THE CATHEDRAL OF MEXICO.—SITE OF THE AZTEC TEOCALLI.—HUMAN SACRIFICES.—PANORAMA OF THE VALLEY OF MEXICO.—EXTENT AND COST OF THE CATHEDRAL; CHAPELS AND ALTARS.—TOMB OF ITURBIDE.—THE CAREER AND TRAGIC END OF ITURBIDE.—THE RICHEST ALTAR IN THE WORLD.—GOLDEN CANDLESTICKS A MAN COULD NOT LIFT.—THE AZTEC CALENDAR-STONE; ITS INTERESTING FEATURES; INSCRIPTION ON THE STONE.—BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE AZTECS.—THE TRIBE CALLED MEXICANS.—AZTEC LAWS AND CUSTOMS.—PREVALENCE OF THE DEATH PENALTY.—AZTEC POSTING SYSTEM.—PICTURE-WRITING.—FLOWER-SHOW IN THE ZOCALO.—A FASHIONABLE ASSEMBLAGE.—WONDERFUL WORK IN FEATHERS.
"In Paris," said Frank in his note-book, "the Church of Notre Dame is the first object of interest to the stranger. In Vienna he goes first to St. Stephen's, and in Rome to St. Peter's. So in the capital of Mexico we go first to the cathedral.
"It is a magnificent building, and would do honor to any of the capitals of Europe. The spot where it stands is historic; the Spaniards destroyed the Aztec city that stood here, and built their own upon its ruins, and where now stands the cathedral the Teocalli, or temple of the Aztecs, was formerly to be seen. It is saddening to think of the rivers of blood that flowed here in the sacrifices which the Aztecs deemed necessary to their religious exercises.
"The historical authorities say generally that 60,000 persons were slaughtered in a single year on the altars of the Great Teocalli of Tenochtitlan (the Aztec city that stood here and was destroyed by the Spaniards); most of them were prisoners of war, but when there was not a sufficient supply of prisoners the Aztecs themselves were chosen for sacrifice. The Spaniards may have shown great cruelty in their treatment of the people they conquered, but they did well to put a stop to this terrible shedding of blood in the name of religion.
"The Teocalli was a pyramid of earth, faced with stone, and is said to have been 150 feet in height. Steps led around and up its sides, and they were so arranged that in mounting to the top the pedestrian made a complete circuit of the structure. On the summit was the sacrificial altar, and this is supposed to have been very nearly where the centre of the cathedral is at present. The sacrificial stone from the Teocalli is now in the museum; it is shaped like a millstone, is three feet high by nine in diameter, and is elaborately carved on the sides and upper surface. There is a bowl in the centre, and a gutter leading from the bowl to one side to permit the flow of blood from the victims.
THE CATHEDRAL, CITY OF MEXICO.
"But we are wandering from the cathedral in considering what preceded it. The Teocalli was destroyed, and the materials were used for filling up the neighboring canal; then a small church was erected, and followed by a larger one, and this again was removed in 1573 to make room for the present cathedral, which was completed ninety-four years later at an expense of $2,000,000. It stands on the eastern side of the Plaza Mayor, and is a very conspicuous object in the panorama of the city. Like most Catholic cathedrals, it is in the shape of a cross, its greatest length being 426 feet, and its greatest width 200 feet. It is 175 feet high, and its towers rise to a height of 200 feet. We ascended to the top of one of the towers, and advise all visitors to the city to do likewise, as they will have from it one of the finest views in the world.