THE CASTLE OF CHAPULTEPEC.
When Maximilian first established his royal presence in Mexico he began
to do what he could toward beautifying this picturesque valley. The
city had been rebuilt on the old Aztec site--the lowest and worst spot
in the land. Maximilian concluded to draw the city toward a better
locality. In order to do this he selected Chapultepec as the place for
his castle, and built lovely drives running from all directions to the
site of his residence. The drives are wide, bordered with tall trees,
and form one of the prettiest features in Mexico. The most direct drive
from the city is the paseo, spoken of in a former letter as the drive
for the fashionable. Maximilian intended his home should be the center
of the new Mexico, and the paseo--"Boulevard of the Emperor"--was to
lead to the gate of his park. From the Alameda to Chapultepec the
distance is 5450 yards, with a width of 170 feet. The paseo contains
six circular plots, which Maximilian intended should contain statues.
Strange to say this plan is partly being executed. Some already contain
an equestrian statue of Charles IV., claimed to be second only to one
other in the world; a magnificent bronze statue of Columbus, and they
are erecting one to Guatemoc and one to Cortes. On either aide of the
paseo are grand old aqueducts, leaky and moss-covered, the one ending
at the castle, the other going further up into the mountains. One is
said to be nine miles in length. These aqueducts hold very beautiful
carved pieces and niches, every here and there, in which are placed
images of the Virgin.
Terminating the avenue rises the castle, on a rocky hill some hundred
feet high. The castle covers the entire top and stands like a guard to
the entire valley. Many hundred years ago the King of the Aztec Indians
had this for his favorite palace. Here he ruled, beloved by all, until
the white-faced stranger invaded his land, outraged his hospitality
and trust; stole his gold and jewels and replaced them with glass
beads; tore down his gods and replaced them with a new; butchered his
people, and not only made him an imbecile, but caused him to die at the
hands of his once loving subjects the despised of all the people. Poor
Montezuma! the wisest, best and most honorable King of his time, after
all his goodness, his striving for the light of learning, to die such a
death.
Since Montezuma wandered beneath the shades of Chapultepec--"Hill of
the Grasshopper"--it has been the chosen resort of the successive
rulers of Mexico--the theme of poets, the dream of artists and the
admiration of all beholders. A massive iron gate, guarded over by
dozens of sentinels, admits you to a forest of cypress which excels
anything on this continent. The grand old trees, many centuries old,
are made the more beautiful by the heavy dress of gray moss which
drapes the limbs. The broad carriage road, to which the sun never
penetrates, and where the beautiful, shadowy twilight ever rests, winds
around and around until it gains the summit. The old bath of Montezuma
stands a lovely ruin in this lovely grove; above it is built an
engine house for the waterworks, which are to supply the city instead
of the aqueduct. With regret we gazed on it, the only blot on the
otherwise perfect paradise, and wished that some one, with the taste
of Maximilian, had interfered before this mark of progress had been
decided upon.
The silvery lake, alive with geese and ducks, and bordered with lilies
of the Nile and other beautiful flowers, nestles like a birdling in the
heart of the greensward. The fountains play and sing their everlasting
song, while birds of exquisite colors mingle their sweet melodies with
the tinkle of the falling waters. Plots of flowers vie with each other
to put forth the most beautiful colors; all nature seems to be doing
its utmost to show its gratitude for being assigned to this beautiful
spot. Far back in the forest, is a smooth, level place, where moonlight
picnics are often held. The soft drapery of Spanish moss hangs low, yet
high enough not to interfere with the headgear. Beneath its shadows one
would fain forget the world. We no longer wonder at the "mauana" of the
natives, and can clearly see why they wish to live as slow and as long
as possible.
When Montezuma reigned supreme he was accustomed to gather together his
wise men, and while sitting beneath the shade of a monstrous cypress
they would discuss the topics of the day. For this reason the tree is
named "The Tree of Montezuma." It is said to be two hundred feet high
and sixty feet in circumference. It is heavily draped with moss, and is
the most magnificent monument any king could have.
Half way up the hill is an entrance, almost hidden by moss and other
creeping foliage, which leads into a cave. The first chamber is a very
large room hewn out of the solid rock. At the opposite side is an iron
door, barring the way to the cave proper. Many different stories are
told of it. One is that the cave was here before the time of Montezuma,
and that untold wealth has been hidden in its unexplored recesses
when different tribes went to war. Another says that when Cortes was
forced to leave he buried his ill-gotten wealth in its darkened depths.
The less romantic story is that the subterranean sally-port, which
leads down from the garden on the roof of the castle, opens into the
cave; they once tried to explore it, and found within a mammoth hole.
A rock thrown in was not heard to strike the bottom, and even the
bravest feared to go further. The rocks on the hill are covered with
hieroglyphics, which archaeologists have not succeeded in translating;
the brick fence around the winding drive has passed its day of beauty,
and the posts alone remain of the lamps which once lighted Maximilian's
pathway.
Having obtained a ticket of admission to the castle from the governor
of the National Palace, we took a party of tourists with us and
proceeded to investigate.
When we had mounted the hill and walked through the iron gate into
the yard, the uniformed sentinel called out something in Spanish,
loud and long, and a drummer boy quite near beat a hasty roll. "They
must think we intend to storm the castle," said one of the ladies in
evident alarm, but her fears were quieted when a young cadet came from
the building and offered to show us around. "Can you speak English?" I
inquired. "No, I will find some one," he answered in Spanish, and off
he went. However, we lost no time waiting for his return, but went to
the door of the castle and handed our pass to the guard. "Momento," he
said, and he also disappeared, but only to come back accompanied by a
handsome, middle-aged officer, who told us, in broken English, our pass
was good, and while the guard would take us through the castle he would
get us another escort for the rest.
The castle is being renovated for a Mexican White House. A New York
firm is to finish it at a cost of one hundred and sixty-five thousand
dollars. Our disappointment increased as we roamed through room after
room to find all mementos of Maximilian and Carlotta destroyed. Even
what had been their bedchamber was a total ruin. The only things that
remain are three poor pictures on the wall facing the garden. They
had been spoiled, and before many hours the last thing to recall the
murdered emperor and the blighted empress would be totally effaced.
President Diaz is to move here when the repairs are finished; but if
they are no faster with the work in the future than they have been in
the past, what they have begun will be old-fashioned before the rest is
completed, and Mexico will have added two or three more names to its
list of presidents.
On top of the castle is a beautiful garden, full of rare plants and
handsome trees and shrubbery. Fountains are plenty, and statues of
bronze and marble are strewn around in profusion. The stairway is made
of imported Italian marble, and the balconies of alternate blocks of
Italian and Puebla marble. The effect, is superb. The famous sally-port
leads down through the castle from the center of the garden. It is
fenced in around the month with a brass railing and covered with green
vines. Magnificent aquariums divide the flowers at intervals, and the
little gold and silver fish play about in the water as if life was all
joy. When one looks around the beautiful landscape, the romance of the
historic past fades before the grand reality of the present. From this
majestic spot one commands a view of the entire valley--the soft, green
meadows, the avenues of proud trees which outline the gray roads that
always fade away at the foot of the chain of mountains which encircle
the valley like a monstrous wall. The faint blue and purple lines of
the mountains appear small and insignificant when the gaze wanders to
those two incomparable beauties, Popocatepetl and Ixtaccihnatl. All
nature seems a prayer. Grand old Popocatapetl stands with its white,
snowy head at the feet of the White Lady. Perhaps nature has assumed
this tranquilness while awaiting the old, white-headed man to say the
last sad words over that beautiful still form.
At the back of the castle is the Military Academy, or West Point of
Mexico. Three hundred cadets, with their officers, are housed here.
The school is kept in the best of order, and when the cadets finish
their seven years' course they are well prepared for future duties.
The cadets belong to the best families and number a lot of handsome
men. The stairway which divides, or rather connects, the two buildings
is an odd yet pretty structure. It is built in an arch to the height
of ten feet. Then starting out in opposite directions are two other
arches, which connect the buildings. These arches--the stairway, of
course--have no supports whatever, and one is almost afraid they may
cave in with their weight. When they were finished some one remarked
to the builder, "They will fall down if one man mounts them." "Bring
a regiment and put on them, and I guarantee they stand," replied
the builder. This was done, and they were found to be as firm as
a mountain. They are certainly one of the prettiest pieces of
architectural work ever executed.
In the library of the academy are oil paintings of the cadets who fell
in defense of Chapultepec. They were handsome young boys, and a fine
marble shaft, inclosed with an iron fence at the foot of the hill, is
erected in commemoration of their heroic deed. The prettiest boy of the
lot, with sunny locks and blue eyes, folded the flag, for which he was
fighting, to his breast, and stood with a smile on his face while his
enemies cut him into pieces. He was but thirteen years old. His picture
occupies a prominent place, and beneath it stands the flag, dyed a dark
crimson with his heart's blood. The cadets keep those little heroes'
memories green. Every morning they place wreaths of flowers on the
monument as they march on their way to the meadows below to drill.
The cadets have two queer pets, a wild pig and a monkey. The latter
is their companion. He performs in the gymnasium with them, and does
some wonderful feats. He is truly a smart, cunning little fellow, and
exhibits much intelligence. He is fond of the boys, and the boys return
his affection. When they come to town on Sundays they never forget
to take some sweetmeats back for him; and he never forgets to expect
the treat, and he gets very loving and confidential about that time.
He hugs the returned youth, and pries into his pockets with as much
enthusiasm as though he had been absent for months. Every cadet has a
bed with his name, number, etc., on it. A combination desk and wardrobe
stands by the side, and in the bottom is a tin pan. At 5.30 they arise,
and when the order is given they take up their tin pans and march out
to the side of the building. From a large basin they take the water,
and placing their pans on a stone bench many yards long they wash
themselves. On Sundays they can go to bull-fights, to town to see their
relatives, or do anything they wish, unless they have neglected their
studies the week before, when they are kept at school for punishment.
They are taught French, Spanish, Greek, and English. They are extremely
polite, and have not the least objection to flirting. Though they
are short in stature they have good forms and are splendid horsemen.
In fact, they are the beau ideal of any girl who likes embroidered
uniforms and brass buttons, topped off with that cavalier style no
female can resist.