proach the
capital. After eight days at the most, which however seemed a long time
to the Spaniards, who were suffering from the intense heat of the
climate, the embassy, accompanied by the governor Tenhtlile, reached the
camp, and presented to Cortes the magnificent treasure sent by
Montezuma. One of the two nobles had been sent on account of his great
likeness to the picture of Cortes which the Aztec painter had executed
for Montezuma. This resemblance was so striking that the Spanish
soldiers always called this chief 'the Mexican Cortes.' After the usual
ceremonious salutes, the slaves unrolled the delicately wrought mats and
displayed the gifts they had brought. There were shields, helmets, and
cuirasses embossed with plates and ornaments of pure gold, with collars
and bracelets of the same precious metal, sandals, fans, plumes, and
crests of variegated feathers wrought with gold and silver thread and
sprinkled with pearls and precious stones. Also imitations of birds and
animals in wrought or cast gold and silver of exquisite workmanship; and
curtain coverlets and robes of cotton, fine as silk--of rich and varied
hues--interwoven with feather-work that rivalled the most delicate
painting. There were more than thirty loads of cotton cloth, and the
Spanish helmet was returned filled to the brim with grains of gold. But
the things which excited the most admiration were two circular plates of
gold and silver as large as carriage-wheels. One, representing the sun,
was richly carved with plants and animals, and was worth fifty-two
thousand five hundred pounds. The Spaniards could not conceal their
rapture at this exhibition of treasure which exceeded their utmost
dreams; and when they had sufficiently admired it the ambassadors
courteously delivered their message, which was to the effect that
Montezuma had great pleasure in holding communication with so powerful a
monarch as the King of Spain, but he could not grant a personal
interview to the Spaniards; the way to his capital was too long and too
dangerous. Therefore the strangers must return to their own land with
the gifts he had sent them. Cortes, though much vexed, concealed his
annoyance and expressed his sense of the emperor's munificence. It made
him, he said, only the more desirous of a personal interview, so that he
felt it was impossible that he should present himself again before his
sovereign without having accomplished this great object of his journey.
He on