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.
[Illustration: 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.
[Illustration: MOONLIGHT VIEW OF PLAZA AND CATHEDRAL.]
"As we looked from the tower we agreed with Bishop Haven that never did
a city have such an environment. The whole city lay below us spread out
like a map; there are few chimneys in Mexico, and consequently there was
no smoke to mar the view, and we readily traced the streets and avenues,
stippled with the green of the squares and gardens that abound so
numerously. We looked over the plains and down upon the lakes, and then
our gaze swept to the mountains that surround the valley in a jagged
chain that covers nearly 200 miles of distance in its girdling course.
The snow-covered peaks of Popocatepetl and his sister and companion,
'The White Woman,' seemed to rise higher than we had before seen them,
and added a solemnity to the picture in addition to that which it
already possessed. North of the city rises the hill on which is built
the Church of Guadalupe, and on the west is that of Chapultepec. As we
looked on the latter we thought of the heroic attack upon the fortress
by the American army in our war with Mexico, while the former secured
our respect as one of the places which are sacred in the eyes of pious
Mexicans.
"The $2,000,000 which I mentioned as the cost of the cathedral were for
the walls alone; at one time the wealth of the church, in silver and
gold and costly pictures, was something almost beyond calculation, but
it has been repeatedly plundered, and the aggregate work of the
despoilers has stripped off much of its magnificence, but even now it is
very rich, and as long as peace continues is likely to remain so. There
are six altars, fourteen chapels, and five naves; there are paintings by
famous artists of Spain, and there is a balustrade around the choir
which is said to weigh 50,000 pounds, and is so valuable that the church
authorities refused an offer to replace it with a balustrade of solid
silver of equal weight. The balustrade was made in Macao, China, and is
of tumbago, a composite of silver, copper, and gold. It was brought to
Acapulco, and transported thence on pack-mules to this city.
"We visited the chapels in which the remains of some of the great men of
Mexico are buried, notably the chapel of San Felipe de Jesus, which
contains the tomb and monument of the unfortunate Iturbide, the first
emperor of Mexico. On the monument he is called 'The Liberator,' and we
are told that his birthday is remembered and honored, as it justly
deserves to be. We haven't yet told you who Iturbide was.
"He was born in 1783, his parents having come from Spain shortly before
his birth, and settled at what is now Morelia, in Mexico. He became a
soldier, and fought in the wars against the revolutionary movements in
the first fifteen years of the present century. In 1816 he went into
private life, having been dismissed from the service in consequence of
quarrels with men high in power; then he began to dream of securing the
independence of Mexico; and when the revolutionary movement became
general in 1820, he joined it. He was soon at the head of the army, the
revolution succeeded, independence was acknowledged, and Iturbide was
proclaimed Emperor May 18, 1822, and crowned on the 21st of the
following July.
[Illustration: AUGUSTIN DE ITURBIDE, GRANDSON OF THE LIBERATOR.]
"But peace did not follow his coronation. There was a new revolution,
with Santa Anna at its head, and Iturbide was forced to abdicate the
throne and leave the country. He went to Italy, and afterwards to
England; but in 1824 the desire to regain his crown led him back to
Mexican soil, where he had been proclaimed a traitor and an outlaw. He
landed at Soto la Marina on the 14th of July, and was arrested. Five
days later he was shot by order of the military commander; as he fell he
assured the multitude that his intentions were not treasonable, and
exhorted them to religion, patriotism, and obedience to the Government.
And here his body rests, the judgment upon his conduct having been long
ago reversed. His grandson now lives in Washington. Maximilian, being
childless, chose young Iturbide, the grandson, to be his heir to the
throne of Mexico, but there is little likelihood that he will ever
ascend its steps; the atmosphere of Mexico does not seem favorable to
imperial plants.
"In the days of its glory the high altar of this cathedral was the
richest in the world. There were candlesticks of solid gold upon it;
they were so heavy as to make a load for a strong man, and some were so
large that the strength of one man was not sufficient to raise them. The
other ornaments and appurtenances of the altar were of corresponding
richness and value, some of the crosses, pixes, and censers being
studded with diamonds, pearls, amethysts, sapphires, emeralds, and
rubies. There was a statue of the Assumption, which was of gold set with
diamonds, and is said to have cost more than $1,000,000. It is gone; and
so is a lamp which was valued at $70,000; and with them many other
things of great value have disappeared. Some one says that it cost $1000
to clean that famous lamp, but the revolutionary troops cleaned it out
for nothing. The balustrades of tumbago remain undisturbed, possibly
because the real value of that metal was unknown at the time of the
looting of the cathedral.
[Illustration: GRANTING ABSOLUTION IN THE CATHEDRAL.]
"Like Catholic churches everywhere, the cathedral is always open, and
men and women come here for prayer whenever opportunity offers, in
addition to their attendance at mass. In nearly every chapel we saw one
or more kneeling figures. All classes meet here on common ground; and
the poor Indian may be seen worshipping side by side with the richly
clad and jewelled lady whose family is of the purest blood of Spain. On
great festivals the church is crowded, and the mingling is most
indiscriminate. At such times pickpockets are said to abound; and they
manage to steal handkerchiefs and purses while kneeling devoutly at the
side of those whose possessions they covet. Mexican thieves are quite
adroit, and some of their performances are, professionally considered,
worthy of the highest praise.
"Before leaving the cathedral we inspected the famous calendar-stone of
the Aztecs, which is in the base of one of the towers. Fred will tell
you about it; my business is now with the churches."
Frank added to his notes that in addition to the cathedral there were
forty-six large churches in the city, all of them broad and high, and
ornamented with domes or towers. One, the Sagrario, adjoins the
cathedral, and is connected with it by a large door; its façade is
richly, and, as Frank thought, rather grotesquely carved.
[Illustration: READY FOR MASS.]
One of the most fashionable churches is the Profesa, which is crowded
during Lent with the ladies of the best society, all arrayed in solemn
black, in accordance with the church-going custom already mentioned. Our
friends went there, and also to the Church of San Fernando, which is
near the cemetery, and is the resting-place of most of the illustrious
men of Mexico. Generals Miramon and Mejia, who were shot with
Maximilian, are buried there; San Fernando also contains a monument to
President Juarez, which is considered one of the best works of modern
sculpture. It was made by Manuel Islas, a Mexican sculptor. The
monumental group is in a small Greek temple, and represents the dead
President lying at full length, with his head resting on the knee of a
feminine figure, which represents Mexico.
[Illustration: OLD SPANISH PALACE IN THE CALLE DE JESUS.]
Doctor Bronson and the youths paid a visit one morning to the church
where the remains of Cortez the Conqueror rested at one time, and by
many are supposed to be resting to-day. It was the desire of Cortez, in
case of his death in Europe, to have his bones transported to the New
World. They were brought to Mexico in 1629, and rested quietly in this
church for nearly 200 years, when they were secretly removed, through
fear that the tomb would be violated by the Revolutionists, who had a
bitter hatred of everything Spanish. They were first placed in another
part of the church, and then sent to Italy, where they now are. From
present indications, the Mexicans are not likely to ask for their
return.
[Illustration: CHURCH BUILT BY CORTEZ.]
When we left the cathedral we gave a glance at the Aztec calendar-stone,
which Fred was to describe to us. Listen to his account:
"The Aztec calendar-stone," writes Fred, "is exceedingly interesting,
both from its historic character and as a work of the sculptor's art.
Some say the name is incorrect, and that the stone is not intended for a
calendar. We will not enter into the dispute, but accept the name by
which the antiquity is best known. It is of circular shape, eleven feet
in diameter, and is said to weigh twenty-five tons.
"A great deal has been written about this stone, and there has been a
wonderful amount of speculation and theory concerning it. I haven't
space or time to consider everybody's story, and will take that of Señor
Chavero, who, as we are told, is one of the best authorities, if not the
best of all. Señor Chavero says the stone was engraved in honor of the
sun, and for this reason it is often called 'The Stone of the Sun.'
"According to this gentleman's account, the stone was made in the reign
of King Axayacatl, about 1479 of our era, and was originally placed
horizontally in the temple of Mexico. When the temple was destroyed by
Cortez after the Conquest, the stone lay for a while in the great
square. It was buried about the middle of the sixteenth century, and
remained beneath the surface of the plaza until 1790, when it was
unearthed and placed where it is now to be seen.
[Illustration: THE AZTEC CALENDAR-STONE.]
"Here is what Señor Chavero says of the meaning of the sculpture on the
stone:
"'The face in the centre is the god-star throwing his light on the
earth, which is represented by the tongue protruding from his lips. He
has the pupils of his eyes turned upward, and they are seen through the
sacred mask that covers the upper part of his face. The hieroglyphics
on the diadem encircling the head represent the division of time and
the Mexican method of numbering the years. The civil year, like ours,
was 365 days. Each four years had different emblems repeated
successively, without reference to other chronological arrangements. The
first year was called _tochtl_, or rabbit; the second, _acatl_, or reed;
the third, _tecpatl_, or flint; the fourth, _calli_, or house. In
addition to these periods, the years were arranged by the number of
thirteen, four of such periods making fifty-two years, or a Mexican age,
when the Festival of Fire occurred. This was a most serious event for
the Mexicans, as the priests taught the people that the world might come
to an end and terrible demons would descend from above and eat up
mankind.
"'The two claws on the dial at the sides of the mask represent
computations of numbers, for which the hand was used in a sort of
deaf-and-dumb alphabet. The large V-shaped ornaments denote four equal
divisions of the day, and the smaller ornaments of the same shape
indicate the division of the day into eight parts. The ornaments lying
between the V's represent eight divisions of the night. The twenty
ornaments in panels in the circle inside the V's are symbols of twenty
days, or one Mexican month. The rest of the stone is differently
interpreted by different writers, but they generally agree that it
represents the relations of the months to the year and the years to the
Mexican cycle.'
[Illustration: INDIAN PICTURE-WRITING.]
"And here is a good place," said Fred, "to make some notes about the
Aztecs. Properly speaking, they were only one of the tribes or nations
that occupied the plateau of Anahuac, or Mexico, at the time of the
Conquest by Cortez. They migrated from the north, the aggregate time
consumed in their migrations being nearly 200 years, and finally settled
in the Valley of Mexico, at a spot where they saw an eagle sitting on a
cactus and with a snake in his beak. This eagle and cactus have been
adopted as the symbol of Mexico, and are seen on the national flag and
on the coins.
[Illustration: TENOCHTITLAN, A.D. 1517.]
"The Aztecs found the valley occupied by the Toltecs, who had been there
for several centuries. They made war on the Toltecs, took possession of
the country, and proceeded to build a city on the site of the present
capital. It was called Tenochtitlan ('cactus on a stone'), and the
foundations were laid about A.D. 1324. Lake Tezcoco was then much higher
than it is now, and the new city was surrounded by water, and greatly
resembled Venice in the abundance of its canals. It could only be
approached on narrow causeways, and there was a fleet of boats on the
lakes which prevented attack by water. With this stronghold as a base,
the Aztecs gradually conquered all the surrounding people, so that they
had possession of the entire valley at the time of the arrival of
Cortez.
[Illustration: FIRST CAVALRY CHARGE BY CORTEZ.]
"One of the tribes of the Aztecs was called Mexicans, from Mexi, their
chief. This tribe seems to have become more powerful than the rest,
though originally it ranked as the seventh. It gave the name to the
whole people, and from the people the name passed to the country.
"If you think the Aztecs, or ancient Mexicans, were a barbarous people,
look at some of their laws and customs.
"They had a complete system of laws, and they had courts in all their
cities and towns to administer the laws. They had inns along the roads
for the free accommodation of travellers, and bridges or boats at the
crossings of rivers. Creditors could imprison their debtors; slaves
about to be sold might free themselves by seeking refuge in the royal
palace; and treason, embezzlement of taxes, and any crime against the
person of the sovereign would cause the death of the offender and all
his relatives to the fourth degree. Slander was punished by cutting off
the lips or ears, and death was the penalty for robbing in the market,
altering lawful measures, or removing the legal boundaries of land.
Prisoners of war were devoured, enslaved, or offered as sacrifices; and
there were two sorts of prisons: one for debtors and others not charged
with capital crimes, the other for condemned criminals and prisoners of
war.
"They had no beasts of burden; and when Cortez landed with the few
horses that he brought on his ships, he struck terror to the hearts of
the people, who had never seen such an animal. All burdens were carried
on men's backs, and they had towers erected along the principal roads
for forwarding the King's despatches. These towers were about six miles
apart, and couriers were always standing ready to receive messages
which were brought from the last tower or station by a man running at
the top of his speed. Letters were carried three hundred miles in a day
by this method. This system is almost identical with that of the great
Khan of Cathay, as described by Marco Polo, except that the Khan had his
post-stations only three miles apart, instead of six.
"I think I hear you ask something about their language and how they
wrote. Well, they had no written language like ours, with letters and
words, but they had a picture-writing, in which everything was
represented by drawings and paintings. They had records of this sort of
all their history, and their books and papers would have filled a large
library, but they were burned by the Spaniards, who thought it a sin to
allow these pagan documents to exist. Only a very few of the
picture-writings preceding the Conquest have been preserved. When Cortez
landed on the coast of Mexico, a full account and description of his
ships and men were sent to the King by means of these pictures. The
Aztec picture-writings have a remarkable similarity to the hieroglyphics
of the ancient Egyptians, and some writers believe that the Aztecs are
the lost tribes of Israel, who wandered to America and brought the
Egyptian form of writing with them.
"That will do for the present about the Aztecs," said Fred. "If you want
more you must wait a while till I take breath."
Fred made a sudden descent from the sixteenth to the nineteenth
century, and as he closed his note-book he suggested a stroll to the
grand plaza.
[Illustration: A FLOWER-SHOW IN ZOCALO.]
Frank assented, and away they went. It was the hour when fashionable
people were out for their daily airing, and the display was well worth
seeing. There was a flower-show in the Zocalo, a garden in the centre of
the plaza. It is not a relic of the Conquest, but of very modern origin,
as it was laid out by Maximilian, who had a good eye for the beautiful.
Many persons complain of the Zocalo, as it partially obstructs the view
of the cathedral.
Frank and Fred found the flower-show very interesting, not only on
account of the floral products which they saw, but also because of the
artistic arrangement of the bouquets. Some of the bouquets contained
strawberries and other small fruits on account of the contrasts of
color, and there were many bunches and baskets with little flags, on
which were mottoes, patriotic, sentimental, and otherwise, so that all
reasonable tastes could be accommodated. There was a band of music
playing, and the fashionable population seemed to have assembled in the
Zocalo to see and be seen.
[Illustration: HOW THE MANTILLA IS WORN.]
Not the least interesting part of the show was the crowd of promenaders.
The ladies were in the fashions of Paris, perhaps six months after the
date of their issue in the French capital, and every young lady was
accompanied by her duenna, an elderly woman, who never for a moment left
the side of her charge, and scarcely removed her eyes from her.
Fashionable young, middle-aged, and old men were there, but the younger
seemed to be in the majority. Some of them wore the national costume,
the trousers and short jacket, ornamented with silver buttons, and the
broad-rimmed sombrero, covered with silver braid and embroidery; others
had adopted the walking costume of Europe; and from the number of these
it was evident that the old fashion is dying out. Frank and Fred thought
it a pity that such should be the case, as the Mexican dress is
picturesque, and certainly distinctive of its wearers. Some of the
ladies wore the mantilla in combination with their Parisian dresses,
while others had adopted the French bonnet, with all the delicacy of
trimming that adapts it for fine weather only.
[Illustration: THE TROGON.]
From the Zocalo the youths wandered to the shops along one side of the
square, where they lingered for some time among the curiosities which
were exposed for sale. The first thing to attract their attention were
the famous feather pictures which are made by the Indians, exactly as
they were made in the days before the Conquest. The secret of this work
has been handed down from father to son, and is known in its perfection
to a comparatively small number.
"We saw some feather pictures," said Frank, "that were marvels of beauty
and skill. The brilliant plumage of the paroquet, humming-bird, trogon,
and other members of the ornithological family of Mexico, is used for
this work, and the colors are as skilfully blended as are the pigments
of an accomplished painter. Considering the time required for their
production, these pictures are wonderfully cheap, and we have bought
several to send as curios to our friends at home. The ancestors of the
feather artists of to-day made the famous feather cloak of Montezuma,
which excited alike the admiration and the cupidity of Cortez and his
companions."
[Illustration: NEAR THE PLAZA.]