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death by these ferocious animals. In the native village was found a
large quantity of both gold and jewels.
Some of the Castilians had been struck by arrows, so they were
now left behind. The rest pressed on, for they had reached the foot
of the large mountain from the top of which the friendly chief had
declared that one could view the vast expanse of water beyond. All
were cheerful and sang songs from old Madrid in order to make the
journey a more joyous one.
That night they camped near a spring of crystal water and in the
morning emerged from the forest at the foot of an eminence from
which their friends, the natives, told them that they could see the
ocean.
Now note how Balboa did the same thing which another explorer
was criticized for doing many years later. He left his party behind, in
order that no one might share the honor of discovery, and climbed
alone to the mountain top. Up, up, he clambered, and at last stood
upon the summit. Hurrah! he had found what he had suffered great
hardship and privation to find. There before his eager gaze lay
another ocean.
The adventurous explorer sank upon the soil and feasted his eyes
upon the scene. Beyond a wide, intervening belt of rocks and forest,
and seen through the swaying branches of green savannah trees,
was that vast, mysterious ocean of which Columbus had heard, but
which no European had yet beheld. It lay there gleaming, glistening,
rising and falling, beckoning to the adventurous to sail upon its
surface and find danger,—and treasure.
Balboa reclined there for a long time, dreaming, speculating, and
thanking his lucky star that he had at last seen this once fabled
sheet of water, for now he could go before King Ferdinand and be
sure of a cordial reception. Then he arose and climbed down the side
of the mountain to where his followers lay drowsing.
“Come, men!” he cried. “I have found it, the Mal de Sur
(Southern Ocean).”
 The men scrambled to the summit in no time, and, when they,
too, saw the gray, rolling billows, they set up a wild cheering. The Te
Deum was chanted, a cross was erected, and, from this lofty
eminence, Balboa cried out that he took possession of this sheet of
water, with all of its islands and surrounding lands, in the name of
his master, the King of Spain. Then again a hymn was sung and all
clambered down to the lowland where they feasted right merrily. It
had been an eventful hour for these hard-marching, hard-mannered
swashbucklers from Darien.
This was the twenty-sixth day of September, 1513, a day to be
long remembered by Balboa, for he felt a great weight lifted from his
shoulders as he thought of that letter which Lamudio had sent all the
way from Spain. His men had taken twenty days in crossing a strip of
territory scarcely forty miles in width, so you can well imagine how
tangled must have been this tropic underbrush. Yet, unmindful of
their hardships, they now set forth to journey to the very sea-coast,
and to there touch the water of this newly discovered Mal de Sur.
 BALBOA TAKING POSSESSION OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN
IN THE NAME OF THE KING OF SPAIN

The Castilians descended the slope of the high mountains and

sought for the rich kingdoms of which they had heard the natives
speak. But they found nothing remarkable save some wild thickets
and impenetrable bogs.
 Finally they passed through the territory of a warlike chieftain
who came out to stop their progress and forbade them to set foot
within his dominions. He drew up his followers in close array, and
seemed to be quite willing to fight; but a volley from the
arquebusiers scattered his followers like chaff before the wind. The
chieftain soon gave himself up, and, in order to gain the favor of the
Spaniards, brought them a quantity of gold. This pleased Balboa
greatly and he tarried in the native village for several days.
Then separate parties were dispatched to the sea in order to find
the best route by which it could be approached. One of these bands,
in which was a fellow named Alonzo Martin, reached the water
before any one else, and at a place where were several canoes.
Alonzo jumped into one of these, and, pushing it into the waves,
cried out to his companions:
“See, my friends, I am the first European to ever sail upon the
new ocean.”
Balboa followed soon afterwards, and, taking a banner upon
which was painted a picture of the Virgin and child, and under them
the royal arms of Spain, drew his sword, waded to his knees in the
water, and solemnly declared that this belonged to his sovereign,
together with all the adjacent lands from pole to pole, as long as the
world should endure and until the final day of judgment. Then he
came back to the beach where his few followers cheered lustily.
The climate was hot and muggy, but the Spaniards were keen
and enterprising and soon had explored a considerable area. The
Indians were friendly and gave them gifts of gold and pearls, of
which a quantity was set aside for shipment to Spain. Stories were
told by the natives of a country far to the south where was more
gold than could be ever seen in this particular land. The chattering
brown-skinned Indians also spoke of animals, resembling a deer,
which the southern people used for transporting their luggage. They
showed the Spaniards a figure molded in clay which was said to be
the baggage-bearer of these natives to the south. It seemed to be
somewhat like a deer and somewhat like a camel in appearance, in
fact, was the llama, which Pizarro later came upon in far-distant
Peru. The tales of this country and these animals stirred up many
thoughts in the active mind of Balboa, and he conceived the idea of
sailing to that mysterious realm and taking possession of it, even as
he had seized the Isthmus of Panama.
The Spaniards had now seen about all that was to be seen, and it
was time to march across the mountains towards Darien. With their
usual cheerfulness the adventurers started for their home port,
carrying along a great quantity of gold and pearls, and also a stock
of provisions, which was transported by friendly natives. But, as they
tramped into the country, they secured more gold, and, because
they loaded the Indians with this instead of with food, they came
near dying of hunger. They met many hostile chiefs, among whom
was a fellow who had eighty wives. He was called Tubanama, and,
although he put up a stiff fight for his freedom, he was captured. His
people ransomed him by means of many golden ornaments, and,
thus appeased, the Castilians marched onward, naming this country
Panama, after the wily chieftain.
Balboa was now prostrated by fever and had to be borne along in
a hammock by the natives. The heat and humidity of the swampy
country caused many of his followers to become ill and this delayed
the march. Still, the little caravan kept on, and, on the eighteenth
day of January, reached Darien, after an absence of four and a half
months in this journey of exploration. The entire population turned
out to welcome the discoverer of the Pacific, who returned laden
with pearls, golden ornaments and plates of embossed silver. There
was also a long train of captive natives who followed in the rear. The
trip had been a glorious success and all cheered lustily for Balboa:
adventurer, explorer, and first European to view the Pacific Ocean.
The time was now opportune for a missive to the King of Spain,
for the adventurous explorer knew that Ferdinand would not oust a
man from office who had added such a vast domain to his
possessions. So he dispatched a special envoy to Madrid, with a
letter which gave a full account of this overland journey. He also
added a gift of glittering pearls and one-fifth of the gold which he
had secured, this being the regular tax which the Spanish
government imposed upon all its subjects.
The vessel was delayed in sailing, and the delay was fatal, for the
King of Spain had resolved to appoint another Governor of Panama
in place of Balboa, as he had listened to the story of Encisco and had
decided that he had been very unjustly treated by this upstart from
Hispaniola, who had escaped from his debtors in a cask. A man
named Pedrarias had been selected for the post and he was already
on his way, accompanied by a host of adventurers who had heard
that Darien was a country of enormous wealth. There were, in fact,
fully two thousand men, who were eager for adventure in this new-
found territory.
Pedrarias, with his many followers, had scarcely put to sea,
before a ship sailed into the harbor of Seville bearing the envoy from
Balboa. He delivered his letters to Ferdinand, told him of the
discovery of this wonderful new ocean, and presented the King with
the golden vessels and trinkets which his faithful subject had sent
him.
The King opened his eyes in wonder and surprise. Why, he might
have made an error after all! This fellow was a pretty good sort,—a
discoverer of new territory, of a new ocean, indeed. He had also sent
him considerable treasure. Well! Well! Well! The King decided that he
had acted somewhat hastily. He would send another missive to far-
off Darien, and would make the excellent Balboa a colleague of
Pedrarias, and entitled to equal honor. That would be proper
recognition for all that this man had done for the crown of Castile
and should satisfy him, without a doubt.
Meanwhile Pedrarias was sailing towards the Isthmus and
eventually landed at Darien, where, at the head of two thousand
men in gorgeous array, he made a triumphant entry into the town.
The cavaliers from Spain had expected to find a brilliant city, with
food in abundance and treasure piled high on every side. Instead of
this they found Balboa wearing a cotton suit and a Panama hat. His
five hundred seasoned veterans were clad in loose cotton clothes,
and were living in straw-thatched cabins on roots and cassava-bread.
They also had no wine, but were drinking water.
The newcomers were grievously disappointed at what they found
here in the colony. The climate was hot and sticky and fever soon
carried off a score of victims. Others sickened and died of various
complaints, so that, within a very short time, seven hundred of these
dashing cavaliers had passed to the great beyond. A ship-load of the
gay blades now sailed back to Spain, for they had seen all that they
desired of this new country. Another ship-load soon followed them to
Cuba.
Several expeditions were sent into the interior after gold, but
they suffered ill fortune. One of these parties was defeated by the
warlike chieftain Tubanama. Another small army, sent out by
Pedrarias, was overwhelmed and butchered to a man: only one small
Indian boy escaping to tell the tale of the massacre. The friends of
Balboa began to murmur against this newly-appointed Governor and
to cry out, that, should their own leader be in control, there would
be no such disasters.
Pedrarias realized that his own position was getting to be
insecure, and decided that he had better form an alliance with
Balboa by giving him one of his daughters in marriage. He suggested
this to his rival and the other accepted the offer gladly. Thus a
written agreement was drawn up and signed by both parties
whereby the young lady was to be joined in wedlock to Balboa just
as soon as she could be brought from Spain. All now looked
favorable for a peaceful rule in the Isthmus.
Balboa’s restless mind soon conceived the idea of another
expedition,—or: a second journey to the Pacific coast. This he
wished to explore, and, since there were no vessels upon the other
side of the mountains, nor could he build any, should he attempt the
feat, he decided to cut and shape the timbers on the Atlantic coast
and to transport them across the Isthmus to the Pacific. A worthy
undertaking and one which took great courage and perseverance!
Let us see how it came out!
 The Spaniards set diligently to work and soon had shaped the
timbers for two brigantines, with all the necessary spars and rigging.
It was a stupendous undertaking to transport these to the other
shore, yet the feat was accomplished. The timbers were carried over
the mountains by the miserable natives, who had been enslaved by
the greedy Castilians, and they did good work. Although hundreds
perished on the journey, the fact gave their master little concern.
Finally the caravan had arrived upon the Pacific coast, the ships
were put together, and floated upon the waters of the new-found
ocean. Hurray! The first European vessel had been launched upon
the far away Pacific and the proud flag of Spain floated from her
masthead.
Balboa and his compatriots boarded their ships and headed
south, bound to sail to that far distant land of which the natives had
told him. But stormy winds were met with, so the men put back,
sailed to the point which they had started from, and determined to
make two more vessels before they would again depart for the land
of the llama and glittering gold. Alas! busy tongues had been
working against Balboa since he had left Darien and it was to go ill
with this intrepid explorer.
The vessels were greatly in need of iron and of pitch, so it was
decided to send across the mountains for these. Balboa, himself
accompanied his men, and, as he advanced through the forest, was
met by a messenger who presented a letter from Governor
Pedrarias. It was couched in the friendliest of terms and bade him
come at once to Darien in order to confer with him upon matters of
the utmost importance. Balboa smiled, for matters were apparently
going well with him.
The weak old Governor, however, had been stirred up by the
enemies of the discoverer of the Pacific, to such a point, that he was
in a fit of jealous rage. Some had told him that Balboa had no
intention of marrying his daughter, as he was about to take unto
himself an Indian girl as wife. Others whispered that he and his men
were about to start an independent government on the Pacific coast
and throw off their allegiance to the Spanish crown. Pedrarias
determined to arrest this successful adventurer as soon as he should
arrive.
Balboa, meanwhile, was approaching the Atlantic sea-coast with
a light heart, and a feeling that all would go well with him. What was
his surprise when he was met by a cavalier called Pizarro, with an
armed force, and was told that, by orders of the Governor, he was a
prisoner. Yet he submitted quietly and was taken to Darien in irons.
There he found that the irascible Governor had determined to try
him for treason, and, if he could, to do away with him.
A trial was soon held, and the venturesome navigator was
charged with treasonable intentions. There was no evidence against
him that was not trumped-up for the occasion, yet he pleaded his
innocence in vain.
“How preposterous is this charge of my determination to usurp
the power here,” said he. “I have four vessels and three hundred
devoted followers upon the other coast. Should I have so wished, I
could have sailed away far beyond the Governor’s reach, and could
have founded a colony of mine own in far-distant Peru. My coming
here is good evidence that I had no desire to disobey the summons
of the Governor. I am innocent of these so-called offenses.”
In spite of all that he could say, the judges found him guilty, yet
recommended mercy because of his wonderful discoveries and
evident patriotism for Spain. The Governor, however, would entertain
no suggestion of this nature.
“If he is guilty, let him die, and the sooner the better,” said the
irate Pedrarias, scowling. “To the block with him!”
So they took brave Balboa out and beheaded him in spite of all
the renown which he had won. The discoverer of the Pacific met his
end with calm indifference, and, as the news of this was borne to the
people of Darien, many wept tears for the man who had founded
their city and had brought much honor to the Spanish flag. Thus, in
the very prime of his manhood, perished one of the greatest
explorers which the world has produced, and, although he was foully
and brutally murdered by his own people, his fame will last as long
as men love those of courage, of daring, and of imagination.
 HERNANDO CORTÉS:
CONQUEROR OF MEXICO.

(1485-1547)
Lift high the golden goblets and quaff to our leader bold,
Who came from Cuba’s heated sands to gather Aztec gold,
His heart was big with courage; with his hands he seized the helm,
And he gathered the power and gained the dower of Montezuma’s realm.
The muffled war drums mocked him, from the top of the white stone
wall,
And the maddened priests reviled him as they heard his trumpets call.
His Tlascalan allies trembled at the curse of the warriors red,
But the cry was ever “Onward!” to the city’s fountain head.
To the top of the teocalli where the eagle banner floats,
Where the evil gods are smiling and Huitzilopochtli gloats;
Up! Up! our leader clambered. Up! Up! and won the prize,
Hurrah! Hurrah! for Cortés! Come victors, drink as we rise!
Song of the Spanish Cavaliers, 1519.
 HERNANDO CORTÉS:

CONQUEROR OF MEXICO.

(1485-1547)

T
O the brave belong the spoils. To him, who ventures much,
sometimes comes a great reward.
Here is the story of a man who determined to conquer an
empire with but a handful of followers,—and accomplished his
purpose. Although it seems to be a romance, it is a series of facts.
Strange, wonderful, almost unbelievable, yet true; for truth, they
say, is sometimes stranger than fiction. Listen, then, to this tale of as
valiant a soul as ever led fighting men on to victory!
Long, long ago, when fat King Henry the Eighth ruled over Merrie
England, and Charles the Fifth was King of Spain, there lived a
young Spanish cavalier called Hernando Cortés. He was a wild youth
and did not care for books or study. In fact, although his parents
wished him to be a lawyer and, when he was fourteen years of age,
sent him to an excellent school, he would not learn his lessons and
so was asked to leave the institution. Returning home, he greatly
annoyed his good father and mother by cutting up and playing all
kinds of pranks, so that they were glad to learn he had determined
to join an expedition which was setting out for that New World so
lately discovered by Columbus.
 Shortly after this decision he fell from the top of a high wall,
upon which he had been climbing after wild grapes, and hurt himself
so grievously that he could not walk. It was therefore impossible for
him to join the adventurers who were heading for the New World.
The ship set sail without him.
For two years longer, young Cortés remained at home, and then,
finding that another expedition was about to set sail, he obtained
permission to join this fleet, bound for the West Indies. He was now
nineteen years of age and was extremely agile and sinewy. His face
was pale, his eyes piercing, and his hair raven black. He was looking
for adventure and was determined to bear himself right valiantly in
whatever situation he should find himself.
The fleet set sail, and arrived without accident at Hispaniola.
Cortés went immediately to see the Governor of the island, whom he
had known in Spain.
“You must remain here and become a good citizen,” said the
Spanish dignitary to him. “I will therefore present you with a grant of
land which I hope that you will cultivate.”
“I came to get gold, not to till the ground like a peasant,” said
Cortés. “And I am anxious for adventure.”
The Governor laughed.
“You had better become a farmer,” said he. “There is more
money in crops than there is in searching for gold.”
Six years passed, six rather monotonous years for Cortés,
although he occasionally joined some expeditions against the
natives, where he learned how to endure toil and danger, and
became familiar with the tactics of Indian warfare. At length, in
1511, when Diego Velasquez, the Governor’s Lieutenant, undertook
the conquest of Cuba, Cortés gladly became one of his followers,
and, throughout the expedition, conducted himself right valiantly.
The Spaniards conquered the country; but when, later on, there
was distribution of lands and of offices, great discontent arose.
Those who believed that they had been ill-used, chose Cortés to
journey back to Hispaniola and lay their grievances before the higher
authorities. This reached the ears of Velasquez. He ordered that the
youthful Cortés should be bound, loaded with fetters, and thrown
into prison. The act was humiliating, but it was what those of
Spanish blood were accustomed to do to one another. Note,
however, how the young man conducted himself!
Cortés soon succeeded in escaping from the irons which encircled
him, and, letting himself down from the window of the jail, took
refuge in the nearest church, where he claimed that he could not be
touched, as he was under the protection of the priests. Velasquez
heard of this, was very angry, and stationed a guard near the
sanctuary, with orders to seize the youthful Spaniard, should he
endeavor to get off. Cortés was careless, wandered, one day, quite
far from the church door, and was immediately captured.
Velasquez determined to get rid of the young adventurer, this
time, so had him carried on board a ship which was to sail, next day,
for Hispaniola. But Cortés was again too clever for him. By great
exertion he managed to drag his feet through the rings which
fettered him, and, dropping silently over the side of the ship into a
little boat, made off in the darkness.
As he neared the shore, the water became so rough that the
boat was useless, so he dove overboard and swam the rest of the
way. He was tossed up upon the beach in a half-dazed condition; but
finally arose, made his way to the church, and hid himself in the
sanctuary. Velasquez had no idea where he had disappeared to.
Shortly after this the bold adventurer married a lady named
Catalina Xuarez whose family was friendly with the hard-hearted
Velasquez. Peace was therefore made with the Governor, and Cortés
received a large estate near St. Iago, where he lived for some years
and even amassed a considerable sum of money.
Here he was quietly residing when news came of an exploring
expedition which had set out in 1518 to find out what lay farther to
the west. It had been led by Grijalva, a nephew of Velasquez, and he
had touched at various places on the coast of Mexico. This was a
land inhabited by Indians called Aztecs who had named their country
after “Mexitili”: war god of their race.
 These Aztecs, it seems, had originally come down from the north,
and, after many wanderings, had halted on the western border of a
great lake which lay in a long valley, situated at a height of about
7,500 feet above the sea, so that the air was cool even in the hottest
weather. The valley, sixty odd miles in width, was surrounded by
towering rocks which were a protection from invasion.
The Aztecs were few in numbers when they first came to the
shores of the lake, but they increased rapidly in population and in
power. Nearby were other Indian tribes, and, as there was much
warfare between them, the Aztecs united themselves with the King
of the Tezcucans in order to aid him against a tribe called the
Tepanics, who had invaded his territory. The allies won, and, as a
result, an agreement was made between the states of Mexico,
Tezcuco, and Tlacopan, that they should support one another in the
wars and divide all the spoils between them. This alliance remained
unbroken for over a hundred years.
Although fond of warfare and cruel in their tortures to prisoners,
the Aztecs had many wise laws and institutions, and were, in some
respects, highly civilized. They were governed by an Emperor, and,
when he died, another one was chosen by four nobles from among
his sons or nephews. The one preferred was obliged to have
distinguished himself in war, and he was not crowned until he had
waged a successful campaign, had captured large numbers of the
enemy, and thus provided enough captives to grace his entry into
the capital.
The Aztecs worshiped thirteen principal gods, and more than two
hundred of less importance, whose temples were everywhere to be
seen. At the head of all the gods was the great Huitzilopochtli,
whose temples were in every city of the empire, and whose image
was always loaded with costly ornaments.
They also had a legend that there had once dwelt upon the earth
the great god, Quetzalcoatl, god of the air, under whose sway the
Aztec people had flourished and there had been peace and
prosperity among all men. He was said to have been tall in stature,
with a white skin, long, dark hair, and a flowing beard. He had, in
fact, quite resembled a Spaniard, and this led to the success which
Cortés had with the Mexicans, as you will presently see.
Quetzalcoatl, it was said, had in some way incurred the wrath of
the principal gods, so that he had been forced to leave the country.
He had turned towards the Gulf of Mexico, had stopped at the city of
Cholula, and had then departed in a magic boat, made of serpent’s
skins, to the fabled land of Tlapallan. Tradition had it that as he was
leaving, he had turned to the faithful ones who had followed him
saying: “Watch and wait for me, I shall come again.” For this reason
the Aztecs were ever on the lookout for the great and benevolent
god of the white skin and flowing beard.
As horses were not known, communication was held by means of
couriers, who, trained from childhood to run, traveled with amazing
swiftness. There were relay stations, or post houses, for these
couriers, and they would thus carry on their messages for a hundred
to two hundred miles in a day. In this manner the Emperor of the
Aztecs, as he sat in his palace in the City of Mexico, would feast
upon fresh fish, which, twenty-four hours before, had been caught in
the Gulf of Mexico, over two hundred miles away. Thus the news
was transmitted when war was in progress, and, as the messengers
came along the highways, the people knew whether the tidings were
good or bad, by the dress which they wore. If bad news, the runners
were in black. If good, in gay colors.
The one great object of all expeditions made by the Aztecs was
to capture victims to be sacrificed upon their altars. They believed
that the soldier who fell in battle was transported at once to the
blissful regions of the sun, and consequently they fought with an
utter disregard for danger. The dress of the warriors was
magnificent. Their bodies were protected by a belt of quilted cotton,
impervious to all darts or arrows, and over this the chiefs wore
mantles of gorgeous feather-work. Their helmets were made of
wood, fashioned so as to resemble the head of some wild animal,
and embellished with bits of gold and of silver. Their banners were
embroidered with gold and with feather-work.
 After the prisoners had been brought from the battle field they
were sacrificed to the gods in a most brutal and horrible manner.
The poor victim was held by five priests upon a huge, round,
sacrificial stone; while a sixth butcher, clothed in a scarlet mantle,
plunged a long knife into the breast of the writhing captive, and,
cutting out the heart, held it up first to the sun, which they
worshiped, and then cast it at the feet of the stone god. The dagger
used was as sharp as a razor and made of “itztli,” a volcanic
substance as hard as flint. This was not all. The body of the captive
thus sacrificed was afterwards given to the warrior who had taken
him in battle, who thereupon gave a great banquet and served him
up among choice dishes and delicious beverages, for the
entertainment of his friends.
The Aztecs called their temples, teocallis, which means, “Houses
of God,” and there were several hundred of them in each of the
principal cities. They looked like Egyptian pyramids, and were
divided into four or five stories, each one smaller than the one below
it. The ascent was by a flight of steps. At the top was a broad space
on which stood a tower, from forty to fifty feet high, which contained
the images of the gods. Before such a tower was the stone of
sacrifice and two lofty altars on which the sacred fires burned
continually. The floor was dyed crimson from the blood of the
helpless victims of the Aztec wars.
These people were unknown to the Spaniards, at this time, since
of them Grijalva sent back to Cuba only a few vague reports. It was
said, however, that the country was full of gold and of treasure.
When this news reached the ears of Cortés he was immediately
fired with a resolve to penetrate into this unknown land and to gain
great renown for himself. The Governor of Cuba, likewise,
determined to send out ships in order to follow up the discoveries of
Grijalva. Who should be put in command? Who was better, indeed,
than Hernando Cortés!
The Spanish adventurer, with the utmost energy, at once began
to purchase and to fit out ships. He used all the money that he had
saved and as much as he could persuade his friends to lend him, so
that it was not long before he was in possession of six vessels, while
three hundred recruits had signified their intention of sailing with
him.
But now the Spanish nature began to assert itself, for a jealousy
and distrust of Cortés took possession of the mind of Velasquez and
he determined to entrust the fleet to the hands of some one else.
This would have put an end to the aspirations of the youthful leader,
had it not been whispered to him that Velasquez was about to have
him removed from his place. He took care to checkmate the plans of
his former enemy. Summoning his officers secretly, he set sail that
very night with what supplies he was able to put his hands on,
although his ships were neither ready for a voyage, nor properly
provisioned.
Morning dawned and Velasquez heard that the fleet was under
weigh. He rose hastily, galloped to the ocean, and found Cortés in a
small boat drifting near the shore. The commander of the expedition
rowed back to within speaking distance.
“This is a courteous way of taking leave of me, truly,” cried the
angry Governor.
“Pardon me,” answered the young mariner. “Time presses and
there are some things which should be done even before they are
thought of. Good-bye, my friend; may you live to see the day when I
return a great man.”
With that he paddled to the fleet and ordered all hands to sail
away. This was November the 18th., 1518.
Shortly after this the vessels anchored off Trinidad, a town on the
southern coast of Cuba. Here Cortés landed, set up his standard,
and invited all, who wished to join the expedition, to come on with
him. He told them that there was great wealth to be gained and
attracted many volunteers to his banner. Finally, in February, he had
sufficient reënforcements assembled, so he set sail. He had eleven
vessels, one hundred and ten sailors, five hundred and fifty-three
soldiers, and two hundred Indians. He likewise had sixteen horses,
ten large guns, and four falconets, or light cannon.
 The fleet set out, touched upon the coast in several places, and
then reached the mouth of the Rio de Tabasco. The Spaniards
landed and found that the Indians were hostile and were drawn up
in great force against them. But Cortés had his cannon put ashore,
ordered an attack, and soon had captured both the town of Tabasco
and also many of the Indians, who saw the uselessness of further
fighting, and consequently came humbly to the Spaniards, bringing
presents and slaves. Among the latter was a beautiful Mexican girl
called Malinche who had fallen into the hands of the cacique of
Tabasco through some traders, to whom she had been sold by her
mother. The Spaniards always called her Marina, and, as she quickly
learned to speak their language, she was soon of inestimable
assistance to them as an interpreter. Cortés made her his secretary
and always kept her near him in the exciting days which followed.
By means of his interpreter, Cortés found that these Indians were
the subjects of the emperor Montezuma, and were governed by
Tenhtlile, one of the great nobles. He determined to send word to
the potentate who ruled over this country and to let him know that
he and his followers wished to see him.
Upon the day following, Tenhtlile arrived at the Spanish camp,
accompanied by a numerous retinue. The Indian chieftain asked
about the country of the strangers and the object of their visit.
“We are subjects of a powerful monarch beyond the seas,”
replied the leader of the adventurers, “who has heard of the
greatness of your Mexican Emperor and has sent me with a present
to be delivered to him in person, as a token of his good will. I would
be glad, therefore, to go immediately to his capital and trust that
you can guide me there.”
This seemed to annoy the Aztec noble, for he replied in a
haughty manner:
“How is it that you have been here only two days, and yet
demand to see my Emperor? I am surprised to learn that there lives
another monarch as powerful as Montezuma, but, if it is true that
you are his representative, I will communicate with my Emperor and
will forward to him the royal present sent by you. Meanwhile, pray
receive the gifts which I have brought for you.”
As he spoke, a number of slaves came forward and deposited ten
loads of gorgeous feather-work, and a wicker basket filled with
golden ornaments.
Cortés was greatly pleased with this show of friendliness, and
ordered his own soldiers to bring forth the presents for Montezuma.
These were an armchair richly carved and painted, a crimson cloth
cap with a gold medal, and a quantity of collars, bracelets and other
ornaments of cut glass, which much surprised the Aztecs, as this
was a country where there was no glass, and hence these were
more valuable than emeralds or sapphires.
“I see over there a soldier with a shining thing upon his head,”
now said Tenhtlile. “I should much like to send that to Montezuma,
for it will remind him of the one worn by the god Quetzalcoatl. Can I
not have it?”
“Certainly,” replied Cortes, “and I trust that you will ask the
Emperor to return it filled with the gold dust of the country, so that I
may compare it with that which is in mine own. If you must know it,
my kind friend, we Spaniards are troubled with a disease of the
heart for which gold is the only sure remedy. I trust, therefore, that
you will send us all that you can.”
While he was speaking, Cortés observed that one of the Indians
was busy with a pencil, and, on looking at his work, saw that he had
made a sketch of the Spaniards, their costumes, and weapons. This
was the celebrated picture writing, for which the Aztecs were
famous.
“You see,” said Tenhtlile, “the Emperor can thus get an excellent
idea of you and your followers.”
“Bring out the cavalry,” cried Cortes, at this. “We will show you
our wonderful horses.”
The appearance of the snorting steeds filled the natives with
astonishment, and, when the General ordered a cannon to be fired
off, the natives ran away in alarm. The painters, however, were very
busy, and faithfully recorded everything which the Spaniards
possessed, even putting in a picture of the ships as they swung at
anchor.
At length the Aztecs departed, with much bowing and scraping.
Their chief, Tenhtlile, seemed to be in a good humor and left orders
with his people to supply the Spanish general with all that he might
require until further instructions from the Emperor Montezuma.
Meanwhile great excitement was taking place in the Mexican
capital, for many seemed to think that the great god, Quetzalcoatl,
had returned to earth and was about to revisit the scenes of his
former life. Montezuma, himself, seemed to be undecided how to
act. When the picture writings, showing the Spanish invaders,
reached him, he summoned the Kings of Tezcuco and Tlacopan in
order to consult with them as to how the strangers should be
received. The three differed in their ideas, but finally Montezuma
resolved to send a rich present to Cortés which would impress him
with a high idea of the Emperor’s wealth and his grandeur. At the
same time he determined to forbid him to approach the capital.
Eight days passed away—eight long days for Cortés and his men,
as they were suffering greatly from the intense heat—and then the
embassy, accompanied by the governor, Tenhtlile, arrived at the
camp, and presented Cortés with the magnificent presents sent by
Montezuma.
After the usual salute, the slaves unrolled some delicately woven
mats and displayed the gifts which the Aztec Emperor had sent.
There were shields, helmets, and cuirasses embossed with plates
and ornaments of pure gold; with collars and bracelets of the same
precious metal. There were also sandals, fans, plumes, and crests of
variegated feathers, wrought with gold and silver thread, and
sprinkled with pearls and with precious stones. There were golden
birds and animals; curtain coverlets and robes of cotton. There were
more than thirty loads of cotton cloth, and finally, the helmet which
Cortés had sent, loaded to the brim with grains of pure gold.
This rich treasure fired the zeal and ardor of the Spaniards; yet
they controlled themselves, and expressed admiration only for two
circular plates of gold and of silver as large as carriage wheels. One,
representing the sun, was richly carved with plants and with
animals, and was worth a fabulous sum of money.
When the voyageurs had received the presents, the ambassadors
courteously delivered their message, to the effect that Montezuma
had great pleasure in holding communication with such a powerful
monarch as the King of Spain; but could grant no personal interview
to his soldiers. That the way to the capital was too long and
dangerous for the white men to attempt. Therefore the strangers
must return to the land from which they had come.
Cortés received this message with coldness, and, turning to his
officers, said:
“This is, indeed, a rich and powerful Monarch, and he does well
to speak in this manner; but I am determined to visit him in his
capital.”
He then bade good-by to the Aztec ambassadors, who shortly
withdrew. That night every neighboring hut was deserted by the
natives, and the Spaniards were left quite alone in the wilderness.
They prepared for an attack, but none came.
The soldiers now became mutinous, saying that it was about time
they returned with what treasure they had already collected. Cortés
had difficulty in keeping them out of the boats, but now an event
occurred which aided him very materially in his design to march to
the City of Mexico, a design which he had long ago determined
upon.
Five Indians entered the camp who wore rings of gold and bright
blue gems in their ears and nostrils. A gold leaf, delicately wrought,
was attached to their under lip. These were not Aztecs and
explained that they came from Cempoalla, the capital of a tribe
called the Totonacs, who had been lately conquered by the Aztecs,
and who greatly resented the oppressions of these bloodthirsty
tribesmen. The fame of the Spaniards, said they, had reached their
leader, who had sent them to request the strangers to visit him, and
to aid him in throwing off the domination of the Aztecs.
 It can be easily seen that Cortés was delighted to hear this. He
saw that discontent in the provinces conquered by Montezuma could
be turned to his own advantage, and that, by allying himself to these
Totonacs, he might be able to conquer Montezuma himself. He
therefore dismissed the tribesmen with many presents, promising
that he would soon visit their city.
Not long afterwards, the army set out to march northward, to a
place where it had been decided to build a town. The men crossed a
river in rafts and broken canoes, which they found on the bank, and
soon came to a very different kind of country than that which they
had left behind them. There were wide plains covered with green
grass and groves of palm trees, among which were deer and flocks
of pheasants and wild turkeys. The trees were loaded with fruits and
with beautiful clusters of bowers, while gayly plumaged birds
fluttered in the branches. There were gardens and orchards on
either side of the road. As the Spanish soldiers passed along, they
were met by crowds of friendly natives, who mingled fearlessly with
the soldiers, and hung garlands of flowers around the neck of the
General’s horse.
The cacique, or chief of the Totonacs, received Cortés with great
courtesy, and assigned his soldiers to a neighboring temple, where
they were well supplied with provisions. Cortés, himself, was
presented with several vessels of gold and robes of fine cotton.
Upon the following day the General paid the cacique a visit, and,
with the aid of Marina, held a long talk with him. He promised to aid
the Totonacs against Montezuma. This pleased the chief greatly, and
he promised to assist the Spaniards in every way that he could.
Cortés returned to his troops, ordered an advance, and soon
reached the town of Chiahuitztla, which stood upon a crag
overlooking the valley.
As the Spaniards were halted in the center of the village, five
men entered the market place where they were standing. Their
dark, glossy hair was tied in a knot upon the top of their heads, and
they carried bunches of sweet-smelling flowers in their hands. Their
attendants bore wands, or fans, to sweep away the flies and insects
from their lordly masters, who, by their disdainful looks, showed that
they considered themselves to be superior to all around them. They
brushed by the Spaniards, scarcely seeming to notice them, and
were immediately joined by the Totonac chiefs, who seemed anxious
to gain their favor. Cortés was much astonished, and, turning to
Marina, asked what this meant.
“These are Aztec nobles,” the girl replied, “and they are
empowered to receive tribute for Montezuma.”
“What are they saying?” asked he.
“They bring word that Montezuma is very angry with the
Totonacs for entertaining you and your men without his permission,”
Marina replied. “And, as a punishment, he has demanded twenty
young men and maidens to be sacrificed to the gods.”
Cortés was much irritated by this and told the Totonacs that they
should not only refuse this demand but should seize the Aztec
nobles and throw them into prison. This was done, but Cortés had
the true Spanish character and now played a part of duplicity which
was characteristic of the men from Seville. He had two of the
captured Aztecs released, brought them before him, and very
cunningly led them to believe that he was sorry to learn that they
had been thrown into jail. He told them that he would help them to
escape, and begged them to tell Montezuma that the great Emperor
was held in high regard by the Spaniards. The two nobles were then
hastily dispatched to the port where lay the Spanish vessels. They
were taken on board, landed secretly upon the coast, and allowed to
depart for the court of Montezuma. The Totonacs were very angry
when they found that two of their prisoners had escaped, and
determined to sacrifice the remainder; but Cortés interfered, had
them taken to his vessels, and soon allowed them to join their
companions. In this way he secured the friendship of Montezuma,
while still appearing as the friend of the Totonacs.
Messengers were sent to all the other Totonac cities, telling the
natives of the defiance that had been shown the Emperor, and
bidding them, also, to refuse to pay tribute to Montezuma. The
Indians soon came flocking into the town in order to confer with the
powerful strangers, and thus Cortes managed to embroil them with
the Emperor. At the same time he made them all swear allegiance to
the Spanish King.
The Spaniards now busied themselves in building a town, for
they had to have some place to store their belongings and also to
retreat to in case of disaster. The Indians helped them willingly, so
they soon had an excellent little village: the first one in new Spain.
When the Aztec nobles who had been set free reached the city of
Mexico, and told Montezuma of the treatment which they had
received, the Emperor of the Aztecs felt rather kindly disposed
towards the Spaniards, and sent an embassy consisting of two
young nephews and four of his chief nobles. They bore a princely
gift of gold, richly embroidered cotton mantles, and robes of feather
work. On coming before Cortés, the envoys presented Montezuma’s
thanks to him for the courtesy he had shown the captive nobles.
“We believe that you are the long-looked-for strangers who are
to return with the god Quetzalcoatl,” said the ambassadors, “and are
therefore of the same lineage as ourselves. Therefore, out of
deference to you, we will spare the Totonacs; but our day of
vengeance against them will soon come.”
Nothing was said about not being allowed to journey to the
capital, so Cortés gave these Aztecs presents, as usual, and told
them that he intended to soon visit Montezuma in the city of Mexico,
when all misunderstanding between them would be adjusted. The
Totonacs were amazed and awed by the influence which the
Spaniards seemed to exert upon the Aztecs, and felt safe from
further incursions by the terrible Emperor.
The bold and resolute Cortés was now determined to march to
Mexico City, itself, to oust Montezuma, and to obtain possession of
his country and his treasures. But he knew that the Governor of
Cuba was his enemy, and also knew that, should he not send news
of his discoveries to the King of Spain, he would be seriously
interfered with by Velasquez. Consequently he prepared a letter
setting forth the extent and magnitude of his discoveries, gave up all
his own treasure which he had obtained from the natives, and
persuaded his soldiers to do the same. This was placed in the hands
of some of his followers who were given a ship, were bidden god-
speed, and were told to sail to Spain. Cortés besought the King to
make him Governor over all the new territory, so that he could add
the great Indian Empire to the possessions of the Spanish crown.
Very soon after the departure of the treasure ship, Cortés
discovered that there was a conspiracy among his followers, who
had seized one of the ships, had stored provisions and water on
board, and were just about to set sail for Cuba. One of the traitors
repented of the part he had taken in the plot, betrayed it to Cortés,
and thus made evident the extent of the conspiracy. In
consequence, the ringleaders were hanged, and the Spanish
commander determined to take the bold step of destroying the ships
without the knowledge of his army. Accordingly he marched his
entire force to Cempoalla, where he told his plan to a few of his
devoted adherents, who approved of it. Nine of the ships were sunk;
after the sails, masts, iron, and all movable fittings had been
brought ashore.
When this act became known, it caused the greatest
consternation among the Spaniards. They murmured loudly, and
mutiny was threatened. Cortés, however, was equal to the
emergency. He managed to reassure them, to persuade them that
he had only done what was best for them, and so cleverly told them
of the fame and treasure which they were on the eve of gaining,
that not one of them accepted the chance of returning to Cuba in
the remaining ship.
August the sixteenth, 1519, was a day ushered in by brilliant
sunshine, as if the fates were friendly to the daring Spanish
adventurer. Cortés was now ready to advance into the interior, for he
had obtained from the cacique of Cempoalla, thirteen hundred
warriors and a thousand porters to carry his baggage and drag
onward the guns. His own force amounted to four hundred foot and
fifteen horses, with seven pieces of artillery. Surely a small and
insignificant army with which to attempt to conquer this vast and
populous land!
 The army set out upon its mission of conquest, and, at the close
of the second day, reached Xalapa, a mountain town, and from
which they looked back upon one of the grandest views which they
had ever seen. Around were towering mountains; below lay the flat
region, a gay confusion of meadows, streams, and flowering forests,
with now and again a tiny Indian village dotting the brilliant
landscape. Far, far away, to the eastward, was a faint line of light
upon the horizon, which told them that there rolled the ocean which
they had lately crossed, and beyond which slumbered their country,
which many never expected to see again. To the south a mighty
mountain, called “Orizaba,” poked its head into the air, covered with
a mantle of snow; while toward the southwest the Sierra Madre,
with a dark belt of pine trees waving in the breeze, stretched with a
long line of shadowy hills into the distance.
Onward and upward crawled the little army, pushing and jerking
the guns over the rocks and crevices, and finally, on the fourth day,
arrived at the town of Naulinco. The Indian inhabitants entertained
the soldiers with great hospitality, for they were friendly with the
Totonacs.
Cortés endeavored to persuade them to give up their savage idol
worship, and, through a priest, Father Almedo, had them instructed
in the teachings of Christianity and had a cross erected for future
worship.
The troops pressed onward, entered a narrow, ragged valley,
called “the Bishop’s Pass,” and, as they toiled around a bare, volcanic
mountain, a snow-storm descended upon them with great violence.
The Indians, who were natives of the flat region, suffered dreadfully,
and several of them died by the way. The Spaniards, however, were
protected by their thick coats of cotton, and thus bore up well
beneath the change of climate.
For three days the little band pressed forward over the rugged
mountain trail,—then emerged into an open country with a more
genial climate. They had reached the great table-land which spreads
out for hundreds of miles along the crests of the mountains, more
than seven thousand feet above the level of the sea. Carefully
cultivated fields of corn lay around them, and, as they trudged
forward, they came upon a populous city made of substantial
buildings of stone and of lime.
The army rested here for four or five days and then went on
through a broad valley shaded by lofty trees and watered by a
splendid river. An unbroken line of Indian dwellings extended for
several leagues, and, on a knoll, stood a town of four to five
thousand inhabitants, commanded by a fortress with walls and
trenches. The army halted here and the troops were met with
friendly treatment.
As the soldiers refreshed themselves, Cortés made inquiries
concerning the route which he was to follow. The Indians, who were
traveling with him, told him to go through Tlascala: a small republic
which had always managed to maintain its independence against
Mexican arms. The tribesmen had been friendly with the Totonac
allies of the Spaniards, and had the reputation of being frank,
fearless, and trustworthy.
Cortés decided to attempt to gain their good will, so he
dispatched four or five of his principal Cempoallan allies to the
Tlascalan capital with a cap of crimson cloth and a sword and cross-
bow, as gifts. They were to ask permission to pass through the land
and were to express admiration for the valor and the courage of the
Tlascalans in resisting the Aztecs for such a long time. Three days
after the departure of these envoys, the army resumed its march.
At last they reached the border of the Tlascalan territory, and
were much surprised to find a strong fortification in their path. This
was a stone wall nine feet high and twenty feet thick, with a parapet
a foot and a half broad at the top, for the protection of those who
defended the causeway. It had only one opening in the center, made
by two semi-circular lines of wall which overlapped each other. As it
extended for more than two miles and was built of natural blocks of
stone, it could be easily seen, that, had the Tlascalans cared to
dispute the passage of the Spanish invaders, not only would they
have inflicted great damage upon them, but would undoubtedly
have forced them to retire towards the sea-coast.
 Fortune favored the Spanish command. No Tlascalans were there
to hurl javelins and arrows into their ranks, so they pressed onward
towards the capital.
“Tlascala” means the land of bread. The Tlascalans were an
agricultural people and their country was very fertile. They had
previously lived upon the western shore of Lake Tezcuco, a part of
Mexico which was not very productive; but their neighbors had
driven them from their original holdings and were now very jealous
of their prosperity: so jealous, in fact, that the Tlascalans repeatedly
had to defend themselves against their attacks. Montezuma, himself,
had endeavored to conquer them, but they had defeated an army
sent against them and commanded by the Emperor’s favorite son.
This had highly enraged the great ruler and he repeatedly harassed
them with his troops, so that they were certainly glad to see some
one journey to their land with whom they could ally themselves.
They had heard about the Spaniards and their victorious advance,
but they had not expected that they would venture their way. They
were therefore much embarrassed when they saw the white-skinned
strangers at their very gates, and demanding a passage through the
fertile agricultural regions which they had so often defended with
their lives.
While the Tlascalan chiefs were in the council chamber, trying to
make up their minds what to do, Cortés and his men were advancing
through their country. As they threaded their way through a steep
gorge, they saw before them a small party of Indians armed with
swords and bucklers. They fled as the Spaniards approached, but
the men from Castile spurred their horses, and overtook them. As
they were endeavoring to parley with them, the Indians turned and
furiously assaulted those in armor. A stiff fight ensued and the native
force would soon have been cut to pieces had not a body of several
thousand Indians appeared, who rushed to their rescue. Cortés
hastily dispatched a messenger to bring up his infantry and stood off
the overwhelming masses of the enemy as best he could. The
Indians fought like tigers, dragged to the ground one cavalier, who
afterwards died of his wounds, and killed two horses by cutting
through their necks with great broadswords. This was a serious loss
to the Spaniards, as their steeds were very few, and they needed
them, not only for battle, but also for hauling their possessions over
the rough mountain trails.
Arrows were whizzing fast around the ears of the horsemen in
the advance, when the infantry approached. Hastily falling into
position, the soldiers delivered a volley from their crossbows, which
not only astonished the enemy, but threw them into great confusion.
The natives soon beat a hasty retreat, and the road towards the
Tlascalan capital was left open to the adventurers.
This was not the only battle with the Tlascalans. Several other
bands of natives were defeated as the Spanish pressed forward, so
that, when the daring Cortés sent an embassy to the Tlascalan
capital, his men received a most respectful hearing from the
dejected natives, A free passage through the Tlascalan possessions
was offered to these white gods and they were furnished with food.
Meanwhile, what of Montezuma?
As the terrible strangers advanced towards his capital, news of all
of their doings had been faithfully reported to him by his runners, or
messengers. He learned, with dismay, that these fair-skinned
soldiers were defeating all of the natives that were sent against
them. He saw that they were practically invincible, and that, before
very long, they would be knocking at the very gates of his capital.
With great satisfaction he had heard of their taking the road through
the land of the Tlascalans, for he knew these Indians to be fiercely
warlike, and he hoped that the white gods (so called) were only
mortal men, and would prove to be no match for the natives who
had defeated his own best troops. Alas! He now learned that even
these gallant warriors had succumbed to the prowess of the
strangers.
In his alarm and uncertainty, he dispatched five great nobles of
his court, attended by two hundred slaves, to bear to Cortés a gift
consisting of three thousand ounces of gold and several hundred
robes of cotton and of feather-work.
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