were maintained at the public expense. He also gave great encouragement to artists and manufacturers of every description. The gardens of his palace contained large collections of animals of every species found in the country, and all the plants, flowers and other natural productions useful in medicine.

The beginning of the reign of Montezuma was disturbed by rebellions among the provinces of the empire. These were suppressed without much difficulty. But Montezuma, shortly after, found himself involved in more serious hostilities with the republic of Tlascala, a nation dwelling near the city of Mexico, but which had constantly maintained its independence, while all the surrounding states had submitted to the Mexican arms. Montezuma despatched an army against the Tlascalans, under the command of his eldest son. The Tlascalans encountered them in the valley of Atlixco, and, by a sudden attack, gave them a complete overthrow, killing their general. The subsequent course of the war was not more fortunate for the Mexicans, for although Montezuma surrounded their state with powerful armies, and bent all his efforts to accomplish their entire destruction, such was the skill of these brave republicans, that the Mexicans were defeated in every battle, and finally abandoned the contest.

The Mexican histories and traditions affirm that about this time the fears of Montezuma began to be excited by omens and presages of the downfall of his empire. A comet appeared, and threw all the people into consternation. An army, marching on an expedition against the distant province of Amatla, was

overwhelmed by a furious snow-storm while crossing the Cordilleras. Strange flames of fire were seen blazing from the turrets of the great temple of Mexico on a calm, serene night. The waters of the lake were agitated, in a most extraordinary manner, without wind or earthquake, or any other known cause. Figures of armed men were seen fighting in the air. But the most portentous phenomenon was the apparition of Papantzin, the sister of Montezuma, who died in the year 1509, and was buried in a cavern in the garden of Tlatelolco, in the ancient Hebrew fashion, with a great stone at the mouth of her sepulchre.

The story of this supernatural event, which was firmly believed by the Mexicans, is as follows:Papantzin, after her death and burial, was discovered by a little child, sitting by a fountain in the garden. Montezuma was summoned to her presence, and she addressed him to the following effect: "After I was dead I found myself suddenly transported to a wide plain which appeared to have no bounds. In the middle was a road which divided into many paths, and on one side ran a river, foaming and dashing with a dreadful sound. I was about to plunge into the stream and swim to the opposite bank, when suddenly appeared before me a beautiful youth, clad in a long robe, white as snow and dazzling as the sun. He had wings of magnificent plumage, and his forehead bore this mark"-here she made the sign of the cross by laying her two forefingers across each other. "He said to me, 'Stop; it is not time to pass this river.' He then led me along the banks of the stream, where I saw heaps of skulls and human bones, and heard the

most appalling groans. Presently, I discovered upon the stream, large ships, filled with men in strange dresses. They were fair in complexion and bearded. They bore standards in their hands and helmets on their heads. The youth said to me, 'The groans you hear, are from the souls of your ancestors, who are tormented for their crimes. The men you see in these ships, will conquer this empire, and introduce the knowledge of the true God. Thou shalt live to be a witness of this great revolution.' Having said these things, he vanished; I awoke to life, and removed the stone of my sepulchre."

Disbelievers in the marvellous will explain this story by ascribing its origin to a dream of the Mexican princess, which alarmed the superstitious Montezuma, and the history of which was modified and adapted to the events afterwards. There is no doubt, however, that a tradition existed, from very ancient times, among the Mexicans, importing that an unknown race of men were to arrive from a distant part of the world and subjugate the country. The hieroglyphical volumes of the Mexicans contain abundant allusions to this subject. Montezuma was alarmed at the omens, and his thoughts reverted to the traditions of the disaster that menaced his empire. This, however, did not turn his attention from the active cares of government. He made war upon the provinces that skirted his empire, and subdued several nations. The prisoners captured in these wars shared the ordinary fate of those unfortunate beings; and unless the Mexican histories grossly exaggerate, there

were sacrificed, at the consecration of two Mexican temples, more than twelve thousand of these men.

In the midst of his successes, Montezuma was alarmed with the intelligence that a strange race of people had made their appearance on the eastern coast. Despatches were received from that quarter containing pictured representations of men on horseback, clad in armor, and wielding weapons that imitated thunder and lightning. Montezuma immediately consulted his oracles, and received advice not to admit the strangers into his capital. The monarch, however, either from natural indecision of character, or in a struggle between his wishes and his superstitious fears, pursued a temporizing course. He sent the strangers a rich present and a friendly message. Hernando Cortez, who, with an army of five hundred and eight Spaniards, had landed at the port of St. Juan de Ulua, on the 21st of April, 1519, received the messenger of Montezuma, and the present, borne on the backs of a hundred men. It consisted of various works in gold, silver and gems; thirty loads of fine cotton cloth, of various colors; some beautiful works of gold and feathers, and two large disks of gold and silver, representing astronomical figures, one of which was valued at twenty thousand dollars.

These presents, and the promise of others still more magnificent, which the ambassador assured Cortez should soon be transmitted from Mexico, produced effects the very reverse of what was designed by Montezuma. The ambassador replied to the request of Cortez to be admitted to the court of the emperor, that he was charged to dissuade him from so hazard

ous an enterprise, as the road thither lay through uninhabited deserts and hostile countries. But the avaricious passions of the Spaniards were inflamed by the prospect of so much wealth, and confirmed in their determination to penetrate to the capital. Mexico was a region entirely unknown to them, and the remarkable evidences of the opulence and civilization of the inhabitants, which met their eyes in every quarter, and which far surpassed anything of the kind they had before seen in the New World, gave them the most alluring prospects of plunder in the subjugation of the territory.

Notwithstanding, therefore, the positive prohibition of the emperor, Cortez began his march for the capital. The cacique of Zempoala, who had long borne impatiently the Mexican yoke, joined him on his march, and assisted him with troops and men to carry his baggage. Montezuma, hearing of his advance, sent his two nephews, with a numerous retinue of nobles, and another magnificent present, hoping to induce the invaders to depart from his empire; but this device was followed by the same results as the former. The march of the Spaniards toward Mexico was hastened. The warlike nation of Tlascala opposed an obstacle to their progress. But the Spaniards overcame them in a bloody battle, and a treaty of alliance was concluded with the Tlascalans. Cortez, with a strong army of auxiliaries, continued his march, and sent a threatening message to Montezuma, announcing his determination to treat him as an enemy.

Montezuma became more and more alarmed at the