The Boy Travellers in Mexico / Adventures of Two Youths in a Journey to Northern and Central Mexico, Campeachey, and Yucatan, With a Description of the Republics of Central America and of the Nicaragua Canal

by Thomas Wallace Knox

THE MEETING OF CORTEZ AND MONTEZUMA.

"He at once took Montezuma prisoner, and having captured the men who attacked Vera Cruz, he burned them alive in the public square in front of the palace. Montezuma took the oath of allegiance to the King of Spain, and was set at liberty after paying an enormous amount of gold and precious stones by way of ransom.

"Just as Cortez thought everything was quiet he learned that the Governor of Cuba had sent an army under Narvaez to deprive him of the command of the country. As the army was much larger than his own, the situation was desperate; but Cortez was equal to it.

"He left 200 men in the city under charge of one of his officers, and then hastened to the coast, where he defeated and killed Narvaez, and added his men to his own forces. Thus the army of 900 men, with eighty horses and twelve pieces of artillery, that had been sent to conquer Cortez became really his reinforcement. He returned with them to Mexico, where, meantime, the people had risen against the Spaniards, killed Montezuma, and under their new emperor, Cuitlahua, driven the invaders out of the city. If you want a brilliant account of the evacuation of the city, you will find it in Prescott's History; it is too long to be given here.

"There is a reminiscence of the terrible retreat," continued Fred, "which is shown to every visitor to the city. It is the Salto de Alvarado, or Alvarado's Leap, in the street which bears the name of that warrior. They tell us that where the line of house-fronts is broken, and shut off by an iron railing, was formerly a canal in the ancient city of Tenochtitlan. This is said to be the exact spot where Alvarado leaped across the canal, and saved himself from the death which overtook so many of his comrades. He commanded the rear-guard, and was one of the few who escaped. Bernal Diaz says the opening was so wide, and the sides so high, that no man in the world could have jumped across, no matter how strong might be his limbs."

"Now we are coming to the Noche Triste tree," remarked Frank.

"Yes," answered Fred. "Cortez is said to have sat all night under this tree at the time of the evacuation, lamenting over his misfortunes and laying plans for the future.

"Do you think it is really so?" Fred asked, turning to Doctor Bronson.