hat day, and at length, having crossed the
summit, the _divortia aquarum_ of the continent, they began the descent
towards the mild climate of the Valley of Mexico.

Upon the confines of this valley was a town surrounded by extensive
cultivated fields of _maiz_. Stone buildings, numerous _teocallis_, and
a large population attested the importance of the place; and when the
Spaniards asked if it was tributary to Montezuma the chief replied with
another question, asking with surprise if there existed any other lord
worthy of tribute. Another chief and tribe some miles beyond, gave a
good reception to the Spaniards, and there they gladly halted for some
days. The house of the chief was upon a hill, "protected by a better
fort than can be found in half Spain," wrote Cortes to his Emperor at
Castile. Here it was that the Spaniards received news of the existence
of the people of Cholula and Tlascala, who inhabited the regions of
their intended line of march. "Go by the road of the Tlascalans," the
friendly chief advised; "the Cholulans are a treacherous people."
Cortes despatched messengers to the chief of Tlascala, but no reply was
received, and after waiting some days the Spaniards continued their
march, to where we left them halting before the stone wall across the
valley.

And then began the most stirring events of their march. The Tlascalans
were a people who had developed a remarkable civilisation and social
and military organisation, akin to that of the Aztecs. On the arrival
of the messengers of Cortes much dissension had prevailed in their
councils, some of the chiefs--the community was ruled by a council of
four--maintaining that this was an opportunity for vengeance against
their hereditary enemies, the hated Aztecs and their prince, Montezuma.
"Let us ally ourselves with these terrible strangers," they urged, "and
march against the Mexicans." For the doings of the Spaniards had echoed
through the land already, with a tale of smitten tribes and broken
idols. But the wily old Xicotencatl thought otherwise. "What do we know
of their purpose?" was his counsel; so it was agreed that the army of
the Tlascalans and Otomies, who were in force near the frontier, under
the command of the fiery young warrior--son of old Xicotencatl, and
bearing the same name--should attack them. "If we fail," the old
barbarian urged, "we will disavow the act of our general; if we win--"!

The stone fortification at the valley's end had bee