y the whole nation.

"Sometimes before these commenced," the merchant said, "the earth
trembled and shook, so that men could scarce stand upon it: Houses
were thrown down, and terrible destruction of life and property
took place. Fortunately, these are rare occurrences; but several of
them have taken place since the time when the Aztecs first
established themselves here."

The passage through this range was attended with real hardship.
Roger, accustomed to our English winter only in the mild climate of
South Devonshire, felt the cold to be severe; but the natives
suffered far more, and the merchants continued their march right
through one night, for the labor of carrying their burdens kept the
blood of the thinly clad slaves in motion; whereas, if they had
halted, many would have succumbed to the cold. At last the path
began to descend, and soon after daybreak, as the road crossed a
shoulder of the hill, they saw a plateau similar to that they had
left, stretching out below them as far as the eye could reach.

Even at the height at which they were standing, Roger could see
that it was densely populated. Villages were scattered thickly, and
the forest was restricted to patches, here and there, the greater
portion of the land being under cultivation.

Directly in front rose the lofty buildings and temples of a town of
considerable size. Seen through the clear mountain air it seemed
but three or four miles away, and Roger had difficulty in believing
the merchants, when they assured him that it was fully twenty. This
was Tepeaca.

The slaves, wearied as they were, quickened in their pace; and in
two hours they emerged from the mountain gorges onto the temperate
plateau. Here they halted for some hours near a post house, a
courier being sent on to Tepeaca, to inform the king's envoys that
they had arrived thus far; and to ask whether they should proceed
at noon, when the slaves had rested, or make their entry into the
town in the morning.

In a little over four hours the answer was received. The merchants
were directed to wait where they were until three hours after noon,
then to move forward until they arrived within eight miles of the
town, and then to halt for the night, and to start again at sunrise
next morning.

Roger was as glad as were the slaves that he had not another
fifteen miles' march before him, for the journey had been a most
fatiguing one. He thought that the absolute distance traversed did
not ex