unciamientos_. Five of these have
been made by himself; three by others, for his benefit. Twice he has
been chosen President by the Federal party of the Federal Republic of
Mexico. Three times he has been made President by the Central, or
Ecclesiastical party. He has been twice banished from Mexico, and each
time recalled again and placed at the head of affairs. He has twice
been taken prisoner, when his captors held long consultations upon the
propriety of putting him to death. He has, in turn, been the candidate
of all parties, and has served all parties faithfully in turn, but most
faithfully of all he has served himself. Actively engaged through life
as a politician and a soldier, he has found time to readjust the whole
complicated system of Mexican laws, and, in a series of volumes of
autocratic decrees, he has drawn from that chaotic mass a new system of
jurisprudence, that will stand as a monument of his genius as long as
the Mexican nation shall continue.

[15] _Breva Resena Historica_, by Gen. Tornel. Mexico, 1852.
p. 135.

CHAPTER XI.

From Puebla to Mexico.--The Dread of Robbers.--The Escort--Tlascala.--The
Exaggerations of Cortez and Bernal Diaz.--The Truth about Tlascala.--The
Advantages of Tlascala to Cortez.--Who was Bernal Diaz.--Who wrote his
History.--First View of Mexico.

At early twilight, two stage-loads of passengers, drawn rapidly by
twelve wild horses through the now deserted streets of Puebla,
approached the gate that opened out upon the road to Mexico. The rattle
of the wheels and the clatter of so many hoofs had awakened the
gatekeeper, and at our approach the ponderous portals that inclosed the
city by night flew open, and away we whirled out into the beautiful
vega of Puebla.

In times of civil disorder, this is a fine field for robbers to ply
their vocation in; and even now, when all was quiet, there was no
little apprehension of a visit from these sovereigns of the road. The
passengers had noticed my unmistakable Anglo-Saxon name, as it was
called at the stage-door, and, when I had taken my seat, an elegant,
long Colt's revolver was passed to me by a passenger in full uniform.
Such is one of the advantages that a traveler enjoys who belongs to a
race of men of acknowledged courage--an advantage that enabled we to
travel alone across the continent without encumbering myself with a
weapon; for, where all supposed me fully armed, and skilled in the use
of weapons b