Chapter III

Teutchlile arrives at the Spanish camp with the commands of Montezuma--Finds Cortes in the midst of difficulties with his men--Leaves the camp angry--Murmurs of the men--Management of Cortes--Commences the settlement of Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz--Quiets the complaints of the discontented--The Cacique of Chempoalla invites him to visit him--Cortes accepts the invitation--Interview between them--The settlement is removed to Quiabislan--Friendship of the Caciques of Chempoalla and Quiabislan--The tax-gatherers of Montezuma arrive--Cortes arrests them--The Totonacas become his friends--Visits the Cincapacingas--Makes friends of them--Imprudence of Cortes in the temple of Chempoalla--Sends messengers with presents to the King of Spain--Plot of Escudero and Centeno to stop them--They are put to death--Cortes destroys his fleet, and prepares to march toward Mexico--Arrival of Alonzo de Pineda upon the coast--Stratagem of Cortes--Sets out on his march--Passes Xalapan, Socachema, and Texotla, and arrives at Xocotlan--Interview with the Cacique--Determines to pursue his journey through the province of Tlascala.....46

CHAPTER IV.

Cortes enters the Tlascalan territory--Character of the people--Wars with the Tlascalans--Cortes subdues them--They become his allies--Marches to Cholula--Conspiracy and awful massacre of the Cholulans.....64

CHAPTER V.

Cortes sends messengers to Montezuma, and leaves Cholula--Alarm of Montezuma--The Spaniards reach the summit of Ithualco, and see the valley of Mexico--Montezuma retires to the palace of Tlillancalmecatl to mourn and pray--Sends his nephew Cacamatzin to dissuade Cortes from entering his city--Cortes crosses the causeway of Iztapalapan--Meets Montezuma--His splendid appearance--Enters Mexico, and makes his quarters at the palace of Axajacatl--Montezuma visits him--Cortes returns the visit--By his permission, visits the great market-place, the temple, &c.--Is disgusted in the temple--Anger of Montezuma--Suspicions of the Tlascalans--Death of Escalante--Treachery of the nobles--Cortes resolves to seize Montezuma--Enters his palace, and carries him away to the Spanish quarters.....83

CHAPTER VI.

Montezuma becomes satisfied at the Spanish quarters--Arrival of Quauhpopoca--He is delivered to Cortes--His confession--Is tried, and condemned to die--Montezuma is fettered, and Quauhpopoca burnt--Revolt of Cacamatzin, the lord of Tezcuco--He is made a prisoner--Cortes persuades Montezuma to swear allegiance to the King of Spain--and to send him a present of gold and silver--The nobles are roused--Montezuma orders Cortes to leave the country--allows him time to build ships for his departure--Arrival of Pamphilo de Narvaez with eighteen ships--Cortes is ordered again to leave--His joy and disappointment--Treachery of Montejo--Anger of Velasquez--Endeavors to make a friend of Narvaez--Sends him messages and presents--Narvaez proves stubborn--Cortes leaves one hundred and fifty men with Alvarado at Mexico, and marches to Chempoalla--Attacks him at midnight and makes him a prisoner--The soldiers of Narvaez gladly enlist under him.....102

CHAPTER VII.

Insurrection of the Mexicans in the capital--Struggles of Cortes--Death of Montezuma--Awful conflict in the temple--The Spaniards retreat from Mexico--Dreadful massacre on the causeway of Tacuba--Cortes escapes with the remnant of his army to the temple of Otoncalpolco--Determines to go to Tlascala.....120

CHAPTER VIII.

Battle of Otompan--Victory of the Spaniards--Cortes reaches Tlascala--Kindness of the Tlascalans--The soldiers of Narvaez murmur--Cortes receives unexpected reinforcements--The murmurers are sent home--He despatches messengers to Spain, Hispaniola, and Jamaica--Orders ship-timbers to be cut in the Tlascalan forests--Makes his head-quarters at Tezcuco--Death of Cuitlahuitzin--Guatimozin is made King of Mexico--Cortes attacks the cities Iztapalapan, Chalco, and Tlalmamalco--Sandoval reduces Zoltepec--The timbers for the brigantines are brought to Tezcuco--Xaltocan and Tacuba are reduced--Guatimozin refuses terms of peace--Quauhnahuac and Xochimilco are attacked--Narrow escape of Cortes--Conspiracy of Villafaña--Courage and address of Cortes--The brigantines are launched.....140

CHAPTER IX.

The siege of Mexico is commenced--Dreadful massacre of the Spaniards on the causeways--Narrow escape of Cortes--Frightful festival of the Mexicans in the temple--Their cunning--Prudence of Cortes--The siege is renewed--Message to Guatimozin--His scornful answer--The Spaniards enter the capital--The last quarter is besieged--Guatimozin is made prisoner--The capital reduced--Disappointed avarice of the Spaniards--Guatimozin is put to the torture--Cortes snatches him from his tormentors--Death of the Mexican King--Conquest of the distant provinces--Enmity of the Bishop of Burgos toward Cortes--Rebuilding of the capital--Cortes liberates Narvaez.....157

CHAPTER X.

Revolt in Panuco--Intrigues in Spain against Cortes--His friends support him--The King makes him Captain-General and Governor of New Spain--His great popularity--Arrival of Garay--Imprudence of his men--Slaughter of the Panuchese--The Bishop of Burgos and Narvaez continue their intrigues--Treachery and death of Christoval de Olid--March of Cortes to Honduras--The King issues a commission to investigate his conduct--Fidelity of the soldiers of Cortes--He embarks for Spain--Death of Sandoval--Reception of Cortes at the Spanish court--He returns to Mexico disappointed--Difficulties with the Audiencia--Embarks in new adventures--Discovery of California--Fails in his plans--Returns to Spain--Ingratitude of the King--Scornful treatment of the ministers--Death of Cortes--His remains are taken to Mexico.....174

THE

ADVENTURES OF HERNAN CORTES.