Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1836-06-10
SECOND APPROACH OF COR,
TES TO THE CITY OF MEXICO
BY DR.. BIRD .

prepared, at the dawn of the following
day, 10 resume its march. But the
events of this march being varied by
nothing but the change Of prospect,
and the wonder of those by whom the
valley was seen for the first time, we
will not initiate the prolixity of our
authority, The worthy DR.. CristobaI,
but despatch, in word, the increasing
delight and astonishment with which
Don Amador de Leste. after having
satiated his appetite with views of lake
and garden, surveyed the countless
villages and towns of hewn stone that
rose, almost at every moment among
them. A neck of land now separates
the lakes of Chalco and Xochim leo;
and the retreat Of the waters has left
their banks deformed with fens and
morasses, wherein the wild duck
screams among waving reeds and bull
rushes. Originally, these basins were
united in one long and lovely sheet of
water, divided indeed, yet only by
Causeway built by the hands of man,
which is now lost in the before men
toned neck, together with its sluices
and bridges, as we'll as a beautiful little
city, thai lay midway between the
two shores, called by the SpanlardS
Venezuela, because rising, like its
aristocratic godmolher, from among
:he waters,) until they discovered that
this was peCuliarity presented by
dozens of other cities in The valley.
Here was enjoyed the spectacle of in.
Vulnerable canoes, padded, with corn
and merchandise, from distant towns,
or parting with a freight of flowers
from the chinGmpaS, or floating gar
deus. But this was a spectacle dis
closed by other cities of greater mag
nitude and beauty; and when, from The
streets of the royal city oflztapalapan,
the army issued at once upon The broad
and straight dixie that stretched for
more than Two leagues in leoglb,a a no
BILE highway, through the salt foods
ofTezcuco; when the neophyte be
held islands rocking like anchored
ships in the water, the face Of the lake
througed with little piragunS, and The
air alive with snowy gulIs, when he
perceived the banks of this great sheet
as far as could be seen, lined with viii
lsges and towns; and especially when
he traced far away in the distance, 10
The line of the causeway, such multi
iude of high towers and shadowy pyra
mids coming over The waters, as demo
ted the presence Of a vast clty.--he
was seized with species Of awe at the
thought Of The marvellous ways OF
God, who had raised up that mighty
empire, all unknown to The men OF his
own hemisphere, and now revealed it,
for the accomplishment Of destiny
which he trembled TO imagine. He
rode at The head of the army, in a host
of distinction, by the side of Cortes;
and fell moved TO express some of the
strange ideas which haunted him: but
looking on the genera! atIentiveIy, he
perceived about his whole countenance
and figure an expression of singular
gloom, mingled with such unusual
haughliness, asquickIy indisposed him
= TO conversation.
The feelings that struggled in the
bosom Of the conqueror were, at this
instant, akin 10 those of the destroyer
as he sat upon lhe Asyrian mount
overlooking The walls of Paradise, al
most lamenling. and yet excu'Ag 10
himself, The ruin he was about TO bring
on that heavenly scene. Perhaps 'hor
ror and doubl' for moment distrac
ted bis thoughts, for no one knew bel
ter than he the uncertain chances and
tremendous perils of the enterprise,
or mused with more fear upon the
probable and most sangulnary resis
lance Of his victims, as loreboded by
the tunuIls thai followed after the late
massacre. But when he cast his eye
backward on the causeway, 4 behelc
the long train of foot and horse follow
Sing at his back; the many cannons.
which, as they were dragged along, O.
pened their braz9n threats towards tht
city,lhe rows of spears andarque5use
bristling, and the banners tapping
over the heads Of his people, and be
hind him The feathered lofts of hi
TIascaanS; and heard ,he music oCbl
trumpets swell from the dixie 10 Ii
lake, from the lake to the shores, an
dieaway, with pleasant echoes, anon
the hills, when he surveyed and lis
tened 10 these things; aud COntraste
with them the imperfect weapons an
81 a.