacred +temple in the hands of their enemies, felt that all was +lost. Not another blow was struck, but every where +they bowed in submission to the irresistible conqueror.</p> + +<p>The thunder of the artillery, and the smoke of the +burning buildings, rising in a heavy column to the +skies, announced to the Mexican army the conflict that +was raging within the city. But, having orders not to +engage in the fray, unless notified by the Cholulan +chiefs that his assistance was necessary, the brave +Cuitlahua was compelled to wait the summons. Burning +to vindicate the honor of the Mexican arms, the +hero chafed under this cruel restraint, like a tiger +chained in full view of his prey. He little doubted that +the Castilians would fall by the hands of the Cholulans, +encompassed as they were on every side, with no room +for escape, or for the action of their horses. But he +longed to have a share in the victory. Drawing up his +forces in the order of march, he stood, the whole day, +in readiness to move at a moment’s warning; and in +this attitude, he was still standing, when the tidings of +the terrible disaster in the city reached him.</p> + +<p>His veteran legions were with difficulty restrained +from rushing to the rescue. The army was almost in +a state of mutiny, from their eagerness to avenge their +slaughtered brethren in Cholula; and all the military +authority, and unbounded influence of Cuitlahua were +required to keep them in a state of due subordination.</p> + +<p>The influence and authority of Cortez, on the other +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> +hand, were scarcely sufficient to restrain his victorious +allies from ravaging the city, and putting men, +women, and children to an indiscriminate slaughter. +So bitter and pervading was the old national animosity, +that life was scarcely worth possessing to a Tlascalan, +if he must share its daily blessings side by +side with the Aztec. He hated the whole nation +with a perfect implacable hatred. He execrated the +very name, and never uttered it without a curse. Of +this universal malediction, the Cholulan was honored +with more than his appropriate share. The other subjects +and tributaries of Montezuma they feared as well +as hated. The Cholulans they affected also to despise, +though their contempt was not so thorough as to mitigate +in the least their fierce and uncontrollable hatred.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_C_3" id="Footnote_C_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_C_3"> +<span class="label">[C]</span></a> As Americus Vespucius, in his letter to Lorenzo Di +Pier-Francesco De Medici, reports having met with the lion in South +America, I have taken the liberty to introduce him as a native in our +forests, notwithstanding the prevalent opinion of naturalists to the +contrary.</p></div> + + + +<hr class="long" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span></p> + +<h3 class="padtop">CHAPTER IV.</h3> + +<p class="p1">AGITATIONS IN THE CAPITAL—THE ROYAL HOUSEHOLD—THE +SPANIARDS STEADILY ADVANCING.</p> + +<table class="poem pfont chpoem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i0">For monarchs tremble on their thrones,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And ’neath the gem-lit crown,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Care, fear, and envy dwell—<br /></span></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="center">———</td> + </tr> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i0">——They come,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Mysterious, dreaded band!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">With clang of trumpet, torch and brand;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">With lightning speed, with lightning power,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">They scale the lofty mountain tower,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And sweep along the vale—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Who shall arrest their proud career,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And save our doomed land?<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p>This position of affairs suited the timid and vacillating +policy of Montezuma. Finding that Cuitlahua, and his +forces, had taken no part in the affair, and had not +even visited the city, he immediately sent an embassy +to the Spanish camp, disclaiming all participation in +the treacherous counsels and doings of the Cholulans, +and severely blaming them for their unheard of outrage +upon the rites of hospitality. Whether the sharp-sighted +Castilian placed any confidence in these professions, +or not, it suited his designs to appear to do so. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span> +With the utmost seeming cordiality, he assured the +royal messengers that it gave him the most heartfelt +satisfaction to know that the treatment he had received +at Cholula was not instigated or countenanced by their +august master, that it was unworthy of a great and +wise monarch, and that he should proceed on his route +to the capital, with the same confidence as before, and +visit the emperor as if nothing had happened to hinder +his progress.</p> + +<p>Withdrawing the forces under Cuitlahua, and giving +orders every where for the hospitable reception and +entertainment of the Castilians, whom he had no longer +the heart to oppose either by stratagem or by force, +Montezuma retired within his palace, and for several +days shut himself up from all intercourse with his +chiefs. He was now fully convinced that his destiny +was sealed, and with it that of his family and crown. +He was in the hands of an unappeasable fate. He +gave himself up to fasting, prayer and sacrifice. He +consulted all his oracles anew. But they gave no +response. He then sought counsel of his chiefs, and +the sages of his court. Here again he was distracted +by the divided opinions of his friends. While many of +the princes, overawed by the invincible courage and +invariable success of the Castilians, advised a frank +and courteous reception, there was still a powerful war-party, +with the brave Cuitlahua at their head, who +were eager to measure lances with the strangers, and +show them that, in order to reach the capital, they had +other foes to contend with and overcome, than half +savage Tlascalans, or trading Cholulans.</p> + +<p>Montezuma found no difficulty in following the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span> +counsel of the majority, though the mystic warning of +Karee had not wholly faded from his mind. A new +embassy was immediately despatched, consisting of a +numerous suite of powerful nobles, and a long train of +servants bearing rich presents of gold, and other valuables, +and charged with a message couched in terms of +humble and earnest supplication, proposing, if the +Spaniards would now return, not only to send them +home laden with gold to their utmost wish, but to pay +an annual tribute of gold to their master, the king of +Spain. Finding that this bribe only fired the grasping +conqueror with a more fixed determination to secure +the whole prize for which he had so long, and against +such fearful odds, contended, the messengers yielded the +point, and threw wide open to the dreaded foe every +avenue to the heart of the empire, assuring him, in the +name of the Emperor, that he should be received as a +brother, and entertained with the consideration due to +the powerful representative of a mighty monarch.</p> + +<p>The march of the Spaniards was now a continued +triumph. No longer compelled to fight their way on, +they had time to enjoy the rich and varied scenery, to +scale the mountain, explore the caverns and ravines of +the sierras, and the craters of the volcanoes, and show +to the admiring natives, by their agility and love of +adventure, that fighting and conquest had neither tamed +their spirits, nor exhausted their physical powers. As +they advanced, they were continually surprised and +delighted with the growing evidences of civilization and +high prosperity which met them on every side. In the +cultivation of the land, in the style of architecture, and +in all that constitutes the refinement, or contributes to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> +the comfort of life, the regions they were now traversing +very far exceeded the best of those through which they +had passed. They were continually gaining more +exalted ideas of the power, wealth and glory of the +great Montezuma, and more enlarged views of the magnificence +of their own adventure, and the importance of +their position and movements. The ambition of Cortez +reached to the viceroyalty of this splendid empire; and, +though accompanied by a mere handful of men, their +past achievements inspired him with confidence, that +he could carry every thing before him.</p> + +<p>Though entertained with lordly munificence in every +place through which he passed, and visited and complimented +by envoys from all the states embraced in +the Mexican domain, the sagacious Spaniard relaxed +none of his vigilance, nor diminished aught of the +strict discipline of his little corps. With an eye ever +awake to his own safety, and feeling that the artful +contriver of one stratagem could easily invent another, +he advanced from post to post, in martial array, always +ready for the exigency that might arise. His course, +however, was unmolested. The resources and hopes +of the great king seemed to have been exhausted. In +passive despair, he was waiting for the hour of his +doom.</p> + +<p>The terror of the events we have described fell not +alone upon the unfortunate Montezuma; nor did they +affect him only as monarch of the realm. As a parent, +fondly devoted to his children, whose destiny was +wrapped up in his, as the father of his people, to whom +he had been a kind of demi-god, the vicegerent of +heaven, entitled to their unqualified reverence, obedience +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> +and love, he felt with tenfold intensity the +bitterness of his humiliation. In all his sufferings and +distresses his wives and children shared, showing, by +every token in their power, their profound respect and +affection, and their tender sympathy in all his cares.</p> + +<p>In these lovely demonstrations of filial affection, none +were more assiduous or warm-hearted, and none more +successful in reaching the heart of the broken spirited +monarch, or winning from him an occasional smile of +hope, than Tecuichpo. Just ripening into womanhood, +with every gift of person, mind and heart that could +satisfy the pride of the monarch, and requite to the full +the yearning love of the father, the fair princess +lavished on him all her powers of persuasion and +condolence. It was all in vain. It even aggravated +his sorrows; for it was on <i>her</i> account, and that of +others dearer to him than his own life, that he suffered +most deeply. The mysterious shadows that had +brooded so darkly over the infancy of his lovely daughter, +had never ceased to shed a chilling gloom over +his mind. Her clouded destiny was linked with his, +not merely as a child, but as one specifically marked +out, by infallible signs from heaven, for a signal doom. +His superstitious faith invested her and her fate with a +peculiar sacredness. She was as one whom the gods +had devoted to an awful sacrifice, from which neither +imperial power nor paternal love could rescue her. It +therefore pierced his soul with a deeper pang to gaze +upon her loveliness, and witness her amiable efforts to +soothe and sustain him in the midst of calamities that +were more terrible and overwhelming to her, than even +to himself. If, by offering himself as a sacrifice to his +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span> +offended gods, he could have propitiated their favor for +his family and his people, and handed down to his posterity +an undiminished empire and an untarnished +crown, he would have gone with as much pride and +pleasure, to the altar, as to a triumphal festival that +should celebrate his victory, and clothe his brow with +unfading laurel. But in this sacrifice there was no +substitution. He was himself the most distinguished +victim, destined to the highest and hottest place on the +great altar of his country, where a hecatomb would +scarce suffice to appease the anger of the offended gods.</p> + +<p>Gathering his royal household around him, he +explained to them the peculiarity of his position, avowing +his entire confidence in the ancient prophecy, which +declared that the realm of Anahuac belonged to a race +of white men, who had gone away, for a season towards +the rising sun, and who, after the lapse of ages, were to +return in power, and claim their inheritance. It was +the predestined arrangement of the gods, and could not +be resisted. He had, from the beginning felt that resistance +was wholly vain, and had only attempted it, in +deference to the urgent advice and solicitations of his +best and most experienced counsellors. For himself, +he was ready, at any time, to stand at his post, and die, +if necessary, in defence of his crown and his people. +But he could not contend with the gods. Empires and +crowns, and the lives and happiness of nations, were +at their disposal, and kings and subjects alike must submit +to their righteous requirements. It was but the +dictate of common piety to say “the will of the gods +be done.” Hard and trying as it was, he felt it incumbent +on him to relinquish his crown and his honors, at +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span> +their bidding, as cheerfully as he should lay down his +life, when his destined hour should arrive. He counselled +them to bow submissively to their inevitable fate, +in the hope that, though humbled, broken and scattered +in this world, they might meet and dwell together in +peace in the paradise of the gods.</p> + +<p>His wives and children wept around him. They +besought him to hope yet for the best—to turn away +his thoughts from the dark visions on which he had +dwelt too long and too intensely. Their mysterious +forebodings of evil might yet be averted, through the +favor of the gods, to whom a childlike, cheerful confidence +in their benignity and paternal regard, was more +acceptable, than that blind abandonment, sometimes +mistaken for submission, which views them as stern, +arbitrary, and implacable tyrants, rather than as parents +of the human family, watching over it for the good of +mankind, and ordering all events for the welfare of +their true children.</p> + +<p>This was a cheerful faith, and, seasonably adopted, +might have saved the life and throne of Montezuma, +and preserved, for many years, the integrity of his +empire. But his heart was not prepared to receive it. +Steeped in the dismal superstitions of the Aztec faith, +and yielding himself unreservedly to the guidance and +dictation of its constituted oracles, he had never, for a +moment, allowed himself to falter in his conviction, +that the Aztec dynasty was to terminate with him, and +that he and his family were doomed to a terrible +destruction, in the overthrow of the sacred institutions +of his beloved land.</p> + +<p>The scene was too thrilling for the tender heart of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> +Tecuichpo, and she swooned away in the arms of her +father, who had drawn her towards him in an affectionate +embrace. The attendants were called, and, as +soon as the unhappy princess was restored to consciousness, +the king directed the royal barges to be prepared, +and went out, with all his household, to enjoy the invigorating +air of the lake, and seek relief from the dark +thoughts that oppressed and overwhelmed them, in +contemplating, from various points in view, the rich +and varied scenery of that glorious valley.</p> + +<p>It was a brave spectacle to behold, when the imperial +majesty of Tenochtitlan condescended to accompany +his little fleet on such an excursion. The gaily +appointed canoes, with their gorgeous canopies of +embroidered cotton, and feather-work; the splendid +robes and plumes of the king and his attendants; the +rich and fanciful attire of the women; the light, graceful, +arrowy motions of the painted skiffs, as they +danced along the waves; together with the wonderful +beauty of the lake, and its swimming gardens of +flowers, presented a <i>toute ensemble</i> more like the fairy +pictures of some enchanted sphere, than any thing +we can now realize as belonging to this plain, prosaic, +matter-of-fact world of ours. On this occasion, it +seemed more gay and fairy-like than ever, in contrast, +perhaps, with the deep gloom that had settled +on the land, pervading every heart, with its sombre +shadows.</p> + +<p>The light pirogues of the natives, flying hither and +thither over the glassy waters, on errands of business +or of pleasure, arrayed in flowers, or freighted with +fruits and vegetables for the grand market of Tenochtitlan, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span> +made way, on every side, for the advance of the +royal cortege, which, threading the shining avenues +between the gaily-colored <i>chinampas</i>, that spotted the +surface of that beautiful lake, like so many islands of +flowers on the bosom of the ocean, danced over the +waters to the sound of music, and the merry voices +of glad hearts, rejoicing in the sunny smiles that now +played on the countenance of the king, as if the clouds +that had so long overshadowed it, were never to return. +Tecuichpo, restored to more than her wonted gaiety, +was full of life and animation. Never had she seemed, +in the eyes of her doting father, and of the admiring +courtiers, half so lovely as at this moment. She was +the centre attraction for all eyes. Her resplendent +beauty, her fairy-like gracefulness of motion, and the +artless simplicity of her manners, won the admiring +notice of all. Her gaiety was infectious. Her merry +laugh reached, with a sort of electric influence, every +heart in that bright company, and compelled even her +father to abandon, for the time, his sad and solemn +reflections, and give himself up to the spirit of the hour +and the scene.</p> + +<p>Guatimozin was there, and exerted all his eloquence +to keep up the spirit of the hour, in the earnest hope +that Montezuma would put on all the monarch again, +and assert the majesty of his insulted crown, and the +rights of his house and his people, in despite of omen +or legend, and in the face of every foe.</p> + +<p>Tecuichpo became more and more animated, till she +seemed quite lifted above herself and the world about +her. Suddenly rising in the midst, and pointing, with +great energy of expression, to the royal eagle of Mexico, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> +then sweeping down from his mountain eyrie, to +prey upon the ocelot of the distant valley, she exclaimed—</p> + +<table class="poem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i2">’Tis he! ’Tis he! our imperial bird!<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Whom the gods to our aid have sent;<br /></span> +<span class="i2">I saw him in my dream, and heard,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">As down from his airy flight he bent,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">His victor shout, with the dying wail,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Of the coming foe, borne on the gale;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">While the air was dark with the gathering throng<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Of bold young eaglets, that swept along<br /></span> +<span class="i0">From every cliff, in fierceness and wrath,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">To gorge on their prey, in the mountain path.<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p>When she ceased, an echo from a richly cultivated +chinampa, which they were then passing, seemed to +take up and prolong the strain.</p> + +<table class="poem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i0">I saw it too, and I heard the scream,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">In the midst of my dark and troubled dream;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">’Twas a dream of despair for our doomed land,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">For his wings were bound by the royal hand;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">His talons were wreathed with a golden chain,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">He smelt the prey, and he chafed in vain,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">For they trampled him down, in their brave career,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">While our monarch looked on with unmanly fear,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Till his crown and his sceptre in dust were laid low,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And proud Tenochtitlan had passed to the foe.<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p>The last words of this solemn chant died away on +the ear, just as the royal barge rounded the little artificial +promontory, which the ingenious Karee had +constructed, for the double purpose of an arbor and +look-out, at one of the angles of her chinampa. Leaning +over the brow, and supporting herself by the overhanging +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span> +branch of a luxuriant myrtle, she dropped a +wreath of evergreen upon the head of Tecuichpo, and +said—</p> + +<table class="poem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i2">Oh! child of doom,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Thy long sealed destiny is come—<br /></span> +<span class="i2">One brief, dark, dreadful night,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Then on those blessed eyes<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Another day shall rise,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Fair, glorious, bright,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">With an unearthly endless light.<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Thou shall lay down<br /></span> +<span class="i4">An earthly crown,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">To win a starry sceptre in the skies<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p>At this moment, signals were heard among the distant +hills, which, answered and repeated from countless +stations along the wild sierras, and reverberated by a +thousand echoes as they came, burst upon the quiet +valley, like the confused shouts of a mighty host rushing +to battle. It fell like a death-knell upon the ear of +Montezuma. It announced the arrival, within the +mountain wall which encompassed his golden valley, +of the dreaded strangers. It heralded their near approach +to his capital, and the exposure of all he held +dear to their irresistible power—their terrible rapacity. +His heart sunk within him. But he had gone too far +to retract. It was the act of the gods, not his. Banishing +from his mind the impressions of the scenes just +passed, he waved his hand to the rowers, and instantly +every prow was turned, and the gaily caparisoned, but +melancholy, terror-stricken pageant moved rapidly back +to the city.</p> + +<p>Tenochtitlan was now alive with the bustle of preparation. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span> +It was the preparation, not for war, which +would far better have suited the multitude both of the +chiefs and the people, but for the hospitable reception +and entertainment of the strangers. The great imperial +palace, which had been the royal residence of the father +of Montezuma, was fitted up for their accommodation. +With its numberless apartments, its spacious courts, +and magnificent gardens, it was sufficient for an army +much larger than that of the Castilians, swelled as it +was by the company of their Tlascalan allies. Every +room was newly hung with beautifully colored tapestry, +and furnished with all the conveniences and luxuries +of Mexican life. The appointments and provisions +were all on a most liberal scale, for the Emperor was +as generous and munificent as the golden mountains +from which he drew his inexhaustible treasures.</p> + +<p>Intending that nothing should be wanting to the +graciousness of his submission to this act of constrained +courtesy, Montezuma proposed to his brother Cuitlahua, +to choose a royal retinue from the flower of the Aztec +nobility, and go out to meet the strangers; and bid them +welcome, in his name, to his realm and his capital. +From this the soul of the proud undaunted soldier +revolted, and he entreated so earnestly to be excused +from executing a commission, so much at variance +with his feelings and his convictions, that the monarch +relented, and assigned the mission to Cacama, the +young prince of Tezcuco.</p> + +<p>Nothing could exceed the gorgeous splendor of this +embassy. Borne in a beautiful palanquin, canopied +and curtained with the rarest of Mexican feather-work, +richly powdered with jewels, and glittering with gold, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> +Cacama, preceded and followed by a long train of +noble veterans and youths, all apparelled in the gayest +costume of their country, presented himself before the +advancing host. His approach, and the errand on +which he came, having been announced by a herald, +Cortez halted his band, and drew up his forces in the +best possible array, to give him a fitting reception.</p> + +<p>The meeting took place at Ajotzinco, on, or rather +within, the borders of the lake Chalco, the first of the +bright chain of inland lakes which the Spaniards had +seen, and the place where they first saw that species of +amphibious architecture, which prevailed so extensively +among the Mexicans. When the royal embassy +arrived in front of the waiting army, Cacama alighted +from his palanquin, while his obsequious officers swept +the ground before him, that he might not soil his royal +feet, by too rude a contact with the earth. He was a +young man of about twenty five years, with a fine +manly countenance, a noble and commanding figure, +and an address and manners that would have done +honor to the most courtly knight of Christendom. +Stepping forward with a bland and dignified courtesy, +he made the customary Mexican salutation to persons +of high rank, touching his right hand to the ground, +and raising it to his head. Cortez embraced him as he +rose, and the prince, in the name of his royal master, +gave the strangers a hearty welcome, assuring them +that they should be received with a hospitality, and +treated with a respect, becoming the representatives of +a great and mighty prince. He then presented Cortez +with a number of large and valuable pearls, which act +of munificence was immediately returned by the present +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> +of a necklace of cut glass, hung over his neck by Cortez. +As glass was not known to the Mexicans, it probably +had in their eyes the value of the rarest jewels.</p> + +<p>This interview being over, the royal envoy hastened +back to the capital, while the Castilians and their allies, +in the two-fold character of hostile invaders and invited +guests, followed his steps by slow, easy and cautious +marches. After a few days, during which they passed +through large tracts of highly cultivated and fertile +ground, and several of the beautiful towns and cities of +the plateau, they arrived at Iztapalapan, a place of +great beauty, and large resources, and the residence of +Cuitlahua, the noble brother of Montezuma. At the +command of the Emperor, Cuitlahua, as governor of +this place, received the strangers with courtesy, and +treated them with attention. But it was a cold courtesy, +and a constrained attention. With a proud and +haughty mien, the brave soldier exhibited to the +wondering strangers, all the riches and curiosities of the +place, disposing every thing in such a manner as to +impress them most powerfully with the immense wealth +of the empire, and the irresistible power of the Emperor. +He collected around him all the richest and most potent +nobles in his neighborhood, and displayed a magnificence +of style, and a prodigality of expenditure, that +was truly princely. The extent and beauty of his +gardens, his beautiful aviary, stocked with every variety +of the gorgeously plumed birds of that tropical clime, +his menagerie, containing a full representation of all the +wild races of animals in Anahuac, struck the Spaniards +with surprise and admiration; while the architecture +of his palaces, and the many refinements of his style of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> +living, gave them the highest ideas of the advanced +state of civilization to which the Mexicans had attained.</p> + +<p>But, so far from disheartening them in their grand +design, all they saw of wealth and splendor in the +inferior cities, only served to inflame their desire to see +the capital, and learn if any thing more brilliant and +wonderful than they had yet seen, could be furnished +at the great metropolis. While they were daily more +and more convinced of the power and resources of their +enemy, and the seeming impossibility of their own +enterprise, they were also daily more and more inflamed +with the desire and purpose to possess themselves of the +incalculable treasures which every where met their +eyes. The cold aspect, and lofty bearing of the Prince +Cuitlahua, the commander-in-chief of the Mexican +armies, and heir apparent to its throne, left no doubt +that the final struggle for power would be ably and bitterly +contested, and that the wealth they so ardently +coveted, would be dearly bought. To a heart less bold +and self-reliant than that of Cortez, it would have been +no enviable position, to be shut up, with his little band +of followers, within the gates of a city, commanded by +so brave and experienced a soldier, whose personal +feelings and views were known to be of the most hostile +character. To the iron-hearted Castilian, it was but a +scene in the progress of his romantic adventure; and, +the greater the difficulty, the more imminent the peril, +the more cordially he trusted to his good genius, or his +patron saint, he seems not to have known which, to +carry him triumphantly through.</p> + +<p>They were now but one day’s march, and that a +short and easy one, from the imperial city. Already +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span> +they had seen it from a distance, resting, or rather +riding, on the bosom of the lake, glowing and glittering +in the sunbeams, like some resplendent constellation, +transferred from the azure above to the azure below. +They had seen its noble ally, the metropolis of the +sister kingdom of Tezcuco, shining in rival though +unequal splendor, on the opposite shore of the lake, +and many other splendid cities, beautiful towns, and +lovely hamlets, studding its bright border, in its entire +circuit, like mingled gems and pearls, richly set in the +band of the imperial diadem, all reposing under the +shadow, and eclipsed by the superior glory, of the capital, +the crowning jewel of the Western World. They +had seen the <i>chinampas</i>, those wandering gardens of +verdure and flowers, seeming more like the fairy creations +of poetry, than the sober realities of life, and +reminding them of those islands of the blest, which +they had been told, in their childish days, floated about +in the ethereal regions above, freighted with blessings +for the virtuous, and sometimes stooping so near to +earth as to permit the weary and the waiting to escape +from their toils and trials here, and find repose in their +celestial paradise. They had seen and admired the +wonderful works of art, the causeways of vast extent, +constructed with scientific accuracy, and of great +strength and durability—the canals and aqueducts, +and bridges, which would have done honor to the +genius and industry of the proudest nation in Europe. +It now remained to them to see the imperial lord of all +these wide and luxuriant realms, and to enter, as +invited guests, into the gates of his royal abode.</p> + + + +<hr class="long" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span></p> + +<h3 class="padtop">CHAPTER V.</h3> + +<p class="p1">ARRIVAL OF THE SPANIARDS AT THE CAPITAL—THEIR +RECEPTION BY MONTEZUMA—DETERMINED HOSTILITY +OF GUATIMOZIN.</p> + +<table class="poem pfont chpoem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i0">Hark! at the very portals now they stand,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Demanding entrance. Can I shut them out,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">When all the gods commission them to come?<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Can we admit them, and preserve intact<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Our honor and the state?<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p>The spectacle of this day, the eighth of November, +1519, has not its parallel in the annals of history, and +will probably never be repeated in the history of man. +The sovereign and absolute monarch of a populous +and powerful empire, stooping from his imperial throne, +flinging wide open the gates of his capital, and condescending +to go out, and receive with an apparent welcome +an invading foe, whom he had in vain attempted +to keep out, but whom he had now the power to crush +under his feet in a moment. That invading foe consisted +only of a few hundred adventurers, three thousand +miles from home, in the heart of the country they had +ravaged, and surrounded by countless thousands of +exasperated foes, burning to revenge the injuries and +insults they had received at the hands of the strangers, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> +and only held back from rushing upon them, like herds +of ravening tigers, by the strong arm of the royal prohibition. +Their position was like that of a group of +children in a menagerie, amusing themselves with +teasing and exasperating the caged animals around +them. The furious creatures glare on them with looks +of rage, growling fiercely, and gnashing their teeth. +The keeper sympathizes with his enraged subjects, +burning to let them loose upon their annoyers, but +restrained by that mysterious agency, in which the +divine hand is every where moulding and subduing +the natural impulses of humanity, and working out its +own wise ends by the wrath and passions of men.</p> + +<p>Let the keeper but raise the bar of that cage for a +moment, and not one of the bright group would be left +to tell the tragic issue of their sport. Let the terror-stricken +Montezuma put on once more the air of a +monarch, and raise his finger as a signal for the onset, +before the enemy has become entrenched in his fortress, +and few, if any, of that brave band would be left +to tell the world of their fate—the marvellous story of +the Conquest would never be told; the Aztec dynasty +would outlive the period assigned it by those mystic +oracles; and Montezuma, recovered from the dark +dreams of an imagination disordered by superstition—the +long dreaded crisis of his destiny passed—would +have swayed again the sceptre of undisputed empire +over the broad and beautiful realms of Anahuac. +Having once vanquished and destroyed the terrible +strangers, and stripped them of that supernatural defence, +which the idea of their celestial origin threw +around them, he would never again have yielded his +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> +soul to so unmanly a fear. If such had been the issue +of the invasion of Cortez and his band, it is doubtful +whether the Aztec dynasty would ever have been overthrown. +The civilization of Europe would soon have +been engrafted upon its own. Christianity would have +taken the place of their dark and bloody paganism; +which, with a people so far enlightened as they were, +could not have endured for a moment the noon-day +blaze of the gospel; and the terrible power of that heathen +despot would have been softened, without weakening +it, into the consolidated colossal strength of an +enlightened, Christian, peaceful empire. Christianity +propagated by fire and sword consumes centuries, and +wastes whole generations of men, in effecting a revolution, +which they who go with the olive branch in their +hand, and the gospel of peace in their hearts, require +only a few years to accomplish. Witness the recent +triumphs of a peaceful Christianity in the Sandwich +Islands, as contrasted with the bloody and wasting +Crusades of Spaniards in all portions of the new +world.</p> + +<p>With the earliest dawn, the reveille was beaten in +the Spanish camp, and all the forces were mustered and +drawn up in the order of their march. Cortez, at the +head of the cavalry, formed the advanced guard, followed +immediately by the Castilian infantry in solid column. +The artillery and baggage occupied the centre, while +the dark files of the Tlascalan savages brought up the +rear. The whole number was less than seven thousand, +not more than three hundred and fifty of whom were +Spaniards. Putting on their most imposing array, with +gay flaunting banners, and the stirring notes of the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> +trumpet, swelling over lake and grove, and rolling away +in distant echoes among the mountains, they issued +forth from the city, just as the rising sun, surmounting +the eastern cordillera, poured the golden stream of day +over the beautiful valley, and lighted up a thousand +resplendent fires among the gilded domes, and enameled +temples of the capital, and the rich tiara of tributary +cities and towns that encircled it. Moving rapidly +forward, they soon entered upon the grand causeway, +which, passing through the capital, spans the entire +breadth of the Tezcucan lake, constituting then the +main entrance, as its remains do now the principal +southern avenue, to the city of Mexico. It was composed +of immense stones, fashioned with geometrical +precision, well laid in cement, and capable of withstanding +for ages the play of the waters, and the ravages of +time. It was of sufficient width, throughout its whole +extent, to allow ten horsemen to ride abreast. It was +interrupted in several places by well built draw bridges +for the accommodation of the numerous boats, that +carried on a brisk trade with the several towns on the +lake, and for the better defence of the city against an +invading foe. At the distance of about half a league +from the capital, it was also traversed by a thick heavy +wall of stone, about twelve feet high, surmounted and +fortified by towers at each extremity. In the centre +was a battlemented gateway, of sufficient strength to +resist any force that could be brought against it, by the +rude enginery of native warfare. This was called the +Fort of Xoloc.</p> + +<p>Here they were met by a very numerous and powerful +body of Aztec nobles, splendidly arrayed in their +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span> +gayest costume, who came to announce the approach of +Montezuma, and again in his name to bid the strangers +welcome to the capital. As each of the chiefs presented +himself, in his turn, to Cortez, and made the customary +formal salutation, a considerable time was consumed in +the ceremony; which was somewhat more tedious than +interesting to the hot spirited Spaniards.</p> + +<p>When this was over, they passed briskly on, and +soon beheld the glittering retinue of the Emperor +emerging from the principal gate of the city. The +royal palanquin, blazing with burnished gold and precious +stones, was borne on the shoulders of the principal +nobles of the land, while crowds of others, of equal or +inferior rank, thronged in obsequious attendance around. +It was preceded by three officers, bearing golden wands. +Over it was a canopy of gaudy feather-work, powdered +with jewels, and fringed with silver, resting on four +richly carved and inlaid pillars, and supported by four +nobles of the same rank with the bearers. These were +all bare-footed, and walked with a slow measured pace, +as conscious of the majesty of their burden, and with +eyes bent on the ground. Arrived within a convenient +distance, the train halted, and Montezuma, alighting +from his palanquin, came forward, leaning on the arms +of his royal relatives, the lords of Tezcuco and Iztapalapan. +As the monarch advanced, under the same +gorgeous canopy which had before screened him from +the public gaze, and the glare of the mid-day sun, the +ground was covered with cotton tapestry, while all his +subjects of high and low degree, who lined the sides of +the causeway, bent their heads and fixed their eyes on +the ground, as unworthy to look upon so much majesty. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> +Some prostrated themselves on the ground before him, +and all in that mighty throng were awed by his presence +into a silence that was absolutely oppressive.</p> + +<p>The appearance of Montezuma was in the highest +degree interesting to the Spanish general and his followers. +Flung over his shoulders was the <i>tilmatli</i>, or +large square cloak, manufactured from the finest cotton, +with the embroidered ends gathered in a knot round his +neck. Under this was a tunic of green, embroidered +with exquisite taste, extending almost to his knees, and +confined at the waist, by a rich jeweled vest. His feet +were protected by sandals of gold, bound with leathern +thongs richly embossed with the same metal. The +cloak, the tunic, and the sandals were profusely sprinkled +with pearls and precious stones. On his head was +a <i>panache</i> of plumes of the royal green, waving gracefully +in the light breeze.</p> + +<p>He was then about forty years of age. His person +was tall, slender, and well proportioned. His complexion +was somewhat fairer than that of his race +generally. His countenance was expressive of great +benignity. His carriage was serious, dignified and +even majestic, and, without the least tincture of haughtiness, +or affectation of importance, he moved with the +stately air of one born to command, and accustomed to +the homage of all about him.</p> + +<p>The strangers halted, as the monarch drew near. +Cortez, dismounting, threw his reins to a page, and, +supported by a few of his principal cavaliers, advanced +to meet him. What an interview! How full of thrilling +interest to both parties! How painfully thrilling +to Montezuma, who now saw before him, standing on +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> +the very threshold of his citadel, the all-conquering +white man, whose history was so mysteriously blended +with his own; whose coming and power had been +foreshadowed for ages in the prophetic traditions of his +country, confirmed again by his own most sacred +oracles, and repeated by so many signs, and omens, and +fearful prognostics, that he was compelled either to +regard him as the heaven-sent representative of the +ancient rightful lords of the soil, or to abandon his +early and cherished faith, the religion of his fathers, +and of the ancient race from which they sprung.</p> + +<p>Putting a royal restraint upon the feelings which +almost overwhelmed him, the monarch received his +guest with princely courtesy, expressing great pleasure +in seeing him personally, and extending to him the +hospitalities of his capital. The Castilian replied with +expressions of the most profound respect, and with +many and ample acknowledgments for the substantial +proofs which the Emperor had already given of his +more than royal munificence. He then hung on the +neck of the king a sparkling chain of colored crystal, at +the same time making a movement, as if he would +embrace him. He was prevented, however, by the +timely interference of two Aztec lords from thus profaning, +before the assembled multitudes of his people, +the sacred person of their master.</p> + +<p>After this formal introduction and interchange of +civilities, Montezuma appointed his brother, the bold +Cuitlahua, to conduct the Spaniards to their quarters in +the city, and returned in the same princely state in +which he came, amid the prostrate thousands of his +subjects. Pondering deeply, as the train moved slowly +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> +on, upon the fearful crisis in his affairs which had now +arrived, his ear was arrested by a faint low voice in the +crowd, which he instantly recognized as Karee’s, breathing +out a plaintive wail, as if in soliloquy with her own +soul, or in high communion with the spirits of the +unseen world. The strain was wild and broken, but +its tenor was deeply mournful and deprecatory. It +concluded with these emphatic words—</p> + +<table class="poem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i0">The proud eagle may turn to his eyrie again,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But his pinions are clipped, and his foot feels the chain,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">He is monarch no more in his wide domain—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The falcon has come to his nest.<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p>With an air of bold and martial triumph, their colors +flying, and music briskly playing, the Spaniards, with +the singular trail of half savage Tlascalans, the deadly +enemies of the Aztecs, made their entrance into the +southern quarter of the renowned Tenochtitlan, and +were escorted by the brave Cuitlahua, to the royal +palace of Axayacatl, in the heart of the city, once the +residence of Montezuma’s father, and now appropriated +to the accommodation of Cortez and his followers.</p> + +<p>As they marched through the crowded streets, new +subjects of wonder and admiration greeted them on +every side. The grandeur and extent of the city, the +superior style of its architecture, the ample dimensions, +immense strength, and costly ornaments of the numerous +palaces, pyramids and temples, separated and +surrounded by broad terraced gardens in the highest +possible state of cultivation, and teeming with flowers +of every hue and name—the lofty tapering sanctuaries, +and altars blazing with inextinguishable fires,—and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span> +above all, the innumerable throngs of people who +swarmed through the streets and canals, filling every +door-way and window, and clustering on the flat roof +of every building as they passed, filled them with +mingled emotions of admiration, surprise and fear.</p> + +<p>The swarming myriads of the Aztecs were, on their +part, no less interested and amazed at the spectacle +presented by their strange visitors. An intense and +all-absorbing curiosity pervaded the entire mass of the +people. Nothing could surpass their wonder and +admiration of the prancing steeds, or four legged and +double-headed men, as to their simple view they seemed +to be, the rider as he sat with ease in his saddle, appearing +to be but a part of the animal on which he rode. +The piercing tones of the loud mouthed trumpets, +astonished and delighted them exceedingly. But the +deep thunder of the artillery as it burst upon them amid +volumes of sulphurous smoke and flame, and then rolled +away in long reverberated echoes among the mountains, +filled them with indescribable alarm, and made +them feel that the all-destroying god of war was indeed +among them in the guise of men.</p> + +<p>While these scenes were enacting in the city, the +palace was shrouded in the deepest gloom. When the +monarch arrayed himself, in the morning, to go forth to +meet the strangers, several incidents occurred, which +were deemed peculiarly ominous, confirming all the +superstitious forebodings of the king, and tending to +take away from the yet trusting hearts of his household, +their last remaining hope. The imperial clasp, +which bound his girdle in front, bearing as its device, +richly engraven on the precious <i>chalchivitl</i>, the emblem +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> +of despotic power, which was the eagle pouncing upon +the ocelot—snapped in twain, scattering the fragments +of the eagle’s head upon the marble pavement. The +principal jewel in the royal diadem was found loose, +and trembling in its setting. But, more portentous +than all to the mind of the devout Montezuma, the +priest, who had charge of the great altar on the +Teocalli of Huitzilopotchli, had been seized with convulsions +during the preceding night, and fallen dead at +his post. The perpetual fire had gone out, for want of +a hand to replenish it, and when the morning sun shot +his first beams upon that high altar, there was not a +spark among the blackened embers, to answer his +reviving glow.</p> + +<p>It was impossible to shake off the influence of presages +like these. From infancy, he had been taught +to read in all such incidents, the shadowy revealings +of the will of the gods, the dark lines of destiny foreshown +to the faithful. The soul of Montezuma was +oppressed almost to sinking. But he roused himself to +his task, and went forth, feeling, as he went, that the +ground trembled beneath his feet, while an untimely +night gathered at noon-day over the sky.</p> + +<hr class="mid" /> + +<p>Among the noble princes who graced the court of +Montezuma, there was no one of a nobler bearing, or a +loftier heart, than his nephew Guatimozin, the favored +lover of Tecuichpo. Unlike her disappointed suitor, +the Prince of Tezcuco, he had uniformly and powerfully +opposed the timid policy of the king, and urged, +with Cuitlahua, a bold and unyielding resistance to the +encroachments of the intruding Spaniards. His reluctance +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span> +to their admission to the capital was so great, that +he refused to witness the humiliating spectacle; preferring +to shut himself up in the palace, and sustain, if he +could, the fainting courage of the princess, and her +mother. All that could be done by eloquence, inspired +by patriotic zeal and inflamed by a pure and refined +love, was attempted by the accomplished youth, till, +excited and inflamed by his own efforts to comfort and +persuade others, and nerved to higher resolves, by a +new contemplation of the inestimable heart-treasures, +which were staked upon the issue, a new hope seemed +to dawn upon the clouded horizon of their destiny.</p> + +<p>“My fair princess,” cried the impassioned lover, “it +shall not be. These wide and glorious realms, teeming +with untold thousands of brave and patriotic hearts, +ready and able to defend our altars and our hearths, +shall never pass away to a mere handful of pale-faced +invaders. They <i>must</i>, they <i>shall</i> be driven back. Or, +if our gods have utterly deserted us—if the time has +indeed come, when the power and glory of the Aztec is +to pass away for ever, let the Aztec, to a man, pass +away with it. Let us perish together by our altars, +and leave to the rapacious intruder a ravaged and +depopulated country. Let not one remain to grace +his triumph, or bow his neck to the ignominious +yoke.”</p> + +<p>“Nay, my sweet cousin,” she replied, with a tone +and look of indescribable tenderness, “we will indeed +die together, if need be, but let us first see if we cannot +live together.”</p> + +<p>“Live?” exclaimed Guatimozin. “Oh! Tecuichpo, +what would I not attempt, what would I not sacrifice, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> +to the hope of living, if I might share that life with +you. But my country! my allegiance! how can I +sacrifice that which is not my own?—that inheritance +which was all my birth-right, and which, as it preceded, +must necessarily be paramount to, all the other +relations of life.”</p> + +<p>“But, my father! dear Guatimozin! must he not be +obeyed?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, and he shall be. But he <i>must</i> be persuaded, +even at this late hour, to dismiss the strangers, and +banish them for ever from his domains. He has no +right to yield it up. It belongs to his subjects no less +than to him. He belongs to them, by the same sacred +bond that binds them all to him. He may not sacrifice +them to a scruple, which has in it more of superstition +than of religion. I must go to the Temple of Cholula, +and bring up the hoary old prophet of Quetzalcoatl, +and see if he cannot move the too tender conscience of +your father, and persuade him that his duty to his gods +cannot, by any possibility, be made to conflict with his +duty to his empire, and the mighty family of dependent +children, whom the gods have committed to his +care.”</p> + +<p>“Oh! not now, Guatimozin, I pray you. Do not +leave us at this terrible moment. Stay, and sustain +with your courageous hopes the sad heart of my dear +father, who is utterly overwhelmed with the dire omens +of this dismal morning.”</p> + +<p>“Omens! Oh! Tecuichpo, shall we not rather say +that the gods have thus frowned upon our cowardly +abandonment of their altars, than that they design, in +these dark portents, to denounce an irreversible doom, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span> +which our prayers cannot avert, nor our combined wisdom +and courage prevent?”</p> + +<hr class="mid" /> + +<p>At this moment Montezuma returned. But the deep +distress depicted in his countenance, and the air of +stern reserve which he assumed in the presence of +those whose counsels would tend to shake his resolve, +effectually prevented Guatimozin from pursuing, at that +moment, the object nearest his heart. He retired into +the garden, where he was soon joined by the fair princess, +who wished to divert him from his purposed +visit to Cholula, knowing full well it would be a fruitless +mission.</p> + +<p>“But why, my brave cousin, may not my father be +right, in feeling that these strangers are sent to us from +the gods? And if from the gods, then surely for our +good; for the gods are all beneficence, and can only +intend the well-being of their children, in all the +changes that befal us here. Perhaps these strangers +will teach us more of the beings whom we worship, +and direct us how we may serve them better than +we now do, and so partake more largely of their +favor.”</p> + +<p>“Alas! my beloved, how can we hope that they +who come to destroy, whose only god is gold—to the +possession of which they are ready to sacrifice life, +love, honor, every thing—how can we hope that they +will teach us any thing better or higher than we learn +from the ancient oracles of our faith, and the holy +priesthood of our religion? No, it cannot be. Their +pathway is drenched in blood, and so it will be, till the +throne, and he who honors it, are laid in dust at their +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span> +feet, and you and I, and all the myriads of our people, +have become their abject slaves.”</p> + +<p>“Say not so, I beseech you, dear Guatimozin. +Where my father leads, I must follow, and hope for +the best. And you must follow too, for I cannot go +without you. Here, take this rose, and wear it as a +pledge to me, over this sparkling fountain, that you +will no more hazard the imperial displeasure, and the +anger of the gods, by your bold and rash resistance of +the known decrees of fate. And I will weave a chaplet +of the same, to lay upon the altar, to propitiate for +us all the favor of heaven.”</p> + +<p>There was too much real chivalry in the heart of +Guatimozin, to resist the earnest love and eloquent +persuasion of his lady-love. He kissed her fair cheek +in token of submission to her sway, and then led her to +the palace, to learn if any thing new had transpired to +encourage his hope that his wishes would yet be realized, +in the exclusion of the Spaniards from the city. +As they passed along, they heard Karee-o-thán, the garrulous +pet of the Princess, seemingly soliloquising +among the branches of the flowering orange that hung +over her favorite arbor. They paused a moment, but +could gather nothing from his chatterings but “Brave +Guatimozin! noble Guatimozin! all is yours.”</p> + +<p>“An omen! my sweet cousin, a genuine emphatic +omen! Even Karee-o-thán encourages me in my treason. +I wish I knew how she would respond to the +name of this redoubtable Cortez. Pray ask her, +Tecuichpo, what she thinks of the Spaniard.”</p> + +<p>“Fear you not to trifle thus?” asked Tecuichpo.</p> + +<p>“Fear not, brave Guatimozin!” responded the parrot.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> +“There, I have it again, my love; all she says is +against you. And what do you say of Malinché, pretty +Karee-o-thán?”</p> + +<p>“Poor Malinché! brave Guatimozin.”</p> + +<p>“Bravo!” exclaimed the Prince, “the bird is as +good as an omen, and I”——</p> + +<p>At that moment, Karee appeared, and coming towards +them in great haste and trepidation, informed +them that the Spaniards had already reached their +quarters in the old palace, and that Montezuma had +gone thither, in royal state, to receive them.</p> + +<p>“And what think you of all these things, my fairy +queen,” asked Guatimozin, playfully.</p> + +<p>“Wo! wo! wo! to the imperial house of Tenochtitlan!” +energetically replied Karee,—“its glory is +departed for ever,—its crown has fallen from the head +of the great Montezuma, and there is none able to wear +it, or to redeem it from the hand of the spoiler. Thou, +most noble Prince, wilt do all that mortal courage and +prowess can do, to rescue it from desecration, and to +protect the house of Montezuma from the cruel fate to +which he has delivered it up; but it will be all in vain. +<i>He</i> must perish by an ignominious death. <i>They</i> must +pass under the yoke of the strangers, and thou, too, +after all thy noble struggles and sacrifices, must perish +miserably under their cruel and implacable rapacity.”</p> + +<p>This was too much for Tecuichpo. She looked upon +Karee as an inspired prophetess, and had always found +it exceedingly difficult to sustain the filial confidence +which sanctified every act and every purpose of her +royal father, when the powerful incantations of Karee +were directed against them. It was a continual struggle +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span> +between an affectionate superstition, and filial love. +But that first, and holiest, and strongest instinct of her +heart prevailed, and she clung the more warmly to her +father, when she found that every thing else was +against him. But now the shaft had pierced her at +another and an unguarded point. Her spirit fainted +within her. She swooned in the arms of Guatimozin, +and was borne to her apartment in a state of insensibility, +where, under the kind and skilful nursing of +Karee, and the affectionate assurances of Guatimozin, +she was soon restored to health, and her accustomed +cheerfulness. But these ceaseless agitations, these +painful alternations of hope and fear, were slowly +wearing upon her gentle spirit, and undermining a +frame so delicately sensitive, that, like the aspen,</p> + +<table class="poem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i0">———It trembled when the sleeping breeze<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But dreamed of waking.<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + + +<hr class="long" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span></p> + +<h3 class="padtop">CHAPTER VI.</h3> + +<p class="p1">MUNIFICENCE OF MONTEZUMA—THE ROYAL BANQUET—THE +REQUITAL—THE EMPEROR A PRISONER IN HIS +OWN PALACE.</p> + +<table class="poem pfont chpoem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i0">“Was that thunder?”<br /></span></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="center">———</td> + </tr> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i0">Those splendid halls resound with revelry,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And song, and dance lead on the tardy dawn.<br /></span></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="center">———</td> + </tr> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i0">From the hall of his fathers in anguish he fled,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Nor again will its marble re-echo his tread.<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p>Montezuma was always and every where munificent. +When he had, though reluctantly, admitted the strangers +into his capital, he prepared to give them a royally +hospitable entertainment. Partly by way of triumph +in the success of their movements hitherto, and partly +by way of amusing, and at the same time overawing +their entertainers, the Spaniards, the day after their +arrival in the city, made a grand military display in +their quarters, and in the neighboring streets. They +exercised their prancing steeds in all the feats of horsemanship, +racing, leaping, and careering, in all the wild +majesty of the trained charger, under the three fold discipline +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span> +of bit and spur, and cheering shout. They +rushed upon each other in the mock warfare of the +tournament, with clashing sword and glancing spear, +and then, discharging their carbines in the air, separated +amid clouds of dust and smoke, as if driven asunder +by the bolts of heaven in their own hands. The +astonished natives, accustomed only to the simple +weapons of primitive warfare, looked on with undisguised +admiration, not unmixed with fear. The strange +beings before them, wielding such unwonted powers, +seemed indeed to have descended upon earth from some +higher sphere, and to partake of that mysterious and +fearful character, which they had been wont to ascribe +to inhabitants of the spiritual world. But when, in +closing off the day’s entertainment, they brought out the +loud-mouthed artillery, and shook the very foundations +of the city with their oft-repeated thunders, the spirit +of the Aztec sunk within him, and he felt, as he retired +to his dwelling, that it was for no good end, that men of +such power, having such fearful engines at their command, +had been permitted to fix their quarters in one +of the fortresses of Tenochtitlan.</p> + +<p>“Alas!” said an ancient Cacique from the northern +frontier, “we are fallen upon evil times. Our enemies +are even now in the citadel—enemies whom we know +not, whose mode of warfare we do not understand, +whose weapons defy alike our powers of imitation and +resistance. Let us abandon the field, and retire to the +far north, whence our fathers came, and rear a new empire +amid the impregnable fastnesses of the mountains.”</p> + +<p>“Who talks of abandoning the field to the enemy?” +interrupted Guatimozin,—“Let no Aztec harbor so base +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span> +a thought. Rather let us stand by our altars and die, +if die we must.”</p> + +<p>“Right,” cried the youthful prince Axayatl, from +the southern slope of the Sierra, “why should the all-conquering +Aztec tremble at this display of the mysterious +strangers? Are not the millions of Anahuac a +match for a few hundred of their enemies, in whatever +form they come? Be they gods, or be they demons, +they belong not to this soil, nor this soil to them, and, +by all our altars and all our gods, they must retire or +perish, though we, and our wives, and our children +perish with them.”</p> + +<p>“Give us your hand, brave Axayatl,” exclaimed +Cuitlahua and Guatimozin, at the same instant, “be +that our vow in life and in death, and wo to the base +Aztec, that abandons the standard of Montezuma, or +whispers of submission to the haughty stranger.”</p> + +<p>Thus were the councils of the people divided between +a timid superstition, and a bold uncompromising patriotism. +There wanted not the material, if well directed, +to annihilate, at a blow, the hopes of the daring invaders. +The arm of the nation was strong and sinewy, +but “the head was sick, and the heart faint.” The +Emperor, the hitherto proud and self-sufficient Montezuma,—</p> + +<table class="poem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i0">Like a struck eagle fainting in his nest,<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p>had cowered to a phantom of his own diseased imagination, +and weakly consented to regard <i>them</i> as gods, +whose passions, appetites and vices proved them to be +men, and whose diminished numbers, after every battle +they had fought, showed they were of mortal mould.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span> +On the following day, a magnificent banquet was +prepared for Cortez, and his officers, in the imperial +palace. It was graced by the presence of all the +nobility of Azteca, with all the pride and beauty of their +household divinities—for, among this refined people, +the wife and the daughter held her appropriate rank, +and woman exercised all the influence, which, among +(so called) civilized nations, Christianity alone has +assigned her. Every apartment of that spacious and +magnificent pile blazed with the light of odoriferous +torches, which sent up their clouds of incense from +hundreds of gold and silver stands, elaborately carved +and embossed in every form that fancy could suggest, +or ingenuity invent. Flowers of every hue and name +were profusely distributed through the rooms, clustered +in beautiful vases, or hung in gorgeous festoons and +luxurious chaplets from the walls. The costume of the +monarch and his court was as rich and gorgeous, as +the rare and variegated <i>plumagé</i>, with a lavish use of +gold and gems, could make it. The women were as +splendidly apparelled as the men. Many of them were +extremely beautiful. Some were distinguished for +their easy refinement of manners, which charmed, no +less than it astonished, the Castilian knights, who had +been accustomed to suppose that nothing so beautiful, +or refined, could be found without the borders of Spain.</p> + +<p>By special command of the Emperor, all his nobles +were present at this festival, so that Guatimozin, contrary +to his own will and purpose, was brought into +contact with Cortez, and his steel-clad cavaliers. +Tecuichpo also was there, in all her maiden loveliness, +outshining all the stars of that splendid galaxy. And +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span> +yet she was as a star in eclipse, for her soul was +oppressed with those mysterious shadows that hung +over her destiny and that of her father, as connected +with the coming of these white men. Karee was there +in attendance upon her mistress, as she still delighted +to call her; but her attention was more absorbed by the +strangers than by Tecuichpo. She watched every +movement, and scanned every countenance with a scrutiny +that did not escape their observation, in order to +read, as well as she could, the character of each. Her +scrutiny satisfied herself, and she whispered in the ear +of the Princess, that “if these were gods, they came +from the dark, and not from the sunny side of heaven.”</p> + +<p>It was a rare spectacle, which this royal banquet +presented. The contrast between the steel-clad cavaliers +of Castile, whose burnished armor blazed and +glittered in the brilliant torch-light, and rung under +their heavy martial tramp upon the marble floor, +and the comparatively fairy figures of the gaudily +apparelled Aztecs, was as strong as could possibly be +presented in a scene like this. The costumes and customs +of each were matter of wonder and admiration to +the other. The Aztec trembled at the mysterious +power, the incomprehensible weapons, of the white +man. The Castilian, if he did not tremble, fully appreciated +the danger of a little band, separated and scattered +among a festive throng of warlike men, amid the +interminable labyrinths of the imperial palace, and +under the eye of a monarch whose word was absolute +law to all the myriads of his people.</p> + +<p>But, whatever was passing in the inner man, the +Aztec and the Castilian, alike, appeared perfectly at +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span> +ease, each abandoning himself to the festivities of the +occasion, as if each, unannoyed by the presence of a +stranger, were revelling in the security of his own +castle, and celebrating some time-honored festival of his +own people.</p> + +<p>With a benign dignity and grace, the Queen, and her +suite of high-born ladies, received the homage of the +cavaliers, after they had been presented to the Emperor. +She was struck with admiration at the graceful and +dignified bearing of the Castilian, which, while it +showed all the deference and respect due to her sex +and her rank, had nothing in it, of that abject servility, +which placed an impassable barrier between the Aztec +noble and his monarch, and made them appear to +belong to distinct races of being. To the chivalrous, +impassioned Castilian, accustomed to worship woman, +and pay an almost divine homage to beauty, in the +courtly halls and sunny bowers of Spain, the scene presented +a perfect constellation of grace and loveliness. +The flashing eye of the Aztec maiden, as lustrous and +eloquent as any in the gardens of Hesperides; the jetty +tresses, glittering with gems and pearls, or chastely +decorated with natural flowers; the easy grace of the +loose flowing robe, revealing the full rich bust and the +rounded limb, in its fairest proportions, won the instant +admiration of every mailed knight, and brought again +to his lips his oft-repeated vows of love and devotion.</p> + +<p>But of little avail were honied lips and eloquent +tongues to the gallant cavaliers at that magic fęte. +They formed no medium of communion with the bright +spirits, and gay hearts around them. The doom of +Babel was on them all, and there was no interpreter. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> +Nothing daunted by obstacles seemingly insurmountable, +the gay Spaniards resolved, that, where bright +eyes were to be gazed on, and sweet smiles won from +the ranks of youth and beauty, they would make a way +for themselves. The first ceremonies of presentation +over, each knight addressed himself to some chosen +fair one, and by sign and gesture, and speaking look, +and smile of eloquent flattery, commenced a spirited +pantomimic attack, to the infinite amusement of all the +gay throng around. It was met with wonderful spirit, +and ready ingenuity, by the Aztec maidens, to whom +the dialect of signs, and the language of hieroglyphics +was perfectly familiar; that being the only written language +of all the nations of Anahuac.</p> + +<p>The spirit and interest of the scene that followed surpasses +all attempt at description. Abandoned to the +gaiety of the hour, the Spaniards forgot alike their +schemes of ambition and aggrandisement, and the +peculiar perils which surrounded them; while the +Aztec revellers dismissed, for the moment, both their +superstitious dread of the white man, and their patriotic +disgust at his daring pretensions to universal +dominion.</p> + +<p>The noble Sandoval, attracted by the mild beaming +eye, and sweet smile of the Princess Tecuichpo, with a +profound obeisance, laid his plumed helmet at her feet, +and choosing, from a vase at her side, a half blown +rose, which he gracefully twined with a sprig of amaranth, +he first pressed it to his own heart and lips, and +then placed it among the glittering gems upon her +bosom. With queenly courtesy and grace, the fair +princess received this gallant token, and instantly +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span> +responded to it, by stooping down, and weaving among +the plumes, so courteously laid at her feet, another, of +such rare beauty and brilliancy of hue, that it quite +eclipsed the gayest feather in the hall.</p> + +<p>Cortez and Alvarado were, each in his turn, struck +with the deep, dark, piercing eye of Karee, and each +put forth his best endeavor to win from her a smile. +But it was so coldly given, and accompanied with a +look so deep and searching, that the general quailed +before it, as he had never done before to mortal eye.</p> + +<p>Instantly recovering himself, he put on such a smile +of blended grace and dignity, as melted at once the icy +reserve of the maiden, and opened the way for a long +and animated parley. It was full of sparkles and +power, but could not be translated into any living +tongue, without losing all its force and brilliancy.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, an animated discussion had arisen between +Guatimozin and the Prince of Tezcuco, touching +the propriety of receiving gifts from the strangers, or, in +any way, acknowledging their claims as friends. The +showy trinket, which Cacama had received from Cortez +at Ajotzinco, and which he displayed on his person +at this festival, gave rise to the dispute.</p> + +<p>“It is wrong,” urged Guatimozin, “wrong to our +country and wrong to ourselves. Let them gain what +they can from the exuberant munificence of the Emperor, +and let them stay in peace, while he permits and +requires it,—but let us not weaken our hands, by +touching their gifts, or accepting their tokens. When +they depart, let them not boast that they have left any +remembrancer behind them, or laid claims upon our +hands, by their gifts, which we have freely accepted.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> +“Surely, my dear cousin,” said the Princess, “you +make too much of so small a matter. They are but +common courtesies, and too trifling for such grave consideration +and argument.”</p> + +<p>“Not so, believe me, my fair cousin. They take us +on the weak side of the heart—they blind our eyes to +our true relations, unnerve our arms, and blunt our +weapons of defence.”</p> + +<p>“What then would you do,” asked Cacama, as if +more than half persuaded that Guatimozin was right in +his views of duty.</p> + +<p>“Do,” replied the Prince, with startling energy of +tone and manner, “I would fling it at his feet, or trample +it under my own, before his eyes, and show him that +I scorn him and his gifts alike.”</p> + +<p>Tecuichpo turned suddenly round at this remark, as +if fearing the stranger would understand it, and in her +agitation, dropped a magnificent jewel from her dress, +and with it the rose so gallantly presented by Sandoval. +A dozen princes and cavaliers sprang, at the same +instant, to replace the precious toy. Pedro Orteguilla, +the beautiful young page of Cortez, was so fortunate as +to recover it. Doffing his cap, and kneeling gracefully +at her feet, he presented it to the Princess with an air of +admiring deference, and, by signs, solicited the honor +of replacing it upon her arm.</p> + +<p>This little incident put an end to the discussion, +which was growing too warm for the occasion, and the +festivities went on as gaily as before.</p> + +<p>A group of sprightly, mischief loving girls, who had +clustered round the cool basin of a sparkling <i>jet d’ eau</i>, +and were amusing themselves by free and fearless +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> +comments upon the appearance and manners of the +strangers, arrested the eye of the impulsive, humor +loving Alvarado, and drew him to solicit a share in +their sport; for, in beating a retreat from the eagle +glance of Karee, he had strolled into an illuminated +arbor, in one of the open courts of the palace. With +hand, and eye, and lip, now appealing in emphatic +gesture to the stars above, and now, with ready tact +and admirable sagacity distributing the flowers among +the gay naiads of the fountain, he soon ingratiated +himself into their favor, and engaged them in a brilliant +and animated pantomime, which, if it wanted the eloquence +of words, found ample compensation for that +defect, in the merry shout and ringing laugh, that +accompanied each labored attempt to utter, or interpret, +a sentiment. The gallant cavalier soon found himself +loaded with a profusion of floral favors. For every +flower he bestowed upon the fair nymphs, he received +an appropriate return, till his hands were full, and he +found it necessary to arrange them upon his person.</p> + +<p>Instantly the whole group, as by one impulse of +artistic taste, seized the idea, and resolved to array him +as a flower-god. The magnificent cactus flashed +among the plumes of his helmet—a pair of splendid +magnolias, tastefully adjusted on either shoulder, supplied +the place of the silver epaulette—a rich cluster +of unfading <i>forget-me-not</i>, covered and eclipsed the +gilded star upon his breastplate; while every joint in +his armor, and every loop and button of his doublet, +was set with its appropriate garden gem. Long +wreaths of a blossoming vine were dexterously intertwined +with flowers of every brilliant hue, and hung +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span> +like a gorgeous sash over his right shoulder, its gay +streamers waving in the gentle breeze, or winding themselves +about the scabbard of his sword. His hands +were gloved with a moss of the most delicate green +velvet, dotted with golden stars, and his boots transformed +into buskins of the most approved classic pattern, +by alternate bands of jessamine and scarlet lobelia, +crossed and plaided with strings of anemone and hyacinth.</p> + +<p>Thus arrayed, his face skilfully masked with the +flowering wax-plant despoiled of its leaves, he was +conducted into the presence of the Queen, under a +continually increasing escort of bright girls and fair +dames, where, with due reverence to her majesty, and +with the gallantry becoming a true knight, he begged, +by significant looks and signs, to be permitted to lay all +his bright honors at the feet of the lovely Tecuichpo.</p> + +<p>The signal being given at this moment, he offered +his arm to the Princess, and led the way into the banqueting +hall, where the luxuries of all the climes of +earth seemed to be spread out in endless profusion, and +where, the native song of the Aztec alternating with the +martial strains of the Castilian band, the night wore +away with feasting and revelry.</p> + +<p>The day had almost dawned, when the strangers, +laden with presents of inestimable value, returned to +their quarters, burdened with the weight of their treasures, +and deeply impressed with the more than regal +munificence of their host, and the unimagined loveliness +and grace of the fair beings, who gave life and +beauty to his magnificent court.</p> + +<p>“If these white gods can be bought, dear father,” the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> +Princess naively remarked, as they took their leave, +“you have surely paid a price worthy of the ransom of +the proudest monarch on earth.”</p> + +<p>“The more you bribe them,” interrupted Guatimozin, +“the less you bind them. They have not the soul of +an Aztec, who scorns to receive a favor that does not +pledge his heart in return. The Spaniard’s heart has +nothing to do with his hand. He takes your gift, only +to be the better able to plot and compass your ruin.”</p> + +<p>The Emperor sighed, as he listened to a remark, to +which he could make no reply. It brought again +before his agitated mind, the only course he could +safely adopt in the present crisis of his affairs. In +vain did his paternal heart second the suggestion, and +his kingly pride urge its immediate adoption. He had +not the moral courage to execute his own resolve. +Superstition had wholly unmanned him.</p> + +<hr class="mid" /> + +<p>The victorious Spaniard had now reached the goal +he had so long aimed at. But his position was far +from agreeable, or promising. With a small force, he +was completely shut up in the heart of an immense and +powerful empire, teeming with millions of warriors, +who were deemed terrible and invincible by those +whom he had found so formidable, and who might, at +a word or a look from their sovereign, either rush in +and overwhelm him at once, or withhold all supplies, +and leave them to perish of famine in their quarters.</p> + +<p>Cortez realized the critical position into which he +was drawn, and resolved immediately on one of his bold +measures, to turn it to his own advantage. Soliciting +an interview with Montezuma, in which he was accompanied +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span> +by some of his bravest cavaliers, he informed +the monarch, that it was not an idle curiosity that had +drawn him to encounter the perils, and undergo the +toils, of the adventure that had brought him to the +capital. He came, as the accredited ambassador of the +mighty monarch of Castile, to whom many kings and +many broad lands were tributary, and who was the +rightful lord of all the territories on which his armies +had set their foot. And the object of the present interview +was, to demand of the king an acknowledgment +of his allegiance to his royal master, and his consent to +pay an annual tribute for his crown.</p> + +<p>The mind of the superstitious Montezuma had long +been preparing for this acknowledgment. With little +apparent constraint, therefore, he responded to this +haughty demand—that the oracles of his religion had +long ago instructed him, that the territories over which +he reigned belonged to a race of white men, who had +removed to other lands beyond the rising sun, but +would return, in process of time, invested with more +than mortal power, to claim their original inheritance. +For his part, he was fully convinced that that time had +now arrived—that the Spaniards were the men of destiny +foretold by a long line of presages and traditions, +and that he was fully prepared to acknowledge the +king of Castile as his lord, and pay allegiance to him +as such.</p> + +<p>“And recognize me,” interposed the wily Castilian, +“as his accredited ambassador, and representative?”</p> + +<p>The monarch assented.</p> + +<p>The Aztec nobles, who surrounded the throne, were +thunderstruck at the humble tone, and humiliating +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span> +attitude assumed by their once proud and imperious +lord. But they were accustomed to unqualified and +unquestioning submission to the word of the king. +They accordingly, at his command, gave a full assent +to all that he had said, and agreed to recognize Cortez +as the representative of their new sovereign. Guatimozin +left the hall in disgust, and hastened to Iztapalapan, +to report the progress of their humiliation to +Cuitlahua.</p> + +<p>Even with this arrangement, which had been accomplished +so much more easily than he had expected, +Cortez was by no means satisfied. He was still in the +power of the Mexican, and could never feel safe in the +position he held, without some substantial pledge, that +the peace of the city would be preserved, and the +ground he had already secured be left to him in undisturbed +possession. To secure this, he conceived and +executed a bolder and more audacious measure than +that which we have just related. Soliciting another +and a private interview with the Emperor, and directing +his best and bravest cavaliers, with some of their +chosen men, to keep near and about the palace, and be +in readiness to sustain and defend him, if any resistance +or outbreak should follow his daring attempt, he +entered the royal presence. As the Spaniards always +carried their arms, it excited no suspicion, to see them +on this occasion fully equipped.</p> + +<p>This disposition of his men and officers being effected, +the bold cavalier addressed himself, in a stern voice, to +the Emperor, charging him with secretly designing the +destruction of his guests, and alleging, in support of the +charge, some of the incidents already related, and others +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span> +of more recent occurrence, in which some of the vassals +of Montezuma had surprised and slain a party of +Spaniards, who relied upon their hospitality. These +were artfully woven into a tale of imaginary wrongs, +for which he boldly pretended to claim instant redress, +or rather security against their repetition.</p> + +<p>The monarch was thunderstruck at the charge, +while he, as well as the few attendants that remained +near his person, with difficulty restrained the expression +of their indignation at the disrespectful tone of the +address, so unlike that to which the royal ears were +accustomed. He peremptorily denied the charge. But +Cortez was not to be foiled thus. He knew that he had +now gone too far to retract, and that the change of feeling +now produced would ensure his speedy destruction, +if he failed of securing the object of the present interview. +He, therefore, repeated the charge, assuring the +monarch that such was the belief of all his men, and +that nothing would convince them of his innocence, or +make them willing to rest quietly in the capital, but the +consent of the king to transfer his residence, for a time, +to their quarters. And this he boldly demanded of him, +in the name of their common sovereign, the great king +of Castile, and he could not refuse obedience, without +breaking allegiance with him.</p> + +<p>“When was it ever known,” exclaimed the astonished +and offended king, “that the monarch of a great +people voluntarily left his own palace, to become a +prisoner in the camp of a foreign nation. If I should +consent to such indignity, my own subjects would every +where cry out against it, and a storm would be raised, +which could only be hushed when the last Spaniard +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> +was sacrificed to the outraged honor of their king, and +the wrath of their offended gods.”</p> + +<p>“No, my imperial lord,” replied the politic and +smooth tongued knight, “your majesty entirely misapprehends +my meaning, and the position in which I +would place you. I only propose a temporary removal +from one of your royal palaces to another, a thing of +frequent occurrence, and therefore not likely to excite +remark among your people. You can bring all your +household and your court with you, and have the same +royal attendance, as you now do. This show of confidence +and regard, on your part, will inspire my men +with new confidence in your kind intentions, and give +stability in the eyes of your own people, to the friendly +relations existing between us.”</p> + +<p>Montezuma still protested that it was unworthy the +dignity and majesty of the sovereign lord of Anahuac, +thus to submit his motions to the direction of strangers, +as it was a daring presumption and impiety, on their +part, to suggest it. He therefore, peremptorily declined +the proposal, and requested the general to say no more +about it, if he would retain the position he now held in +his regard, and that of his people.</p> + +<p>Upon this, the iron-souled Castilian assumed a loftier +aspect, and a bolder tone, and abruptly assured the +monarch that it was a point he was not at liberty to +dispense with. If he would not remove peaceably and +quietly to the Spanish quarters, he must be carried +there forcibly, though it should involve a struggle that +should drench the palace in blood, and sacrifice the life +of every man in his army.</p> + +<p>Suddenly, the spirit of the monarch was gone. His +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span> +old dread of the white man revived in all its power. +He felt himself compelled by his destiny, to do as he +was required. Signifying his assent to the haughty +demand of the stranger, he ordered his nobles to make +ready his palanquin, that he might go in royal state, +and not appear in the eyes of his subjects, as he passed +along, as a prisoner in his own capital.</p> + +<p>With looks of astonishment, not unmingled with +indignation, the proud chiefs obeyed, marching under +their royal burden, with solemn pace and downcast +looks, in utter silence, but nursing in their hearts an +implacable hatred against the insulting Castilians, and +a burning rage, which was yet to burst upon their +devoted heads in an overwhelming storm of wrath. As +they passed the threshold of the imperial palace, which +their once proud but now humbled lord was never to +recross, they heaved a deep sigh, as if the dark shadows +of the future already hung frowningly over their +heads. It was responded to by a deep, mysterious, +sepulchral groan, which seemed to issue from the very +heart of the earth, while, at the same instant, a royal +eagle, sailing proudly over the capital, struck by an +invisible leaden messenger from one of the sure-sighted +marksmen in the Castilian camp, fluttered in his lofty +flight, drooped his strong wing, and, with a terrible +death shriek, the blood streaming freely from his +wound, fell into the court, at the very feet of the royal +procession.</p> + +<p>The fate of Montezuma, and of his empire, was now +sealed. He had, with his own hand, taken the crown +from his head, and laid it at the feet of the Spaniard. +And, more than all, he had humbled himself in the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span> +eyes of his own subjects, and diminished, though few +were hardy enough to avow it, the profound respect and +reverence with which they were accustomed to regard +him. To his own immediate household, he had represented +this removal as a voluntary act of courtesy, on +his part, designed to compliment the strangers, by +becoming, for a time, their guest, and to inspire them, +by his personal presence among them, with confidence +in his professions of regard, as well as to show his own +people how strong the bond of amity was between +them. At the same time, however, that he assured +them of his personal safety and his confidence that +all would end well, he recommended his wives +and children to leave him, for the present, and take +up their abode in his rural mountain palace at Chapoltepec.</p> + +<p>The timid and sensitive Tecuichpo was thrown into +the deepest distress by this suggestion. She could not +doubt the repeated assurances of her royal father, and +yet she could not divest herself of the sad impression +that his liberty, and perhaps his life, was in danger, in +thus separating himself from the strong arms and +devoted hearts of his own people, his natural protectors, +and throwing himself, unarmed, into the garrison of +the fearful strangers. What security could she have +that he would ever return, or that violence would not +be offered to his sacred person by those who looked +upon him only as the vassal of their own sovereign, to +be used for his purposes and theirs, as their own selfishness +and rapacity might dictate.</p> + +<p>“Leave us not, my dear father,” she exclaimed, “or +at least compel not us to leave <i>you</i>. Rather in darkness +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span> +and in trouble than at any other time, would we +stand at your side, to administer, as far as we may, to +your comfort, and to share, and perhaps lighten, your +sorrows.”</p> + +<p>“Nay, my beloved child,” the grateful monarch +calmly replied, “I have no need, at this time, of your +solace, or your counsel. I go among friends, who +respect my person and my authority, and who well +know that their own safety in Tenochtitlan, depends +entirely upon retaining my friendship, which alone can +shield them from being overwhelmed, and swept away +like chaff, before the countless hosts of my warrior +bands. Why then should I fear for myself. But for +you, and your mother, and your sisters, the camp of the +strangers is not a fitting place for you. They have +customs of their own, and are slow to recognize the propriety +of ours, deeming us, as they do, an inferior race +of beings. They are bold and free in their manners, +quite too much so for the refined delicacy of an Aztec +maiden, or an Aztec matron, as you yourself both saw +and felt, at the festival of their reception. How shall I +expose you to the rude gaze of these foreign cavaliers, +and perhaps to the rude speeches of their soldiers. No, +my beloved, go to your retirement at Chapoltepec, and +train the flowers there for my coming, which will be at +the approaching festival of the new moon.”</p> + +<p>“But will you certainly come to us then, my dear +father? Karee says”——</p> + +<p>“Trouble me not with the dreams of Karee, my +sweet child. They are not always as loyal as they +should be. I believe I am right in what I am now +doing, and I cannot be diverted from it by the mystic +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span> +night visions of your favorite. Go, and the gods be +with you.”</p> + +<p>So saying, he tore himself from her embrace, and +returned to his own apartments to attire himself for the +removal.</p> + +<p>The fiery, high spirited Guatimozin was so disgusted +with this act of suicidal cowardice, on the part of his +royal master, that he withdrew at once from the city, +taking with him his servants and retainers, as well as +his immense private treasures, and took up his abode at +his country palace or castle, where he lived in all the +pseudo-regal state and magnificence of a feudal baron, +or a petty sovereign. Here he opened a correspondence +with a large number of the principal nobles of the +realm, who, like him, felt that the time had come to +prepare for a terrible crisis. They concerted no measures, +for they dared not move openly without the command +or assent of their master; but they exchanged +sentiments, and encouraged each other in their patriotic +purpose, to defend their country from subjugation to a +foreign foe, and their altars from desecration.</p> + +<p>Passing Chapoltepec on his way, the noble Prince +sought an interview with his lovely mistress, to inform +her that, while the pledge he had given, in accepting +the proffered rose, over the sparkling fountain of +Tenochtitlan, should be sacredly regarded, he must be +allowed to see with his own eyes, when danger was +near, and to raise his arm in her defence, and in that +of his country, from whatever quarter the threatened +danger might come. He found her, bathed in tears, +wandering wildly up and down, amid the shade of the +tall cypresses that overhang and almost bury that +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span> +mountain retreat. Her raven hair had escaped from +its pearl-studded band, and was flying loosely in the +breeze; the wonted bloom was gone from her cheek, +and the brilliant lustre of her dark flashing eye had +given way to a sad and subdued expression, which +was more in keeping with the uniform mildness and +gentleness of her spirit. Separated from her adored +parent, and banished from the city of her love and her +pride, she began to feel more deeply than she had ever +done, the terror of those dark omens which had clouded +her destiny, and marked her out as the doomed Princess +of Anahuac. While she could cling to her father, +and feel that she was to share all that might befal him, +and perhaps, by sharing it, extract some portion of the +bitterness from the cup which he was compelled to +drink, she was calm and hopeful. But now, the sheet-anchor +of her soul was gone, and she was drifting, at +the mercy of the waves, she knew not whither.</p> + +<p>“My sweet cousin,” said Guatimozin gently, as he +arrested her flying step, “why this sudden abandonment +to grief and despair. Dark as the clouds may be +over our heads, all is not lost. Know you not, my +love, that ten thousand times ten thousand brave +hearts and strong arms are pledged, by every bond of +loyalty and love, to rush to the rescue, the moment +that any violence is offered to the sacred person of +our lord. Be assured not a hair of his head shall be +touched.”</p> + +<p>“Ah! my brave Guatimozin! I know full well your +courage and your zeal. But of what avail to us will +be the direst vengeance your arms can wreak on the +strangers, after the violence is done, and the honored +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span> +head of my father—oh! that I should live to speak it!—laid +low at their feet!”</p> + +<p>“Fear not, my beloved, they dare not, with all their +boasted power, they dare not lay a rude hand upon that +sacred person. They know, they feel, that they are +treading on a mighty volcano, that may burst out +at any moment, and overwhelm them in hopeless +destruction. It is this sense of impending danger only +that has induced them to invite the Emperor to their +quarters, and so to urge their suit, that he could not, +as their professed friend, deny it. While he is there, +they will feel safe, for his hand alone can stay the pent +up fires, that they break not forth at once. Fear not. +I go to-night to Iztapalapan, to confer with your royal +uncle, the intrepid Cuitlahua. The noble Cacama +joins us there, convinced already that his was a mistaken +policy, when he counselled your father to receive +the strangers courteously, and treat them as friends.”</p> + +<p>“And what can Cacama do?”</p> + +<p>“That is yet to be seen. He is convinced of his +error, and is ready to atone for it with his life. With +Cacama, with Cuitlahua, with a thousand more like +them—chiefs who never feared danger, and never +knew defeat—why should we despair, or even doubt?”</p> + +<p>“But how know you, Guatimozin, that these Castilian +strangers regard their own safety as any way +involved in that of Montezuma?”</p> + +<p>“I gathered it from the oracle, my love, and from +omens which never deceive.”</p> + +<p>“What oracle? What omens? I pray you explain?”</p> + +<p>“The omens were their own troubled looks and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span> +clouded brows, while this strange negotiation was +pending, and the guarded watchfulness, with which +they now protect their guest, and prevent the intrusion +upon his privacy of any considerable number of his +friends, at the same time.”</p> + +<p>“Prince Guatimozin, do I understand the import of +those terrible words? Is my father already a prisoner +in his own palace?”</p> + +<p>“What else, my sweet cousin, seeing he cannot +come forth, if he would, and we can only approach +him by permission?”</p> + +<p>“O ye gods! has it come to this? Fly, Guatimozin. +Fly to Iztapalapan. I release you from your pledge. +Sound the alarm throughout the realm. And, if need +be, <i>I</i> will arm, and with you to the rescue.”</p> + +<p>“Not so fast, brave princess; it is just this rashness +that may endanger the precious head we would rescue. +His life is safe at present; let us not put it to hazard, +by moving too soon, or striking a useless blow.”</p> + +<p>“But I see not yet, my dear cousin, how it is ascertained +that my father is secure from further outrage. +May it not be their policy to take away the head, +hoping thus to dishearten and distract our people, and +make them an easy prey to their victorious arms.”</p> + +<p>“If so, they know not the spirit of the Aztec. To a +man, throughout these broad realms, they would shed +their last drop, to avenge the foul sacrilege, nor rest in +their work of vengeance, till every altar in the land +was drenched in the blood of the captive foe. But you +forget that I have oracle as well as omen to sustain my +faith.”</p> + +<p>“What oracle has condescended, at last, to give us +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> +light? I thought they had all been silent, not deigning, +since the advent of these mysterious strangers, any +response to our prayers.”</p> + +<p>“Karee is never deaf, or silent, where the welfare of +Tecuichpo is concerned.”</p> + +<p>“Karee?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, love, Karee! I want no better or more trusty +oracle. She has, you know, a sort of ubiquity. Nothing +escapes her keen observation. Few mysteries +are too deep for her sagacity to unravel. In her brief +occasional encounters with the strangers, she has +gathered the meaning of not a few of the words of their +strange tongue. What she has once heard she never +forgets. Presuming that no one could understand +them, they have talked freely and boldly in her presence. +And it is from her that I learn, that the Castilian +general said to one of his officers, as he crossed +the court yard, this morning—‘While we have the +Emperor with us, we are safe. We must see to it, he +does not escape.’”</p> + +<p>“Escape?” shrieked the agitated Princess; “then he +is indeed a prisoner. But these white men are gods, +are the gods treacherous?”</p> + +<p>“The gods of the deep are all treachery, but not +those of the blue fields and bright stars above us. But, +be they gods from below, or gods from above, they are +not the gods of Anahuac, nor shall they claim a foot of +its soil, till it is drenched with the blood of the Aztec. +Farewell. Fear not. I will yet see you return in +triumph to the imperial halls of Tenochtitlan.”</p> + + + +<hr class="long" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span></p> + +<h3 class="padtop">CHAPTER VII.</h3> + +<p class="p1">TREACHERY AND RETRIBUTION—MASSACRE OF THE AZTEC +NOBILITY—DEATH OF MONTEZUMA.</p> + +<table class="poem pfont chpoem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i0">And bloody treason triumphed.<br /></span></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="center">———</td> + </tr> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i10">Feeling dies not by the knife;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">That cuts at once and kills; its tortured strife<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Is with distilled affliction, drop by drop<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Oozing its bitterness. Our world is rife<br /></span> +<span class="i0">With grief and sorrow; all that we would prop,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Or would be propped with, falls; where shall the ruin stop?<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p>Passing lightly over some of the subsequent incidents +of this stirring period, we must hasten to the catastrophe +of our long drawn tale.</p> + +<p>Secure in the possession of his royal prisoner, Cortez +now thought he might safely leave the capital, for a +while, and respond to a demand which pressed urgently +upon him, to relieve his little colony at Vera Cruz, +threatened with destruction, not by the natives, but a +new band of adventurers from Spain, who had come to +dispute the spoils with the conquerors. Leaving one +of his principal officers in command, with a part of the +forces, he placed himself at the head of the remainder, +and marched quietly off on his new expedition.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> +Alvarado was a brave knight, but of a rash and +headlong disposition, and utterly destitute of that cool +prudence and far-seeing sagacity which was requisite +for so important a station. He soon involved himself +in a most wicked and unjust quarrel with the Aztecs, +which had well nigh overwhelmed him and his diminished +band in utter ruin.</p> + +<p>Not long after the departure of Cortez, one of the great +national festivals of the Aztecs occurred, at which the +flower of the nobility, not of Tenochtitlan alone, but of +all the neighboring cities and towns, were present. They +came only to the peaceful performance of the wonted +rites of their religion, and consequently came unarmed. +Their numbers were very great. They were all apparelled +in the richest costume of their country. Their +snow white vestments, their splendid mantles of feather-work, +powdered all over with jewels; their sandals of +gold or silver, and their gaudy head-dresses of many-colored +plumes, made an imposing and magnificent +display, as they moved in solemn procession, to the +simple music of their shells and horns, towards the +court yard of the great Teocalli, where the festival was +to be celebrated. The immense area was thronged +with the gay multitude of worshippers, who, unsuspicious +of treachery, gave themselves up to the wild +dances and all the customary evolutions of Indian festivity. +In the midst of their solemn sports, Alvarado, +with his band of armed followers, rushed in, like so many +tigers let loose upon their prey, and put them to an +indiscriminate slaughter. Scarce one of that gay company +escaped the ruthless massacre. The holy place +was drenched with the best blood of Anahuac, and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span> +mourning, desolation, and wo were carried into all the +principal families in the land.</p> + +<p>It was a fearful stroke, and fearfully was it repaid +upon the heads of the guilty murderers. On every side +the cry of vengeance arose, and its hoarse murmurs +came rolling in upon the capital, like the distant howlings +of a gathering tempest. Myriads of outraged +Aztecs, smarting and chafing under their wounds, and +thirsting for a worthy revenge, thronged the avenues +to the capital, and demanded the treacherous strangers +to be offered in sacrifice to their offended gods. Guatimozin, +and many other brave, powerful, fearless chiefs +were there, eager to seize the opportunity to chastise +the insolent intruder. Day after day, they stormed the +quarters of the beleaguered foe, pouring in upon them +vollies of arrows, darts and stones, that sorely discomfited, +though it could not dislodge them. Every assailable +point was so well guarded by those terrible engines +of destruction, the fire-belching artillery, that the assailants, +numerous as they were, and spurred on by an +ungovernable rage, could make but little impression +upon them. Nevertheless, they would inevitably have +carried the defences, and swept away the little band of +ruthless murderers, had not Montezuma interposed, and +besought them, for his sake, to desist from their hostile +attacks. From regard to his safety, they suspended +their active operations, but did not relinquish their +settled purpose of vengeance.</p> + +<p>One means of annoyance was left to them, which +would soon have reduced the fortress to submission, +had not an unexpected succor arrived. All supplies +were cut off from the camp,—already famine began to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span> +stare them in the face, and relax the iron sinew and +with it the iron will, of the haughty Castilian. They +were beginning to be reduced to extremities. A few +days more, and the undefended garrison would have +fallen into the hands of those merciless avengers of +blood, who would have doomed every individual to the +sacrifice.</p> + +<p>At this critical juncture, the all powerful, invincible +Cortez returned, his forces greatly increased by the +accession of the very band that had been sent against +him—Narvaez, who had been commissioned to displace +him, having become his friend, and arrayed himself, +with his whole company and munitions of war, +under his banner. Hearing of the disastrous position +of his friends in the capital, he hastened with rapid +strides and forced marches to their relief. His progress +was unimpeded by any hostilities on the part of Aztecs, +or their allies, till he entered the city, and joined his +forces with those of Alvarado in the beleaguered citadel. +It seems to have been the purpose of the chiefs to permit +a free ingress of the entire force of the enemy, preferring +rather to shut them up to famine there, than +to meet them in the open field.</p> + +<p>No sooner was the General, with his augmented +army, enclosed within the walls of the fortress, than +active and fearful demonstrations of the roused and +unappeasable spirit of the people began to be made. +The streets and lanes of the city, which were silent and +deserted as he passed through them to his quarters, +began to swarm with innumerable multitudes of warriors, +as if the stones, and the very dust of the earth, +were suddenly transformed into armed men. The flat +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> +roofs of their temples and dwellings were covered on +every side with fierce wild figures, frantic with rage, +who taunted the Spaniards with their cruel treachery, +and threatened them, in the most violent language, +with a terrible revenge. “You are now again in our +power,” they cried, “and you cannot escape. Shut up +in your narrow quarters, you are doomed to the lingering +tortures of famine, and wo to the traitorous Aztec, +that furnishes a morsel to relieve your hunger. When, +at length, the faintness of death overtakes you, and you +can no longer offer resistance to our arms, we will again +spread the tables in your prison-house, and fatten you +for the sacrifice.”</p> + +<p>No longer restrained by their reverence for Montezuma, +whose pusillanimity had been the cause of all +his and their troubles, they recommenced their active +operations, and stormed the defences with an energy +and perseverance that was truly appalling. Day after +day they deluged the place with arrows and missiles +of every kind, which fell in pitiless showers upon the +heads of the besieged, till scarcely one was left without +some wound or bruise. In vain did they apply, as +before, to their royal prisoner, to appease the rage of his +subjects, and induce them once more to send them the +customary supplies. In moody silence he shut himself +up in his room, brooding over the ingratitude and +treachery of Cortez, and the injuries and insults he had +received at his hand.</p> + +<p>Exasperated by this sudden reversal of his schemes +of conquest, and maddened by the sense of hunger +which began to be severely felt in his camp, Cortez +resolved to strike terror into the ranks of the besiegers, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span> +by a vigorous sortie at the head of all his cavalry. +First sweeping the avenue by a well directed fire from +his heavy guns, which were planted at the main +entrance of the fortress, he rushed out, with all his +steel clad cavaliers, trampling the unprotected assailants +under the iron hoofs of the horses, and dealing +death on every side. The mighty mass gave way +before the terrific charge of the advancing column, but +immediately closed in upon its rear as it passed, till it +was completely swallowed up in an interminable sea +of fierce and angry foes, whose accumulating waves +swept in from every avenue, and threatened to sweep +them all away, in despite of the fury and power of their +dreaded chargers. Convinced of his danger, the intrepid +Castilian wheeled his horse about, and with a furious +shout, called on his brave band to break a way through +the serried ranks of the enemy. Plunging, rearing and +leaping, under the double spur of the rider, and the +piercing shafts of his foe, the fiery animals broke in +upon the living wall that impeded their way, and +rushed fiercely on, trampling down hundreds in their +path, till they regained the open avenue, that was +defended by their own artillery. It was not without +serious loss, however, that this retreat was achieved. +The fierce Aztecs threw themselves upon the horses, in +the crowd, hanging upon their legs, sometimes inflicting +serious wounds upon them, and sometimes grappling +with their riders, dragging them from their saddles, +and carrying off to captivity or sacrifice. At the +same time, they were sorely beset by showers of +stones and darts that poured upon their heads from +every building as they passed, battering and breaking +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span> +their armor, and terribly bruising both the horse and +his rider.</p> + +<p>These sorties were several times repeated, but always +with the same doubtful success. The loss of the Spaniards +was always much less than that of their enemy. +But the latter could better afford to lose a thousand, +than the former to lose one. Their ranks were instantly +replenished with fresh combatants, who crowded in +upon the scene of conflict, like the countless thousands +of the over-peopled North, that swarmed upon the fair +fields of Italy, as if some used-up world had been suddenly +emptied of its inhabitants. Their numbers +seemed rather to increase than to diminish with every +new onset. In the same proportion their fierce resolution +increased.</p> + +<p>The haughty Spaniard was now convinced that he +had wholly mistaken the character of the people, whom +he had thought to trample down at his pleasure. A +spirit was raised which could not be laid, either by +persuasion or by force. He saw and felt his danger, +without the power to avert it. At length, either by +threats or entreaties, or both, he prevailed on the captive +Montezuma once more to interpose in his behalf, +by employing what authority remained to him against +his own best friends and faithful subjects.</p> + +<p>The Aztecs, forsaken of their monarch, had bold and +talented leaders, who were competent both to devise +and to execute the measures deemed necessary for the +public good, and to lead on their marshalled hosts, to +battle and to victory. Cacama, the young Prince +of Tezcuco, burning to retrieve his fatal error in +counselling and aiding the friendly reception of the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span> +Spaniards, now joined all his resources with those of +Cuitlahua and Guatimozin, in endeavoring to recover +the ground they had lost. Their first object was, to +rescue the Emperor from his inglorious imprisonment, +never doubting that, with his sacred person at their +head, they would be able to annihilate the treacherous +intruders at a blow.</p> + +<p>Not far from the city of Tezcuco, and standing out +on the bosom of the lake, several hundred yards from +the shore, was a solitary castle of a heavy and sombre +architecture, built upon piles, at such an elevation as to +be above the influence of any extraordinary swell in +the waters of the lake. Consequently, when at its ordinary +level, boats could pass freely under. At this place +the princes were accustomed to meet for private deliberation.</p> + +<p>Cortez was informed of these meetings, and knew +too well the effect of the counsels there matured, not to +wish them broken up. With a boldness of design +peculiar to himself, he resolved to make Montezuma +the instrument of their destruction. He represented to +that monarch the danger to his own interests, of allowing +such a junto of able and ambitious men to assume +the guidance of the public affairs, and undertake to +direct the movements of the people. “What can they +do more,” he craftily exclaimed, “but assume the reins +of government, under the specious pretence, which they +now falsely set up, that their king is deprived of his +freedom to act, and therefore no longer a king. If, +now, you would save your sceptre and your crown, +assert at once your imperial prerogative—show them +you have still the power to speak and to act—command +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span> +them, on pain of your royal displeasure, to lay down +their arms, desist from their treasonable assemblages, +and repair at once to your court, to answer for their +unloyal designs.”</p> + +<p>Misled by false representations of the facts, and +deceived by the specious arguments of the Spaniard, +Montezuma despatched a message to the lord of Tezcuco, +under the great seal of the empire, which it was +high treason to disregard, commanding him instantly +to appear before his master, to answer for his irregular +and ill-advised proceedings. Cacama was too well +aware of the real position of Montezuma, and of the +constraint under which he acted, to give any heed to +his mandate.</p> + +<p>“Tell my royal master,” he replied, “that I am too +much his friend to obey him in this instance. Let him +banish the false-hearted Spaniards from his capital, the +vipers whom he has taken to his bosom—let him +ascend once more his imperial throne, not as a vassal, +but as the rightful lord of all these realms, and Cacama +will joyfully lay his crown, his life, his all, at his feet. +Montezuma is my master when he is master of himself. +To that dignity we intend to restore him, or perish in +the attempt.”</p> + +<p>On the evening of the fourth day after the return of +the royal messenger, with this spirited reply of Cacama, +a light pirogue, guided by a single hand, its sole occupant, +might have been seen gliding silently over the +Lake to the water-palace, the chosen rendezvous of +the patriot princes. By the proud and majestic bearing +of the boatman, it could be no other than Guatimozin. +Securing his skiff by a cord passed through the fingers +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span> +of a gigantic hand, curiously carved from the jutting +rafters on which the floor of the palace was laid, he +ascended the steps to the hall, which he found unoccupied +and still. He was presently joined by Cuitlahua +and Cacama, arriving from different directions, in the +same stealthy manner. Their number was soon increased +by the arrival of four Tezcucan lords, from +whom some important communications were expected. +Scarcely had they entered the hall, and seated themselves, +when, a slight noise from without attracting his +attention, Guatimozin rose, and went towards the door, +to ascertain the cause.</p> + +<p>“It is only the chafing of our pirogues against the +piles,” said one of the new comers—“let us proceed to +business.”</p> + +<p>Guatimozin, true to his own impulses, heeded not the +remark. Stepping upon the outer battlement, he discerned +a slight figure in a canoe, moving in the shadow +of the building, and apparently seeking concealment. +Supposing it might be a servant, left by the Tezcucans +in charge of their boats, he was about returning, when +a gentle voice whispered his name.</p> + +<p>“Who calls Guatimozin?” he replied in a whisper, +at the same time leaning towards the intruder.</p> + +<p>“Beware of the Tezcucans, beware.” The voice +was Karee’s, but the skiff shot away, like an arrow, +before the Prince had time for further parley.</p> + +<p>Returning to the council, he instantly demanded, as +if nothing had happened, that the plans of the evening +should be laid open.</p> + +<p>A pictured scroll was then produced by the Tezcucans, +representing the contemplated movements of the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span> +enemy, which they professed to have ascertained from +authentic sources, and delineating a plan of operations +against them. Guatimozin, somewhat bewildered by +the warning he had received, sat down with his friends +to the examination of this scroll. But, while seemingly +intent upon that alone, he contrived to keep a close +watch upon the movements of the Tezcucans. It was +soon evident that their thoughts were not wholly +engrossed by the business before them. A slight noise +from without, followed instantly by an exchange of +significant looks between two of the party, confirmed +his suspicions. Instantly dashing away the false scroll, +and springing to his feet, he boldly charged the traitors +with a conspiracy; and demanded an immediate explanation. +Alarmed at this mysterious and premature disclosure +of their designs, the chief of the party, without +venturing a word of reply, gave a shrill, piercing whistle, +which was immediately responded to from without. +Finding himself entrapped, and not knowing what +numbers he might have to contend with, Guatimozin +sprang to the door, stretching one of the conspirators on +the floor as he passed, and succeeded in reaching his +skiff, just as a band of armed men rushed in from the +other quarter. Cuitlahua also effected his escape, +though not without a desperate encounter with one of +the advancing party, who attempted to arrest his flight.</p> + +<p>To seize his antagonist with a powerful embrace, to +fling him over the parapet into the water, and to plunge +in after him, was the work of an instant. Swimming +under water for some distance, and rising to the surface +within the shadow of the building, he took possession +of the nearest canoe, and, following in the wake of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span> +Guatimozin, was soon out of the reach of danger, or +pursuit.</p> + +<p>Cacama, unsuspicious of danger, and intent only on +the object of their meeting, was so engrossed with the +scroll, and the plans delineated upon it, that he did not +fully comprehend the meaning of this sudden interruption +of their council, until his two friends had disappeared, +and, in their place, a band of twenty armed +men stood before him. Resistance was vain. By +order of the chief of the conspirators, he was seized, +securely bound, and carried a prisoner to Tenochtitlan. +There, though treated with indignity by Cortez, and +with severity by Montezuma, he maintained a haughty +and independent bearing, sternly refusing to yield, in +the slightest degree, to the insolent dictation of the one, +or the pusillanimous policy of the other. Cuitlahua +was afterwards seized in his own palace of Iztapalapan; +but, after a short detention, was released again, at +the instigation of Montezuma.</p> + +<p>These outrages, so far from intimidating the people, +only excited and incensed them the more, and led to +other and more desperate assaults upon the beleaguered +foe, till Cortez, apprehensive of ultimate defeat and +ruin, applied once more to Montezuma, proposing that +he should appear in person before his people, and +require them to lay down their arms, retire to their +homes, and leave his guests in peaceable possession of +the quarters he had voluntarily assigned them.</p> + +<p>Arrayed in his royal robes, with the imperial diadem +upon his head, preceded by his officers of state, bearing +the golden wands, the emblem of despotic power, and +accompanied by a considerable train of his own nobles, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span> +and some of the principal Castilian cavaliers, the unfortunate +monarch appeared on the battlements, to remonstrate +with his own people for their zeal in the defence +of his crown and honor, and appease the rage of his +subjects for insults offered to his own person, and to +those of his loyal nobles. His presence was instantly +recognized by the thronging multitudes below and +around. Some prostrated themselves on the earth in +profound reverence, some bent the knee, and all waited +in breathless silence to hear that voice, which had so +long ruled them with despotic sway.</p> + +<p>With a sad, but at the same time a calm and dignified +tone, the monarch addressed them, “My children,” +said he, “why are you here in this fierce array. The +strangers are my friends. I abide with them as their +voluntary guest, and all that you do against them is +done against me, your sovereign and father.”</p> + +<p>When the monarch declared himself the friend of the +detested Spaniard, a murmur of discontent and rage +arose, and ran through the assembled host. Their +ungovernable fury burst at once the barrier of loyalty, +and vented itself in curses upon the king who could, in +the hour of their peril, thus basely forsake his people, +and endeavor to betray them into the hands of a +treacherous and blood thirsty foe. “Base Aztec!” +they cried, “woman! coward! go back to the viper +friends whom you have taken to your bosom. No longer +worthy to reign over us, we cast away our allegiance +for ever.” At the same moment, some powerful arm, +more fearless than the rest, aimed a huge stone at the +unprotected head of the king, which brought him senseless +to the ground. His attendants, put off their guard +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span> +by the previous calm and reverential attention of the +crowd, were taken by surprise. In vain they interposed +their shields and bucklers, to protect his person +from further violence. The fatal blow was struck. +The great Montezuma had received his death-wound +from the hand of one of his own subjects, who, but a +moment before, would have sacrificed a hundred lives, +had he possessed them, to shield the person of his monarch +from violence and dishonor.</p> + +<p>The effect of this unexpected catastrophe seemed +equally appalling to both the belligerent parties. The +Aztecs, struck aghast at their own sacrilegious deed, +dispersed in sorrow and shame to their homes; while +the Spaniards felt that they had lost their only remaining +hold upon the forbearance and regard of a mighty +people, whose confidence they had shamefully abused, +and whose altars and houses they had wantonly desecrated. +It was a season of agonizing suspense. To +retreat from their post, and abandon the conquest which +they once imagined was nearly achieved, might be as +disastrous as it would be humiliating. To remain in +their narrow quarters, surrounded with countless thousands +of exasperated foes, on whom they must be +dependent for their daily supplies of food, seemed little +better than madness. To the proud spirit of the +haughty Castilian, the alternative was scarcely less to +be dreaded than martyrdom. It was manifestly, however, +the only resource, and he resolved to evacuate the +city.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, active hostilities had been temporarily +suspended. The unhappy Montezuma, smitten even +more severely in heart than in person, refused alike the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span> +condolence of his friends and the skill of the Castilian +surgeon. Tearing off the bandages from his wounds, +“leave me alone,” he cried, “I have already outlived +my honor and the affection and confidence of my people. +Why should I look again upon the sun or the +earth. The one has no light, the other no flowers for +me. Let me die here. I feel indeed that the gods +have smitten me, when I fall by the hand of one of my +own people.”</p> + +<p>In this disconsolate mood, the spirit of Montezuma +took its flight. In vain did the Castilian general +endeavor to suppress, for a time, the tidings of his +death. The loud wailing of his attendants, would +have published it far and wide among the thousands +of affectionate hearts, that listened for every sound that +issued from the palace, if they had not, unknown to +the Spaniards, established a kind of telegraphic signal, +by means of which they communicated to the priests +on the great Teocalli, daily reports of the progress of +his disease. When the sad signal was given, announcing +the solemn fact, that the great Montezuma had laid +down his honors and his troubles together, it was +responded to by the mournful tones of the great drum +of the temple, by ten measured muffled strokes, conveying +the melancholy intelligence to every dwelling in +Tenochtitlan.</p> + +<p>The breathing of that populous city was now one +universal wail, that seemed to penetrate the very heavens. +Partly from a sincere regard for the fallen +monarch, and partly from the hope that he might thus +conciliate the good will of his afflicted subjects, Cortez +directed his remains to be placed in a splendid coffin, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span> +and borne in solemn procession, by his own nobles, to +his palace, that it might be interred with the customary +regal honors. It was received by his people with every +demonstration of affectionate joy and respect. Conveyed +with great pomp to the castle of Chapoltepec, +followed by an immense train of priests, nobles, and +common people, it was interred amid all the imposing +ceremonies of the Aztec religion. His wives and +children, frantic with grief, gathered around those hallowed +remains, and testified, by all those tender and +delicate tokens which seem the natural expression of a +refined feminine sorrow, their profound sense of the +inestimable loss they had sustained.</p> + +<p>By one of those singular coincidences, which tend so +strongly to confirm the too easy credulity of the superstitious, +and give an unnatural emphasis to the common +accidents of life, it was the festival of the new +moon, the very day on which Montezuma had promised +Tecuichpo that he would join the household +circle at Chapoltepec, that his lifeless remains were +borne thither, in the solemn funereal procession.</p> + +<p>“Alas! my father,” she cried, “is this the fulfilment +of that only promise which sustained my sinking courage +in the hour of separation?” She said no more. +The more profound the sorrow, the fewer words it has +to spare. “The shallow murmur, but the deep are +dumb.”</p> + + + +<hr class="long" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span></p> + +<h3 class="padtop">CHAPTER VIII.</h3> + +<p class="p1">BRIEF REIGN OF CUITLAHUA—EXPULSION OF THE +SPANIARDS—GUATIMOZIN CHOSEN EMPEROR—HIS MARRIAGE +WITH TECUICUPO. +</p> + +<table class="poem pfont chpoem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i0">Grief follows grief. The crowned head<br /></span> +<span class="i0">So late the nation’s hope, is laid<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Low in the dust.<br /></span></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="center">———</td> + </tr> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i4">Defeat and triumph, tears and smiles,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Life, death, true glory and the depths of shame,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The funeral pall and the pure bridal robe,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">In close proximity—<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p>The sacred dust restored to its native earth, and the +last hallowed rites performed over the sepulchre of the +departed, the thoughts of the people were immediately +turned to the succession. All eyes were fixed on Cuitlahua, +the noble brother of Montezuma, whose intrepid +spirit, and deadly hatred of the intruding Spaniards, +accorded with the now universal sentiment of the +nation. He was elected, without a dissenting voice, by +the grand council of the nobles. Accepting, with alacrity, +the post of responsibility and danger, he was +immediately inaugurated and crowned, with all the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span> +gorgeous rites, and imposing ceremonies which a pagan +priesthood delight to throw around every important +event, in which their holy influence is necessarily +involved.</p> + +<p>During the progress of these mournful and exciting +events, the rigors of the siege had not been materially +relaxed, though all active hostilities had been suspended. +They were now to be renewed with tenfold +energy, under the lead of their warlike monarch, who +had often led the armies of Anahuac to victory, and +who had never known defeat.</p> + +<p>When the Castilian general was informed that the +heroic Cuitlahua had been placed on the throne of Montezuma, +and was about to take the field in person, he +perceived the necessity of adopting prompt and decided +measures. The retreat had already been resolved on. +It was now to be put in execution, and that, without +delay. As it was the custom of the Aztec, to suspend +all hostilities during the night, Cortez determined to +avail himself of that season to make his escape. +Accordingly, every thing being made ready for the +departure, and the city being hushed in a seemingly +profound repose, the gates were thrown open, and the +little army, with its long train of Indian allies, sallied +stealthily forth, not to the stirring notes of drum or +trumpet, but with hushed breath and a cautious tread, +ill accordant with the haughty bearing, and vaunting +air, with which they had hitherto attempted to lord it +over the proud metropolis of Anahuac.</p> + +<p>But, though quiet, the sagacious and determined +Aztec was wide awake. He had anticipated this +stealthy movement of his pent up foe, and resolved that +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span> +he should not thus escape the snare into which his own +audacious insolence had drawn him. The last files of +the retreating army had not yet passed out from their +entrenchments, when a long loud blast from the horn +of the great Teocalli, stirred the city to its utmost borders, +calling out the mighty host, who had slept upon +their arms, eager for the summons which should bring +them once more to an engagement with their foe.</p> + +<p>Confident as the Spaniard was in the overwhelming +power of his cavalry and artillery, he preferred rather +to make good his retreat, while he could, than to show +his prowess in these perilous circumstances. The +hoarse distant murmurs which fell upon their ears at +every street as they passed, indicated too plainly the +mustering of a mighty host, which soon came rushing +in upon them from all quarters, like the swelling surges +of a stormy sea, each higher and more terrible than +that which preceded. They fell upon the flying foe +with the ferocity of tigers, about to be disappointed of +their prey. From every lane and alley, and from the +roof of every house, they pelted them with ceaseless +vollies of stones. They grappled with them, man to +man, reckless of life or limb, so that they could maim +or destroy an enemy.</p> + +<p>Alvarado, with a portion of the cavalry, brought up +the rear of the retreating army, in order to repel, with +an occasional charge upon the enemy’s ranks, those +furious onsets which might have overwhelmed the +small body of Spanish infantry, or the unmailed and +lightly armed Tlascalan allies. The cavalier and his +horse, encased in armor of proof, could better cope with +the weapons and missiles of their assailants, while they +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span> +often turned upon them, with a fierce and irresistible +charge, trampling hundreds in the dust, and mowing +down whole ranks on this side and that, with their +trenchant broadswords.</p> + +<p>In this manner the fugitives defiled through the great +southern avenue, and came out upon the grand causeway, +by which they had twice entered the city. Here +they were met by new and fresh squadrons of the +enemy, thronging the sides of the dike in their light +canoes, and showering down arrows thick as hail upon +the advancing column. Sometimes keeping upon the +causeway, they would grapple each with his man, and +drag him off into the water, to be picked up by those in +the canoes, and hurried off to a terrible and certain fate, +on the great altar of their War-god. Their numbers +increased every moment, till the lake was literally alive +with them.</p> + +<p>At length the advancing column was brought to +stand; while a cry of despair from the van revealed +the fearful position in which they stood in the midst of +their implacable foes. The bridges which intersected +the dike had been removed by order of the Emperor. +They had now reached the first opening thus made in +the causeway. A sudden shout from the myriads of +Aztec warriors that hung about them on all sides, told +at once their own wild triumph, and the awfully perilous +position of their enemy. Crowded together on a +narrow causeway, in ranks so close as to render their +arms and their weapons almost entirely useless—arrested +in front by a wide chasm which it was impossible +to pass—their retreat cut off in the rear, by the +living masses that blocked up every avenue, and pressed +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span> +them forward upon the crowded ranks of their comrades—assailed +on both sides from the water, through +the whole length of the closely compacted column—while +all these dangers were enhanced a hundred-fold +by the darkness of the night—there seemed no possibility +of escape for one of that brave host.</p> + +<p>Cortez was with the principal part of the cavalry in +the centre of the column, so wedged in by the compacted +mass of his own forces, as to be quite unable +either to advance or retreat, without trampling them +under his feet, or crowding them off the causeway. +He comprehended in a moment the perilous position he +was in. But such was the utter confusion and dismay +of the whole army, and such the horrid din of clashing +arms, and the yet more horrid yells of the savage foe, +that he in vain attempted either to direct or encourage +his men. His voice was drowned in the uproar.</p> + +<p>Sandoval, one of his bravest and most trusty officers, +who led the van, with a few other cavaliers as bold as +himself, resolved to push forward at any personal +hazard, rather than stand still to perish in one confused +mass, dashed their steeds into the water, and made for +the other side of the gap. Some succeeded in effecting +a landing, while others, with their horses, perished in +the attempt, or fell into the hands of the watchful boatmen. +The first movement being thus made, an impetus +was given to the moving column from behind, that +drove the front ranks, <i>nolens volens</i>, into the breach. +By far the greater part sank to rise no more, or were +picked up by the Aztecs, and hurried away to a far +more terrible death. At length the breach was filled +up by the bodies of the dead, and the baggage and artillery +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span> +which occupied the centre, so that the rear had a +clear passage over the fatal chasm.</p> + +<p>A second and a third breach was yet to be passed. +It was accomplished as before, only by making a bridge +of the bodies of one half, for the other half to walk upon. +Meanwhile the enemy hung upon flank and rear, with +unappeasable rage, striking down and picking up vast +numbers of victims, until, when the last breach was +cleared, and a footing gained upon terra-firma, there +was scarce a remnant left of the gallant band that +entered upon that fatal causeway. The iron-hearted +Cortez was so overcome with the sight of his shattered +band, and the absence of so many brave comrades, +when the morning light appeared, that he sat down +upon a rock that overlooked the scene of desolation, +and gave vent to his emotions in a flood of tears.</p> + +<p>Had the Mexicans followed up this success by falling +upon the broken dispirited remnant of the Castilian +army, they would probably have vanquished and +destroyed them to a man. They were suffered, however, +to proceed unmolested for several days, until their +strength and spirits were somewhat recruited. Then, +though attacked by immensely superior numbers, they +succeeded in putting them to rout.</p> + +<p>The new Emperor, Cuitlahua, having signalized his +accession to the throne by the almost total destruction +of the formidable foe, who had spread the terror of his +arms far and wide through all the realms of Anahuac, +proceeded to fortify his capital and kingdom against +another invasion. The dikes and canals were thoroughly +repaired, the walls were strengthened and +extended, the army enlarged and improved in discipline +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span> +by some of the lessons which so able a general, +was not slow to learn from the Spaniards. The +immense treasures they had drawn from the munificent +Montezuma, and which, in the disasters of that melancholy +night, they had been compelled to leave behind, +were all recovered and expended in these works of +defence. Their arms, too, were gathered up, and served +to improve and render more effective many of the more +primitive weapons of the Aztecs. In the midst of these +wise and patriotic efforts to guard against the probable +return of the Spaniards, Cuitlahua was seized with a +loathsome disease, which in a few days brought him to +the grave, after a brief reign of four months.</p> + +<p>This was a terrible blow to the nation. It was felt +throughout all the borders of Anahuac, as the severest +frown of their gods. But partially recovered from the +shock occasioned by the death of Montezuma, they +were now beginning to feel their hopes renewed, and +their courage reviving, under the bold and decided +measures, and the signal successes of their new Emperor. +He was the idol of the army. His intrepid bravery, +his high military talents, his unyielding patriotism, and +deadly hatred of the white men, had secured for him +the confidence of all the wisest and best men of the +realm, so that, with one heart and one voice, they rallied +around his standard, assured that, under his energetic +sway, the ancient glory and pre-eminence of the +Aztec crown would be not only ably asserted, but effectually +re-established.</p> + +<p>His fall, like a mighty earthquake, shook the empire +to its centre. For a moment it seemed as if all was +lost—hopelessly, irretrievably lost. The long funereal +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span> +wail, that swelled up from every dwelling and every +heart in that devoted land, seemed like the expiring +groan of a world. But it was only for a moment. The +first shock past, they found themselves still standing, +though among ruins. Their land, their temples, their +dwellings, still remained. Their wise and experienced +counsellors were all in their midst. Their host of +armed men were still at their post, unbroken, undivided, +unappalled. The imperial mantle had not fallen to the +earth.</p> + +<p>As by immediate direction from heaven, all eyes +were turned to Guatimozin. He was nephew to the +last two monarchs, and though only a young man, had +distinguished himself both in the council and in the +field. He had uniformly opposed the admission of the +Spaniards to the capital. He had been prominent in +all the recent attacks upon their quarters, and had especially +signalized himself in the terrible overthrow of the +disastrous night of their retreat. He had all the coolness +and intrepidity of a veteran warrior, with all the +fire and impetuosity of youth. He was about twenty-five +years of age, of an elegant commanding figure, and +so terrible in war that even his followers trembled in +his presence.</p> + +<p>The young prince felt the extreme difficulty of the +crisis, but did not shrink from the arduous and perilous +post assigned him. With a prudence and circumspection, +only to have been expected from one long accustomed +to the cares and perplexities of government, he +set himself to fortify every assailable point, and to prepare +for the worst that might arise, in the event of +another invasion. The works commenced during the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span> +brief reign of Cuitlahua were carried forward to their +completion. By means of regular couriers and spies, a +constant communication was kept up with all parts of +the country. The movements of the Spaniards were +narrowly watched, and their supposed designs frequently +reported to the Emperor. Nothing was omitted +which a sagacious and watchful monarch could do or +devise, to make ready for a severe and protracted contest, +in whatever form it might come.</p> + +<p>Thus established on the throne, and strengthened +against a sudden surprise, the ardent young monarch +repaired to Chapoltepec, where the bereaved household +of Montezuma still remained, in sad but peaceful seclusion, +and claimed the hand of the fair Princess +Tecuichpo. Her retiring disposition would have preferred +a humbler and more quiet station. She had seen +enough of the agitations and burdens of a crowned +head; enough of the gaudy emptiness of life in a +palace, and longed to hide herself in some sweet, +sequestered spot, away from the noisy parade and anxious +bustle of a court, where her own home would be +all her world.</p> + +<p>“Oh! that that crown had fallen on some other +head,” she exclaimed. “Though there is not another +in Anahuac so worthy to wear it, not one who would +so well sustain its ancient glory, yet I would not that +<i>you</i> should bear the heavy burden, or be exposed to +that desolating storm that is gathering over our devoted +capital and throne.”</p> + +<p>“Said I not, my beloved, that I would yet lead you +back in triumph to the royal halls of your ancestors? +I have come to redeem my pledge. Shrink not from a +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span> +station which no other can so well adorn. Rather, far +rather would I, if I could, retire with you to the quiet +shades of private life, and find a home in some sweet +glen among the mountains, than wear the crown and +claim the homage of a world. But, my sweet cousin, +the crown <i>must</i> be defended, the throne <i>must</i> be sustained +against the insolent pretensions of these strangers. +And <i>I</i> must do my part in the defence. I dare +not, either as monarch or as subject, withhold myself +from this great work. If I perish, I fall in the service +of my country and her altars. And the higher the station +I hold, the greater the service I render—the heavier +the burden I bear, the brighter the honors I shall win. +As well perish on the throne, as fighting at its foot. I +should be unworthy of the daughter of Montezuma, if I +held any thing too dear to sacrifice on the shrine of my +country.”</p> + +<p>“Noble Guatimozin, my heart is yours—my life is +devoted only to you. Lead me where you will, so that +I can share your burdens, and lighten your cares, and +not prove unworthy of such a father and such a lord. +But you forget that mine is a doomed life, that oracles +and omens, signs and presages, have all conspired +against me from my birth.”</p> + +<p>“Nay, my love, it is you that forget, not I. For the +very oracles and omens that foreshadowed for you a +clouded morning, promised with equal distinctness a +bright and glorious evening. The tempestuous morning +is passed. The glorious mid-day and the golden +evening are yet to come.”</p> + +<p>“You are quite too fast, I fear, my brave cousin, it +was only the evening that was to have light. The +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span> +sunset hour of life was to be clear. But what, my dear +Guatimozin, what do you suppose that light is to be? +and whence shall it come?”</p> + +<p>“What <i>can</i> it be, but to restore, in your own person +and family, the disputed pre-eminence of the Aztec +dynasty, the tarnished glory of its crown. Rely upon +it, my gentle cousin, <i>that</i> is your destiny. The timid +dove of Chapoltepec shall be transformed to the royal +eagle of Tenochtitlan.”</p> + +<p>“That cannot be. I rather fear that the deep cloud +of my doom will overshadow and darken your life. +Better far that I should suffer and perish alone.”</p> + +<p>“It <i>must</i> be, Tecuichpo, it shall be. Have not the +gods given you to me? Have they not made me the +defender of the Aztec throne? How then can you doubt +that they call <i>you</i> to share and adorn it?”</p> + +<p>“Oh! my lord! those terrible omens—they are but +half fulfilled, and the promised light is yet far in the +distance. Could I be sure that you would share that +light with me——.”</p> + +<p>“Come then with me to the palace. It will be all +light for <i>me</i> when <i>you</i> are there, and sure I am that +time will re-interpret those sad omens for you, and turn +them all to sunshine.”</p> + +<p>Suddenly the palace of Chapoltepec was changed +from a house of mourning to a house of feasting. The +nuptial rites of the youthful Emperor with the beautiful +princess, were celebrated with great pomp. The festivities +continued through several days, and were honored +by the presence of all the nobility of the empire. +The most costly entertainment was provided for the +numerous guests. The most munificent royal largesses +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span> +were bestowed upon the priests, and upon those who +took a prominent part in the grand ceremonies, and +gifts of great value lavishly distributed among all the +inferior attendants. The brilliant and odoriferous treasures +of the royal gardens, and of the chinampas of the +great lake were exhausted in adorning the halls and +chambers of the palace. The refined taste, and +exquisite invention of Karee was every where apparent. +The place, on the day of the nuptials, might +have been taken for the realm and palace of Flora. +The very air was redolent of the incense of flowers, +which brightened the day with their bloom, and of the +odoriferous gums, whose blaze extended the reign of +day far into the realms of night.</p> + +<p>It was a national festival, a season of universal +rejoicing. The people now believed that their days of +darkness and temporary depression were passed, and +that all the power and glory of the days of Montezuma +would be restored, under those happy auspices which +made his favorite daughter a sharer of his throne. The +priests sanctioned and confirmed this belief, to the +utmost of their power and influence, giving it out, with +that oracular force and dignity, which they so well +knew how to assume, that such was the true interpretation +of all the singular predictions and presages, which +intimated that the life of the princess would close with +unusual splendor. In this manner, they encouraged +the hopes of the nation, confirmed its allegiance to its +new Emperor, and united all its forces in a solid +phalanx of resistance to every foreign encroachment.</p> + +<p>When these ceremonies were concluded, and the +imperial pageant passed from Chapoltepec to the capital, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span> +there was a new and still more imposing display of +the reverence and loyalty of this singular people, and +of the more than oriental magnificence with which they +sustained the splendors of royalty. The road, through +the entire distance, was swept, sprinkled, and strewed +with flowers. The elite of the army, and the nobility +in the gayest costumes, formed a brilliant and numerous +escort, accompanied with flaunting banners, and +every species of spirit-stirring music then known to +Aztecs. The imperial cortege, consisting of a long +array of magnificent palanquins, with their gorgeous +canopies of feather-work, all a-blaze with gold and +jewels, borne on the shoulders of princes and nobles, +occupied the centre of the grand procession. Those of +the Emperor and Empress, which moved side by side, +were distinguished by the exceeding costliness and +beauty of their decorations, and by the superior height +of their canopies, whose sides and ends curved gracefully +to a point in the centre, about three feet above the +cornice, which was surmounted by the imperial diadem +of Mexico. These were followed by the queen mother, +and other members of the royal household, conveyed in +a style but little inferior to the first. This cortege was +immediately preceded and followed by all the priests +and prophets of the nation, in their splendid pontificals, +and bearing the showy insignia of their various orders. +An immense train of the most respectable citizens, merchants, +mechanics, artizans, husbandmen, and men of +every honorable profession brought up the rear. They +were scarcely less gay and brilliant in their costume +than the escort and immediate attendants of the monarch, +though somewhat less uniform in the style of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span> +their decorations. The road, through its entire length, +was flanked by women and children, young men and +maidens, in their gala dresses, with baskets and chaplets +of flowers, which they continually showered upon +the path, in front of the royal palanquins, thus renewing, +at every step of its progress, the floral carpet, +whose freshness and beauty the long escort had trampled +out. Ever and anon a shout would go up from +that vast multitude, so loud and long, that its echoes, +reverberated along the mountain walls that shut in that +beautiful valley from the great world, would be heard +for many a league around. Then, from some little +group of trained chanters, a song of right loyal welcome +would burst forth, accompanied with showers of roses, +and followed by a chorus from thousands of sweet +voices—</p> + +<table class="poem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i0">Welcome! welcome! warrior, king—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Thrice welcome with the prize you bring.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Star of Montezuma’s line,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">O’er the empire, rise and shine!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Flower of Montezuma’s race<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Return, thy father’s halls to grace!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Welcome, thrice welcome, mighty one!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The nation’s heart shall be thy throne.<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + + +<hr class="long" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span></p> + +<h3 class="padtop">CHAPTER IX.</h3> + +<p class="p1">FESTIVITIES AT THE COURT OF GUATIMOZIN—HYMENEAL VOW.</p> + +<table class="poem pfont chpoem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i4">Heaven gave to Adam one, and so proclaimed<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Her full equality to man. He who<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Can ask for more, knows not the worth of one,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And so deserves not any—<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p>The imperial court of Tenochtitlan was now again the +radiant centre of attraction to the confederated and +tributary nations of Anahuac. The terror of Guatimozin’s +arm was even more dreaded than that of Montezuma. +He was a mighty man of valor, of that impetuous +courage, and that bold directness of action, which +executes at a blow the purposes and plans, which, with +common minds, would require time and deliberation. +He was at the same time of a generous magnanimous +disposition, open, frank, unsuspecting, and won the +affectionate regard, as well as the prompt unquestioning +obedience of his people. He had too much good +sense, and too wise a regard to the dignity of those +who should attend upon the person of majesty, to +require of his nobles, the officers of his court and +household, those humiliating attentions which were +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span> +exacted by Montezuma. He saw that the only effect +of such exactions was to weaken and effeminate the +character of some of his greatest chieftains, reducing +them from proud and powerful friends to fawning +cringing slaves. They were no longer shrouded in the +sombre <i>nequen</i>, as they entered the royal presence, nor +did they go barefoot, with their eyes cast down to the +earth, when they bore the monarch in his luxurious +palanquin. Arrayed in all their costly finery, with +golden or silver sandals, and with a bold, manly, cheerful +bearing, as if they gloried in the precious treasure +which it was their privilege, more than their duty, to +protect and to care for, the imperial palanquin seemed +rather their trophy than their burden, which they were +far more ready to bear, than their master was to occupy. +He was too active and stirring a spirit, to submit often +to such a luxurious conveyance. He was ever in the +midst of his chiefs, consulting and acting for the public +good. He freely discussed with them the great measures +of defence, which he put in progress, and evinced +the remarkable and rare good sense, to adopt wise and +politic suggestions, however humble the source from +which they emanated, and to change his opinion at +once when it was shown to be wrong. He superintended, +in person, the repairing and enlarging of the +fortifications, and the improvement of the tactics and +discipline of the army. By a frugal expenditure of the +vast revenues of the crown, and a careful preservation +of the treasures left by his predecessors, he accumulated +an amount more than equal to the exigencies of a long +and wasting struggle with all the combined foes of the +realm.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span> +Meanwhile, the gay saloons of the palace of Montezuma +were gayer than they had ever been. For a +brief season, the clouds that had so long hung over the +fate of the lovely Tecuichpo seemed to be dissipated. +The skies were all bright above her, and every thing +around her wore a cheerful and promising aspect. +Attracted by her resplendent beauty, the unaffected +ease and graciousness of her manners, and the queenly +magnificence of her court, the youth, beauty, wit, talent +and chivalry of the nation, gathered about her, and +made her life a perpetual gala-day, rivalling in brilliancy +and effect the best days of the gayest courts in +Europe.</p> + +<p>Conspicuous among the gay multitude that flitted +about the court, was Nahuitla, Prince of Tlacopan, a +young chief of the Tepanecs. He was just ripening +into manhood, of an uncommonly lithe and agile frame, +exceedingly fair and graceful, and gifted with unusual +powers of intellect. He was one of the rarest geniuses +of the age, and astonished and amused the court with +the variety and beauty of his poems, and other works +of taste. Nor did his intellectual accomplishments +exceed his heroism and loyalty. Guatimozin had not +an abler or more devoted chieftain in all his realm. It +was he who fought side by side with the Emperor in +all his after conflicts, endured with him the horrors of +the wasting siege and painful captivity which followed, +and finally shared his cruel and shameful martyrdom, +at the hands of the then terror-stricken and +cowardly Cortez, declaring with his last breath, that he +desired no better or more glorious lot, than to die by the +side of his lord.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span> +Nahuitla, like all good knights and brave soldiers, to +say nothing of true poets, had a heart warmly susceptible +of tender impressions, and could not resist the bright +eyes and witching smiles, that illuminated the saloons +and gardens of the imperial palace. Promiscuous flirtation +was less hazardous in Tenochtitlan than in most +of the capitals of Christendom. The wealthy nobles +being allowed to marry as many wives as they could +support, the young prince could win the affections of +all the bright daughters of the valley, without at all +apprehending a suit for breach of promise, or a conspiracy +against his own life, or that of his favorite, by +some disappointed rival. How many conquests he +made in one brief campaign, does not appear in the +chronicles of the day. Atlacan, a princess of Tezcuco, +was his first trophy. She was very fair and highly +gifted, resembling in many points of person and character, +the guardian genius of the young Empress, the +talented Karee.</p> + +<p>At his first encounter with the Tezcucan princess, +Nahuitla was deeply impressed with a peculiar expression +of thoughtfulness, shading a brilliantly beautiful +countenance, and imposing a kind of constrained awe +upon the stranger. This shadow gradually disappeared +upon a further acquaintance, till the whole face and +person were so lighted up with the fire of her genius +and wit, that it seemed as if invested with a supernatural +halo. Their intercourse was a perfect tournament +of wit, and their brilliant sallies and sparkling +repartees, were the theme of universal admiration.</p> + +<p>The princess Atlacan was always attended by a +very prudent, watchful, anxious chaperone, of a fair +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span> +exterior, and pleasing manners, who had passed the +meridian of life, and begun to wane into the cool of its +evening. She had also a brother, Maxtli, considerably +older than herself, who, from a two-fold motive, seemed +to delight in disappointing her expectations, and +thwarting her plans. He was a cold, mercenary, selfish +man, who sought only his own aggrandizement. +The princess was a special favorite of her father, who +was a prince of the highest rank, and nearly related to +the reigning king of Tezcuco. She had already +received many substantial proofs of parental partiality, +which her avaricious brother would fain have claimed +for himself. Her brilliant qualities and growing influence +made her an object of jealousy, as seeming to +stand in the way of his own preferment. He had used +every exertion to dispose of her in marriage to some of +her numerous suitors, and had particularly advocated +the cause of a wealthy young merchant of Cholula, +who rejoiced in the euphonous name of Xitentlóxiltlitl, +from whom Maxtli had received large presents of gold +and jewels.</p> + +<p>Atlacan despised the merchant, who fondly imagined +that his gold could purchase any jewel in the realm. +She would not listen to his proposals. It was not pride +of family, for in Anahuac, under the Aztec dynasty, the +merchant was a man of note, scarcely inferior to the +proudest noble. But the merchant was <i>only</i> a merchant, +a man of one idea, and that was gold, without +refinement, without sentiment, without heart, like the +majority of the same class of mere money mongers all +the world over.</p> + +<p>Maxtli was enraged by his sister’s refusal of this alliance, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span> +which, if it had been consummated, he would +have made subservient to his own interests. He determined, +from mere revenge, to throw obstacles in the +way of her alliance with the gifted prince of Tlacopan. +The annoyances he invented, and the frequent prudential +interposition of her cautious chaperone, who was in +the pay of Maxtli, made her position rather a difficult +one, and often put her disposition to the severest test. +It chanced, one lovely evening, that the lovers had +stolen a march upon both their tormentors, and found, +in the royal gardens, a few moments of that unwatched +uninterrupted conference, which only those in the same +delicate relation, at the same period of life, know how +to appreciate. Their absence from the saloons was +soon noticed. The duenna was severely censured, and +sent in pursuit of the fugitive. Karee, who was in the +secret of the escape, led her a long and wearisome +chase, through the numberless halls and corridors of +that immense pile, and finally left her, at the furthest +extremity of the building, to find her way back as she +could. Then, returning to Maxtli, who could scarce +restrain his rage that they had so long eluded him—</p> + +<p>“My lord,” said she, “can you tell me where I shall +find your sister? I have a message for her, which I +can only deliver to her personally.”</p> + +<p>“I know not,” he replied angrily, “but she is probably +flirting somewhere with that fool fop, the royal bard of +Tlacopan. But from whom does your message come?”</p> + +<p>“That can only be made known to herself. I saw +her some time since, in the garden, leaning upon the +arm of this same royal bard, the only young prince in +Anahuac worthy of such a jewel.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span> +The prince bit his lip with vexation, and Karee ran +off toward the garden. In a few moments, the poor old +chaperone came blustering along, out of breath and out +of humor.</p> + +<p>“Fie upon the giddy girls of this generation,” she +exclaimed, “they know nothing of propriety. I wonder +what would have been thought of such actions +when <i>I</i> was young!”</p> + +<p>“Hasten to the garden,” said Maxtli, impatiently, +“your hopeful pupil is there, and that rhyming fop is +with her.”</p> + +<p>He might as well have sent her to the labyrinth of +Lemnos or Crete. Covering an immense area, and +traversed in every direction by serpentine walks, shaded +lanes, and magnificent avenues, one might have wandered +up and down there a week, without finding one +who wished to elude pursuit. She obeyed his directions, +however, and was soon lost in mazes more intricate +and perplexing than those of the palace.</p> + +<p>Presently the truants returned, by a different path +from that which their pursuer had taken. The princess +wore in her bosom a significant flower, which she had +received and accepted from her admirer. With a light +and joyous step, he led her through the crowded saloon, +and presented her to the queen, craving her sanction to +the vows they had just plighted to each other. Gracefully +placing a chaplet of white roses and amaranths +on their heads, the Empress gave them her blessing. +Guatimozin, approaching at the same instant, confirmed +it with hearty good will, and requested that the nuptials +might be celebrated at an early day, and in his +own palace.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span> +So distinguished a favor could not be refused. In +the course of the next week the solemn ceremonies +were performed; with all the imposing pomp of the +Aztec ritual. A royal banquet was prepared, and the +palace resounded with joyous revelry and music.</p> + +<p>When the officiating priest had uttered the last +solemn words which sealed the indissoluble bond, +Nahuitla stood forth, and publicly avowed his belief, +that the gods designed only one woman for each man, +solemnly renounced the old doctrine of polygamy, and +pledged to his young bride, in the presence of his royal +master, and the brilliant throng that had witnessed his +vows of love and constancy, an undivided heart, and +an undivided house.</p> + +<p>Struck with surprise and admiration at this unexpected +scene, and impressed with the truth and purity +of the sentiments, and the soundness of the conclusions, +which the brave prince had proclaimed, the Emperor +rose from his throne, and, with a bland but dignified +and solemn air, addressed him:—</p> + +<p>“You are right, Nahuitla, my brave prince; I feel it +in my heart, you are right. I feel it in the claim which +<i>your</i> Empress and <i>mine</i>, (looking affectionately at Tecuichpo,) +has in the undivided empire of my heart, and +in that sacred bond of union which is so close, that it +cannot be shared by another without being broken. +In the presence of these holy men, and of these my +witnessing people, I solemnly subscribe to the same +pure vow which you have uttered, pledging my whole +self, in the marriage covenant to this my chosen and +beloved queen, even as she has pledged her whole +self to me. And I ordain the same, as the law of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span> +this my realm, and binding on all my loyal subjects for +ever.”<a name="FNanchor_D_4" id="FNanchor_D_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_D_4" class="fnanchor">[D]</a></p> + +<p>If the noble Guatimozin had been permitted to +sway the Aztec sceptre in peace, his name would be +embalmed in the hearts of all the women of Anahuac, +and the anniversary of the nuptials of Nahuitla and +Atlacan would be celebrated, to this day, as the household +jubilee of the nation.</p> + +<p>The conclusion of this festival—the last of the kind +that was ever celebrated in the halls of Montezuma—was +a unique and magnificent specimen of Aztec taste +and luxury. At a signal from the master of ceremonies, +the royal garden was suddenly illuminated by a +thousand torches, borne by as many well trained servants +in white livery. They were so stationed as to +represent, from different points of view, groups of bright +figures whirling in the mazy evolutions of a wild Indian +dance. The harmony of their movements, and the +picturesque effect of their frequent changes of position, +was truly wonderful. It seemed more like magic than +any thing belonging to the ordinary denizens of earth. +By continually passing and re-passing each other, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span> +approaching and receding, raising and depressing their +torches, the bearers were enabled to describe a great +variety of fantastic figures. So well did they perform +their parts, that, to the crowd of spectators from the +palace, it was a perfect pantomime of light.</p> + +<p>At length the dance ended, and the figures of the +various groups in light, gathering around a high altar, +all of fire, seemed waiting for some sacred rite to be +performed. Presently a tall princely figure was seen, +approaching with slow and solemn pace, leading a +lovely female to the altar. The high priest joined their +hands in the indissoluble bond, and waved his wand +of fire over their heads, in token of the divine blessing; +upon which the dance of the torches was instantly +renewed, accompanied with strains of the most joyous +music, each group breathing out its peculiar airs and +melodies, while the whole were beautifully blended and +harmonized by the master spirit of the fęte. It seemed +like the bridal of two angels of light, witnessed and +celebrated by all the stars and constellations of the +celestial spheres.</p> + +<p>The sudden extinguishment of these pantomimic +stars, revealed to the surprised revellers the presence of +the dawn, before whose coming the stars of every +sphere go out, and revelry gives place to the sober realities +of life.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a name="Footnote_D_4" id="Footnote_D_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_D_4"><span class="label">[D]</span></a> If this incident be deemed apocryphal, by the rigid historian, the fable +is fully justified by the known state of public sentiment among the Aztecs +at this time. Sagahun, according to a note in Prescott, states, that polygamy, +though allowed, was by no means generally practised among them; +and that the prevailing sentiment of the nation was opposed to it. One of +the very few relics of their ancient literature, which were preserved in the +general devastation of the conquest, is a letter of advice from a father to +his child, on the eve of her marriage, in which he declares that it was the +purpose of God, in his grand design of replenishing the earth, to make the +sexes equal, and to allow only one wife to each man; and any deviation +from this arrangement, was contrary to the plainest laws of nature.</p> +</div> + + + +<hr class="long" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span></p> + +<h3 class="padtop">CHAPTER X.</h3> + +<p class="p1">RETURN OF CORTEZ—SIEGE OF TENOCHTITLAN—BRAVERY +AND SUFFERINGS OF THE AZTECS.</p> + +<table class="poem pfont chpoem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i0">What will not man endure, and woman too,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">To guard the hearth and altar? Give to each<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A thousand lives, and hedge them close around<br /></span> +<span class="i0">With all that makes it martyrdom to die,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And agony to suffer—freely still,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">With all their wealth of blood, and love, and tears,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">They’ll yield them every one, and dying, wish<br /></span> +<span class="i0">They had a thousand more to give—<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p>Guatimozin was kept constantly informed of the preparations +and movements of the Spaniards. His faithful +spies followed them in all their marches, and found +no difficulty in divining their general intentions and +plans, as their courage revived on their arrival at Tlascala, +and still more on the accession of a large reinforcement +of Spaniards at Vera Cruz. Cortez was now +as resolute as ever in his purpose of conquest, and +determined to regain his position in the capital, or +perish in the attempt. He went with the sword in one +hand and the olive-branch in the other, if that can be +called an olive-branch, which admits of no answer but +submission, and offers no alternative but slavery or +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span> +death. With a large increase of cavalry and artillery, +an ample supply of ammunition, and a force both of +Castilian and Indian allies, more than double of that +which accompanied him on his former expedition, he +took up his line of march from the friendly city of +Tlascala, to cross the mountain barrier that separated +him from his prey. Previous to his departure, he +gave orders for the construction of a considerable +number of brigantines, under the inspection of experienced +Spanish shipwrights, conceiving the singular +and original idea of transporting them, on the shoulders +of his men, across the mountains, and launching +them upon the lake of Tezcuco, to aid him in laying +siege to the city. His march was unchallenged till +he arrived on the very shores of the great lake, and +stood before the walls of Tezcuco.</p> + +<p>Here he halted, and sent a message to the governor +to throw open his gates, and renew his allegiance to the +crown of Castile. The messenger returned with a +request that the Spaniard would delay his entry into +the city, until the next morning, when he should be +prepared to give him a suitable reception. Cortez, suspecting +that all was not right, ascended one of the Teocalli +in the neighborhood, to ascertain if any hostile +movement was contemplated. To his surprise, he saw +immense crowds of people, thronging the thoroughfares +on the other side of the city, and going, with as much +of their substance as they could carry, towards the +metropolis. Supposing that the city, when evacuated, +would be given up to the flames, and that he should +thus be cut off not only from supplies, but from a place +of shelter and retreat, he instantly sent forward a strong +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span> +body of horse, with a battalion of infantry, to arrest +the fugitives, and to demand an interview with the +cacique.</p> + +<p>Flight having been resolved upon, and the city having +been devoted to destruction, as the most effectual +annoyance to the Spaniards, no preparations were made +to resist such a movement as this. The unarmed fugitives +returned to their homes, in great numbers, and the +city, with all its abandoned palaces and temples, offered +ample accommodations to the invaders. The person +of the chief was not secured, he having effected his +escape, with the principal part of his nobles, and all his +army, to the capital. Cortez, assuming to act in the +name of the king of Castile, for whom he claimed the +sovereignty of all these lands, immediately deposed the +reigning chief, absolving the people from all further +allegiance to him, and installed his brother, who was +favorable to the cause of the Spaniards, in his place.</p> + +<p>Thus secured in such commanding quarters, the +haughty Castilian surveyed the field around him, and +prepared himself, with great diligence and deliberation, +to regain possession of it. The most liberal and conciliating +overtures were made to the Emperor, if he would +peaceably acknowledge the sovereignty of Castile, and +admit him, as the representative of that crown, to the +capital. These overtures were promptly and scornfully +rejected, and every avenue to amicable negotiation effectually +closed. The people of the country were sternly +forbidden, on pain of death, from holding any intercourse +with the strangers, or from administering, in +any manner, to their wants. Large rewards were +offered for captives, and every inducement held out to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span> +encourage the natives in a resistance, that should admit +of no quarter, and terminate only in the utter extermination +of one of the parties. Guatimozin was a man +every way adapted to a crisis like this. Of a firm +indomitable spirit, patient of suffering and of toil, and +skilful in all the strategy of war and defence, and possessed +of the entire confidence and affection of his own +people, he applied himself to the work of self-preservation, +with an energy and fertility of resource, which +scarcely ever, in a righteous cause, fails to ensure success. +That he was suffered to fail, is one of those +inscrutable providences which stand frequently out on +the page of history, to confound the short-sighted sagacity +of man, and restrain his too inquisitive desire to +fathom the counsels and purposes of heaven.</p> + +<p>Perceiving that the ground was to be contested, step +by step, and that not a foot would be yielded but at the +point of the bayonet, and the mouth of the cannon, +Cortez resolved on reducing the smaller towns first, +and so approaching the capital, by slow degrees, leaving +no unfriendly territory behind him, to cut off his +supplies, or annoy his rear. In this manner, after +almost incredible hardships, and many severe contests, +in which his forces were very considerably reduced, he +succeeded in wresting by violence, or winning by diplomacy, +many of the tributary cities and districts from +their allegiance to the Mexican crown. In their attempt +upon Iztapalapan, which was led by Cortez in person, +they were near being entirely overwhelmed by an artificial +inundation of the city. The great dikes were +pierced by the natives, and the waters of the lake came +pouring in upon them, in torrents, from which they made +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span> +their escape with the utmost difficulty, with the loss of +all their booty and ammunition, and not a few of their +Indian allies. The place, however, was reduced to +submission. Chalco, Otumba, and many other important +posts were soon after added to the number of the +conquered.</p> + +<p>This work of subjugation among the tributary provinces +and cities, was not a little facilitated by the +memory of the iron rule of Montezuma, and his severe +exactions upon all his subjects, to maintain the splendors +of the imperial palace. They had long felt these +exactions to be most burdensome and unequal, and had +only submitted to them by force of the terror of that +name, which made all Anahuac tremble. They were, +therefore, not unwilling to embrace any opportunity to +throw off the Aztec yoke, when they could do it with +the hope of ultimate protection from its vengeance. +They had not long enough tested the administration of +Guatimozin, to look for any relief from their burdens +under his reign. He came to the throne at one of those +signal crises in the affairs of the empire, which +demanded all its resources, both physical and pecuniary, +and was therefore compelled, for the time, rather +to increase than diminish their taxes, and make heavier +requisitions than usual upon their personal services. +They were ready for a change of masters, and, as is +usual in such cases, did not stop to consider whether +the change might not be rather for the worse than for +the better. As soon, therefore, as they ascertained that +the Spanish power was sufficient to protect them against +the fury of their old oppressors, they rushed to their +standard, and arrayed themselves against the brave +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span> +defenders of their native land. The event proved that +the rod of iron was exchanged for a two-edged one of +steel, a natural sovereign of their own race, for a worse +than Egyptian task-master, and a subjection which left +undisturbed their ancient customs, and the common +relations of society, for an indiscriminate slavery which +respected neither person nor property, and levelled alike +the public and private institutions of the land.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the brigantines, which had been rapidly +progressing at Tlascala, were completed. They were +thirteen in number. They were first put together, and +tried upon the waters of the Tahnapan; then taken to +pieces, and the timbers, with all the tackle and apparel, +including anchors, transported on the shoulders of +the Tlascalan laborers, over the hills, and through +the narrow defiles of the mountain, a distance of sixty +miles, and re-constructed within the walls of Tezcuco. +To open a communication with the lake, it was still +necessary to make a canal, a mile and a half in length, +twelve feet wide, and as many deep. This was accomplished +in season for launching the little fleet, having +eight thousand men employed upon it during two +months. It was a day of great rejoicing and appropriate +religious solemnity, when that little squadron +appeared, with the ensign of Castile floating proudly at +each mast head, their white sails swelling in the breeze, +the smoke of the cannon rolling around, and the deep +thunder reverberating from every side of the distant +mountains.</p> + +<p>There is, perhaps, no single achievement in the +annals of human enterprize, more remarkable than this. +There is certainly none which more clearly shows, or +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span> +more beautifully illustrates, the daring indomitable spirit, +and mighty genius, which alone could have achieved +the conquest of Mexico. Who but Cortez would have +conceived of such a design? Who but Cortez would +have attempted and successfully executed it? To construct +thirteen vessels of sufficient burthen to sustain +the weight and action of heavy cannon, and accommodate +the men and soldiers necessary to navigate and +defend them, at a distance of twenty leagues from the +waters on which they were to swim—to convey them +over mountains, and through deep and difficult defiles, +on the shoulders of men, without the aid of any species +of waggon, or beast of burden, and to do this in the +midst of a country, and with the aid of a people, where +nothing had hitherto been known beyond the primitive +bark canoe, and where the natural associations, and +prevailing superstitions of the natives, were totally +adverse to his design—to accomplish this alone would +immortalize any other man. What was the passage of +the Alps by Hannibal, or by Napoleon, compared to +this? Yet, so replete was the whole expedition of Cortez +with adventures of unparalleled difficulty, and +achievements of dazzling splendor, that this is but a +common event in his history, with nothing small or +insignificant to place it in commanding relief. It was +one of the infelicities in the career of this wonderful +man, that he was continually eclipsing himself, showing +an originality and power of conception, a fertility +of invention and resource, and a determination and +energy in overcoming difficulties, and making occurrences, +seemingly the most adverse, bend to his will +and subserve his designs, which wearies our surprise +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span> +and admiration, and actually exhausts our capacity of +astonishment.</p> + +<p>Nothing was now wanting to complete the arrangements +of the invader for laying siege to Tenochtitlan. +By the aid of the brigantines, he was able to command +the entire lake, sweeping away the frail canoes of the +natives, like bubbles on the surface. All the cities and +towns on its border had fallen, one after another, into +his hands, though not without a desperate defence, and +frequent and wasting sallies from the foe. The metropolis, +that beautiful and magnificent gem upon the fair +bosom of the lake, now stood alone, deserted by all her +friends and supporters, the object of the concentrated +hostility of the foreign invader, the ancient enemy, and +the recent ally.</p> + +<p>In that devoted capital, now so closely and fearfully +invested, there was a spirit and power fully equal to the +awful crisis. As soon as Guatimozin perceived, by +the movements of his enemy, that the city was to be +assailed rather by the slow and wasting siege, than by +the storm of war, he made every possible preparation to +sustain himself at his post. The aged, the infirm, the +sick, and, as far as possible, all the helpless among the +inhabitants, were sent off among the neighboring towns, +and country; while all those who were able to do service +in the army, were brought thence into the city. +Provisions were collected in great quantities, and all +the resources then left to the empire concentrated upon +one point, that of making an obstinate, unyielding +defence. In this condition of affairs the siege commenced; +a large part of the fighting men of the neighboring +cities and towns being in the capital, preparing +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span> +to defend it against enemies with whom those cities +and towns were now in close alliance. Though it thus +brought the father against the son, and the son against +the father, in many instances, it did not, in any case, +disappoint the confidence of Guatimozin, or undermine +the loyalty of his troops. There were no deserters from +his standard. Through all the horrors of that wasting +siege, they stood by their sovereign, and their capital, +as if they knew no other home, no other friend.</p> + +<p>In vain did the Castilian commander propose terms +of accommodation to the beleaguered city. The +Emperor would not condescend even to an interview. +His chiefs and his people, whenever they had an opportunity +to do so, treated every attempt at compromise +with utter scorn. They derided Cortez upon his disastrous +evacuation of the capital on “the melancholy +night,” assuring him that, if he should enter its gates +now, he would not find a Montezuma on the throne. +They taunted their Tlascalan allies as women, who +would never have dared to approach the capital, without +the protection of the white men.</p> + +<p>Sustained by this spirit, the warlike Mexican did not +content himself with mere measures of defence. Frequent +and desperate sallies were made upon the outposts +of the enemy, until it seemed as if the hope of the +noble Guatimozin might possibly be realized, that he +might slowly and gradually destroy an enemy, whom +he could not encounter in a pitched battle.</p> + +<p>It was not until the last avenue to the surrounding +country was cut off, by divisions of the invading army, +planted upon all the causeways, supported in all their +movements by the thundering brigantines, that the true +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span> +spirit of the besieged began to show itself. Till then, +their tables had been plentifully supplied, and their +hopes continually encouraged by the occasional losses +of their enemy, whose numbers were too small to admit +of much diminution. The priests were unremitting in +their appeals to the patriotism of the people, and in +promises of peculiar divine blessings on all who should +persevere to the last, in defence of their altars and their +gods. Guatimozin was ever among his people, encouraging +them by kind words, and an example of unyielding +defiance to every advance of the foe. He showed +that he was not less the father of his people, than their +king, suffering the same exposure, and enduring the +same fatigues with the boldest and hardiest of his subjects.</p> + +<p>Such was their confidence of ultimate success in the +defence of the capital, that the splendor and gaiety of +the court was little diminished, until famine began to +stare them in the face. The aqueduct of Chapoltepec +had been cut off, and there was no longer any supply +of wholesome water in the city. The dark visions of +the lovely queen were now renewed. For a brief season, +she had been permitted to revel in daylight, with +scarcely a cloud to darken the sky above her. Suddenly +that light was obscured. All was gloom and +darkness around her. War, desolating war hovered +once more about the gates of the beloved city. Wan +faces, and haggard forms began to take the places of +the gay, happy, spirited multitudes, that so recently +thronged the palace. The image of her father, insulted +by the stranger, murdered by his own people, rose to +her view. His melancholy desponding look and tone, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span> +as he gave way to the doom which he felt was sealed +upon him, his frequent assurances that the white men +were “the men of destiny,” the heaven appointed proprietors +and rulers of the land, and that wo would +betide all who should oppose their pretensions, or offer +resistance to their invincible arms—all these came up +fresh to her thoughts, and filled her with sadness. Her +own ill-starred destiny too, marked by every possible +sign and presage, as full of darkness and sorrow—the +thought was almost overwhelming. Fain would she +have severed at once the bond that linked her fate with +that of Guatimozin, for she felt that he was only sharing +her doom, and on her account was exposed to these terrible +shafts of fate. The love of Guatimozin, the faithful +devotion of Karee, though they soothed in some +measure her troubled spirit, could not wholly re-assure +her, or dissipate the dreadful thought, that all these terrible +calamities were come upon the nation only as a +part of that dark doom, for which the gods had marked +her out, on her very entrance into life.</p> + +<p>It was long before the Emperor and his immediate +household, were made aware of the awful pressure +of famine within that devoted city. Watchful and +observing as he was, the people, with one consent, had +contrived to keep him in comparative ignorance of the +growing scarcity, in order that they might be permitted +to supply his table, as long as possible, with all the +necessaries and luxuries of life. So far was this loyal +devotion carried, that multitudes, both of the chiefs and +of the common people, were daily in the habit of denying +themselves of every thing but what was absolutely +necessary to sustain life, and sending to the palace +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span> +every article of fresh food, or delicate fruit, which they +could obtain from their own gardens, or purchase from +those of others. This noble devotion on the part of his +people, was discovered and made known to the Emperor +by Karee. She was the almoner of the bounty of +the queen to multitudes of the poor and the sick, in +different quarters of the city. On one of her errands +of mercy, while she was administering to the comfort +of a poor friend, in the last stages of mortal disease, +made ten-fold more appalling by the absence of almost +every thing that could sustain nature in the final struggle, +she overheard the conversation of a father with his +child in the adjoining room.</p> + +<p>“Nay, my dear father, you must eat it. Your +strength is almost gone, and how can you stand among +the fighting men, and defend your king and your +house, when you have eaten nothing for two whole +days?”</p> + +<p>“My precious child, I shall find something when I +go out. But this morsel is for you, for I know you +cannot live till I come home, if you do not eat this. +And what will life be worth when you are gone.”</p> + +<p>“Father, dear father, I cannot eat it. It will do me +more good to see you eat it, for then I shall be sure you +can live another day at least, and then, who knows but +the gods will send us help.”</p> + +<p>Karee could listen no longer. Rushing into the +apartment whence these melancholy sounds proceeded, +she beheld the shadow of a once beautiful girl leaning +on the arm of the pale and wasted figure of a man, +endeavoring to draw him towards a table on which lay +a single morsel of dried fruit, which he had brought in +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span> +for her, it being the only food that either of them had +seen for two days.</p> + +<p>“Take this,” said she, offering the sweet child a portion +of what she had prepared for the invalid, but +which she was too far gone to receive, “and may it +give you both strength till the day of our deliverance.” +And she instantly returned to the death-bed of her +friend.</p> + +<p>To the famishing group it was like the apparition of +an angel, with a gift from the gods. The savory mess +was readily divided, though the affectionate self-denying +child contrived to cheat her father into receiving a +little more than his share, while he tried every effort in +vain, to persuade her to take the larger half. The +wretched pair had not had such a feast for many a long +week. “Ah!” exclaimed the daughter, as she wept +over the luxurious repast, “if our dear mother could +have had such a morsel as this, before she died, to stay +her in that last dreadful agony.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, my beloved child,” replied the subdued and +bitterly bereaved father, “but she has gone where there +is plenty, and no tears mingled with it.”</p> + +<p>The dried fruit was laid away for the morrow. But +the same kind hand that relieved them on that day, +was there again on the morrow, and on every succeeding +day, till the city was sacked, and the wretched +ghosts of its inhabitants given up to an indiscriminate +slaughter.</p> + +<p>When Guatimozin was made acquainted with this +incident, he resolved on making another desperate sally, +with the whole force of his wasted army, in the forlorn +hope of breaking through the ranks of the enemy, and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span> +procuring some subsistence for his famishing people. +Having drawn them up in the great square, his heart +sunk within him, when he saw their pale faces and +emaciated forms, and contrasted them with the fierce, +stout, and seemingly invincible host, whom he had so +often led into battle. But the feeling of despondency +gave way instantly to that stern fixed purpose, that terrible +decision of soul, which is the natural offspring of +desperation. With a firm voice, he addressed them.</p> + +<p>“My brave soldiers, we must not any longer lie still. +The enemy is at our gates, and we are perishing in our +own citadel. Have we not once driven them, with a +terrible and almost exterminating slaughter, along those +very causeways which they now claim to occupy and +to close up? Are they more invincible now than then? +Are we less resolute, less fearless? By our famishing +wives and children, by our desecrated altars and gods, +let us rush upon them and overwhelm them at once.”</p> + +<p>The monarch had not yet finished his stirring appeal, +when a courier rushed in, bringing tidings that the +several divisions of the besieging army were moving +up the causeways, and approaching the city on every +side.</p> + +<p>“They come to their own destruction,” said the monarch, +bitterly, and immediately proceeded to distribute +his men, to give them a fitting reception. The larger +part of the forces were ordered to occupy several somewhat +retired places, amid the great public buildings in +the centre of the city, where they should be in readiness +to obey the royal signal. The remainder were to +go out, in their several divisions, to meet and skirmish +with the advancing foe, doing them as much mischief +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span> +as possible, yet suffering themselves to be driven before +them, till they were decoyed into the heart of the city. +The signal would then be given, when every man who +could draw a bow, or wield a lance, or throw a stone, +would be expected to do his duty.</p> + +<p>It was a stratagem worthy of Guatimozin, and, in its +execution, had well nigh overwhelmed the Spaniards, +and saved the city. Cortez had appointed with the +captains of each division of his army to meet in the +great square of the city. Each one being eager to be +first at the goal, they followed the retreating Aztecs +without consideration, and without making any provision +for their own retreat. The watchful agents of +Guatimozin were behind as well as before them; and +when they had passed the gates, and were pressing up, +with all the heat and enthusiasm of a victorious army, +into the heart of the city, the bridges were taken up in +their rear, to cut off, if possible, their retreat. When +this was effected, the fatal horn of Guatimozin blew a +long loud blast, from the summit of the great Teocalli. +In an instant, the retreating Aztecs turned upon their +pursuers, like tigers ravening upon their prey; while +swarms of fresh warriors poured in from every lane +and street and avenue, rushing so fiercely upon the +too confident assailants, as to bring them to a sudden +pause in their triumphant career. At the same moment, +the roof of every house and temple, along the +whole line of their march, was covered with men, who +poured upon them such a shower of stones that it +seemed impossible to escape being buried under them. +The tide of battle was now turned. The too daring +invaders were thrown into confusion, and compelled to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span> +retreat. This they soon found, to their bitter cost, was +nearly impossible. When it was discovered that the +bridges, over which they had so recently passed, were +removed, the utmost consternation prevailed. The +heavy cannon were all on board the brigantines, so +that they were unable, as in former times, to mow +down the solid ranks of their foes, and break a way for +their retreat. Their cavalry was of little service, for +they could not leap the wide chasms made by the +removal of the bridges. Cut off in front by the solid +masses of warriors that blocked up every avenue, and +in the rear by these yawning chasms, and hemmed in +on each side by the massive stone walls of the buildings, +they could neither protect themselves, nor effectually +annoy their enemy. They were in imminent +danger of perishing ignobly in the ditch, without even +striking a blow in their own defence.</p> + +<p>Fortunately for the invaders, their sagacious and +ever-wakeful general had anticipated the possibility of +such a scene as this, and had taken some measures +to forestall it. His officers, however, were too high-spirited +and self-confident to condescend to the cowardly +drudgery of carrying out his precautionary +measures. They thought only of victory, and the +spoils of the glorious city, which they now regarded as +their own.</p> + +<p>In this fearful dilemma, the genius of Cortez did not +desert him. When the first shout of battle reached his +ears, as he was advancing cautiously along the avenue, +he instantly conjectured the cause. Ordering his own +column to halt, and selecting a chosen band of his best +cavalry, he wheeled about, dashed furiously down the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span> +avenue, and put to flight the unarmed Aztecs, who +were doing the work of destruction for him, and had +then almost succeeded in tearing away the foundations +of the great bridge. Making his way through the +deserted streets, with the speed of the wind, he came +round into the other avenue, where one division of his +army was hemmed in, in the manner above described. +Charging impetuously upon the gathering crowds of +Aztecs, he succeeded in forcing his way up to the +chasm, where he stood face to face with his own troops +on the other side. Here, in the midst of a pitiless tempest +of stones, and darts and arrows, he maintained his +stand, while his men, with incredible labor, attempted +to fill up the chasm.</p> + +<p>The work was at length accomplished, though not +without the most serious loss to Cortez. Some of his +bravest officers fell in that merciless contest with foes +who would neither give nor receive quarter. Many +were pelted down with the huge stones, that ceased not +to rain upon them from all the neighboring house tops. +Some were taken by the feet as they labored to maintain +a precarious footing on the slippery causeway, and +dragged into the canals, either to be drowned in the +desperate struggle there, or carried off in the canoes to +captivity or sacrifice. Cortez himself narrowly escaped +immolation.</p> + +<p>At length, through the indomitable perseverance of +the general, the breach was so far filled up as to make +a practicable passage for the troops. A retreat was +sounded, and that gallant band, which, a few hours +before had rushed in with flaunting banners, and confident +boastings of an easy victory, was glad to escape +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span> +from the snare into which they had fallen, their numbers +greatly reduced, their banners soiled and tattered, +and their expectations of ultimate success terribly +shaken. They were pursued through all their march +by the exulting Aztecs, and many a broken head and +bruised limb attested the truth of Guatimozin’s taunting +challenge, that the Spaniards, if they entered the capital +again, would find as many fortresses as there were +houses, as many assailants as stones in the streets.</p> + + + +<hr class="long" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span></p> + +<h3 class="padtop">CHAPTER XI.</h3> + +<p class="p1">STRAITNESS OF THE FAMINE. THE FINAL CONFLICT. FLIGHT +AND CAPTURE OF GUATIMOZIN. DESTINY FULFILLED.</p> + +<table class="poem pfont chpoem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i8">Death opens every door,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And sits in every chamber by himself.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">If what might feed a sparrow should suffice<br /></span> +<span class="i0">For soldiers’ meals, ye have not wherewithal<br /></span> +<span class="i0">To linger out three days. For corn, there’s none;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A mouse, imprisoned in your granaries,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Were starved to death.<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p>This shameful defeat was a tremendous blow to the +ardent anticipations of the conqueror. Many of the +timid and the discontented in his own ranks availed +themselves of the opportunity to create divisions, and +withdraw from the doubtful contest. The Mexicans, +strengthened by the spoils of their assailants, and yet +more by the new courage which their late success +infused into every heart among them, immediately commenced +repairing their works, clearing their canals, and +making the most vigorous preparations for maintaining +the siege. Their priests, infuriated with the number of +sacrifices which they had been enabled to offer to the +gods, from the captives of high and low degree taken in +the conflict, declared with authoritative solemnity, that +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span> +the anger of the gods was now appeased, and that they +had promised unequivocally, the speedy annihilation +of their invading foes. This oracular declaration was, +by the order of Guatimozin, published in the hearing +of the Indian allies of his adversary. It was a politic +stroke, and, if the oracle had not imprudently fixed too +early a day for the execution of the predicted vengeance, +its effect might have been such as to break for +ever the bonds of that unnatural alliance, and leave the +little handful of white men, with all their boasted pretensions +to immortality, to perish by the hands of their +own friends.</p> + +<p>But why dwell longer upon the appalling details of +this miserable siege. The day of predicted vengeance +arrived, and the Spaniards survived it. Their superstitious +terror-stricken allies returned to their allegiance. +By a judicious administration of reward and discipline, +of promise and threatening, all disaffection was hushed. +New measures of offence were concerted, with a determination, +on the part of the besiegers, to press into the +city by degrees, securing every step, as they advanced, +by levelling every building, and filling up every ditch, +in their progress, till not one stone should be left upon +another in Tenochtitlan. This terrible resolution was +carried into effect. Every building, whether public or +private, palace, temple, or Teocalli, from which they +could be annoyed by the indomitable Aztec, was laid +waste. The canals were filled up and levelled, so as +to give free scope for the movements of the cavalry and +artillery. The beautiful suburbs were reduced to a +level plain, a dry arid waste, covered with the ruins of +all that was dear and sacred in the eyes of the Aztec. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span> +Slowly, but surely, the Spaniard pressed on towards the +heart of the city, in which the heroic monarch, with his +miserable remnant of starving subjects and skeleton soldiers +were pent up, dying by thousands of famine and +pestilence, and yet ready to suffer a thousand deaths, +rather than yield themselves up to the mercy of the foe.</p> + +<p>There was now absolutely nothing left, in earth or +air, to sustain for another day the poor remains of life +in the camp of the besieged. Every foot of ground had +been dug over many times, in quest of roots, and even +of worms. The leaves and bark had been stripped +from every tree and shrub, till there was not a green +thing on all those terraces, which were once like the +gardens of Elysium. The dead and the dying lay in +heaps together, for there was neither life nor spirit in +any that breathed, to do the last office for the departed. +Pestilence was in all the air, so that many even of the +besieging army snuffed it in the breeze that swept over +the city, and fell victims to the very fate which their +cruel rapacity was inflicting on the besieged.</p> + +<p>Famine, cruel, gnawing famine, was in the palace of +the Emperor, as well as in the hovel of his meanest +subject. That noble prince quailed not before the fate +that awaited himself. Had he stood alone in that citadel, +with power in his single arm to keep out the foe, +he would have stood till death, in whatever form, +released him from his post, and spurned every suggestion +of compromise or quarter. But the scenes of utter +distress which every where met his eye—the haggard +ghosts of his friends, flitting restlessly before him, or +crawling feebly and with convulsive moans among the +upturned earth, in the forlorn hope of finding another +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span> +root—the dead—the dying—the more miserable living +longing for death, and glaring with their horribly +prominent, but glazed and expressionless eye-balls on +each other—this, this was too much for the heart of +Guatimozin.</p> + +<p>“What!” he exclaimed, “shall I submit to see my +last friend die before my eyes, and my own sweet wife +perish of hunger, only to retain for another hour the +empty name of king. No. I will endure it no longer. +I will go to Malinché, alone, and unaccompanied, and +offer my life for yours. He only wants our gold. Let +him find that if he can. He will spare <i>you</i>, and wreak +all his vengeance on my head.”</p> + +<p>A faint murmur ran through the crowd, and then a +feeble expiring “No, never,” burst feebly from many +lips. One, a little stronger than the rest, arose and +said—</p> + +<p>“Most gracious sovereign, think not of us. We only +ask to live and die with and for you. And the more +cruel the death, the more glorious the martyrdom for +our country and our gods. Trust not Malinché.”</p> + +<p>The speaker fainted and fell, with his fist clenched, +and his teeth set, as if he felt that he held the last foe +in mortal conflict.</p> + +<p>“No, never—trust not Malinché—let us die together,” +was echoed by many sepulchral voices, that seemed +more like the groans of the dead, than the remonstrances +of the living.</p> + +<p>“Trust not Malinché, remember my father,” whispered +the fond, devoted, faithful, affectionate wife, now +the shadow of her former self, beautiful in her queenly +sorrow, sublime in her womanly composure.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span> +Guatimozin, the proud, the lofty chief, whose heart +had never known fear, whose soul had never been subdued, +bowed his head upon the bosom of his wife, and +wept. The strong heart, the lion spirit melted.</p> + +<p>“Who, who will care for Tecuichpo? Who will +cherish the last daughter of Montezuma?”</p> + +<p>“Think not of me, Guatimozin, think of yourself and +your people, I am resigned to my fate. If I may but +die with you, it is all I desire—for how could I live +without you. But think not of trusting Malinché. Let +us remain as we are. Another day, and we shall all +be at rest from our sufferings. And surely it were +better to die together by our altars, than to fall into the +hands of the treacherous stranger.”</p> + +<p>“Trust not Malinché,” added Karee. “Was it not +trust in him that brought all this evil upon us? Think +not of submission. You shall see that women can die +as well as men. Let Malinché come, and take possession +of the remains of these mutilated walls and desolated +gardens, but let him not claim one living Aztec, +to be his slave, or his subject.”</p> + +<p>A murmur of approbation followed, and then a long +pause ensued. It was like the silence of death. The +whole scene would have made an admirable picture. +At length the silence was broken by the voice of the +young Cacique of Tlacopan.</p> + +<p>“My sovereign,” said he, in a faint voice, but with +something of the energy of despair, “there is yet hope. +Let us muster what force we can, of men who are able +to stand, and sally out upon the enemy. We cannot +do him much harm. But, while he is occupied with +us, you and your family, with a few attendants can +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span> +escape by a canoe over the lake. As many of us as +have life and strength to do it, will follow you, under +cover of the coming night. Your old subjects will +flock around you there, and we may yet, when we +shall have tasted food, and become men again, make +a stand somewhere against the foe, and drive him +out.”</p> + +<p>“It is well! it is well!” was the feeble response on +every side.</p> + +<p>“I cannot leave you,” replied the monarch. “What! +shall your king fly, like a coward, while his people +rush upon the enemy only to cover his retreat? No, +that were worse than death—worse than captivity!”</p> + +<p>“It is not flight, my beloved sovereign,” responded +the Cacique, “it is an honorable stratagem of war, for +the good of the nation, not less than your own. When +<i>you</i> are gone, we have no head, and we fall at once +into the captivity we so much dread. Leave us but +the name and person of Guatimozin to rally around, +and it will be a tower of strength, which can never +fail us.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, yes, it is right,” was whispered on every side—“Go, +noble monarch, go at once. It is a voice from +heaven to save us.”</p> + +<p>To this counsel the priests added their earnest advice, +and even Tecuichpo ventured to say, “it whispered of +hope to her heart.” Guatimozin suffered himself to be +overruled. The canoes were made ready in the grand +canal, which yet remained open on the eastern side. +All that could be safely taken of treasure, and of convenient +apparel, was carefully stowed. The Queen and +other ladies of the court, with her faithful Karee, all +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span> +wasted to skeletons, and moving painfully, like phantoms +of beauty in a sickly dream, were conveyed to the +barges. The Emperor and his attendants followed, +and all was in readiness for the departure. At that +moment the martial horn was sounded from the great +Teocalli, and the shadowy host of the Aztec army staggered +forth to offer battle to the enemy. It was a fearful +sight. It seemed as if the armies of the dead, the +mighty warriors of the past, had risen from their +graves, to fight for their desecrated altars, and to defend +those very graves from profanation. Feebly, but fearfully, +with glaring eyes and hideous grin, they rushed +upon the serried ranks of the besiegers. A kind of +superstitious terror seized them, as if these shapes were +something more than mortal. For a moment they +gave way to panic, and fell back without striking a +blow. Roused by the stentorian voice of Cortez, they +rallied instantly, and discharging their heavy fire arms, +swept away whole ranks of their frenzied assailants. +It was a brief conflict. Many of the Aztecs fell by the +swords of the Spaniards, and the spears of their merciless +allies. Some fell, faint with their own exertions, +and died without a wound. Some grappled desperately +with the foe, content to die by his hand, if they could +first quench their burning thirst with one drop of his +blood.</p> + +<p>At length, a long blast from the horn sounded a +retreat. The poor remnant turned towards the city, +and were suffered to escape unmolested to their desolate +homes.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, the little fleet of Guatimozin had put +forth upon the lake. The canoes separated, as they left +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span> +the basin of the canal, taking different directions, the +better to escape the observation of the brigantines. The +precaution was a wise one, but unavailing. The watchful +eye of the besieging general was there. The brigantines +gave chase to the fugitives. Bending to their +paddles with the utmost strength of their feeble emaciated +arms, they found their pursuers gaining upon +them. Casting their gold into the lake, Guatimozin +directed them to cease their exertions, and wait the +approach of the enemy.</p> + +<p>“Not without one little effort more, I beseech you,” +exclaimed Karee. “See, my chinampa is close at +hand. Let us try to gain that. It has food on its trees +for many days, and I have there a place of concealment, +curiously contrived beneath the water, where you and +the queen may remain without fear of detection, till we +can effect your escape to the shore.”</p> + +<p>In an instant the paddles were in the water, and the +canoe shot ahead with unusual speed. The combined +energy of hope and despair nerved every arm, and fired +every heart. They neared the beautiful chinampa. +Their eyes feasted on its fresh and cooling verdure, and +its ripe fruits hanging luxuriantly on every bough. +Their ears were ravished with the music of the birds, +who had long since deserted their wonted haunts in the +capital.</p> + +<p>While the chase was gaining rapidly upon them, +another of those fearful brigantines, which had hitherto +been concealed by the thick foliage of the chinampa, +rounded its little promontory, and appeared suddenly +before them. Instantly, every paddle dropped, every +arm was paralyzed. Not a word was spoken. In passive +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span> +silence each one waited for his doom, which was +now inevitable. When the Spaniard had approached +within hailing distance, the Emperor rose in his little +shallop, and, waving his hand proudly, said, “I am +Guatimozin.”</p> + +<p>The royal prisoners were treated with the utmost +deference and respect. Being brought into the presence +of Cortez, the monarch, pale, emaciated, the shadow of +what he had been, approached with an air of imperial +dignity, and said—</p> + +<p>“Malinché, I have done what I could to defend +myself and protect my people. Now I am your prisoner. +Do what you will with me, but spare my poor +people, who have shown a fidelity and an endurance +worthy of a better fate.”</p> + +<p>Cortez, filled with admiration at the proud bearing +of the young monarch, assured him that not only his +family and his people, but himself should be treated +with all respect and tenderness. “Better,” said Guatimozin, +laying his hand on the hilt of the general’s +poignard, “better rid me of life at once, and put an end +to my cares and sufferings together.”</p> + +<p>“No,” replied Cortez, “you have defended your capital +like a brave warrior. I respect your patriotism, I +honor you valor, and your firm endurance of suffering. +You shall be my friend and the friend of my sovereign, +and live in honor among your own people.”</p> + +<p>The keen eye of the monarch flashed with something +like indignation, when allusion was made to the king +of Castile, and to himself as his vassal.</p> + +<p>“In honor I <i>cannot</i> live,” he said proudly, “for I am +defeated. A king I <i>cannot</i> be, for he is no king who is +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span> +subject to another. I am your prisoner. The gods +have willed it, and I submit.”</p> + +<p>Renewing his politic assurances of friendship and +favor, the conqueror sent for the wife and family of his +captive, first ordering a royal banquet to be prepared for +them. Supported by Karee, leaning on the arm of the +devoted Nahuitla, the lord of Tlacopan, the queen was +ushered into the presence of the conqueror. Her appearance +struck the general and his officers with admiration. +Timid as she was by nature, she had the air and +port of inborn royalty; and, in deference to her husband, +she would not have allowed herself to quail +before the assembled host of Castile, dreaded as they +were, and had long been. With a becoming courtesy, +she returned the respectful salutations of Malinché and +his cavaliers, and asked no other favor than to share +the fate of her lord.</p> + +<p>What that fate was, and how the Castilian knight +redeemed his pledges to his unfortunate and noble captives, +is matter of historical record. It is the darkest +page in the memoir of that wonderful chief—a foul blot +upon the name even of <i>that</i> man, who was capable of +requiting the superstitious reverence and confidence of +a Montezuma, with a treacherous and inglorious captivity +in his own palace, and a yet more inglorious +death at the hands of his own subjects. History must +needs record it, dark and painful as it is. Romance +would throw a veil over it.</p> + +<hr class="mid" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span></p> + +<p>Years of intense suffering, of harrowing bereavement, +of insult, humiliation, and every species of mental and +social distress, were yet appointed to the daughter of +Montezuma, the bride of Guatimozin. Her predicted +destiny was fulfilled to the letter. She bowed meekly +to her fate, sustaining every reverse with a fortitude and +composure of soul, that indicated a mind of uncommon +resources. It was a long, dark, stormy day, “but in +the evening time there was light.” It was the light of +faith. She abandoned the false gods of her fathers, +and found true and lasting peace in the cross of Jesus +Christ.</p> + + + +<hr class="long" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190"><!-- blank page --></a></span></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="padtop">THE FLIGHT<br /> +<br /> +<span class="tinyfont">OF</span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smlfont">THE KATAHBA CHIEF.</span></h2> + +<hr class="short" /> + +<table class="poem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i12">Go now to Greece,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Or Rome—to Albion’s sea-girt isle—to Gaul,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Ancient or modern—to the fiery realm<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Of Turk or Arab—to the ice-bound holds<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Of Alaric and Attila—and find,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">If find thou canst, a nobler race of men—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">More firm, more brave, more true—swifter of foot,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Or readier in action.<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<hr class="mid" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192"><!-- blank page --></a></span></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="padtop">THE FLIGHT OF THE KATAHBA CHIEF.</h2> + +<hr class="short" /> + +<table class="poem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i2">Go not to the chase, my brave hunter, to-day,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">There’s a mist o’er the sun—there’s a snare in the way;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Manitto revealed last night in my dream<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A deep dark shadow o’erhanging the stream;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The deer, from his thicket, sprung out in thy path—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Then he changed to a tiger, and roared in his wrath—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Then the warrior hunter, so fearless and brave,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Was driven away, like a captive slave;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Then the smoke rolled up, and the flames curled high,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And the forest rung with the foeman’s cry;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Then the wind swept by with a desolate wail—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The avenger of blood was on thy trail;—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Minaree looked out at the cabin door,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But her bold brave hunter returned no more.<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Go not to the chase, my brave hunter, to-day,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">There’s a mist o’er the sun—there’s a snare in the way.<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p>So, in sweetly plaintive strains, chanted the beautiful +young bride of a Katahba chief, as she prepared his +frugal morning meal, while he was busying himself in +examining the string of his bow, replenishing his quiver +with straight polished shafts, and renewing the edge of +his trusty hatchet.</p> + +<p>In all the forest homes of the native tribes, there was +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span> +not a fairer flower than Minaree, the loved and devoted +wife of the brave Ash-te-o-láh. The only daughter of a +chief of the Wateree tribe, which was one branch of +the great family of the Katahbas, she inherited the +spirit and pride of her father, with all the simple beauty, +and unsophisticated womanly tenderness of her mother. +She was the idol of Ash-te-o-láh’s heart; for, savage as +the world would call him, and ignorant of the codes of +chivalry and of the courtly phrase of love, he was as +true to all the warmer and purer affections, which constitute +the bliss of domestic life, as to the lofty sentiments +of heroic virtue, which made him early conspicuous +in the councils of his people. Though fearless as +the lion, fleet as the roe, and adventurous, sagacious +and powerful as any that ever sounded the war-whoop, +or startled the deer, in those interminable wilds—he +was noble, generous, warm-hearted, and devotedly tender +to the objects of his love.</p> + +<p>The winning tones, and the affectionate glances of +Minaree, as she chanted her simple prophetic lay, had +almost won Ash-te-o-láh from his purpose. But, half +doubting whether her oracular dream was any thing +more than a little artifice of affection, and always superior +to that prevailing superstition of his people, which +gave to dreams all the sanctity and force of divine revelation, +and excited by the preparations he had been +making, he flung his rattling quiver to his back, whispered +a gentle intimation that Ash-te-o-láh feared neither +tiger nor foeman, and returning the affectionate glance +of his bride, left the wigwam.</p> + +<p>It was a clear bright summer morning. There was +a balmy sweetness in the air, and melody in all the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span> +groves; but they won not the ear, they regaled not the +sense of Minaree, whose heart sunk within her, as she +saw her beloved Ash-te-o-láh launch his canoe into the +stream, and dash away over its glassy surface, like a +swallow on the wing. Ere he dipped his paddle in the +water, he turned and gracefully waved her a parting +salute, the affectionate desire to stay and soothe the +troubled spirit of her dream, still struggling with that +lofty pride which told him that he had never yet shrunk +from any form of danger, or known the name of fear.</p> + +<p>The lands bordering on the Katahba, were covered, +for many a league, with a dense and thriving population. +More than twenty tribes were clustered there +into one powerful fraternity, capable of bringing two +thousand warriors into the field. Their grounds were +extensively cultivated, their forests abounded with the +choicest game, and their rivers with fish, and they +regarded themselves as the most prosperous of the +nations.</p> + +<p>Nothing could exceed the romantic beauty and loveliness +of some of their villages. Stretching along the +banks of the rivers, and embowered deeply in the luxurious +forests of that favored clime, the numerous wigwams, +simple enough in their construction, but adorned +here and there with the trophies of war or the chase, +and often alive with the athletic sports of the young +Indians, formed a scene as animated and picturesque +as ever glowed on the bosom of the earth—a scene of +patriarchal life, such as cannot now be found among +all the families of men.</p> + +<p>Conspicuous among them all was the wigwam of +Ash-te-o-láh. The hand of Minaree was visible in the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span> +tasteful arrangement of a few simple ornaments about +the door, and the trailing of a white flowering vine over +its walls, which fell in luxuriant festoons, or floated in +feathery pensiles on every side.</p> + +<p>Minaree stood in the door of the wigwam, watching +the retreating form of her lord, as his light canoe swept +down with the current of the river, till it was lost in the +distance, and then pensively, and as if unconsciously to +herself, resumed her solemn chant, weaving the while +a wreath of her wild flowering vine.</p> + +<table class="poem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i0">He has gone to the chase, my brave hunter has gone—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">He will not return in the moonlight, or morn;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Minaree shall look out at the cabin door,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But her bold brave hunter shall come no more;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">There’s a cloud in her wigwam—a fire in her brain,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">For her warrior hunter shall ne’er come again.<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p>Gently and placidly flowed the Katahba—every tree +and shrub mirrored in its beautiful waters. Not a +sound disturbed the perfect stillness; not even the hum +of the cricket, or the song of the bird. It seemed an +utter solitude. Then a light canoe was seen slowly +gliding down the stream. A noble looking Indian was +standing in it, erect and tall, with his paddle poised, as +if wrapped in meditation, or unwilling to disturb the +quiet and charm of the silence. It was a scene to +awaken a sense of poetic beauty, even in the mind of +an untutored savage. It thrilled the soul of Ash-te-o-láh, +and held him some moments in admiring contemplation. +Suddenly starting from his unwonted reverie, he +rounded a jutting promontory, and moored his skiff, +carefully concealing it amid the overhanging shrubs.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span> +There was something surpassingly graceful and +majestic in the figure of this noble son of the forest. +Formed by nature in her most perfect mould, tall, +sinewy, athletic, yet with every feature and every limb +rounded to absolute grace, he was a fine subject for a +painter or sculptor. His dress consisted of a beautiful +robe, gracefully flung over one shoulder, and confined +at the waist by a richly ornamented belt. His hair was +wrought into a kind of crown, and ornamented with a +tuft of feathers. Equipped with bow and quiver, he +seemed intent on game; and yet one might have imagined, +from his keen glance and cautious manner, that +he expected a foe in ambush.</p> + +<p>Ash-te-o-láh was soon on the track of the deer, which, +starting from the thicket, bounded away with the speed +of the wind. Pursuing with equal pace, the bold hunter +dashed into the depths of the forest, watching for a +favorable moment to take the deadly aim. The arrow +was on the string, and about to be raised to fly at his +panting victim, when the shrill war-whoop burst suddenly +on his ear. It arrested his step, for a moment, +but not his arm; for the arrow sped as if nothing had +occurred to divert its course, and buried itself in the +heart of the flying deer.</p> + +<p>Perceiving, at a glance, that a party of the Senecas, +the old and deadly enemies of the Katahbas, were down +upon him, and had cut off his retreat to the river, he +held on his course, as before, but with redoubled speed, +intending, if possible, to secure a refuge from his pursuers, +in a cavern about five miles distant. Fleet as +the wind, he would have gained his purpose, if the +course had been direct, for there was not a red man in +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span> +the wide forests of America, who could outrun Ash-te-o-láh. +Dividing themselves into several parties, and +taking different courses to intercept his flight, his enemies +gave instant chase to the fugitive. One party followed +close on his trail, but he was soon lost to their +view. Another struck off northwardly, towards a bend +in the West Branch, where the rapids afforded an opportunity +for crossing the stream without impeding his +flight. A third made for a deep cut, or ravine, about a +mile further down, where a fallen tree, extending from +bank to bank, served the purpose of a bridge.</p> + +<p>Ash-te-o-láh soon perceived that his enemies were +divided, and resolved that, if they <i>did</i> intercept or overtake +him, it should cost them dear. Halting a little in +his flight, and taking to the covert of a tree, he drew +upon the foremost of his pursuers, and laid him dead +in the path. The next in the pursuit, pausing a +moment over his fallen brother, shared the same fate. +Knowing, as by instinct, that the other parties would +endeavor to cut him off at the rapids and the bridge, he +dashed forward, in a straight line for the stream, +plunged into the water, and holding his bow aloft, +struggled with a powerful arm to reach the other side. +He gained the bank, just as his pursuers made their +appearance on the opposite shore. Turning suddenly +upon them, he levelled another shaft with such unerring +aim, that one of their number fell bleeding into +the stream. Another and another, in the act of leaping +over the bank, received the fatal shaft into his heart. +Hearing the distant whoop, which indicated that the +other party had reached the bridge, Ash-te-o-láh waited +not for another victim, but bounded away for his mountain +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span> +fastness. The little delay which had been necessary +to cut off five of his pursuers, had given an advantage +to the other parties, who were now on the same +side of the stream with himself, and gaining upon his +steps. No sooner was this perceived, than the heroic +fugitive turned upon the nearest of them, and, with the +same infallible aim, laid him dead in the path. Still +another had fallen before his sure aim, and his bow +was strained for another shot, when one of the other +party, who had made a circuit, and come up behind +him unperceived, leaped upon, and held him pinioned +in his powerful grasp. His struggles were terrible; +but he was immediately surrounded, overpowered and +disarmed.</p> + +<p>Though seven of their number had fallen in this +brief chase, the brave Senecas were so struck with +admiration at the wonderful skill and noble bearing of +their captive, that they did not, as usual, instantly +avenge the slain, by taking the life of the slayer; but +resolved to take him along with them, and to lead him +in triumph into the midst of the council of their nation, +there to be disposed of by the united voices of their +chiefs.</p> + +<p>It was a sad triumph, for they were filled with grief +and mortification for the loss of so many of their brave +kindred, all fallen by the hand of one of the hated +Katahbas, and he now completely in their power. +Though stung with shame, and thirsting for a worthy +revenge, yet such was their love of martial virtue, that, +during all their long journey homeward, they treated +their haughty captive with far greater respect and kindness +than if he had acted the part of a coward, and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span> +suffered himself to fall into their hands without any +attempt at resistance. As for him, with an unsubdued +spirit, and an air of proud superiority, he marched in +the midst of his enemies, as if defying their power, and +scorning the vengeance from which it was impossible +to escape. To one unaccustomed to the modes of +Indian warfare, and the code of Indian etiquette, who +might have witnessed that triumphant procession, Ash-te-o-láh +would have appeared the proud and absolute +prince, surrounded by his admiring and subservient +life-guard, rather than the subdued and helpless captive, +escorted by his enemies to an ignominious execution.</p> + +<p>Arrived within the territories of their own tribe, +the triumph of the captors began. The whole nation +was roused to revenge the death of their lost heroes. +In every village, as they passed along, the women and +children were permitted to beat and insult the unresisting +captive, who bore every indignity with stoical indifference, +and proud disdain, never indicating by word +or look, the slightest sense of mortification or pain, nor +bating one jot of his lofty and scornful bearing.</p> + +<p>Before the great council of assembled chiefs, he maintained +the same tone of fearless dignity and self-respect. +His very look was defiance, that quailed not before the +proudest glance of his enemy, nor showed the slightest +symptom of disquietude, when the decision of the council +was announced, condemning him to die by the fiery +torture. It might reasonably be imagined that his past +sufferings, his tedious marches, his scanty fare, lying at +night on the bare ground, exposed to the changes of the +weather, with his arms and legs extended and cramped +in a pair of rough stocks, the insulting treatment, and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span> +cruel scourgings of the exasperated women and children, +who were taught to consider it a virtue to torment +an enemy, along with the anticipation of those more +bitter sufferings which he was yet to endure, would +have impaired his health, and subdued his hitherto +proud and unyielding spirit. Such would have been +the effect of similar circumstances upon the physical +frame, and stout-hearted fortitude of the great majority +of the heroes of that pale-faced race, who boast of a +proud superiority over the unlettered children of the +forest. There are few so hardy, that they could endure, +not only without a murmur, but without shrinking, +what Ash-te-o-láh had already suffered—few so courageous, +that they could hear, with an unmoved countenance, +the terrible doom which his enemies had prepared +for him, or witness undisturbed the fearful +arrangements, and horrid ceremonies, that were designed +to give intensity and effect to its infliction.</p> + +<p>Ash-te-o-láh was insensible to fear, and would sooner +have undergone a thousand torturing deaths, than permit +his enemies to see that he was conscious even of +suffering. So nobly did he sustain his courage amid +the trial, so well did he act his heroic part, that his +enemies, who admired and inculcated the same unflinching +fortitude, were surprised and vexed at his lofty +superiority, and resolved, by every possible aggravation +of his sufferings, to break down and subdue his proud +indomitable spirit.</p> + +<p>The hour of execution had arrived. The pile was +ready for its victim. Every engine of torture, which +savage ingenuity could invent, was exhibited in dreadful +array, within the area selected for the trying scene. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span> +The whole nation was assembled to witness, and take +part in the ceremony, which had, in their view, all the +solemnity and sacredness of a religious rite. Ash-te-o-láh +was led forth, unpinioned, into the midst—for the +red man would scorn the weakness of leading a victim +in chains to the altar.</p> + +<p>The place of sacrifice was an open space near the +bank of the river, the dark forest frowning over it on +every side, the entire foreground being filled and +crowded with an eager, angry multitude, to whom a +sacrifice was a feast, and revenge the sweetest luxury +that could be offered to their taste. Their wild parade, +their savage dances, their hideous yells and demoniacal +looks and gestures, designed to terrify, only fired the +soul of Ash-te-o-láh to a yet prouder and more majestic +bearing. His firm step, his unblenching eye, his fearless +and lofty port, touched even his executioners with +admiration, and struck his guards with a momentary +awe.</p> + +<p>Suddenly, as with a bolt from the cloud, he dashed +down those who stood in his way, sprung out, and +plunged into the water, swimming underneath, like an +otter, only rising occasionally to take breath, till he +reached the opposite shore. He ascended the steep +bank at a bound; and then, though the arrows had +been flying thick as hail about him from the time that +he took to the water, and though many of the fleetest +of his enemies were, like very blood-hounds, close in +pursuit of him, he turned deliberately around, and with +a graceful and becoming dignity, took a formal leave +of them, as if he would acknowledge the extraordinary +favors they had shown him. Then, raising the shrill +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span> +war-whoop of defiance, as his last salute, till some more +convenient opportunity should be afforded him to do +them a warrior’s homage, he darted off, like a beast +broke loose from its torturing enemies. Inspired with +new strength by his sudden release, and the returning +hope of life, he flew with a winged speed, so as entirely +to distance the fleetest of his eager pursuers. Confident +in his speed, and assured that his enemies could neither +overtake nor surprise him, he rested nearly a whole +day, to recruit his wasted strength, and watch an opportunity +to gain, if possible, some further advantage over +those who were scenting his track, and thirsting for his +blood.</p> + +<p>Passing a considerable distance beyond a spot, which +his well-trained sagacity told him would be the natural +resting place of his pursuers, he retraced his steps, +walking carefully backwards, and planting each step +with great precision, in the very tracks he had just +made, so as effectually to conceal the artifice of his +return. In this way, he came to a high rock, in which +there was a considerable fissure, very narrow at the +top, but widening toward the ground, and so concealed +by the dense shrubbery that grew around, that it could +only be discovered by the most careful scrutiny. Into +this fissure he thrust himself, scrupulously replacing +every leaf that had been disturbed by his entrance, and +adjusting the whole so as not to excite the slightest suspicion +in his keen-sighted enemies. Here he awaited +their approach.</p> + +<p>It was near night of the second day, when the Senecas +reached the spring where Ash-te-o-láh lay concealed, +and where he had already rested nearly a whole day. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span> +Following his track some distance beyond, and not +doubting he was yet in advance, they returned without +suspicion to the spring, lighted their fires, partook hastily +of their simple meal, and laid themselves down to +sleep, in perfect security. They were five in number, +powerful men, and thoroughly armed, after their own +peculiar fashion. Ash-te-o-láh, from his narrow cavern, +had watched all their movements. He well knew that +they slept soundly, for they had satisfied themselves +that no danger was near. But he also knew equally +well how wakeful is the sleep of an Indian, and how +almost impossible it is to surprise him, even in his +soundest sleep. Every circumstance of his situation +occurred to him, to inspire him with heroism, and urge +him to attempt an impossibility, though his life was the +certain forfeit of a failure. He was naked, torn, and +hungry. His enraged enemies, who had so recently +held him in their toils, and made him ready for a sacrifice, +were now come up with him. In their little camp +was every thing to relieve his wants. He would not +only save his own life, but get great honor and sweet +revenge, if he should succeed in cutting them off.</p> + +<p>Resolution, a convenient spot, and a sudden surprise, +might effect this main object of all his wishes and +hopes. Creeping cautiously out from his covert, and +approaching the sleepers with the noiseless and stealthy +cunning of a fox, he seized one of their tomahawks, +and wielding it with inconceivable power and rapidity, +left four of them in an eternal sleep, before the fifth had +time to awake and spring to his feet. The struggle +that ensued was terrible; but Ash-te-o-láh had the +advantage in every respect, and the conflict ended in a +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span> +very few minutes, by leaving him alone in the camp +of his enemies.</p> + +<p>Selecting from the spoils of the fallen a suitable +dress for himself, with the choicest of their bows, a +well-stored quiver, a tomahawk, and an ample pouch +of provisions, and securing to his belt the scalps of his +yet breathing victims, Ash-te-o-láh set off afresh, with +a light heart, and a bounding step, for the sunny vales +of the Katahba. Resolved not to hazard any of the +advantage he had gained, he did not allow himself any +sleep, for several successive nights, only as he reclined, +for a few moments, a little before day, with his back +to a tree, and a clear space about him, where he could +not be taken by surprise. Growing more secure, as he +approached his home, and discovered no sign of his +pursuing enemy, he sought out the spot where he had +killed seven of the chase, in the first day of his flight, +opened their yet fresh graves, added their scalps to the +five then hanging to his belt, burnt their bodies to +ashes, and returned in safety, laden with his hard +earned trophies, to gladden his humble wigwam, and +thrill the council of his people with the story of his +singular adventures.</p> + +<p>Her prophetic dream had made so deep an impression +upon the mind of Minaree, that, from the first, she +did not expect “the bold hunter’s return.” His lengthened +absence troubled, but did not surprise her. She +yielded him to a stern fate, from which there was no +escape; and with a calmness which we, of another race, +too often regard as coldness and insensibility, prepared +to follow him to the spirit land. His return was to her +soul like a visit from that land—a gift from the Great +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</a></span> +Spirit—and ever after, to the deep devotion of her early +love, was added that peculiar reverence, that tender, +holy affection, which the Indians every where cherish +for the departed.</p> + +<p>When the second party of the Senecas, in the course +of the third day of the pursuit, arrived at the camp of +their slaughtered people, the sight gave them a greater +shock than they had ever known before. In their +chilled war council they concluded, that he who had +performed such surprising feats in his defence, before +he was captured, and since that in his naked and +unarmed condition, would, now that he was well +armed and free, be a match for them all, if they should +continue the pursuit. They regarded him as a wizard +enemy, whose charmed life it was vain and wicked to +attempt. They, accordingly, buried their comrades, +and returned, with heavy hearts, to their homes.</p> + + + +<hr class="long" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="padtop">MONICA,<br /> +<br /> +<span class="tinyfont">OR</span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smlfont">THE ITEAN CAPTIVE.</span></h2> + +<hr class="short" /> + +<table class="poem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i0">What glorious hopes, what gloomy fears<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Have sunk beneath time’s noiseless tide!—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The red man at his horrid rite,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Seen by the stars at night’s cold noon,—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">His bark canoe, its track of light<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Left on the wave beneath the moon;—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">His dance, his yell, his council fire,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">The altar where his victim lay,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">His death song, and his funeral pyre,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">That still, strong tide hath borne away.<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<hr class="mid" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208"><!-- blank page --></a></span></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="padtop">MONICA.</h2> + +<hr class="short" /> + +<table class="poem pfont chpoem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i12">“Speak not, but fly—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">There are a thousand winged deaths behind,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Thirsting for blood. Hope, life, and liberty<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Are all before; and this good arm is pledged<br /></span> +<span class="i0">To guide thee.”<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p>The grave of the Indian is a temple, a sort of gateway +to heaven. Around it linger the tenderest affection, the +purest devotion of the surviving friend. The grass and +flowers that grow over it are never suffered to wither. +The snow and the rain are not permitted to remain +upon it. The least profanation of that sacred place +would be visited with a more terrible vengeance than +an affront to the living. Nothing illustrates more +clearly the cruel injustice we have done to our red +brethren of the forest, by regarding and treating them +only as savages, and delineating them always and +every where, as destitute of all the refined sympathies +of humanity—than this prevailing national characteristic, +an affectionate reverence for the dead, and a +religious regard for the sepulchres and bones of their +ancestors. It touches one of the deepest cords in the +human heart. It springs from the very fountain head +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</a></span> +of social and moral refinement. It links the visible +and material, with the unseen and spiritual world; +blending all that is tender, and pure, and subduing, in +the one, with all that is bright, hopeful, and inviting, in +the other. Its existence in any heart, or its prevalence +among any people, is proof sufficient that that heart is +not wholly hardened in selfishness, and that people not +wholly given over to barbarism.</p> + +<p>The infant child of an Itean mother lay dead in her +tent. He was a beautiful boy, and already the fond +mother had read in his brilliant eye, and the vigorous +movements of his tiny limbs, the heroic deeds of the +future chieftain. But her darling hope was nipped in the +very germ. Her only son was shrouded for the grave, +and the hour of burial had come. His shroud was a +blanket, in which the head, as well as the body, was +completely enveloped. His bier was a train, or Indian +sled, in the form of a common snow-shoe, on which the +body was laid, without a coffin, and secured by bandages +from side to side. Into this train was harnessed a +favorite dog of the family, when it was drawn with slow +and solemn step, to the grave, preceded by the priest +or medicine man of the village, in his gorgeous robes +of office, and followed by the parents and sister of the +child, with all the inmates of the neighboring wigwams.</p> + +<p>Arriving at the grave, the procession stopped, and +gathered round the bier, the women and children seating +or prostrating themselves on the ground, the men +standing in a grave and solemn circle around them. +The dog, still remaining in his harness, was then shot, +and the medicine man, standing over it, addressed it in +the following strain, “Go on your journey to the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</a></span> +Spirit land. Long and weary is the way you have to +go. Linger not on the journey, for precious is the burden +you carry. Swim swiftly over the river, lest the +little one be lost in the stream, and never visit the camp +of its fathers. When you come to the camp of the +White-headed Eagle, bark, that they may know who +it is you bring, and come out and welcome the little +one among its kindred band.”</p> + +<p>The body was then laid in the grave, on its little +train. The dog was placed by its side, with a kettle of +food at its head, to supply it on the journey. A cup, +containing a portion of the mother’s milk, freshly drawn, +was also put into the grave for the use of the child. +The earth was laid gently over it, and covered with the +fresh sod, the mother, and her female friends, chanting, +the while, a plaintive dirge, designed to encourage the +spirit of the departed on its dark and perilous journey. +The mother held in her hand a roll of bark, elaborately +decorated with feathers and bead-work, encompassed +with a scarf of broadcloth, highly embroidered. This +was intended as a memento of the deceased, to be +sacredly preserved in the family lodge. Such mementoes +are always seen there, after the death of a friend, +and one may always know, by their number, how many +of that household have gone to the spirit-land. It is +usually placed upright in the spot where the departed +was accustomed to sit, dressed in the same ornaments +and bands that he wore while living. At every family +meal, a portion of food is set before it. If it be a child +who has died, the mother offers it a cup of milk, wraps +it in the cradle bands of her lost infant, and bears it +about with her wherever she goes.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</a></span> +An Indian grave is a protected spot. That which is +described above, was surrounded by a small enclosure +of logs, and covered with a roof of bark, to shield it +from the rain. At its head, a small round post was set, +painted with vermilion. Other decorations were displayed +upon the wall of the enclosure, which were carefully +guarded, and frequently replaced, as they were +soiled by the rains, or torn and defaced by the violence +of the winds. Day after day, the bereaved mother and +sister visited that grave, taking their work with them, +and sitting down by its side, chanted their plaintive +lullaby to that sleeping infant, and cheered on that +faithful dog in his wearisome journey, charging him +not to lag or go astray in traversing the plain, nor suffer +his precious burden to fall into the water, in crossing +the deep dark rapid river to the spirit land.</p> + +<p>Weeks and months had passed since that humble +grave was made, and that precious treasure confided to +its bosom. It was a calm glorious evening in mid-summer. +The moon shone brightly on the Itean +encampment. There was not, in the whole valley of +the west, a more beautiful spot for a settlement. The +smooth open green-sward was closely surrounded with +trees on three sides. On the other, the land gradually +sloped towards the river, which flowed quietly by, ever +and anon sparkling in the moonbeams, or reflecting the +dark forest and flowery banks in its azure depths.</p> + +<p>The wigwams in the opening were all closed. Their +inmates were at rest. Presently, the buffalo-skin, that +served as a door to the principal cabin, was drawn +aside, and the beautiful daughter of the chief emerged +into the light, and passed swiftly on to the river. Following +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</a></span> +its course a short distance, by the narrow path +that threaded the woods on its bank, she came to the +little grave, threw herself on the earth by its side, and +wept. It was Monica, the sister of that buried infant, +the same whom we saw at his grave when it was first +opened, and who had daily, since that time, sung over +it her simple song.</p> + +<p>The grief and disappointment of the mother, in the +loss of her only son, was not more deep or sincere, or +enduring, than that of this affectionate and devoted sister. +From the moment of his birth, he was the idol of +her soul. She looked forward to the time, in her ardent +imagination very near at hand, when, emulating the +virtues and deeds of his father, he should become the +noblest chief of his tribe. She had pictured to herself +the many wonderful exploits he should achieve, and +the love and veneration with which he would be +regarded throughout the nation. But now, those hopes +were blasted, those visions had all faded into darkness. +Time had not soothed her disappointment, or softened +the poignancy of her grief. Waking or sleeping, the +image of her lost brother was before her. She longed +to follow him, that she might overtake him on the way, +and help him in his passage over that fearful stream.</p> + +<p>She had laid down that night, as usual, and slept by +the side of her mother. Her dreams were troubled. +She thought that arid plain and dark river were before +her. The faithful dog was struggling with the waves. +The little ark which held that precious treasure, was +buffeted about by the winds. Chilled with the cold, +and terrified by the dark howling storm, the lone child +sobbed bitterly, and looked imploringly round for his +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</a></span> +mother. In her distress and agitation, she awoke. +Unable to sleep, or even to rest, she rose, and ran to the +grave.</p> + +<table class="poem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i0">“I come, I come, my precious one,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I am ever by your side—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Fear not, your voyage is almost done<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Over that dismal tide;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The winds shall hush, the storm pass o’er,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And a friendly band shall come<br /></span> +<span class="i0">To meet you on the spirit shore,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And bid you welcome home.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Fear not, for love that never sleeps<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Shall guard you o’er that wave;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And mother her constant vigil keep<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Beside your quiet grave.”<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p>Having chanted her simple lay of love, Monica turned +from the grave, stepped into a canoe, and paddled down +the stream. Overcome with grief, she dropped her paddle, +sat pensively down in her shallop, and left it to follow +its course down the current. For several hours it +glided silently on. She gave no heed to the hours, till +morning broke in the east. Suddenly starting up from +her long dream, she looked for her paddle. It was gone. +Seeing a bough floating on the water near her, she +leaned out to catch it, as the canoe passed on. It was +decayed, and broke in her hand. Throwing it from +her, she looked eagerly about for some other means of +reaching the shore. At length, passing under the +shadow of an immense tree, that overhung the stream, +she seized a branch that almost dipped into the water, +and drawing herself in to the bank, sprang on shore.</p> + +<p>Slowly and doubtfully the timid girl threaded the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</a></span> +thick forest, scarcely knowing which way to turn. +Hoping to find some friendly wigwam near, she sounded +the shrill call of her tribe. The call was instantly +answered, but not by a friendly voice. Two stern and +stalwart warriors of the Pawnee tribe, who were deadly +enemies to the Iteans, chanced to be passing that way, +and, recognizing the call as that of an enemy, sprang +from the thicket, seized the trembling maiden, and bore +her away in triumph. Many a weary league she +travelled on by the side of her merciless captors, ere she +reached their distant encampment. Worn, exhausted +in strength and desponding in heart, she fell to the earth +in the midst of the throng that gathered around her, +and besought them to kill her at once, and let her go to +her poor infant brother.</p> + +<p>The Pawnees were not only hostile to the Iteans, but +were, in some respects, the most savage tribe in the +great valley. They alone, of the North American +Indians, continued, down the present century, and far +within it, to practice the savage rite of sacrificing +human victims on the altar of their gods. With them +it was a propitiatory sacrifice, offered to the <i>Great Star</i>, +or the planet Venus. This dreadful ceremony annually +preceded the preparations for planting corn, and was +supposed to be necessary to secure a fruitful season. +The victim was always some prisoner, who had been +captured in war, or otherwise; and there was never +wanting an individual who coveted the honor of making +a captive from some hostile tribe, and dedicating the +spoils of his prowess to the national benefit.</p> + +<p>The captors of Monica were in quest of a victim for +this sacrifice, when they wandered away alone, and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</a></span> +prowled for several days, about the encampment of her +tribe. With this view, they bore her away in triumph, +deaf to all her entreaties and tears, and gave her in +charge to the priests, to be made ready against the +return of the season.</p> + +<p>The best wigwam in the village was assigned for +her accommodation. Cheerful companions of her own +age were given her. The most sedulous attention was +paid to her wants. She was dressed in gay apparel, +continually feasted on the choicest luxuries which their +fields and hunting grounds afforded, and treated with +the utmost tenderness by all about her. Every possible +means was employed to allay her grief, and promote +that cheerfulness of spirit, which is essential to health +and comeliness, in order that she might thus be made +a more suitable and acceptable offering.</p> + +<p>The personal charms of Monica required no such +system of treatment, in order to their full development. +She was a rare specimen of native grace and loveliness, +and would have been a fitting model, in every feature +and limb, for a Phidias or a Praxitiles. The exceeding +beauty and gentleness of their captive, while it won +the admiration and regard of all her young companions, +only made her, in the view of the priests and chiefs of +the tribe, a more desirable victim for the altar.</p> + +<p>For a long time, Monica was inconsolable. Deprived +of that dearest privilege of visiting daily the grave of +her brother, distracted in view of the anxiety which +her mother would feel for her, she refused to be comforted, +or to take any pleasure in the means employed +to amuse her. Time and kindness, however, and the +promise that she should, by and by, return to her +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</a></span> +father-land, restored, in a degree, her serenity of mind. +She was too affectionate and confiding, to reject the +sympathy and kindness even of an enemy. Grateful +for the unwearied efforts which her companions made +to amuse and comfort her, she came, at last, to regard +them as friends. Gratitude begat affection. Affection +created confidence. She unburdened her heart of the +sorrows that oppressed it. By that effort, the burden +was lightened. Something of the elasticity and vivacity +of youth returned. She sang and played, if not to +amuse herself, yet to gratify others, whose assiduous +kindness, and seemingly generous sympathy, she had +no other means of repaying. Thus, entirely ignorant +of the terrible doom that awaited her, Monica passed +the winter of her captivity, looking ever forward to the +opening spring as the period of her promised release, +and return to the wigwam of her mother.</p> + +<p>At length the fatal day arrived, and every thing was +ready for the sacrifice. The whole Pawnee tribe was +assembled to witness and take part in the solemnities. +From every side, they were seen emerging from the +thick forest, or gliding noiselessly over the bosom of the +silver stream, leaping from cliff to cliff of the distant +hills, or winding down their steep passes and narrow +defiles, to meet in the great central village, around the +grand council fire of the nation. The whole tribe was +there—the chiefs in all their gaudy array of bead-work, +feathers, and paint, their embroidered moccasins, their +gaily wrought tunics and belts, their polished rifles, and +glittering tomahawks—the women and children, and +the rank and file of the people, in all the finery and +gewgaws they could command. It was a brave sight to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</a></span> +those accustomed to the barbaric finery and wild sports +of the Indian, but fearful and hideous to one unused to +the rude painted visages and half naked forms of the +warriors.</p> + +<p>The awful hour of those dreadful orgies was +announced by all those discordant shouts and hideous +yells, which, with those primitive races, serve the purpose +of trumpet, drum and bell. The stake was set, +and the faggots made ready, in the centre of the great +opening. The priests stood at their post, and the vast +multitude of eager excited witnesses thronged around, +waiting in terrible expectation for the consummation of +that horrid rite, and kindling into phrenzy in view of +the mad revelry that would follow. Presently, the outer +ranks of that crowding circle made way, and opened a +passage to the ring within. Through this living avenue, +a company of chiefs marched in, singing, or rather +shouting, a wild song, and dancing in fantastic measures. +At their head was the captor of Monica, leading +the timid girl by the hand. She was arrayed in +the most showy and expensive style of Indian costume, +the various decorations of her person comprising all that +was beautiful and rare in ornament, according to the +uncultivated taste of that people. Unconscious still of +the doom that awaited her, and hoping, perhaps, that +this was to be the festival of her freedom, when she +would be sent away in peace to her home, she entered +the circle with a cheerful face, and an elastic step, +smiling on her young companions as she passed, and +wondering at the cold look, or sometimes averted eye, +with which her salutation was answered.</p> + +<p>It was not until she was led quite up to the stake, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</a></span> +and saw the fearful faggots piled around it, that she +comprehended the meaning of these mysterious preparations. +Her awful doom flashed upon her, like a bolt +from heaven. With one loud, piercing, heart-rending +shriek, she fell to the earth, and called upon her mother. +She was lifted up by the stern priest, placed upon the +pile, and bound to the stake. With wild incantations, +and horrid yells, the dread orgies were commenced. +The torch was lighted, and ready to be applied. At +that instant, a shrill whoop burst from the adjoining +wood. A brave young warrior, leaping into the midst +of the circle, rushed to the stake, cut the cords that +bound the helpless victim, tore her away from the pile, +and, dashing back through the panic-struck crowd, +flung her upon a fleet horse which he had prepared for +the occasion, sprung himself upon another, and was +soon lost in the distant windings of the wood.</p> + +<p>It was the act of a moment. Even the Indian +warriors, who are not easily surprised, or put off their +guard, were confounded and paralysed. Before they +could comprehend the object of this sudden phantom, +this rash interruption of their festival, their victim was +gone. The bare stake, and the useless heap of faggots +were there. The proud chief, who furnished the victim, +and the fierce-looking priests, who were to officiate +in the dark rites of the sacrifice, stood in blank astonishment +around, as if a bolt from the cloud had smitten +them. A momentary silence prevailed among that +mighty throng. A low murmur succeeded, like the distant +moans of a coming storm: then, like the tempest, +bursting in all its wrath, fierce cries of vengeance from +a thousand flaming tongues, furious discordant yells +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</a></span> +and shouts, accompanied with frantic gestures, and +looks of rage, such as would distort the visage of a +fiend. Some of the fleetest started off in hot but vain +pursuit. Those who remained, promised themselves +a day of terrible retribution. The mothers secretly rejoiced +in the escape; while those of the young girls who +had been the chosen companions of the captive, gave +vent to their joy and gratitude in wild songs and dances.</p> + +<p>In this manner, that turbulent assembly broke up. +Without the usual feast and its accompanying games, +they scattered to their several homes, coolly meditating +revenge, and darkly foreboding the famine that should +ensue from the absence of the accustomed sacrifice.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, the fugitives held on their way, with the +speed of the wind. Not a word was spoken. It was a +race of life and death, and every faculty of the rescuer +as well as of the rescued was absorbed in the one idea +and effort to escape. Over hill and plain, and shallow +stream, those foaming steeds flew on, pausing not even +to snuff the breeze, till they had cleared the territory of +the Pawnees, and reached a sheltered nook within the +precincts of a neutral tribe. Here, as among all the +Indian tribes the woman is considered competent to +take care of herself in all ordinary emergencies, her +deliverer left her, giving her ample directions for the +way, and cautioning her to use the utmost diligence to +avoid pursuit.</p> + +<p>“But, tell me first,” she cried, tears of grateful joy +standing in her eyes, “tell me to whom I am indebted +for this miraculous escape—that, in all my prayers to +the Great Spirit, I may call down his blessing upon +your head.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[Pg 221]</a></span> +“I am Petalesharro,” replied the youth, modestly. +“My father is Latalashaw, the chief of my tribe. We +do not believe, with our people, that the Great Spirit +delights in the sacrifice. He loves all his red children, +and they should all love one another.”</p> + +<p>“But, will not your chiefs revenge upon your head +this interference with their solemn rites? If any +national calamities follow, will they not charge them +all to your account? I could not bear that my generous +deliverer should be struck down by those terrible +hands, in the prime of his youth, as the reward of his +heroic benevolence. Better that I should return and +submit to the fate they had prepared for me.”</p> + +<p>“Fear not for me, Monica. Petalesharro fears not +to meet the assembled council of his nation. Not a +brave among them all will raise a hand to hurt him. +He will make them know that the Great Star needs not +the blood of the captive. And never again shall the +fires be kindled for that cruel sacrifice.”</p> + +<p>Encouraged by the words of the young chief, Monica +turned, with a strong heart, towards her home, still +some four hundred miles distant. The same kind providence +which had rescued her from the devouring +flames, still guided and guarded her solitary way, and +gave her strength and spirits for her toilsome journey.</p> + +<p>On the second day of her pilgrimage, as she climbed +the summit of a range of hills that ran athwart her +path, she was alarmed by the appearance of a considerable +body of armed men, just emerging from a distant +ravine of the same range, in a direction that would lead +them immediately across her path. They were too far +off to enable her to discern, by their dress and accoutrements, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[Pg 222]</a></span> +to what tribe they belonged. She supposed they +must be Pawnees in pursuit of their lost captive. If +she attempted to pass on before them, they would discover +her track, and soon overtake her flight. She had +nothing to do, therefore, but wait till they had passed, +in the hope of eluding their eager scent. Concealing +herself in the thicket, in a position that overlooked the +valley, she awaited with composure the coming of that +fearful band. They descended into the valley, and, to +the utter consternation of Monica, began to pitch their +tents under the shade of a spreading oak, on the bank +of a little stream. She watched the movement with an +anxious heart, not knowing how she should escape, +with a pursuing enemy so near. Her consternation and +anxiety were soon, however, changed to joy, when one +of the company, approaching the vicinity of her hiding +place, to cut a pole for his tent, was recognized as a +chief of her own tribe. Springing from the thicket with +a scream of delight, which startled the whole encampment, +and brought every brave to his feet, with his +hand on the trigger of his rifle, she rushed into the +midst of her astonished people, and was received with +silent joy, as one restored from the dead. Under their +protection, the remainder of her journey was safely and +easily performed. Before the moon, which was then +crescent, had reached her full, Monica had embraced +her mother, and added a fresh flower to the grave of +her brother.</p> + +<p>The brave, the generous, the chivalrous Petalesharro +returned to his father’s tent with the fearless port and +composed dignity of one whose consciousness of rectitude +placed him above fear. He was a young man, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</a></span> +just entered upon manhood, and a general favorite of +his tribe.<a name="FNanchor_E_5" id="FNanchor_E_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_E_5" class="fnanchor">[E]</a> +His countenance, as represented in Col. +McKenney’s magnificent work upon the North American +tribes, is one of uncommon beauty of feature. In +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</a></span> +its mildness of expression, it is almost effeminate. But +in heart and soul he was a man and a hero. His courage, +and the power of his arm, were acknowledged by +friend and foe; and on the death of his father, he was +raised to the chieftaincy of his tribe. The season which +followed his noble act of humane, may we not say religious +chivalry, was one of uncommon fertility, health +and prosperity. “<i>The Great Star</i>” had not demanded +the victim. And the Pawnees never again polluted +their altars with the blood of a human sacrifice.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_E_5" id="Footnote_E_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_E_5"><span class="label">[E]</span></a> Major Long, in his “Expeditions to the Rocky Mountains,” thus +describes Petalesharro, as he appeared in his native wilds, and among his +own people, in the full costume which he wore on the occasion of some +great festival of his tribe.</p> + +<p>“Almost from the beginning of this interesting fete, our attention had +been attracted to a young man, who seemed to be the leader or partisan of +the warriors. He was about twenty-three years of age, of the finest form, +tall, muscular, exceedingly graceful, and of a most prepossessing countenance. +His head-dress, of war-eagles’ feathers, descended in a double +series upon his back, like wings, down to his saddle-croup; his shield was +highly decorated, and his long lance by a plaited casing of red and blue +cloth. On enquiring of the interpreter, our admiration was augmented by +learning that he was no other than Petalesharro, with whose name and +character we were already familiar. He is the most intrepid warrior of +the nation, the eldest son of Letalashaw, and destined, as well by mental +and physical qualifications, as by his distinguished birth, to be the future +leader of his people.”</p> + +<p>Petalesharro visited Washington in 1821, where his fine figure and countenance, +and his splendid costume attracted every eye. But there was that +in his history and character, which had gone before him, that secured for +him a worthier homage than that of the eye. His act of generous chivalry +to the Itean captive was the theme of every tongue. The ladies of the city +caused an appropriate medal to be prepared, commemorating the noble +deed, and presented it to him, in the presence of a large assemblage of +people, who took a lively interest in the ceremony. In reply to their complimentary +address, the brave young warrior modestly said—“My heart is +glad. The white woman has heard what I did for the captive maid, and +they love me, and speak well of me, for doing it. I thought but little of it +before. It came from my heart, as the breath from my body. I did not +know that any one would think better of me for that. But now I am glad. +For it is a good thing to be praised by those, who only praise that which is +good.”</p> +</div> + + + +<hr class="long" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="padtop">TULA,<br /> +<br /> +<span class="tinyfont">OR</span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smlfont">THE HERMITESS OF ATHABASCA.</span></h2> + +<hr class="short" /> + +<table class="poem pfont chpoem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i2">I thought to be alone. It might not be!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">There is no solitude in thy domains,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Save what man makes, when in his selfish breast,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">He locks his joys, and bars out others’ grief.<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226"><!-- blank page --></a></span></p> + +<hr class="mid" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</a></span></p> + +<h2 class="padtop">TULA.</h2> + +<hr class="short" /> + +<table class="poem pfont chpoem" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> + <tr class="stanza"> + <td> +<span class="i8">Death is not all—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Not half the agony we suffer here:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The cup of life has drugs, more bitter far,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">That must be drained.<br /></span></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p>That solitary wigwam, in the outskirts of the village, +was the home of Kaf-ne-wah-go, an aged Chippeway warrior, +who had weathered the storms, and outlived the +wars, of three score and ten seasons, and was yet as fiery +in the chase, and as mighty and terrible in battle, as any +of the young chiefs of his tribe. His voice in the council +was, like the solemn tones of an oracle, listened to +with a reverence approaching to awe, and never disregarded. +His sons all inherited the spirit of their father, +and distinguished themselves among the braves in +fight, and the sages in council. Three of them fell in +battle. One was principal chief of the western division +of the Chippeway family. Another, the brave Ish-ta-le-ó-wah, +occupied the first in that group of wigwams in +yonder grove, about a hundred yards from his father’s.</p> + +<p>The only daughter of the good old sachem, the child +of his old age, and “the light of his eyes,” was the +fairest and loveliest wild-flower, that ever sprung up +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</a></span> +amid the interminable wildernesses of the Western +World. Tula, the singing bird, was distinguished +among the daughters of the forest, not only for those +qualities of person and character which are recognized +as graces among the Indians, but for some of +those peculiar refinements of feeling and manner, which +are supposed to be the exclusive product of a civilized +state of society. She was remarkable for the depth and +tenderness of her affection, and for her ingenuity, industry +and taste. Her dress, and those of her father and +brother, exhibited the traces of her delicate handiwork; +while the neat and tasteful arrangement of the humble +cabin, superior in all that makes home comfortable and +pleasant to any in the village, bore testimony to her +industry and skill.</p> + +<p>Tula had many suitors. There was scarce a young +brave in the tribe who did not seek or desire her. But +O-ken-áh-ga, the only son of their great chief, won her +heart. She became his bride, but she remained, with +him and their first-born child, in the tent of her aged +parents, who could not live, as they said, “when the +singing bird, the light of their eyes was gone.”</p> + +<hr class="mid" /> + +<p>It was mid-summer. The night was still, clear, and +lovely. All nature seemed to breathe nothing but calmness +and peace. But the heart of man—how often and +how sadly is it at variance with nature! The inmates +of that humble wigwam were all wrapped in a profound +sleep, not dreaming of danger near. The infant, +nestling in his mother’s bosom, by a sudden start roused +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[Pg 229]</a></span> +her to partial consciousness. A deep groan, as of one +in expiring agonies, awakened all her faculties. She +sprung up and called upon her husband—</p> + +<p>“O-ken-áh-ga, what is the matter?”</p> + +<p>Another deep groan, and a stifled yell of triumph, +was the only answer.</p> + +<p>Staring wildly round, what a scene of horror met her +eyes! Her father, her mother, her husband, pierced +with many wounds, and weltering in their yet warm +blood, lay dead before her; while a band of fierce and +terrible enemies, of the Athapuscow tribe, stood over +them, with the reeking instruments of death in their +hands, their eyes gleaming with savage delight, and +their whole faces distorted with the most fiend-like +expression of rage and triumph. With the true instinct +of a mother, she clasped her infant to her breast, and +bowed her head in silence, utterly unable to give any +utterance to the bitterness of her wo. It was this silence +that saved her and her child from an instant participation +in the fate of the mangled ones around her. The +first word spoken, would have brought down that reeking +tomahawk upon their heads. The Athapuscows +were few in number, and their only safety consisted in +doing their work of revenge with secrecy and despatch, +for the Chippeways were many and powerful, and to +disturb the slumbers of one of them would be to rouse +the whole tribe in a moment.</p> + +<p>The work of death was done. The scalps of their +victims hung dripping at the belts of the murderers, and +the spoils of the cabin were secured. The spoilers +turned to depart, and Tula, in obedience to their word, +without complaint or remonstrance, rose and followed +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[Pg 230]</a></span> +them. Gathering up a few necessary articles, among +which she contrived to conceal her babe, she took one +farewell look upon the loved ones, whom death had so +suddenly and fearfully claimed, and left them, and the +home of her youth, for ever.</p> + +<p>With cautious stealthy steps, the murderous band +plunged into the deep forest, threading their way +through its intricate mazes, with inconceivable skill +and sagacity, till they reached an opening, on the bank +of the Wapatoony river, where a considerable detachment +of their tribe was temporarily encamped. Delivering +their prisoner into the hands of the women, the +braves proceeded at once to the council of the chiefs, to +show their trophies, and relate the incidents of their +scout.</p> + +<p>When the Athapuscow women, in examining the +contents of the poor captive’s bundle, discovered the still +sleeping infant, they seized him as they would have +done a viper, and dashed him on the ground. In vain +did the fond mother plead for her child. In vain did +the voice of nature, and a mother’s instinct in their own +bosoms, plead for the innocent. It was an enemy’s +child, a hated Chippeway, and that was enough to stifle +every other feeling in their hearts, and make even “an +infant of days” an object of intense and implacable +hatred. With the Indian, the son of an enemy is an +enemy, doomed only to death or torture. The daughter +may be spared for slavery or sacrifice.</p> + +<hr class="mid" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[Pg 231]</a></span> +The morning dawned with uncommon brilliancy and +beauty upon the Chippeway village, and warriors and +children were astir with the earliest light, some to fish +in the smooth stream, that, like a silver chain, bound +their two beautiful lakes together—some to look after +the traps they had set over-night—some to prepare for +the hunt—and some for the merry games and athletic +sports of the village. The quick eye of Ish-ta-le-ó-wah +soon discovered that all was not right in the tent of his +father. Kaf-ne-wah-go was not abroad, as usual, with +his net in the stream. O-ken-áh-ga was not seen +among the hunters with his bow, nor among the wrestlers +on the green. No smoke was seen curling among +the branches of the old tree that overshadowed his +mother’s tent. All was still as the house of the dead.</p> + +<p>“Why sleep the brave so long, when the light of day +is already on the hill-top, and coming down upon the +valley. Has the snake crept into the tent of Kaf-ne-wah-go, +and charmed the father with the children? I +must go and see.”</p> + +<p>The loud and piercing yell of Ish-ta-le-ó-wah, as he +looked in upon that desolate wigwam, roused the whole +village, like the blast of a trumpet. The counsellors +and braves of the nation were soon on the spot. The +whole scene was understood in a moment, as clearly as +if a written record of the whole had been left behind. +Pursuit, and the recovery of the captive Tula and her +child, were instantly resolved; and, ere the sun had +surmounted the eastern barrier of their beautiful valley, +Ish-ta-le-ó-wah, with a band of chosen braves, was on +the trail of the foe.</p> + +<p>With the keen eye and quick scent of a blood-hound, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[Pg 232]</a></span> +they followed the almost obliterated track, through +forest and brake, through swamp and dingle, over hill +and prairie, till it was lost on the border of the Athabasca +lake. Though the party in retreat was large, so +well were they all trained in the Indian tactics of flight +and concealment, that it required a most experienced +eye to keep on their track. They had marched, +according to custom, in Indian file, each carefully walking +in the steps of the other, so that, to an unpractised +observer, there would appear to have been but one wayfarer +in the path. Wherever it was practicable, the path +was carried over rocks, or the soft elastic mosses, or +through the bed of a running brook, with the hope of +eluding the pursuer. But no artifice of the Athapuscow +could elude the well-trained eye of the Chippeway. He +would instantly detect the slightest trace of a footstep +on the ground, or the passage of a human body through +the thicket. In one place, the edges of the moss had +been torn, or a blade of grass trampled in upon it; in +another, the small stones of the surface had been displaced, +showing sometimes the fresh earth, and sometimes +the hole of a worm uncovered, with half the +length of its astonished occupant protruded to the light, +as if investigating the cause of the sudden unroofing of +his cell. Here some dry stick broken, or the bark of a +protruding root peeled off, would betray the step of the +fugitive; and there a shrub slightly bent, or a leaf +turned up and lapped over upon another, or a few +petals of a wild flower torn off and scattered upon the +ground, would reveal the rude touch of his foot, or arm, +or the trailing of his blanket, as he passed. Even on +the bare rock, if a few grains of earth had been carried +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[Pg 233]</a></span> +forward, or a pebble, a leaf, a dry stick, or a bit of moss, +adhering to the foot had been deposited there, it was +instantly noticed and understood. The rushing of the +waters in the brook did not always replace, in a +moment, every stone that had been disturbed in its bed, +nor restore the broken limb, nor the bent weed, to its +place. So quick and intuitive were these observations, +that the march of the pursuer was as rapid and direct +as that of the pursued. The one would seldom lose +more time in hunting for the track, than the other had +consumed in his various artifices of concealment.</p> + +<p>On arriving at the lake, it was evident that a considerable +number of the enemy had been encamped, and +that they had just embarked. Their fires were still +smoking, and the rocks were not yet dry, from which +they had pushed off their canoes, in the haste of their +departure.</p> + +<p>The Chippeway was not easily diverted from his +purpose. With the speed of a chamois, he climbed a +tall cliff, which, jutting boldly out into the lake, concealed +its great eastern basin from his view. Arrived +at the summit, he discerned, dimly relieved in the distant +horizon, a number of moving specks, which he +knew to be the canoes of the retreating foe. In the +double hope of avenging the dead, and recovering the +living from captivity, he continued his course along the +shores of the lake, and, early the next morning, fell +once more upon the trail of his enemy. Pursuing it a +short distance into the forest, it suddenly divided, one +part continuing on to the east, and one striking off +toward the south. In neither of them could he discover +the track of his sister. Her captors had placed her, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[Pg 234]</a></span> +with their own women, in the middle of the march, so +that the large and heavy track of the warriors who +came after, should cover and obliterate the lighter traces +of her foot.</p> + +<p>Taking the eastern track, and moving on with accelerated +speed, he overtook the flying party in the act of +encamping for the night. Concealing himself carefully +from view, and watching his opportunity when all were +busily engaged in pitching their tents, he raised the terrible +war-whoop, with a volley of well directed arrows, +and rushed, with his whole band, upon his unarmed +victims. Not one of them escaped; and, so sudden and +complete was the retribution, that not one remained to +tell where the captive Tula had been carried. The real +murderers had escaped with their captives, and the vengeance +intended for <i>them</i> had fallen upon the heads of +their innocent comrades.</p> + +<hr class="mid" /> + +<p>Tula was treated with kindness by the Athapuscow +chief, who claimed her as his own. Every means was +tried to reconcile her to her new lot, and to make her +content to be the wife of her enemy. But her heart +was bound up with the memories of the dead. Her +parents, her husband, her child, filled all her thoughts. +And the idea of being for ever bound to those whose +hands were stained with the blood of these precious lost +ones, was not to be endured for a moment. She was +inconsolable, and her captors, for a time, respected her +grief. Day after day, they travelled on, with long and +weary marches, till the face of the country was changed, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[Pg 235]</a></span> +and the green forest gave way to the barren and rocky +waste, that skirts the northern borders of the great valley +of prairies. As they advanced, they grew more +and more secure against pursuit, and less watchful of +their captive. At length, she suddenly disappeared +from their view.</p> + +<p>They had pitched for the night, on the bank of the +north branch of the Sascatchawan. The night was +dark and tempestuous. The lightnings flashed vividly +from the dark cloud, and threatened to “melt the very +elements with fervent heat.” The hoarse thunders +roared among the wildly careering clouds, and reverberated +along the shores of the stream, and the cliffs of +the distant mountains, as if those everlasting barriers +were rent asunder, and nature were groaning from her +utmost depths. The Indian feared not death, in whatever +shape it might come. But he feared the angry +voice of the Great Spirit. He shrunk with terror to the +covert of his tent, and covered his eyes from the fearful +glare of those incessant flashes, and prayed inwardly to +his gods.</p> + +<p>The poor disconsolate captive lay trembling under +the side of the tent. She thought of the storm that had +swept over her beautiful home, and desolated her heart +in the spring time of its love. She looked at her savage +captors, now writhing in the agonies of superstitious +fear, which her more absorbing private grief alone prevented +her from sharing to the full. They heeded her +not. They scarcely remembered that she was among +them. Something whispered to her heart—“No eye +but that of the Great Spirit sees you. He bids you +escape from your enemies.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[Pg 236]</a></span> +In the ten-fold darkness that follows the all-revealing +flash from the storm-cloud, Tula slipped noiselessly +under the edge of the robe that sheltered her from +the beating rain, and plunging into the stream, swam +with the current a few rods, till she was arrested by a +thick covert of overhanging shrubs, which grew to the +water’s edge. Thinking she might be able to cover +her head with these bushes, while her body was hid by +the water, she crept cautiously under, close to the bank, +when, to her surprise and joy, she found that this shrubbery +covered and curiously concealed a crevice in the +jutting rock, sufficiently large to admit a free entrance +to an ample cave within. Having carefully adjusted +every limb and leaf without, and replaced with instinctive +sagacity, the mosses that had been disturbed +by her feet, she devoutly thanked the good spirit +for her hope of deliverance, and anxiously watched +for the morning.</p> + +<p>The dark cloud of the night had passed over. The +voice of the tempest was hushed. The day broke clear +and cloudless, amid the singing of birds, and the quickened +music of the swollen stream. The first thought +of the Athapuscow chief, as he started from his troubled +slumbers, was of his captive. But she was gone. +With a shrill and angry whoop, he roused the whole +band, and all started in pursuit. The old woods rung +again with the whoop and yell of the pursuers, and +were answered by the sullen echoes of the hills and +cliffs around. But neither wood, nor hill, nor cliff, +revealed the hiding-place of the captive. The heavy +torrents of rain had obliterated every mark of her footsteps, +and neither grass, nor sand, nor the yielding soil +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[Pg 237]</a></span> +of the river-bank afforded any clue to the path she had +taken.</p> + +<p>Safe in the close covert of her new found retreat, the +poor captive heard all the loud and angry threats of her +disappointed pursuers. She even heard their frequent +conjectures and animated discussions of the means to +be adopted for her recovery, and often, they were so +near to her place of refuge, that she could see their +anxious and angry looks, as they passed, and almost +feel their hands among the bushes that sheltered her, +and the quick tramp of their feet over the roof of her +cave. But there was no track or mark, on land or +water, to guide them to that spot, and so naturally had +every leaf been adjusted, that it had not attracted a +single suspicion from any one of those sagacious and +quick-sighted inquisitors.</p> + +<p>Two hours of fruitless search for a hiding place, or a +track that should reveal the course of her flight, brought +them to the conclusion that the Great Spirit had taken +her away, and that it was not for man to find her path +again. With this conviction, they struck their tents, +swam the stream, and resumed their march to the +south.</p> + +<p>Too cautious to leave her covert at once, and wearied +with her anxious watchings, Tula composed herself to +sleep, as soon as the last sound of the retiring party +died on her ear. The sun had declined half way to +his setting, when she awoke. She listened, with a suspicions +ear for every sound without. The singing of +birds, the rustling of the leaves, and the murmur of the +waters, were all that disturbed the silence of the scene. +She put her ear to the rock, but it brought nothing to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[Pg 238]</a></span> +her sense that revealed the presence of man. With +extreme caution, she ventured to look out from her +cave, and, by slow degrees, peering on every side for +some concealed enemy, she emerged into the light, and +dropping noiselessly into the stream, swam to a point +on the opposite shore, from which she could obtain a +good view of the recent encampment. It was deserted +and still. Not a trace was left behind, except the +trampled grass, and the blackened embers.</p> + +<p>Recrossing the stream, she commenced, with a light +step, and a hopeful spirit, the seemingly impossible +task of finding her way back to her home and her people. +The consciousness of freedom buoyed her up, and +inspired her with a new hope, at almost every step. +With a light heart, and an elastic step, she bounded +away over the desolate waste, that lay between the +river and the forest, having neither path, nor track, nor +land-mark, to guide her way, and with nothing but the +instinct of affection to point out the course she should +take. She had been so absorbed with her many griefs, +during the long and weary march hitherto, and so little +did she dream of the possibility of escape, that she +had scarcely taken any notice of the direction, or +attempted to observe any land-marks to guide her +return. The way by which she had been led was circuitous +and irregular, and she had only the vague +general ideas, that her home was near “the star that +never moves,” and that she had been leaving her shadow +behind, to aid her in her solitary wanderings. +With a hopeful courageous heart, she sought only to +widen the distance between her cruel captors and herself, +trusting that her way would open as she went, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[Pg 239]</a></span> +and that her guardian angel, her tutelar divinity, would +keep her from going astray. <i>Her</i> tutelar divinity was +the moon, whose light and protection she invoked, with +a devout, if not an enlightened faith. While she could +enjoy her mild clear light, she was always happy and +secure; but when those beams were withdrawn, a +shadow came over her soul that was full of dark forebodings +and anxious fears.</p> + +<p>She had travelled several leagues, without seeing a +track of any kind, and without the consciousness of +fatigue or hunger. When night came on, she was just +entering a deep forest, whose impenetrable shade made +a sudden transition from twilight to utter darkness. +With no star to guide her, and with no appearance of a +path through thickets which seemed never to have +been penetrated by a human footstep, she was soon +bewildered, and felt that it was vain to proceed. With +a few half-ripe nuts for a supper, and the soft moss +which had gathered about the trunk of a fallen tree for +a bed, she committed herself to sleep.</p> + +<p>About midnight, her slumbers were disturbed by a +heavy rustling among the bushes, at no great distance, +accompanied by a constant crackling, as of some large +animal, trying to penetrate the thicket. Perceiving that +it approached nearer at every step, she seized a club, +with which she had provided herself before entering +the forest, and hastened to climb into the nearest tree. +As she ascended, it began to grow lighter overhead. +The stars looked smilingly down upon her, but it was +darker than ever below. She breathed a silent prayer +to the star of her faith—the bright orb where she supposed +her guardian angel resided—and took courage. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[Pg 240]</a></span> +The mysterious step approached nearer and nearer. +She soon perceived that it was a bear, and supposed he +would follow her into the tree. She therefore seated +herself upon a stout limb, a few feet from the main +trunk, and prepared to give him a warm reception. +Presently the heavy trampling ceased, and was followed +by a silence vastly more oppressive than the previous +noise.</p> + +<p>In this condition, the remaining hours of the night +passed away. With the first light of the morning, the +shaggy intruder was discerned, quietly reposing near +the foot of the tree, and showing no signs of being in +haste to depart. That he was conscious of the presence +of a stranger, was evident only from an occasional +upward glance of his eye, and a significant turning of +the nose in that direction, as if there was something +agreeable in prospect.</p> + +<p>Tula would have been no match for Bruin on level +ground, but she felt confident of her power in the position +she had chosen, and therefore quietly waited the +movements of her adversary. For two or three hours, +he behaved himself with the gravity of a true philosopher, +coolly expecting to weary out the patience of his +victim by a close siege, and so save himself the trouble +of taking the tree by assault. But Tula was as patient +and prudent as Bruin, and could endure hunger, and +thirst, and wakefulness as well as he. Rousing at +length from his inactivity, he travelled round and +round the tree, as if taking its measure, and estimating +the probable result of an encounter. Tula watched his +motions with more interest than anxiety, hoping soon +to be relieved from her imprisonment, and at liberty to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[Pg 241]</a></span> +pursue her journey. It was near noon, when, having +satisfied himself that offensive measures were necessary, +he began to climb the tree. Having reached the leading +branch, and embraced the trunk to raise himself to +that on which Tula was seated, the brave girl rose suddenly +to her feet, and brought down her club upon the +enemy’s nose with such desperate and well directed +force, as to send him, stunned and insensible, to the +ground. Without allowing him a moment to recover, +she leaped down to his side, and dealt a succession of +heavy blows upon his head, till the blood flowed in torrents, +and his struggles and his breathing ceased.</p> + +<hr class="mid" /> + +<p>In this manner, many days and nights passed on, +during which she encountered many imminent dangers, +and severe conflicts, and made but little progress. +Hunger, weariness, a continual sense of danger, and +that sickness of the heart, which solitude and suspense +beget, were her inseparable companions. Every day, +her hope of ultimately reaching the home of her childhood +grew fainter and fainter. But she had a woman’s +endurance, and a woman’s fertility of resource. She +never for a moment repented her flight. She would +have preferred death in any form to a forced espousal +with the murderer of her family. Sometimes with roots +and herbs, sometimes with nutritious mosses, and sometimes +with wild fruits and nuts, she continued to satisfy +the cravings of appetite, and to sustain her severely +tried fortitude, for the fatigues and perils that were yet +before her.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[Pg 242]</a></span> +The forest seemed interminable; and so indeed it +might well have been regarded, for she was continually +travelling round and round, in the same track, having +only an occasional glimpse of the sun to direct her way, +or a view of the stars, when she climbed some tall tree +at night. She knew little of the direction in which she +was going; but she was sure that that forest lay +between her enemy and her home, and was therefore +resolved, at any expense of labor and suffering, to find +her way through it, or perish in the attempt.</p> + +<p>After several weeks of incredible toil, fatigue, hardship +and danger, the brave persevering Tula emerged +into a wide opening, having a considerable mountain +on one side, and a large sheet of water, and a stream +from the mountain pouring into it, on the other. It +was a beautiful spot, but the whole aspect of it was +new and strange. She was confident she had not +passed that way, while a captive in the hands of the +Athapuscows. She was now wholly at a loss which +way to turn. To retrace her steps through the intricacies +of that dark forest, would be as vain as the thought +of it was appalling. To go on, when she was absolutely +certain she was out of her track, seemed little less +than madness. To choose either the right hand or the +left, was to leap in the dark, and involve herself in new +doubts and difficulties. She needed rest. Her apparel +was torn by her difficult passages through the tangled +thickets, and her frequent contests with the enemies she +found there. Pondering deeply on the difficulties before +her, she began to think, that if there was any place of +shelter near, she would make herself a new home, and +live and die alone in the great wilderness.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[Pg 243]</a></span> +“And why,” said she to herself, “why should I +return to the wigwam of my father? Kaf-ne-wah-go +is not there. My mother, she has gone with him to +the spirit land. O-ken-áh-ga waits no longer for my +return. I left my brave chief in his blood. His voice +will no longer be heard in the valley, with the hunters, +nor his shout in the battle. He fell in the glory of his +strength, like the young oak that is full of sap, and +whose roots have struck deep into the earth. And my +child, the son of O-ken-áh-ga, alas! he has not even a +grave to sleep in. He lies on the cold bosom of the +earth, and I know not where. Why then should I +return to a desolate home, only made more desolate by +the memory of what it was?”</p> + +<p>With such thoughts as these, she beguiled her inward +yearnings for the spot where all her joys had been, and +where all her hopes were buried. Wandering on the +shores of the lake and the stream by day, and seeking +such shelter as she could find in the clefts of the rocks +at night, she sought for a place where she might provide +a suitable protection against the cold and the +storms of winter, which were not far distant. Wild +berries and fruits afforded her only sustenance for a +considerable time, until her own ingenuity provided her +with the means of procuring a more certain substantial +diet.</p> + +<p>Having found a convenient spot in a deep ravine of +the mountain, which opened towards the south, and +was consequently always exposed to the sun, she immediately +commenced the construction of a place to dwell +in. The spot selected was romantic and beautiful in +the extreme, and seemed to have been designed by +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[Pg 244]</a></span> +nature “for some especial use.” It was sufficiently elevated +to command a fine view of the opening, including +all the meanderings of the river, and the whole extent +of the lake, and yet it was not difficult of access, nor so +high as to be too much exposed to the wintry storms. +It was a little nook, chipped out from the solid rock, +having a smooth slaty floor, about twelve feet square, +with a semi-circular recess of about half that depth into +the side of the mountain. A jutting rock, about ten feet +above this floor, and overhanging it on every side, +formed a natural ceiling. It only needed to be enclosed +on two sides, to make a lodge that any of the great +caciques of the wilderness might be proud of.</p> + +<p>Fortunately Tula was not entirely destitute of tools +to work with. A piece of an iron hoop, about six +inches in length, and the shank of an arrow head, also +of iron, both of which she had picked up while among +the Athapuscows, constituted her whole stock. With +these, which she sharpened upon the rocks, she contrived +to cut down a number of young saplings, and +shape them to her purpose. Planting two of them +upright upon the outer line of the floor, and laying the +end of one against the inside, and the end of the other +against the outside of the cornice, or overhanging ceiling, +she bound them firmly together with green withes. +In this manner she went all round, leaving a space open +for a door on the sunny side. This done, she wove it, +inside and out, with willow boughs, stuffing the intervening +spaces with moss, till it was entirely impervious +to the weather. The door was of close basket-work +hung at the top, and secured at the sides, in a storm, or +during the night, by means of withes fastened round +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[Pg 245]</a></span> +the door-posts. This served the double purpose of door +and window, while a crevice in the rock above, performed +the part of a chimney.</p> + +<p>The work went on slowly and heavily at first, but +patience and perseverance, which can conquer all but +impossibilities, accomplished it before the cold weather +set in. Meanwhile, the ingenuity of the fair builder +had found means to make a fire upon the hearth. Her +materials for that purpose were two hard sulphureous +stones, which, by long friction, or hard knocking, produced +a few sparks. These, communicated to touchwood, +were soon formed into a blaze.</p> + +<p>When fruits, berries and nuts failed, her ready ingenuity +supplied her with other means of sustaining life. +She had, among her scanty stock of furniture, a few +deer-sinews, which, with the Indians, are a common +substitute for thread. With the aid of these, she managed +to snare partridges, rabbits and squirrels. She also +killed several beavers and porcupines. The sinews of +the rabbit’s legs and feet were twisted with great dexterity, +to supply the place of deer-sinews, when <i>they</i> +were gone. Their skins also, with those of the squirrels, +served to replenish her exhausted wardrobe, supplying, +under her skilful hand, a neat and warm suit +of winter clothing. Her industry was as untiring as +her ingenuity was fruitful of resources. Forlorn as her +situation was, she was composed and resigned, if not +contented, and seemed to find pleasure in employing +every moment of her waking hours in some useful or +ornamental contrivance.</p> + +<p>Her dress evinced much taste, and exhibited no little +variety of ornament. The materials, though rude, were +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[Pg 246]</a></span> +very curiously wrought, and so judiciously arranged, as +to give to the whole a pleasing and romantic effect. +Her tunic was composed of the skins of squirrels and +rabbits, in alternate strips of grey and white. It was +secured at the waist by a belt of skin, beautifully +wrought with porcupine quills, colored pebbles, and +strips of bark of various brilliant hues. Her mantle, +which was large, was of the fairest and most delicate +skins, arranged with a certain uniformity and harmony +of design, which gave it all the grace and beauty, without +the stiffness, of a regular pattern. It had a tasteful +border, of brilliant feathers, and, like the belt before +described, was fastened by a clasp of an unique and +original contrivance, being made of the beaks and +claws of her captives, arranged and secured so as to +interlock with each other. Her head-dress, leggings +and moccasins, were equally perfect in style and effect.</p> + +<p>Besides accomplishing all this work, in her solitude, +and even laying in a stock of provisions in advance, +sufficient for her wants, in case of a long season of +storms, sickness, or any other exigency, she had found +time to make several hundred fathoms of net-twine, by +twisting the inner rind, or bark, of willow boughs, into +small lines. Of these, she intended to make a fishing-net, +as soon as the spring should open, and thus enlarge +her sources of subsistence and enjoyment.</p> + +<hr class="mid" /> + +<p>It was past mid-winter. The snow lay deep and +hard upon all the northern hills and valleys. The +lakes and rivers were frozen. The fountains of nature +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[Pg 247]</a></span> +were sealed up, and verdure, and fruitfulness, and +almost all the elements of life, seemed to have followed +the sun in his journey to the far south. A company of +English traders, under the guidance of a party of +Indians, were traversing the country from Hudson’s +Bay to the Northern Ocean, in quest of furs and peltries. +Emerging from a deep forest into a broad open +plain, they discovered the track of a strange snow-shoe, +which, from its lightness, they judged to belong to a +woman. Not knowing of any encampment in that +vicinity, it excited the more curiosity. They followed +it. It led them a considerable distance out of their +way, across the valley, and into the gorge of the mountain +on its southern side. Pursuing it still, as it +ascended by a circuitous path, they came to a small +cabin, perched like an eagle’s nest in the clefts of the +rock. They entered, and found a young and beautiful +woman sitting alone at her work. It was Tula, the +hermitess of Athabasca. For more than seven moons +she had not seen a human face, nor heard a human +voice, nor did she ever expect again to see the one, or +hear the other. She had become reconciled to her lot. +She loved the solitude where her spirit could commune +with the departed, undisturbed, and where only the +sun, the moon, and the stars, and the Great Spirit that +controlled and guided them all, could read her thoughts, +and know the history of her griefs.</p> + +<p>The first surprise being over, Tula offered the strangers +a place by her fire, and such other hospitalities as +her cabin afforded.</p> + +<p>“How comes the dove alone in the eagle’s nest?” +enquired the leader of the party.—And then, regarding +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[Pg 248]</a></span> +her with a look of admiration, added—“does she not +fear the hawk or the vulture, here in the cold cliffs of +the mountain?”</p> + +<p>Tula replied by relating the story of her life—her +bereavement—her captivity—her escape—her weary +wanderings—her hardships—and the repose she had +found in her solitude; and concluded by saying, “If +the eagle’s nest be lonely and cold, it is quiet and safe. +It is not too high for the moon to smile upon. It is not +too cold for Tula.”</p> + +<p>“Would the ‘singing bird’ seek out her people, and +let her song be heard again among the trees of the +valley?”</p> + +<p>“Tula is no longer the singing bird. Her song is +shut up in her heart. Her heart is with her kindred in +the spirit land. Her father’s cabin is more desolate +than the wilderness, or the mountain top. Her tree is +plucked up by the roots. It cannot live again.”</p> + +<p>After some considerable persuasion, in which the +voice of the humane Englishman—suggesting that, if +the Ottawas had discovered her retreat, the Athapuscows +might discover it also,—had its full share of +weight, the fair hermitess consented to accompany the +strangers; though she could not conceal her regret, in +abandoning her snug little castle, to set off on a new +pilgrimage, she knew not whither.</p> + +<p>“It matters little to Tula where she goes, so that she +does not meet the Athapuscow. His hands are red +with the blood of her father, her husband, her child. +Let her never see his face, or walk in his shadow.”</p> + +<hr class="mid" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[Pg 249]</a></span> +The singular romance of Tula’s story, the comeliness +of her person, and her approved accomplishments, +touched the hearts of some of the young braves of the +party. They had not gone far on their way, before a +contest arose between them, who, according to immemorial +usage among the tribes, should claim the privilege +of making her his wife. The dispute—to which +she was no party, for her views were not so much as +consulted in the matter—ran very high, and had nearly +resulted in serious consequences. The poor girl was +actually won and lost, at wrestling, by near half a +score of different men, in the course of as many days. +When, at length, a compromise was effected, and the +prize awarded to Lak-in-aw, a young warrior of the +Temiscamings, Tula refused to receive the pipe at his +hands, or to listen in any way to his suit.</p> + +<p>“Tula is buried in the grave of O-ken-áh-ga,” she +said. “Tula will walk alone on the earth. Her heart +is in the spirit land. It will never come back. It has +nothing here to love.”</p> + +<hr class="mid" /> + +<p>Onward—onward—over interminable fields of snow +and ice, where scarce a green thing appeared to relieve +the utter desolation, the party proceeded, with their +prize, on their journey to the far north. She was +treated with chivalric tenderness and respect, and her +comfort and convenience consulted in all the arrangements +of the way. She needed but little indulgence, +and solicited <i>none</i>. She was capable of enduring the +fatigues and hardships of a man. She never flagged +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[Pg 250]</a></span> +in the march, nor lingered a moment, when the word +was given to go forward.</p> + +<p>In traversing a deep valley near the eastern extremity +of the Great Slave Lake, their track was crossed by +that of a considerable party of Indians, returning from +an expedition to the fur regions of the north. Their +course lay along the southern border of the lake. Perceiving +their encampment at no great distance, on the +other side of the valley, it was resolved to visit them, +and, if they were found to be friendly, to join their +camp for the night. On approaching the spot, they +were met by the chief, who, with a few attendants, +came out to bid them welcome to his tent. He was a +fine specimen of a young Indian brave—one who, in +his green youth, had gained laurels, which it usually +requires a life-time to win. His costume, though adapted +to the severity of the climate, was tasteful and picturesque, +and so fitted and arranged as to develop, to +the best advantage, the admirable proportions of his +person.</p> + +<p>The parley that ensued was a fine specimen of +Indian courtesy and diplomacy. But it was suddenly +and violently interrupted, when Tula, who had remained +in the rear of her party, with the Englishmen, came +up. At the first sight of the young chief, she uttered a +loud and piercing shriek—for the extremes of joy +and grief use similar tones and gestures—and rushing forward, +pushed aside friend and stranger alike, and flung +herself upon his neck, exclaiming—“Ish-ta-le-ó-wah!—my +brother! my brother!”</p> + +<hr class="long" /> + +<div class="tnborder"> +<p class="tntitle"><a name="endnote" id="endnote">TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE</a></p> + +<p>The following changes were made to the original text:</p> + +<div class="tnindent"> +<p>Accents were restored to the Table of Contents.</p> + +<p>Pg 5, “Ka-ree-o-than” changed to “Karee-o-thán” (Tezcuco—Karee-o-thán)</p> + +<p>Pg 12, “Kaf-na-wa-go” changed to “Kaf-ne-wah-go” (wigwam of Kaf-ne-wah-go)</p> + +<p>Pg 20, “skillfully” changed to “skilfully” (craftily and skilfully worked)</p> + +<p>Pg 35, “paralasis” changed to “paralysis” (struck with instant paralysis)</p> + +<p>Pg 40, “acknowledgements” changed to “acknowledgments” (ample acknowledgments)</p> + +<p>Pg 50, “terrestial” changed to “terrestrial” (paradise of terrestrial sweets)</p> + +<p>Pg 53, “harrass” changed to “harass” (harass his soul)</p> + +<p>Pg 58, “anything” changed to “any thing” (his position any thing but)</p> + +<p>Pg 60, “discomfitted” changed to “discomfited” (among the discomfited Cholulans)</p> + +<p>Pg 66, “unappeaseable” changed to “unappeasable” (an unappeasable fate)</p> + +<p>Pg 67, “suprised” changed to “surprised” (continually surprised and delighted)</p> + +<p>Pg 73, “cortége” changed to “cortege” (the royal cortege)</p> + +<p>Pg 78, “mein” changed to “mien” (proud and haughty mien)</p> + +<p>Pg 102, “chastly” changed to “chastely” (chastely decorated)</p> + +<p>Pg 121, “it’s” changed to “its” (Oozing its bitterness)</p> + +<p>Pg 125, “beseiged” changed to “besieged” (heads of the besieged)</p> + +<p>Pg 193, “to day” changed to “to-day” (my brave hunter, to-day) [First instance]</p> + +<p>Pg 205, “calmess” changed to “calmness” (a calmness which we)</p> + +<p>Pg 227, “Kaf-ne-wa-go” changed to “Kaf-ne-wah-go” (home of Kaf-ne-wah-go)</p> + +<p>Pg 227, “Ish-ta-le-áh” changed to “Ish-ta-le-ó-wah” (the brave Ish-ta-le-ó-wah)</p> + +<p>Pg 245, “patridge” changed to “partridge” (to snare partridges)</p> + +<p>Pg 247, “controled” changed to “controlled” (controlled and guided)</p> + +<p>Pg 250, “grief” was typeset on the incorrect line and was repositioned accordingly (joy and grief use)</p> +</div> + +<p>All other inconsistencies in spelling and hyphenation were retained as printed in the original text.</p> +</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Sketches of Aboriginal Life, by V. 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