Part 8 (1/2)
CHAPTER VII.
THE METROPOLIS INVADED.
The ride through Tenocht.i.tlan.--Visit to the market-place.--The pyramidal temple.--View from the summit.--The gong.--Indignation of Cortez.--The chapel.--General appearance of the city.--Apprehension from the natives.--The Tlascalans anxious for war.--The trap.-- Situation of the city.--Cortez determines to seize Montezuma.--The pretext.--Engagement at Vera Cruz.--Cortez demands atonement.-- Montezuma declares his innocence.--Montezuma called upon to surrender himself a prisoner.--Montezuma conveyed to the Spanish quarters.--The body-guard.--Qualpopoca arrested.--Condemned to be burned alive.-- Atrocious insult to Montezuma.--Execution of the victims.--Cortez the emperor.--The Spanish commission.--Contributions exacted.--Discontent of the soldiers.--Building of the brigantines.--Indignation of Cacamatzin.--His arrest and imprisonment.--Acknowledgment of va.s.salage.--Indignation of the n.o.bles.--Cortez determines to overthrow the system of idolatry.--Opposition.--Indications of trouble.-- Hards.h.i.+ps endured.--Alarming intelligence.--An armament sent after Cortez.--Surrender of Vera Cruz demanded.--The envoy sent to Cortez.
--Montezuma elated.--Preparations for war.--Terms of accommodation.
--Cortez marches on Narvaez.--The storm.--Narvaez's army seeks shelter.--The harangue and the attack.--Narvaez made prisoner.--The surrender.--Artfulness of Cortez.--The insurrection in the metropolis.
--Disaffection of the inhabitants.--They arrive at the causeway.-- Cause of the insurrection.--Displeasure of Cortez.--His insolent manner.--Diaz's record.--Motives for the attack.--The ma.s.sacre intended to prevent insurrection.
The next morning, Cortez, with a showy retinue of hors.e.m.e.n, prancing through streets upon which hoof had never before trodden, called upon the emperor. The streets were lined, and the roofs of the houses crowded with mult.i.tudes gazing upon the amazing spectacle. The Spanish chieftain was kindly received by the emperor, and three days were appointed to introduce him to all the objects of interest in the capital. Tenocht.i.tlan was the native name by which the imperial city was then known.
They first visited the great public square or market-place. An immense concourse was here a.s.sembled, engaged in peaceful traffic.
Three judges sat in state at the end of the square, to settle all difficulties. A numerous body of police, ever moving through the crowd, prevented all riot or confusion. Though there were many other minor market-places scattered through the city, this was the princ.i.p.al one.
Cortez then expressed the wish that he might be conducted to the great pyramidal temple, which reared its lofty structure from the heart of the city. The summit of the pyramid was an extended plain, where several hundred priests could officiate in sacrifice. The corners of the area were ornamented with towers. One hundred and fourteen steps led to the summit of the temple. Several large altars stood here, besmeared with the blood of human sacrifices, and there was also a hideous image of a dragon polluted with gore.
From this towering eminence the whole adjacent country lay spread out before the eye of Cortez in surpa.s.sing loveliness. Gardens, groves, villages, waving fields of grain, and the wide expanse of the placid lakes, covered with boats gliding rapidly over the mirrored waters, presented a scene of beauty which excited the enthusiasm of Cortez to the highest pitch. They then entered the sanctuaries of the temple, where human hearts were smoking, and almost throbbing, upon the altars before the revolting images of their G.o.ds. On the summit of the temple there was an enormous drum or gong, which was struck when the miserable victim was shrieking beneath the knife of sacrifice. Its doleful tones, it was said, floating over the still waters of the lake, could be heard at the distance of many miles.
From these sickening scenes Cortez turned away in disgust, and exclaimed indignantly to Montezuma,
”How can you, wise and powerful as you are, put trust in such representatives of the devil? Why do you allow your people to be butchered before these abominable idols? Let me place here the cross, and the image of the blessed Virgin and of her Son, and the influence of these detestable idols will soon vanish.”
Montezuma, shocked by words which he deemed so blasphemous, and dreading the swift vengeance of the G.o.ds, hurried his irreverent guest away.
”Go,” said he, ”go hence, I entreat you, while I remain to appease, if possible, the wrath of the G.o.ds whom you have so dreadfully provoked.”
But these scenes aroused anew the religious zeal of Cortez and his companions. As they returned to their lodgings, they immediately converted one of the halls of their residence into a Christian chapel.
Here the rites of the Roman Catholic Church were introduced, and the whole army of Cortez, with soldierly devotion, attended ma.s.s every day. Good Father Olmedo, with perhaps a clouded intellect, but with that recognition of the universal brotherhood of man which sincere piety ever confers, prayed fervently for G.o.d's blessing upon his frail children of every name and nation.
The Spaniards estimated the population of the city at about five hundred thousand. The streets were very regularly laid out at right angles. Many of them were wide, and lined with shade-trees. The houses of the common people were small but comfortable cottages, built of reeds or of bricks baked in the sun. The dwellings of the n.o.bles and of the more wealthy inhabitants were strongly-built mansions of stone, very extensive on the ground floor, though generally but one story high. They were inclosed in gardens blooming with flowers. Fountains of cool water, conveyed through earthen pipes, played in the court-yards. The police regulations were unsurpa.s.sed by those of any city in Europe. A thousand persons were continually employed in sweeping and watering the streets. So clean were the well-cemented pavements kept, that ”a man could walk through the streets,” says one of the Spanish historians, ”with as little danger of soiling his feet as his hands.”
Day after day was pa.s.sed in the interchange of visits, and in the careful examination by Cortez of the strength and the resources of the city. He had now been a week in the capital, and the question naturally arose, What is next to be done? He was, indeed, perplexed to decide this question. Montezuma treated him with such extraordinary hospitality, supplying all his wants, and leaving him at perfect liberty, that it was difficult for one, who laid any claim whatever to a conscience, to find occasion to pick a quarrel. To remain inactive, merely enjoying the luxury of a most hospitable entertainment, was not only accomplis.h.i.+ng nothing, but was also enervating the army. It was also to be apprehended that the Mexicans would gradually regain their courage as they counted the small number of the invaders, and fall upon them with resistless power.
The Tlascalans, who had rioted in blood at Cholula, seemed anxious for a renewal of that scene of awful butchery in the streets of Mexico.
They a.s.sured Cortez that he had every thing to fear from the treachery of Montezuma; that he had lured them into the city but to inclose them in a trap; that the drawbridges of the causeways need but be removed, and escape for the Spaniards would be impossible. They a.s.sured him that the Mexican priests had counseled Montezuma, in the name of the G.o.ds, to admit the strangers into the capital that he might cut them off at a blow. It was obvious, even to the meanest soldier, that all this might be true, and that they were in reality in a trap from which it would be exceedingly difficult to extricate themselves, should the Mexicans manifest any resolute hostility.
On the east the island city had no connection with the main land, and could only be approached over the broad waters of the lake by canoes.
On the west the city was entered by an artificial causeway, built of earth and stone, a mile and a half in length, and but thirty feet in breadth. A similar causeway on the northwest, three miles long, connected the city with the main land. There was another causeway on the south, six miles long. There were many openings along these causeways, through which the waters of the lake flowed unimpeded.
These openings were bridged over by means of timber. The destruction of these bridges, which might be accomplished at any hour, would render an escape for the Spaniards almost impossible.
[Ill.u.s.tration: CITY OF MEXICO.]
In this dilemma, the bold Spaniard adopted the audacious yet characteristic plan of seizing Montezuma, who was regarded with almost religious adoration by his subjects, and holding him as a hostage. The following occurrence furnished Cortez with a plausible pretext to pick a quarrel.
We have before mentioned that the Totonacs, wis.h.i.+ng to escape from the subjection of the Mexicans, had acknowledged themselves va.s.sals of the King of Spain. When the officers of Montezuma attempted, as usual, to collect the taxes, the Totonacs refused payment. Force was resorted to, and a conflict arose. The colony at Vera Cruz immediately sent some soldiers to aid their allies, headed by Escalente, the commander of the Spanish garrison. In the engagement which ensued, Escalente and seven of his men were mortally wounded, one horse was killed, and one Spaniard taken captive, who soon, however, died of his wounds. Still the Spaniards, with their Totonac allies, were victorious, and repelled the Mexicans with much slaughter. The vanquished party cut off the head of their unfortunate prisoner, and carried it in triumph to several cities, to show that their foes were not invulnerable.