treated that he would not abandon the important station to which he had so good a title, offering, at the same time, to shed in his behalf the last drop of their blood. Cortes was easily induced to comply with what he himself so ardently wished. He swore that he would never desert soldiers who had given him such a signal proof of their attachment, and promised instantly to conduct them to that rich country, which had been so long the object of their thoughts and wishes. This declaration was received with transports of military applause, accompanied with imprecations against all who should presume to call in question the jurisdiction of their general, or to obstruct the execution of his designs.

With a slender and ill-provided train did Cortes set sail, to make war upon a monarch whose dominions were more extensive than all the kingdoms subject to the Spanish crown. As religious enthu siasm always mingled with the spirit of adventure in the New World, and united with avarice in prompting the Spaniards to all their enterprises, a large cross was displayed in their standards, with this inscription: "Let us follow the cross, for under this sign we shall conquer." As Cortes had determined to touch at every place which Grijalva had visited, he steered directly towards the island of Cozumel; there he had the good fortune to redeem Jerome de Aguilar, a Spaniard, who had been eight years a prisoner among the Indians, and who proved hereafter extremely useful as an interpreter. From Cozumel, Cortes proceeded to the river Tabasco; but after repeated endeavours to conciliate the good-will of the inhabitants, he was constrained to have recourse to violence. The forces of the enemy were numerous; and though

they advanced with extraordinary courage, they were routed with great slaughter in several successive actions. The loss which they sustained, and the terror excited by the destructive effect of the firearms, and the dreadful appearance of the horses, humbled their fierce spirits, and induced them to sue for peace. They acknowledged the king of Castile as their sovereign, and granted Cortes a supply of provisions, with a present of cotton garments, some gold, and twenty female slaves.

Cortes continued his course to the westward, but could discover no proper place for landing until he arrived at St. Juan de Ulua, by the inha-. bitants of which he was addressed in a most respectful manner, but in a language altogether unknown to Aguilar. Cortes was in the utmost perplexity and distress at an event of which he instantly foresaw the consequences: a fortunate accident, however, extricated him. One of the female slaves whom he had received from the cazique of Tabasco perfectly understood the Mexican language, and explained what had been said in the Yucatan tongue, with which Aguilar was acquainted. This woman, known afterwards by the name of Donna Marina, was born in a Mexican province, and having been sold as a slave in the early part of her life, fell into the hands of the Tabascans, and had resided long enough among them to acquire their language, without losing the use of her own. From her Cortes learned that the two persons whom he had received on board his ship were deputies from Teutile and Pilpatoe, officers intrusted with the government of that province by a great monarch whom they called Montezuma, and that they were sent to inquire what his intentions were in visiting their coast, and VOL. XXIV. M

to offer him what assistance he might need, in or der to continue his voyage. Cortes, struck with the appearance of those people as well as the tenor of the message, assured them that he approached their country with the most friendly sentiments, and came to propose matters of great importance to the welfare of their prince and his kingdom, which he would unfold more fully in person to the governor and general. Next morning he landed his troops, his horses, and artillery. The natives, instead of opposing the entrance of these fatal guests into their country, assisted them in all their operations with an alacrity of which they had soon reason to repent.

A. D. 1519.

When the Mexican ministers entered the Spanish camp, Cortes received them with much formal ceremony, assuring them that his business with the monarch was of so high importance, that he could impart it to none but the sovereign himself. This they knew would be extremely disagreeable to Montezuma: in hopes therefore of being able to dissuade the Spaniards from their purpose, they brought a great quantity of cotton cloth, plumes of various colours, and ornaments of gold and silver to a considerable value. The display of these produced a very different effect from what the Mexicans intended. Cortes insisted upon a personal interview with their sovereign, which they endeavoured by every means in their power to prevent. During this interview, some painters in the train of the Mexican chiefs had been diligently employed in delineating, upon white cotton cloths, figures of the ships, horses, artillery, soldiers, and whatever else attracted their eyes as singular. As soon as Cortes knew that these pictures were to be sent to Montezuma, he resolved to render the re

presentation more animated and interesting, by exhibiting such a spectacle as might give both them and their monarch an awful impression of the prowess of his followers, and the irresistible force of their arms. The trumpets sounded, the troops formed in order of battle, the artillery, pointed towards the thick woods which surrounded the camp, were fired, and made dreadful havock among the trees. The Mexicans looked on with silent amazement; but at the explosion of the cannon many of them fled, some fell to the ground, and all were so confounded at the sight of men whose power so nearly resembled that of the gods, that Cortes found it difficult to compose and reanimate them.

Messengers were immediately dispatched to Montezuma with the pictures, and a full account of every thing that had passed since the arrival of the Spaniards, and with presents from Cortes. Though the capital in which Montezuma resided was 180 miles from St. Juan de Ulua, the news was carried and an answer received in a few days. Another negociation was set on foot, which was commenced by introducing a hundred Indians loaded with presents, sent to him by Montezuma. The magnificence of those far exceeded any idea which the Spaniards had hitherto formed of his wealth. They were spread on mats, and exhibited to the greatest advantage. Cortes and his officers viewed with admiration the various manufactures of the country, cotton stuffs so fine and of a texture so delicate as to resemble silk, pictures of animals, trees, and other natural objects, formed with feathers of different colours, disposed and mingled with such skill and elegance as to rival the works of the pencil, in truth and beauty of

imitation but what chiefly attracted their admiration were two large plates of a circular form, one of massive gold, representing the sun, the other of silver, an emblem of the moon. These were accompanied with bracelets, collars, rings, and other trinkets of gold; and, that nothing might be wanting that could give the Spaniards a complete idea of what the country afforded, with some boxes filled with pearls, precious stones, and grains of gold wrought, or as they had been found in the mines or rivers. Cortes received all these with an appearance of profound veneration for the monarch by whom they were bestowed; but when he was informed that it was Montezuma's intention that foreign troops should not approach nearer to his capital, he declared, in a resolute and peremptory tone, that he could not, without dishonour, return to his own country until he was admitted into the presence of the prince whom he was appointed to visit in the name of his sovereign.

We cannot enter into a detail of all the minute circumstances which attended the negociation. By consummate address Cortes made himself absolute and independent of the governor of Cuba: he then alienated from Montezuma several of the petty states, with their caziques; others he fought, conquered, and attached to himself by force of arms. By degrees he marched up the country, and with the addition of the natives he found himself at the head of a large army, consisting of several thousand persons.

When they drew near the city, about a thousand persons, who appeared to be of distinction, came forth to meet them, adorned with plumes, and clad in mantles of fine cotton. Each of these, in his order, passed by Cortes, and saluted him in the