The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1846-06-13

sion was ua The United States 10 SOM
other country, yet ii was well under
stood
The following description Of the Halls
Iof Montezuma, will be interesting al the
present time.
Mon,ezuma II. assembled the Mexican
Jhrone A. d. 1902, al the age Of 30, before
Mexico had been discovered by the Euro
peans. He died 30Ih June 1920, in the
i2d yeav Of his age, Of wounds inflicted by
Inc spanish discoveries whom he had nvi
Ted to his royal palace. Historians agree in
adniring his character
On ascending the throne mot content with
the spacious residence of his father, he e.
rected him another, much more magnificent
fronting on the plaza major of the present
city of Mexico. So vast was this great
structure, that. as one Of the historians in
forms us, the space covered by It's terraced
roof might have afforded room for thirty
knights 10 run their courses in a regular
lournay. His fathers palace, although not
so high, was so extensive that the visliers
were too much falgued in wandering
through the apartments, ever TO see the
whole Of it.
The palaces were built OF red stone, Or
namonIed with marble, the arms Of the
Montezuma family Gan eagle bearing tiger
in his taIons) being sculpIuIed over the
main entrance. Crystal fountains, fed by
great reservoirs on the neighboring hills,
played in the vast halls and gardens, and
supplied water 10 hundred Of marble baths
in the interior OF The palaces. Crowds Of
mobiles and tributary chieflains were conun.
uaIly saunteTing through the halls, or loiIer.
ing away their hours in attendance on the
court. Rich carvings in wood adorned the
ceilings, beautiful mats Of palm leaf covered
the floors. The walls were hung with cot
ton richly stained, the skins of wild animals
or gorgeous draperies Of feather work
wrought in imitation of birds, insects and
flowers, in glowing radiance of colors
Clouds of incense from golden censors diff,
fused Intoxicating odors through splendid
apartments occupied by the nine hundred
md eighty wives and five thousand slaves
Of Moniezuma.
He encouraged science and Learning, and
public schools we're established throughout
the greater part of his empire. The city
of Mexico in his day, numbered twice as
many inhabitants as q. present, and one
thousand men were daily employed in wa
ieTing and sweeping its streets, keeping
them so clean that man could traverse
lhe whole city with as little danger of soil
ing his feet as his hands. A careful police
guarded the city. Extensive arsenas gran.
aries, warehouses, an aviary for ihe most
beautiful birds, menageries, houses for rep
tiles and serpants, collection of human
monsters, fish~ponds built OF marble, and
and public libraries, all on the
most extensive scale, added their attractions
to The great city of the Aztecs. Gorgeous
Iemples--i which human yctius were sac
rficed, and their blood baked in bread or
their bodies dressed for food 10 be devoured
by the people at religious leslvals-reared
their pyramidial allars far above the high>
esI edIliCes. Thousands of their brother
men were thus sacrificed annually. The
temples of MaXll!i, their war god, was so
constructed that its great alarm gong sound
ing to battle, reused Ihe valley for three
leagues around, and called three hundred
thousand armed AzIecs 10 the immediate re-
lief of their monarch.
So vast was ;he collection of birds of
prey, in building devoted to them, that,
500 turkeys, The cheapest meat in Mexico,
were allowed for their daily consumption.
Such were the Halls OF the Mon,ezumas!
rhe summer residence of the monarch, on
the hill of Ch0poIepec, overlooking The city
was surrounded by gardens of several miles
in extent, and here were preserved until the
middle Of the last century, two statues Of
the Emperor and his father The great
Cypress trees, under which The Azlec So
vereign and his associates once held their
MOONLIGHT reyels still shade The rnval 0ar