with respect
to inheritance, among the ancient Mexicans,"--"On the social
organization and mode of government of the ancient Mexicans,"
_Peabody Museum Reports_, vol. ii., 1876-79, pp. 95-161,
385-448, 557-699.]

[Sidenote: The Aztec confederacy.]

At this point in our exposition a very concise summary of Mr.
Bandelier's results will suffice to enable the reader to understand
their import. What has been called the "empire of Montezuma" was in
reality a confederacy of three tribes, the Aztecs, Tezcucans, and
Tlacopans,[108] dwelling in three large composite pueblos situated very
near together in one of the strongest defensive positions ever occupied
by Indians. This Aztec confederacy extended its "sway" over a
considerable portion of the Mexican peninsula, but that "sway" could not
correctly be described as "empire," for it was in no sense a military
occupation of the country. The confederacy did not have garrisons in
subject pueblos or civil officials to administer their affairs for them.
It simply sent some of its chiefs about from one pueblo to another to
collect tribute. This tax consisted in great part of maize and other
food, and each tributary pueblo reserved a certain portion of its tribal
territory to be cultivated for the benefit of the domineering
confederacy. If a pueblo proved delinquent or recalcitrant, Aztec
warriors swooped down upon it in stealthy midnight assault, butchered
its inhabitants and emptied its granaries, and when the paroxysm of rage
had spent itself, went exulting homeward, carrying away women for
concubines, men to be sacrificed, and such miscellaneous booty as could
be conveyed without wagons or beasts to draw them.[109] If the sudden
assault, with scaling ladders, happened to fail, the assailants were
likely to be baffled, for there was no artillery, and so little food
could be carried that a siege meant starvation for the besiegers.

[Footnote 108: In the Iroquois confederacy the Mohawks enjoyed
a certain precedence or seniority, the Onondagas had the
central council-fire, and the Senecas, who had the two head
war-chiefs, were much the most numerous. In the Mexican
confederacy the various points of superiority seem to have been
more concentrated in the Aztecs; but spoils and tribute were
divided into five portions, of which Mexico and Tezcuco each
took two, and Tlacopan one.]