214

IX. THE CAPITAL BESIEGED AND CAPTURED 246

X. THE CONQUEST CONSUMMATED 281

XI. THE EXPEDITION TO HONDURAS 305

XII. THE LAST DAYS OF CORTEZ 330

ENGRAVINGS.

Page

AMERICA DISCOVERED 16

CORTEZ TAKING LEAVE OF THE GOVERNOR 47

CUBA 52

THE FIRST MASS IN THE TEMPLES OF YUCATAN 61

FIRST CAVALRY CHARGE HEADED BY CORTEZ 73

INTERVIEW BETWEEN CORTEZ AND THE EMBASSADORS
OF MONTEZUMA 94

ROUTE OF CORTEZ 105

DESTROYING THE IDOLS AT ZEMPOALLA 120

MASSACRE IN CHOLULA 161

FIRST VIEW OF THE MEXICAN CAPITAL 168

THE MEETING OF CORTEZ AND MONTEZUMA 177

THE CITY OF MEXICO 190

THE FALL OF MONTEZUMA 222

THE BATTLE UPON THE CAUSEWAY 232

THE CAPTURE OF GUATEMOZIN 260

HERNANDO CORTEZ.

CHAPTER I.

THE DISCOVERY OF MEXICO.

The shore of America in 1492.--Doubt and alarm.--A light appears.--He
watches the light.--The shore is seen.--The Spaniards land and are
hospitably received.--Mexico is discovered.--Arts and sciences of the
Mexicans.--The mines of precious metals.--Code of laws.--Punishments.
--Slavery.--Military glory.--Mexican mythology.--The three states of
existence.--Infant baptism.--Worship.--The temples and altars.--Mode
of offering sacrifice.--City of Mexico.--Montezuma.--Civilization of
the inhabitants.--The Governor of Cuba resolves to subjugate the
country.--Motives for carrying on conquests.--Hernando Cortez.

Three hundred and fifty years ago the ocean which washes the shores of
America was one vast and silent solitude. No ship plowed its waves; no
sail whitened its surface. On the 11th of October, 1492, three small
vessels might have been seen invading, for the first time, these
hitherto unknown waters. They were as specks on the bosom of infinity.
The sky above, the oc