A new history of the Conquest of Mexico [by Costes] ; in which Las Casas' denunciations of the popular historians of that war are fully vindicated

Front matter

THE AUTHOR'S EXPLANATION. Dansville, N. Y., February Id, 1859. To Messes. Cuallen & Son: — I begket very much that my History should make its appearance just at this time, when the community are shocked with the announcement of the death of our distinguished historian, Mr. Prescott, lest some careless persons should suppose I was assailing the memory of the dead. It so happens that the most kindly relations existed between us in his lifetime, though ever taking diametrically opposite grounds on all Spanish questions ; he assuming that the books and MSS. sent to him from Madrid were reliable authorities, while I insisted on the lawyer's privilege of sifting the evidence — a labor he was incapable of performing, from a physical infirmity. Mr. Prescott's estimate of my researches is contained in the following letter.

Yours, truly, R. A. Wilson. "Boston, March 11, 1857. "Dear Sir:— " I have had the pleasure of receiving your note of the 9th inst., enclosing the preface to the new edition of your work. I am very sorry to learn that your health is so delicate as to make it necessary for you to make another excursion to the South. I should think that in Peru you must find the favorable climate that you want. " From your preface, as well as your note, I see you are making clean work of the Aztec civilization. If you do as much with the Peruvian, there will be little left to stand on upon this continent but a myth. " I don't see why you should hesitate in regard to the prosecution of your labors, when a third edition shows them to have been so favorably received by our countrymen. Truth is mighty and will prevail ; and if you can furnish the means of arriving at it in this fair historical question, you are certainly bound to do so.

If I should not become a convert to your views, it would not be strange, considering that I have been so long accustomed to look only on one side of the matter ; and that your theory, moreover, if established, would convert what I have hitherto done into mere chateaux en Espagne. " With my sincere wishes for your restoration to health, and that you may be enabled to prosecute your interesting researches, I remain, dear sir, very truly yours, Wji. H. Prescott." "His former work foreshadowed the discussion of the points wherein he differs from Mr. Prescott. The present work presents the author's matured thoughts upon this highly important subject, and also arrays the facts which tend to establish the Egyptian and Phœnician origin of the vestiges of civili zation upon this continent." — N. Y. Com.

Introduction

. An inspection of the country itself, first shook our belief in those Spanish historic romances upon which Mr. Prescott has founded his magnificent tale of the Conquest of Mexico. In a transition state between faith and disbelief, our first work was written. But, even then it was suggested that Bernal Diaz — whose personal narrative was the foundation of every subsequent account; — might yet prove a myth. That proof is now presented in so uncontro vertible a shape, as to carry with it, to the region of romance, all former histories of the great event which tbey affect to chronicle. The despatches of Cortez are our only written au thority. These are found to consist of two distinct parts — one an accurate detail of adventures consistent throughout with the topography of the region in which they occurred, as shown by our section maps ; the other, X

INTRODUCTION.

. a mass of foreign material, apparently borrowed from fables of the Moorish era, for effect in Spain. This element removed, both the hero and the war occupy a more commanding position than has hitherto been assigned them. To locate these aright has been our effort. In doing so, we have not only had to modify our previously expressed opinions, but also to introduce an entirely new theory to account for the pre-existence of American civilization. The popular belief having been proved fabulous, we had to construct another, consistent with the newly discovered facts of archæology. This will be found in the fifth chapter, supported by copious notes; while in the sixth is a condensed sum mary of Spanish- Arabian history ; showing the mine from which historians have drawn the enchanting tales they have transferred to an American soil.

Our pictures of Indian character, are not imported from abroad, or extracted from fashionable novels, but drawn with care from real life. These are the peculiar features of our work. EXPLANATORY NOTE. Engravings. — The only engravings custom authorizes in works of this character, are the portraits of its heroes. Mr. Prescott has introduced into his first volume a fine engraving of Cortez — from a copy-painting which has confessedly no known original ! That engraving represents the hero in a full set of steel armor, which he could not possibly have worn, at least in American Indian wars. In his second volume there is an engraving which purports to he a representation of Montezuma in full costume. It is unnecessary to add, that this, like the other, is undoubtedly a modern fabrication. Having no certain originals, and not wishing to impose upon my readers factitious portraits, I have been compelled to depart from established custom.

As a compensation, I have produced a correct representation of the pyramidal mound of Cholula, as it actually appears to persons approaching it from Pue bla. An attempt was made to introduce it into my preliminary work, but the engraver misconceived the sketch. There are a great many fancy sketches of Cholula restored, and Castanada has made a correct view of its modern front, as published in the fourth volume of Lord Kingsborough, with a modern road built up its face, but mine is pro bably the only correct view of its southern front. All other pictures, quoted or designed, are to prove some doctrine of the text ; excepting the frontispiece, the Palenque Cross, which diifers from the representation of it in Stephens, but is identical with the copy in the fourth volume of Lord Kings borough (Plate L., part 3, No. 41).

The difference consists in one retaining more of the allegorical surroundings than the other. Maps. — The maps of Spanish America, before the time of Humboldt, were little better than the weather prognostics in the almanac. That distinguished philosopher and traveller corrected them so far as his personal survey ex tended, which must necessarily have been quite limited. Mr. Prescott has introduced the same maps, with some further amendments, but allowed sup posititious portions to remain. I have inserted in this work the American army survey of the valley of Mexico, to demonstrate that lakes could not have existed there in the time of Montezuma. CONTENTS. CHAPTER PRELIMINARY Page 21

Chapter I. The Probable Origin Of The Aztec And Other Indians

How historic material must be gathered, 31 — Causes of the extermination of the Indians, 33 — The law of the forest, 34 — The effect of task labor on the Indians, 35 — The absurdity of assigning to them a Jewish origin, 35 — The modification of races at the dispersion, 36 — The pretended Jewish origin of the Aztecs, 37 — The origin of the Aztecs, 38 — The pretended Aztec covenant with the Devil, 39 — Where did the monks get their information? 40 — The arrival of the Aztecs in the valley of Mexico, 41 — The first settlement in that valley, 42 — The value of Indian traditions, 42 — Indio-monkish traditions, 44 — The ethnologist in Indian dialects, 46 — The founding of Mexico and Tacuba, 48 — Tezcuco in its glory, 49 — Aezahualcoyotl, the Magnificent, 49 — The adornments of his palace, 50 — The imperial children, 51 — The palace of Tezcocingo, 52 — He plays the part of David in the tragedy of Uriah, 52 — Aezahualcoyotl a religious reformer, 53 — Aezahualcoyotl a poet, 54: — A translation from his poems, 55 — The fabulous city of Tezcuco, 56 — The genius of Fernando de Alva, 57 — The value of De Alva, as witness, 60 — Tezcuco without the fable, 60 — The federative system of the Aztecs and other Indians, 61 — Their law of descent, 62 — Indian law of succession, 62 — Their tribal divisions, 63 — Effect of this law on marriage and inheritance, 64: — Indian agrarian laws, 64 — Aztec laws of the common type, 66 — The existence of an Indian monarchy doubtful, 67 — Lord Kingsborough, 68 — The author's visit to Tezcuco, 70. CONTENTS.

Chapter II. Spanish Historians And Spanish Picture Writings

Historians of the conquest, 76— Author's facilities for conducting an investigation, 77— The result of the inquiry, 78— Criticism necessary, 78— The Spanish histories but parodies on the book of Joshua, 79 — Their histories divested of Moorish elements, 80— -The object of Cortez' letters, 80 — The effect of the emperor's favor on evidence, 81 — Romance and history intermingled, 82 — A Moorish character given to the Indians, 84 — The influence of the holy office on history, 86 — MS. histories, 87 — Indio-Spanish traditional history, 88 — Burning of Aztec picture records fabulous, 90 — Picture writings Spanish, not Aztec, 90 — The discrepancies among historians, 92 — The difficulty of writing a history of the conquest, 93 — The verisimilitude of Spanish authors, 94 — Bernal Diaz de Castillo, 95 — Modern historians of the conquest, 97 — Boturnini, 98 — A specimen of his picture writings, 101 — Veytia, 102 — Clavigero, 103 — Historians at Mexico, 104 — Alaman, 104— Bustamente and Lerdo de Tajede, 104— Mr. Wm. H. Prescott, 104 — Robertson's History of America, 106 — Mr. L. H. Morgan's "League of the Iroquois" 106 — M. Dupaix, 107 — Alexander Von Humboldt, 107.

Chapter III. The Country Of The Aztecs

— THE TABLE-LAND OF AMERICA. Its mountain scenery, 109 — A country of silver, 112 — An isolated country, 112 — A tornado, 113 — The way to the interior, 115 — A tropical shore, 116 —A country in the clouds, 116 — Crossing the plateau, 117 — The vegetation and climate changing, 118 — A view of all the vegetable kingdoms, 119 — The century plant, 120— Morning twilight, 121 — The desert, 122— The country of the table-land, 123 — The Aztec foreign policy, 123 — The Aztec dominion to the Pacific, 124 — The south-east Aztec provinces, 125 — Acapulco, 125.

Chapter IV. The Geology Of

A COUNTRY PRODUCING THE PRECIOUS METALS. The geology in Mexican history, 129 — Civilized and savage gold diorrers, 129— Civilized digger a geologist, 130— The gold diggers' geology, 131 His speculation of floods, 132 — Intellectual superiority of the Ano-lo-Saxon CONTENTS. XV 133 — The silver miner, 133 — The chemistry of mining, 134 — The gold digger avoids the primitive, 134 — The silver miner seeks for ores in the primitive rocks, 135 — Why this chapter necessary, 136 — The silver mines, 137— The Real del Monte mines, 137.

Chapter V. The Extinct Empire Of Central America Identified As

PHŒ- NICIAN IN ITS ARCHITECTURE, ART, AND RELIGION. The antiquity of Central American ruins, 145 — Egyptian analogies, 146 — Ancient Americans not Egyptian in manner of worship, 146 — Obstacles to Egyptian migration, 147 — The era of Egyptian prosperity, 148 — Philistia and Phœnicia, 149 — Tarshish and its commerce, 150 — The religion of Tarshish, 152— The Latin cross at Nineveh and Tyre, 152 — The ancient magnetic cross, 153 — The cross the emblem of Ashteroth, 154 — Tyre the Paris of antiquity, 155 — Causes of decline of ancient nations, 156 — Sacrificing children to Molech or Saturn, 157 — The Phœnician Madonna at Palenque, 158 — Offering children to the cross at Palenque, 158 — The copper medallion alleged to have been found there, 160 — The tortoise the emblem of a Phœnician colony, 161— The river wall of Copan, 161— The alleged Phœnician MS., 161 — Recapitulation of Phœnician analogies, 162 — The bronze tools and weapons of antiquity, 163 — Steel by its cheapness supplanting bronze, 164 — A retrospect of antiquity, 165 — The dense population of ancient Central America, 166 — The result of commerce, 166 — Ancient routes of this commerce, 167- — Probable cause of its extinction, 167 — The oriental origin of Greek civilization, 169 — Greek ignorance of antiquity, 170 — The succeeding era, 170 — Decay of races, 171 — Each continent has a common hive, 172 — Our cause proved by unwilling witnesses, 172 — Why the fabled visit of the Apostle invented, 173 — The proofs necessary, 173 — Priority of sailing vessels to galleys, 174 — The proper judges of evidence, 176 — The incongruity of races, 177.

Chapter VI. Spain From The Traditional Era To The Rise Of Castile

The beginning of the '* historie of Spaine," 210 — " Osiris Denis, King of Egypt," succors Tartesse (Cadiz), 213 — " Hercules the Great, son of Osiris," slays the Gerions, and again relieves Cadiz, 214 — " Osiris Denis" identified as Rameses IV., 216 — Canonization of Hercules, 219— Spain under the successors of Hercules, 220 — Why Neptune was first deified by the Libyans, CONTENTS. 221— Tyrians migrate to Tartesse, 222— The Grecian Hercules at Tartesse 223— An unpoetical picture of him, 224 — The true character of Hercules, 224— An immense yield of the silver mines, 226— The traditional account of their discovery, 228 — Rise of the Carthaginian commonwealth, 230 — Carthaginians invited to Spain, 231 — Spain under the Carthaginians and Romans, 231— Reasons for inviting the Moslems into Spain, 232 — Our in debtedness to the Spanish Arabs, 234 — Cause of the decline of Arianism, 236 — Civilization of the Saracens peculiar, 237 — The time and place of Ma homet's birth, 238 — Cause of the success of the Saracens, 239 — Tarik in vades Spain, 240— Gothic preparations for defence, 241 — Traditions associated with the field of Gaudalete, 241— The moral power of Tarik, 242— How the " faithful" regarded the battle, 244: — The Christians imitate the Egyptians on the same field, 244 — The first day of the battle, 246 — The battle of Gaudalete continued, 247 — The religious results of the victory, 248 — The genius of the Arabs for the arts of peace, 248— The Caliphate of Cor dova, 250 — Its rapid growth and prosperity, 251 — Progress of learning among the Arabs, 254 — They disseminate it through Europe, 257 — The effect of this civilization, 258 — The fabulous histories of Mexico drawn from Cordova, 258 — Our indebtedness to the Arabs, 261 — Compelled to follow Spanish historians, 262.

Chapter VII. The Origin Of The Castilian Race

; THEIR PROGRESS TO THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA; AND THE EVENTS THAT IMMEDI- ATELY FOLLOWED. Pelagius and Zimines found the kingdoms of Leon and Navarre, 265 — Benefits resulting from their revolt, 266 — Cause of Moslem decay, 267 — Decline of the Castilian race, 2G9 — Christopher Columbus, 271 — His character, 271 — Quintanello introduces Columbus, 273 — A vindication of King Ferdinand, 273 — Disappointments benefit Columbus, 275 — The motives that sustained him, 276 — The Atlantic crossed, 277 — The Indian population, when discovered, 278 — The enslavement of the Indians, 279 — The effect of slavery on the Indians, 281 — Columbus returns successful, 282— Traces of civilization first discovered, 283 — The builders of these temples or chapels on truncated pyramids, 285 — Origin of the idea of Indian civilization, 287 — The apology for returning, 288 — The effect of this last discovery, 290 — Discrepancies iu narratives, 291— The allegation of Indian idolatry, 292 — The island of Cozumel, 292 — Ruins on Cozumel Island, 294 — A temple found in a deserted district, 296 — The extinct race of Yucatan, 297 — Barter for gold and observe picture writing, 299 — Human sacrifice, 301 — The end of Grijalva's expedition, 302 — Sociedad Mexicana, 303 — Don Juan Antonio Llorente 303. CONTENTS. XVII

Chapter VIII. Cortez Invades Mexico

Hernando Cortez, 304— A miracle, 305 — Cortez' life in the West Indies, 306 — Cortez appointed to command an expedition, 309 — Cortez sails from the Havana, 309— Robertson resuscitates Spanish myths, 310— Bernal Diaz, 313 — Cortez reforming the Indian religion, 314 — Antique statues overturned by Cortez, 317 — A muster offerees, 317 — Adieu to ancient ruins, 318 — The battles at Tobasco, 319— Second and third battle, 320 — A battle in which San Jago appears on a white horse, 322 — How Cortez converts twenty Indian females, 323— Landing at Vera Cruz, 324 — Dona Marina, 326.

Chapter IX. Cortez Settles Affairs At Vera Cruz, And Marches To Tlascala

The character of Montezuma, 328 — His administration and policy, 329 — Tradition of the coming pale-faces, 330 — The Indian presents and their quality, 331 — The religion propagated by the Spaniards, 333 — Indian idolatry and cannibalism explained, 334 — The real and apocryphal Indian presents, 33C — The picture writings and the soldier's casque, 337 — How Cortez was appointed Captain-General, 338 — Cortez moves to Sempoalla, and his missionary zeal, 339 — The fleet moved to oldest Vera Cruz, 341 — Expedition to Tzinpantzinco, 342 — Cortez acts the diplomatist, 342 — Cortez and others obtain each a squaw, 342 — Cortez exhibits his zeal for religion, 344 — Cortez sends agents and presents to Charles V., 346 — The council of the Indias on Cortez, 347 — The emperor favors Cortez, 348 — An attempted piracy, 349 — Did Cortez or a tornado strand his vessels, 349 — The march to the interior, 351 — The scenery peculiarly American, 352 — Its extraordinary beauty, 353 — The rapidity of Cortez' marches, 354 — The real merit of Cortez, 355 — Cortez crossing the high mountain, 355 — March across the barren land, 358 — The country through which Cortez marches, 359.

Chapter X. Operations In Tlascala

The Tlascala of Cortez, 360 — Tlascala according to Diaz, 361 — Tlascala according to the historians, 362— The impossibilities in Cortez' statements, 362 — An unfortunate remark of Diaz, 364 — The facts in relation to Tlascala, CONTENTS. 365— The real advantage of the Tlascalan alliance, 366— Religious toleration at Tlascala, 367— The Tlascalans and their government, 368— The campaign of Tlascala, 368— First battle with the Tlascalans, 369— Another great battle, 370— The success of the Tlascalan war, 370— The consumma tion of the Tlascalan alliance, 371— Cortez reforming the Indian religion, 372— Cholula, 376— Was Quetzalcoatl the Apostle Thomas? 378— The city of Cholula, 379— Its political state and government, 380— The simple truth about Cholula, 380— The Cholula massacre, 382— An ascent of the volcano, 384— Preparations for a march to Mexico, 386— Cortez enters the valley of Mexico, 386— Cholula, 388.

Chapter XI. Cortez Enters Mexico, Seizes Montezuma, And Occupies That City Till

DRIVEN OUT BY AN INSURRECTION. Advantage of having the person of Montezuma, 391 — A probable plot and counterplot, 392 — The Spaniards and Indians both doubtless designing treachery, 394 — Fabulous narratives of the e«Wand appearance of Mexico, 395 — The effect of historic fables on the modern city, 397 — Mexico as an Indian capital, 397 — -Interviews with Montezuma before his arrest, 398 — The capture of Montezuma, 400 — Advantage gained by this treacherous act, 401 — Cortez prepares to go against Narvaez, 403 — The battle with Narvaez, 404 — Commencement of hostilities in the capital, 405 — The contest around the Spanish quarters, 406 — Capture of the great pyramid, 408 — Other events before the night retreat, 408 — Unsatisfactory cause assigned for retreat, 409 — Cortez' night retreat from Mexico, 410 — Recapitulation of the night retreat, 413— The fugitives at the " Hill of Remedios," 414 — Retreat continued, 415 — The second night of the retreat, 415 — The retreat to Otumba, 417— The great battle of Otumba, 418— The battle concluded, 419 —Cortez reaches Tlascala, 420 — The author visits Tacuba, 420.

Chapter XII. Building Of The Brigantines, Campaign Of Tepeaca, And Return To

THE MEXICAN VALLEY. Cortez begins a war of extermination, 426 — He determines to build a flotilla, 427 — Cortez enslaves the Indians of Tepeaca, 429 — Subjugation of Tepeaca and founding a colony, 430 — The branding of Indian women with a hot iron, 430 — The Spaniards disgust the Indians with Christianity, 431 Gomora's fables on this campaign, 432 — Cortez secures the passes to CONTENTS. XIX Mexico, 433— The policy of Cortez, 433— The lagunas, and size of the brigantines, 434 — The difficulties encountered in building this flotilla, 435 — A wonderful success, but marred by fables, 436 — How Cortez obtained supplies and friends, 436 — How he circumvented Las Casas, 437 — How Cortez justified his enslavement of Indians, 438 — The manner of transporting the flotilla, 439 — The fabulous number of Indians engaged, 439 — Why Tezcuco was selected as the flotilla station, 440 — A muster of forces, 442 — The passage of the mountain, 444 — Cortez' entry into Tezcuco, 445 — Cortez fortifies his quarters, 445 — Cortez entrapped at Iztapalapa — his night retreat, 446 — An explanation of the Iztapalapa affair, 447 — Death of the Emperor Cuetravacin, 449 — How the statement of Cortez becomes possible, 450 — Cortez' account of it, 450 — Don Fernando, Lord of Tezcuco, 451 — A topographical survey of the Mexican valley, 452 — The Mexican causeways, 452 — The maps used in this chapter, 452 — Survey of Lieut. H. L. Smith, U. S. A., 460.

Chapter XIII. The Siege Of Mexico

The youthful Emperor Guatamozin, 461 — Effect of the appearance of the " brigantines," 462 — Guatamozin's line of defence — his heroism, 463 — Transporting the " brigantines" to Tezcuco, 464 — Cortez makes a reconnoissance in force, 465 — Incidents of the march, 466 — More topographical blunders of Diaz, 467 — Sandoval's expedition to Chalco, 468 — More woman-branding — arrival of a Papal bull, 469 — Their sins pardoned by virtue of the bull, 469 — Cortez' expedition south of the lagunas, 470 — Cortez engages the mountain tribes, 472 — The beauty of the gardens of Guastipeque, 472 — The capture of Cuernavaca, 473 — Capture of Xochimilco, 474 — The second day at Xochimilco, 475 — The second reconnoissance to Tacuba, 476 — The character of this reconnoissance, 476— The canal built by Cortez, 477 — A fabulous depth given to his canal, 478 — Adventurers attracted by the first despatch, 478 — A muster and division offerees for the siege, 479 — The land forces placed in position, 480 — By means of his brigantines Cortez captures the Pinon, 480 — The first battle on the water, 482 — The first week of the siege, 483 — A complete investment effected, 484 — Its results, 485 — The Chinampas, improperly called Floating Gardens, 485.

Chapter XIV Capture And Destruction Of Mexico

Commencement of the siege, 488 — The fabulous numbers of allies reduced, 439 — Cortez retreats and abandons a cannon, 490 — The advantage Cortez CONTENTS. XX derived from his cavalry, 490 — The result of two days of fighting, 491— Cortez divides his flotilla, 491 — Cortez makes another attack, 493 — Cortez burns the fabulous palaces of Mexico, 493 — Hunger, thirst, and the small pox hasten the event, 494— New fables and further reductions by Diaz, 494 — Submission of the neighboring hamlets — defeat of Alvarado, 495—Re markable fortitude of the Mexicans, 496— The Mexican trenches— how made, 496 — Cortez suffers a Serious repulse, 497 — Cortez rescued from the enemy, 498— A fearful retribution, 498 — Indian peculiarities in war, 499 — Secondary expeditions during the interval, 500 — Cortez resolves to demolish the city, 500 — Cortez plans a successful ambuscade, 500 — Cortez providing cannibals with their food, 501 — Cortez in possession of seven-eighths of the city, 502 — The famine in the city, 502 — The miserable condition of the citizens, 503 — Guatamozin prefers death to a surrender, 503 — The capture of Guatamozin, 504 — The torturing of the prisoners, 505 — The motive not understood in Spain, 507 — Result of Cortez' policy, 508 — Cortez governed by policy, 508 — Exaggerations reduced to reality, 509 — Cortez one of the great men of his age, 510 — Cortez eclipsed by Pizarro, 511 — The youthful hero Guatamozin, 512.

Chapter XV

A SUMMARY. Phœnician vestiges in the British Islands, 513 — Probabilities of their crossing the Atlantic, 514 — Argument from analogy, 514 — Traditional knowledge of American colonies, 515 — Extinction of an exotic race, 516 — Decay of modern exotics, 517 — Our disappointment with others, 518 — Our faith shaken at Tlascala, 519 — Extinguished at Cholula, 520— The argument from the brigantines, 521 — Time occupied in the siege explained, 521 — Mexican Empire doubtless a confederacy, 522 — Difference of this from our own Indian wars, 522— What the Mexicans really were, 523— The conclusion, 524. In this work the standard Spanish authorities have been followed as long as they followed the truth. When ever they departed from the path of physical possibili ties we have also departed from them, and thenceforward groped our way, as best we could, through a crude mass of other materials.

" Weight of authority' has not deterred us from rejecting whatever was manifestly untrue, nor have we relied on the sanction of a Superior or an Inquisitor to justify a false assertion. The picture writings copied into the monster volumes of Loi'd Kingsborough, we have denounced as Spanish fabrications ; as they, independent of containing internal evidence of imposture, do not purport to be originals. All the evidence we have in relation to them, is the state ment of their ci-devant transcriber, the monk Pietro. He tells us they were copied from Indian records, continued for a period of thirty-two years subsequent to the con quest. On this unstable foundation the whole fabric rests. If originals ever existed, and of Indian workmanship, to so late a date, they must have been the production of Romanized, and not of pagan Aztecs.

In the second generation succeeding the conquest the increased product of silver excited a general interest throughout Europe in the affairs of Mexico and Peru, and then the Aztec picture writings appeared ; but, the foreign market supplied, they disappeared, too, as mysteriously, under the management of Bishop Zumarraga, as the Virgin Mary herself, after she had furnished him with her miraculous portrait. It was then the ghost of Bernal Diaz was evoked to write a new narrative of the conquest ; one that should enlarge the general scope of that adven ture, while it cut away some of the more monstrous fictions of its leader. Gomora, the chaplain of Cortez, is the leading historian of the conquest. Though his work is but a continuous laudation of his patron, the elegance of its style, and the beauty of its diction, supjuly the place of truth.

He is but the De Foe of history, Cortez is his Crusoe, and the lagunas of Mexico the seas that witnessed his hero's adventures. Bernal Diaz* says of this writer, " we must write one thousand when Gomora says eighty thousand !" Denounced and thoroughly exposed both by him and Las Casas, yet is he still habitually quoted as an historic authority. A number of monkish historians appeared also about the time of Diaz. Their productions abound in state ments absurd, contradictory, and impossible. All have but one object, — the glory of the Virgin and the church, — and all claim some unproduced picture writing for * We mean the book that bears the title, " The Memoirs of Bernal Diaz del Castillo written by himself, containing a full and true account of the discovery and conquest of Mexico and New Spain." their authority.

The better to advance this darling object, works in relation to the new world were, by law, finally restricted, to persons in the priestly office. The fact, then, that these authors composed under the eye of a Superior, and could not publish without a license from seven other independent censors, utterly forbids their citation as authority. Not only are there mistakes among these chroniclers, in matters of topography — they were to be expected — and fables which the church supported — and the church desired — these were to be expected also ; beyond these lies another cause of error; the monstrous exaggeration which pervades the entire fabric of every Spanish account of the conquest. Thread by thread, warp and woof, has received that dye, and now, to present the subject in the simplicity of un adorned truth, appears almost impossible.

Some fifty years later than Diaz a new historian arose, Fernando de Alva, the quadroon. By the magic of his pen alone, his native mud-built village of Tezcuco, became the metropolis of an extinct empire, surpassing that of Bagdad or the Great Mogul. This empire in the clouds depends too for its history on other unproved picture writ ings ; records, it is averred, that had escaped the alleged burning of Bishop Zumarraga. A hundred and fifty years more, and we reach a new batch of authors, who, in Italy and Spain, repeat the fables of their predecessors, with various modifications — Boturnini, Clavigero, Veytia, &c, standard authorities among our own writers. In an unguarded moment these chroniclers ventured to produce specimens of Indian picture writing. To prove the Aztec theory of the flood, an Italian, in gown and curled wig, paddles a little boat in one, while other similar figures are engaged upon the sacrifice of a female victim, whose Italian head-dress, is about the only means of distinguishing her from a sheep.

Three instances of record-burning are usually cited in connexion with the Spanish histories of Mexico. The first is that of the Toltec records, destroyed by the Aztec emperor, Ytzcoult. The second, the Votan MS. of the Phœnician era, committed to the flames by a Bishop of Chiapa after a copy had been taken ! This may be found in the Rev. Dr. Hawks's translation of Bibero. The last apocryphal auto is that of the Aztec and Tezcucan picture writings by Zumarraga. The tales of human sacrifice rest on as unreliable witnesses as those of the picture writing. Spaniards, compos ing under constraint, necessarily repeated all the monstrous statements of Cortez. But Robertson not only reproduces them, in his history of America, — he goes out of his way to charge the Iroquois of New York with cannibalism !