City, itself, to oust Montezuma, and to obtain possession of his
country and his treasures. But he knew that the Governor of Cuba
was his enemy, and also knew that, should he not send news of his
discoveries to the King of Spain, he would be seriously interfered
with by Velasquez. Consequently he prepared a letter setting forth the
extent and magnitude of his discoveries, gave up all his own treasure
which he had obtained from the natives, and persuaded his soldiers to
do the same. This was placed in the hands of some of his followers
who were given a ship, were bidden god-speed, and were told to sail
to Spain. Cortés besought the King to make him Governor over all the
new territory, so that he could add the great Indian Empire to the
possessions of the Spanish crown.
Very soon after the departure of the treasure ship, Cortés discovered
that there was a conspiracy among his followers, who had seized one
of the ships, had stored provisions and water on board, and were just
about to set sail for Cuba. One of the traitors repented of the part
he had taken in the plot, betrayed it to Cortés, and thus made evident
the extent of the conspiracy. In consequence, the ringleaders were
hanged, and the Spanish commander determined to take the bold step of
destroying the ships without the knowledge of his army. Accordingly he
marched his entire force to Cempoalla, where he told his plan to a few
of his devoted adherents, who approved of it. Nine of the ships were
sunk; after the sails, masts, iron, and all movable fittings had been
brought ashore.
When this act became known, it caused the greatest consternation among
the Spaniards. They murmured loudly, and mutiny was threatened. Cortés,
however, was equal to the emergency. He managed to reassure them, to
persuade them that he had only done what was best for them, and so
cleverly told them of the fame and treasure which they were on the eve
of gaining, that not one of them accepted the chance of returning to
Cuba in the remaining ship.
August the sixteenth, 1519, was a day ushered in by brilliant sunshine,
as if the fates were friendly to the daring Spanish adventurer. Cortés
was now ready to advance into the interior, for he had obtained from
the cacique of Cempoalla, thirteen hundred warriors and a thousand
porters to carry his baggage and drag onward the guns. His own force
amounted to four hundred foot and fifteen horses, with seven pieces of
artillery. Surely a small and insignificant army with which to attempt
to conquer this vast and populous land!
The army set out upon its mission of conquest, and, at the close of the
second day, reached Xalapa, a mountain town, and from which they looked
back upon one of the grandest views which they had ever seen. Around
were towering mountains; below lay the flat region, a gay confusion
of meadows, streams, and flowering forests, with now and again a tiny
Indian village dotting the brilliant landscape. Far, far away, to the
eastward, was a faint line of light upon the horizon, which told them
that there rolled the ocean which they had lately crossed, and beyond
which slumbered their country, which many never expected to see again.
To the south a mighty mountain, called “Orizaba,” poked its head into
the air, covered with a mantle of snow; while toward the southwest the
Sierra Madre, with a dark belt of pine trees waving in the breeze,
stretched with a long line of shadowy hills into the distance.
Onward and upward crawled the little army, pushing and jerking the guns
over the rocks and crevices, and finally, on the fourth day, arrived at
the town of Naulinco. The Indian inhabitants entertained the soldiers
with great hospitality, for they were friendly with the Totonacs.
Cortés endeavored to persuade them to give up their savage idol
worship, and, through a priest, Father Almedo, had them instructed
in the teachings of Christianity and had a cross erected for future
worship.
The troops pressed onward, entered a narrow, ragged valley, called “the
Bishop’s Pass,” and, as they toiled around a bare, volcanic mountain,
a snow-storm descended upon them with great violence. The Indians, who
were natives of the flat region, suffered dreadfully, and several of
them died by the way. The Spaniards, however, were protected by their
thick coats of cotton, and thus bore up well beneath the change of
climate.
For three days the little band pressed forward over the rugged mountain
trail,—then emerged into an open country with a more genial climate.
They had reached the great table-land which spreads out for hundreds of
miles along the crests of the mountains, more than seven thousand feet
above the level of the sea. Carefully cultivated fields of corn lay
around them, and, as they trudged forward, they came upon a populous
city made of substantial buildings of stone and of lime.
The army rested here for four or five days and then went on through a
broad valley shaded by lofty trees and watered by a splendid river. An
unbroken line of Indian dwellings extended for several leagues, and, on
a knoll, stood a town of four to five thousand inhabitants, commanded
by a fortress with walls and trenches. The army halted here and the
troops were met with friendly treatment.
As the soldiers refreshed themselves, Cortés made inquiries concerning
the route which he was to follow. The Indians, who were traveling
with him, told him to go through Tlascala: a small republic which had
always managed to maintain its independence against Mexican arms. The
tribesmen had been friendly with the Totonac allies of the Spaniards,
and had the reputation of being frank, fearless, and trustworthy.
Cortés decided to attempt to gain their good will, so he dispatched
four or five of his principal Cempoallan allies to the Tlascalan
capital with a cap of crimson cloth and a sword and cross-bow, as
gifts. They were to ask permission to pass through the land and were
to express admiration for the valor and the courage of the Tlascalans
in resisting the Aztecs for such a long time. Three days after the
departure of these envoys, the army resumed its march.
At last they reached the border of the Tlascalan territory, and were
much surprised to find a strong fortification in their path. This was a
stone wall nine feet high and twenty feet thick, with a parapet a foot
and a half broad at the top, for the protection of those who defended
the causeway. It had only one opening in the center, made by two
semi-circular lines of wall which overlapped each other. As it extended
for more than two miles and was built of natural blocks of stone, it
could be easily seen, that, had the Tlascalans cared to dispute the
passage of the Spanish invaders, not only would they have inflicted
great damage upon them, but would undoubtedly have forced them to
retire towards the sea-coast.
Fortune favored the Spanish command. No Tlascalans were there to hurl
javelins and arrows into their ranks, so they pressed onward towards
the capital.
“Tlascala” means the land of bread. The Tlascalans were an
agricultural people and their country was very fertile. They had
previously lived upon the western shore of Lake Tezcuco, a part of
Mexico which was not very productive; but their neighbors had driven
them from their original holdings and were now very jealous of their
prosperity: so jealous, in fact, that the Tlascalans repeatedly had
to defend themselves against their attacks. Montezuma, himself, had
endeavored to conquer them, but they had defeated an army sent against
them and commanded by the Emperor’s favorite son. This had highly
enraged the great ruler and he repeatedly harassed them with his
troops, so that they were certainly glad to see some one journey to
their land with whom they could ally themselves. They had heard about
the Spaniards and their victorious advance, but they had not expected
that they would venture their way. They were therefore much embarrassed
when they saw the white-skinned strangers at their very gates, and
demanding a passage through the fertile agricultural regions which they
had so often defended with their lives.
While the Tlascalan chiefs were in the council chamber, trying to
make up their minds what to do, Cortés and his men were advancing
through their country. As they threaded their way through a steep
gorge, they saw before them a small party of Indians armed with swords
and bucklers. They fled as the Spaniards approached, but the men
from Castile spurred their horses, and overtook them. As they were
endeavoring to parley with them, the Indians turned and furiously
assaulted those in armor. A stiff fight ensued and the native force
would soon have been cut to pieces had not a body of several thousand
Indians appeared, who rushed to their rescue. Cortés hastily dispatched
a messenger to bring up his infantry and stood off the overwhelming
masses of the enemy as best he could. The Indians fought like tigers,
dragged to the ground one cavalier, who afterwards died of his wounds,
and killed two horses by cutting through their necks with great
broadswords. This was a serious loss to the Spaniards, as their steeds
were very few, and they needed them, not only for battle, but also for
hauling their possessions over the rough mountain trails.
Arrows were whizzing fast around the ears of the horsemen in the
advance, when the infantry approached. Hastily falling into position,
the soldiers delivered a volley from their crossbows, which not only
astonished the enemy, but threw them into great confusion. The natives
soon beat a hasty retreat, and the road towards the Tlascalan capital
was left open to the adventurers.
This was not the only battle with the Tlascalans. Several other bands
of natives were defeated as the Spanish pressed forward, so that, when
the daring Cortés sent an embassy to the Tlascalan capital, his men
received a most respectful hearing from the dejected natives, A free
passage through the Tlascalan possessions was offered to these white
gods and they were furnished with food.
Meanwhile, what of Montezuma?
As the terrible strangers advanced towards his capital, news of all of
their doings had been faithfully reported to him by his runners, or
messengers. He learned, with dismay, that these fair-skinned soldiers
were defeating all of the natives that were sent against them. He saw
that they were practically invincible, and that, before very long,
they would be knocking at the very gates of his capital. With great
satisfaction he had heard of their taking the road through the land
of the Tlascalans, for he knew these Indians to be fiercely warlike,
and he hoped that the white gods (so called) were only mortal men, and
would prove to be no match for the natives who had defeated his own
best troops. Alas! He now learned that even these gallant warriors had
succumbed to the prowess of the strangers.
In his alarm and uncertainty, he dispatched five great nobles of
his court, attended by two hundred slaves, to bear to Cortés a gift
consisting of three thousand ounces of gold and several hundred robes
of cotton and of feather-work.
The Spanish leader received the fawning natives with respectful
attention. They laid the gifts at his feet and told him that they had
come to offer him Montezuma’s congratulations upon his many victories.
They also stated that they wished to express their regret that the
Emperor could not receive them at the capital, for his own population
was so unruly, that, should they enter the city, he could not answer
for their safety. He therefore respectfully requested Cortés to retire
to the sea-coast.
“I wish to express my greatest respect for Montezuma,” replied the
artful Cortés, “and I wish that I could do as he desires. But I have
received commands from my own sovereign to visit the City of Mexico,
and it would go ill with me should I disobey the desires of the mighty
Monarch of Spain. Tell the great and powerful Montezuma that I will
some day repay him for his wonderful presents. And tell him, also, that
I will be soon at the gates of Mexico City, where I hope to be received
in a style befitting the Monarch whom I represent.”
The Mexican ambassadors withdrew, but they were sadly displeased
with the turn which matters were taking. They saw a firm friendship
established between the Tlascalans—their mortal enemies—and the
dreaded Spaniards. They also saw that nothing could deter the white
men from coming forward. So, with gloomy faces and lowered eyes, they
departed for the City of Mexico.
The Spanish troops were well treated by the Tlascalans, who feasted
and entertained them in the four quarters of their city. But amid all
these friendly demonstrations the General never relaxed, for a second,
the discipline of the camp, and no soldier was allowed to leave his
quarters without special permission.
Montezuma, meanwhile, had received the message from the doughty Spanish
invader and was more frightened than even before. Had he exhibited
a good fighting spirit, and had he been determined to expel the
Spaniards, he could have raised a hundred thousand fighting men to
overwhelm them as they advanced upon his capital. But he was lacking in
resolution. Deep in his soul he had a suspicion that Cortes was really
the god Quetzalcoatl, come back again to Mexico in order to bring
peace and prosperity with him. In his heart he feared, that, should he
kill the invader, he would be sacrificing one of the gods. And thus he
vacillated, hesitated, and, at length, seeing that he could not buy off
the invader with money, or frighten him by means of threats, determined
to conciliate him. So he sent word that he invited the Spaniards to
visit him in his capital, and requested them to take a route through
the friendly city of Cholula, where arrangements were being made, by
his orders, for their reception. He also besought Cortés to make no
alliance with the Tlascalans; whom he called base, treacherous, and
barbarous.
But now came startling events, yet events which pleased the daring
Cortés greatly, for the conqueror was never so happy as when in the
thick of fighting.
After a short consultation among the officers, the Spanish army moved
forward on the road to Cholula. It was an ancient and populous place,
six leagues to the south of Tlascala. Its inhabitants excelled in
the art of working in metals, and in manufacturing cotton cloth and
delicate pottery. They were not as bloodthirsty as the surrounding
tribes, but were distinguished more for the skill in the arts than
for their warlike attainments. Here it is supposed that the god
Quetzalcoatl had paused on his way to the coast, many years before,
and to his honor a great pyramid had been erected, upon which was a
gorgeous temple and a statue of the fair-skinned god, bedecked with
gold and with jewels.
Six thousand Tlascalan warriors allied themselves with Cortés in his
march towards the capital. As the troops drew near the town of Cholula
they were met by swarms of men, women, and children, all eager to catch
a glimpse of these wonderful strangers. An immense number of priests,
swinging censers, mingled with the crowd, and, as the Spaniards moved
onward, they were decorated with garlands of flowers; while musicians
filled the air with strange, melodious symphonies. The strangers were
given lodgings in the court of one of the many _teocallis_ and were
well supplied with provisions.
All seemed to be going well, and the Spaniards were highly pleased
with their reception, but soon the scene changed. Messengers arrived
from Montezuma, who told Cortés that his approach occasioned much
disquietude to their royal master. They hinted that he would not be
well received, and then had a separate conference with the Cholulans.
When they departed they took one of them off with them. The Cholulans
now kept away from the Spanish camp, and, when pressed for an
explanation, made many excuses, saying that they were ill. The supply
of provisions ran short, and, when asked to bring more corn, the
Indians answered that they were unable to do so, as it was very scarce.
The doughty General of the Spanish forces became alarmed at this sudden
change. His allies, the Cempoallans, now told him, that, in wandering
about the city, they had seen several streets barricaded, and, in some
places, they saw where holes had been dug and a sharp stake planted
upright in each. Branches had been strewn over these pits in order to
conceal them. They also announced that the flat roofs of the houses
were being stored with stones and with other missiles.
Cortés prepared for an attack, particularly as his Tlascalan
allies announced, that, in a far distant quarter of the town, a
number of children had been sacrificed to the war god: the mighty
Huitzilopochtli. They reported, too, that numbers of the people had
taken their wives and children out of the city, as if to get away from
the battle which was imminent.
Shortly after this, Marina made a discovery which proved that the
Spaniards were in a most precarious position. The wife of one of the
Cholulan caciques had taken a great fancy to the Mexican girl, and had
continually urged her to visit her house; hinting, rather carefully and
very mysteriously, that she would, in this way, escape a great danger
which threatened the Spaniards. Marina appeared to be delighted with
this proposal, and pretended to be glad to have a chance of escaping
from the white men. She, at length, won the confidence of the Cholulan
lady, who revealed the entire plot to her, a plot which had originated
with Montezuma, and by which he hoped to get rid of these terrible
strangers.
A force of twenty thousand Mexicans, said the wife of the cacique,
were already near the city, and were to fall upon the Spaniards and
their allies as they left. They were to be assisted by the Cholulans,
who had stored great quantities of rocks and arrows to hurl upon the
unsuspecting white men as they defiled along the roadway leading to the
City of Mexico. After the fair-faced strangers had been captured, some
were to be left with the Cholulans for sacrificial victims to their
gods; the rest were to be sent in chains to Montezuma.
Marina rushed to the gallant Cortés with the news of this impending
disaster to his army. The General at once ordered the cacique’s wife to
be seized, and she repeated to him the same story that she had told to
Marina. The Spanish leader was not slow to act. Two native priests were
immediately summoned into his presence, one of whom was a person of
much prominence. By courteous treatment and many presents, he secured
from them a complete confirmation of the story which Marina had told
him. There was no time to be lost and Cortés was a man of action.
Sending for the more prominent Cholulans, Cortés asked them to supply
him with two thousand porters, next morning, as he had determined to
move his army away from the town, and would need this many additional
men, in order to transport his luggage and the many presents which had
been given to him. After some consultation, the chiefs decided to give
him this number of men, as it would assist them in their own plan of
annihilating the invaders of their country. But Cortés had made up his
mind how to act, and intended to annihilate the Cholulans when once
he had them in his power. Night fell upon the city and every Spanish
soldier lay down fully armed. The sentinels were doubled, but all
remained quiet.
When the first streak of dawn reddened the east, next morning, Cortés
was ahorse, and was directing the movements of his little band of
heroic Spaniards. He placed the greater portion of his small force in
the large oblong court in the center of the town. These were lined up
in a hollow square, facing the center, all fully armed, with pouches
filled with bullets, and quite ready for anything that might occur. A
strong guard was placed at each of the three gates leading from the
town, and a number of the best soldiers were stationed in charge of
the cannon, which were pointed so as to command all the more prominent
roads leading to the center of the native stronghold.
Hardly had this disposition of the troops been made than the Cholulan
caciques arrived, bringing a much larger body of porters than Cortés
had demanded. They were placed within the hollow square formed by the
Castilian infantry.
The Spanish leader now took the caciques aside and said in a stern tone:
“Know, O Chiefs, that I have learned of your conspiracy to destroy me
and my followers. I am fully aware that you intend to fall upon me
and my men when we leave town, and I am determined to deal a just and
summary vengeance upon you.”
The Cholulans were thunderstruck, and gazed with awe upon these
strangers, who seemed to have the power of reading their inmost
thoughts. They made no attempt to deny the accusation, but tried to
excuse themselves by throwing the blame upon Montezuma.
“The great Emperor made us do it,” said they.
“I do not care whether he made you do it or not,” answered the
irritated leader of these Spanish conquerors. “For daring to think that
you could capture and defeat me and my men, I will put you all to
death, so that it will teach any others who may have designs upon my
person, in the future, to leave me alone. ‘Fire!’”
As he spoke a cannon growled out an ominous roar. It was the signal for
which the Spanish soldiers had been anxiously awaiting.
In an instant the muskets and crossbows were leveled at the startled
Cholulans, as they stood crowded together in the center of the market
place. A crash of firearms,—and many of them lay groaning upon the
pavement. Then, with a fierce and vindictive yell, the Spanish soldiers
rushed at the natives with their swords, and mowed them down as they
stood. The Indians had heard nothing of what was going on, and offered
but slight resistance to the armored men of Castile.
Wild shrieks and yells arose above the din of firearms, as the massacre
took place, and, attracted by the noise, the Cholulans from outside
began a furious assault upon the Spanish soldiers. The heavy cannon
opened fire upon them as they approached, and, when they advanced in
close formation, many were swept off their feet. The cavalrymen now
charged into their midst and hewed a passageway of blood in the lane of
human beings. The Tlascalan allies of the Spaniards fell upon the rear
of the battling Cholulans. Thus, harassed upon every side, the Cholulan
townsfolk could no longer maintain their ground. They fled, some to the
buildings nearby, others to the temples of the gods.
Headed by several priests, one strong body of fugitives ran to the
largest of all the temples, the great _teocalli_. As the Spaniards
came storming up the steps, these rained down stones, javelins, and
burning arrows upon them. In spite of this shower of missiles, the
soldiers pressed hard upon the heels of the fugitives, set fire to
the wooden tower, and cheered wildly when they saw the natives throw
themselves headlong from the parapet.
All was confusion and slaughter in the city of Cholula. The Spaniards
and Tlascalans plundered and burned wherever they went, and, as the
Tlascalans seemed only to want clothes and provisions, the adventurers
under Cortés secured all the gold and jewels that they cared to have.
Thus fire, plunder, and murder went on for many hours, until the
General yielded to the entreaties of the Cholulan chiefs, who had
been saved from the massacre, and, calling off his men, put an end to
further violence. By degrees the tumult was appeased. The terrible
vengeance of the invaders made a great impression upon the natives,
but no one trembled more than did Montezuma on his throne within the
mountains.