"'Then,' writes Diaz, 'after dressing our wounds with the fat of the Indians whom we found dead, and having placed good guards round our post, we ate our supper and went to our repose.'
"Peace was arranged with the Indians on condition that they should submit to the authority of Cortez, and accept the religion he brought them. They had no alternative, and immediately became Christians. When this was accomplished he continued along the coast of Mexico, and laid the foundations of Vera Cruz. There he first heard of the Emperor Montezuma, and the story of his great wealth determined Cortez to make the conquest of Mexico."
"That was where he burned his ships," remarked Frank, as Fred paused for a moment.
"Yes," answered Fred, "he burned his ships partly in order to make retreat impossible, and partly that he might increase his force with the 110 seamen. He left a small garrison at Vera Cruz, and then advanced towards the city. Taking part with the tribes who had been annoyed by the tax-collectors of Montezuma, he secured their friendship. He conquered the Tlascalans in four severe battles, and then induced them to join him in a march upon Montezuma's capital, as they were not on good terms with the Aztecs; but he could not prevail upon them to renounce their religion and adopt Christianity.
FIRST VIEW OF THE MEXICAN CAPITAL.
"He reached Tenochtitlan, Montezuma's capital, in November, 1518, with 6000 Indian allies, in addition to his force of Spaniards. Ambassadors from Montezuma met him on the road, and he was welcomed with great courtesy and ceremony. A palace was assigned to him, and he immediately fortified it. While he was laying his plans for taking possession of the country and its immense store of gold, he learned that his garrison at Vera Cruz had been attacked and one of his soldiers killed; and not only was the soldier killed, but his head was sent to Montezuma.
"The death of one soldier may not be thought a very serious matter," Fred remarked, by way of explanation, "but it was so for Cortez. Down to that time the Mexicans supposed the Spaniards were supernatural beings; they were the children of the sun, and therefore immortal, but the receipt of the head of the slain soldier undeceived them.