Mexico | Page 2

homes and industries--War, human sacrifice,
cannibalism--History, hieroglyphics, picture-writing-- Irrigation,
agriculture, products--Mining, sculpture, pottery--Currency and
commerce--Social system--Advent of the white man.
CHAPTER IV
CORTES AND THE CONQUEST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Landing of Cortes--Orizaba peak--The dawn of conquest--Discovery of
Yucatan--Velasquez and Grijalva--Life and character of Cortes--Cortes
selected to head the expedition--Departure from Cuba--Arrival at
Yucatan--The coast of Vera Cruz--Marina--Vera Cruz
established--Aztec surprise at guns and horses--Montezuma--Dazzling
Aztec gifts--Messages to Montezuma--Hostility of the Aztecs--Key to
the situation--The Cempoallas--Father Olmedo--Religion and
hypocrisy of the Christians-- March to Cempoalla--Montezuma's
tax-collectors--Duplicity of Cortes-- Vacillation of
Montezuma--Destruction of Totonac idols--Cortes despatches presents
to the King of Spain--Cortes destroys his ships-- March towards the
Aztec capital--Scenery upon line of march--The fortress of
Tlascala--Brusque variations of climate--The Tlascalans-- Severe
fighting--Capitulation of Tlascala--Faithful allies--Messengers from
Montezuma--March to Cholula--Massacre of Cholula--The

snow-capped volcanoes--First sight of Tenochtitlan.
CHAPTER V
THE FALL OF THE LAKE CITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
The Valley of Mexico--The City and the Causeways--The
Conquistadores enter Mexico City--Meeting of Cortes and
Montezuma--Greeting of the Aztec emperor to the Spaniards--Tradition
of Quetzalcoatl--Splendid reception--The Teocalli--Spanish
duplicity--Capture of Montezuma-- Spanish gambling--News from
Vera Cruz--Forced march to the coast-- Cortes defeats Narvaez--Bad
news from Mexico--Back to the capital-- Alvarado's folly--Barbarous
acts of the Spaniards--The fight on the pyramid--Destruction of Aztec
idols--Death of Montezuma--Spaniards flee from the city--Frightful
struggle on the Causeway--Alvarado's leap--The Noche Triste--Battle
of Otumba--Marvellous victory--Spanish recuperation--Cuitlahuac and
Guatemoc--Fresh operations against the capital--Building of the
brigantines--Aztec tenacity--Expedition to
Cuernavaca--Xochimilco--Attack upon the city--Struggles and
reverses-- Sacrifice of Spaniards--Desertion of the Allies--Return of the
Allies-- Renewed attacks--Fortitude of the Aztecs--The famous
catapult-- Sufferings of the Aztecs--Final attack--Appalling
slaughter--Ferocious Tlascalans--Fall of Mexico.
CHAPTER VI
MEXICO AND THE VICEROYS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
General considerations--Character of Viceroy rule--Spanish
civilisation--Administration of Cortes--Torture of
Guatemoc--Conquests of Guatemala and Honduras--Murder of
Guatemoc--Fall of Cortes--First viceroy Mendoza--His good
administration--Misrule of the Audiencias-- Slavery and abuse of the
Indians--The Philippine islands--Progress under the Viceroys--Plans for
draining the Valley of Mexico--British buccaneers--Priestly
excesses--Raid of Agramonte--Exploration of California--Spain and

England at war--Improvements and progress in the eighteenth
century--Waning of Spanish power--Decrepitude of Spain-- Summary
of Spanish rule--Spanish gifts to Mexico--The rising of
Hidalgo--Spanish oppression of the colonists--Oppression by the
colonists of the Indians--Republicanism and liberty--Operations and
death of Hidalgo--The revolution of Morelos--Mier--The dawn of
Independence--The birth of Spanish-American nations.
CHAPTER VII
THE EVOLUTION OF MODERN MEXICO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
113
Monarchical regime of Iturbide--Great area of Mexican Empire--Santa
Anna--The Holy Alliance--Execution of Iturbide--The Monroe
Doctrine-- British friendship--The United States--Masonic
institutions--Political parties--Expulsion of Spaniards--Revolution and
crime--Clerical antagonism--Foreign complications--The
"pie-war"--The Texan war--The slavery question--Mexican
valour--American invasion of Mexico--Fall of Mexico--Treaty of
Guadalupe--Cession of California--Gold in California--Benito Juarez
appears--Conservatives and Liberals--Massacre of Tacubaya--The
Reform laws--Disestablishment of the Church--Dishonest Mexican
finance--Advent of Maximilian--The English, Spanish, and French
expedition--Perfidy of the French--Capture of Mexico City by the
French--Crowning of Maximilian--Porfirio Diaz--Rule of
Maximilian--Fall of his empire--Death of Maximilian--The tragedy of
Queretaro--Diaz takes Mexico City--Presidency of
Juarez--Lerdo--Career and character of Diaz--First railways
built--Successful administration of Diaz-- Political stability--Forward
policy.
CHAPTER VIII
PHYSICAL CONDITIONS: MOUNTAINS, TABLELANDS, AND
FLORA AND FAUNA. . 134

Geographical conditions--Tehuantepec--Yucatan--Boundaries and
area-- Population--Vera Cruz--Elevations above
sea-level--Latitude--General topography--The Great Plateau--The
Sierra Madres--The Mexican Andes-- General structure--The
coasts--Highest peaks--Snow-cap and volcanoes-- Geological
formation--Geological scenery--Hydrographic systems--
Rivers--Navigation--Water-power--Lakes--Climate and
temperatures--The three climatic zones--Rainfall--Snowfall--Flora and
fauna--Soil-- Singular cactus forms--The desert flora--The tropical
flora--Forest regions--Wild animals--Serpents, monkeys, and
felidae--Sporting conditions--Birds.
CHAPTER IX
THE MEXICAN PEOPLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Ethnic conditions--Spanish, Mestizos, Indians--Colour-line--Foreign
element--The peones--Land tenure--The Spanish people--The native
tribes--The Apaches--The Mexican constitution--Class distinctions--
Mexican upper class--Courtesy and hospitality--Quixotism of the
Mexicans--Idealism and eloquence--General characteristics--Ideas of
progress--American anomalies--Haciendas--Sport--Military
distinctions--Comparison with
Anglo-Saxons--Republicanism--Language-- Life in the cities--Warlike
instincts--The women of Mexico--Mexican youths--Religious
observance--Romantic Mexican damsels--The bull-fights.
CHAPTER X
THE CITIES AND INSTITUTIONS OF MEXICO . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
178
Character of Mexican cities--Value of Mexican civilisation--Types of
Mexican architecture--Mexican homes and buildings--The
Plaza--Social relations of classes--The City of Mexico--Valley of
Mexico--Latitude, elevation, and temperature--Buildings--Bird's-eye
view--The lakes-- Drainage works--Viga canal and floating

gardens--General description-- The cathedral--Art treasures--Religious
orders--Chapultepec--Pasco de la Reforma--The President--Description
of a bull-fight--Country homes and suburbs--Colleges, clubs, literary
institutions--Churches and public buildings--Army and Navy--Cost of
living--Police--Lighting and tramways--Canadian enterprise--British
commercial relations--The American--United States influence--A
general impression of Mexico.
CHAPTER XI
MEXICAN LIFE AND TRAVEL . . . . . . . . . . . . .