Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1847-05-08

The Halls Of the Montezunaas..
Montezuma III, assembled the Mexican
throne A. D. 1909, at The age of twen-
ty-three years, before Mexico had been
discovered by Europeans. He died
30th June, 1920, in the Add year Of his
age, of wounds inflicted by the Spanish
DISCOVERIES, whom he had invited to
his royal palace. Historians agree IN
admiring his character.
On ascending the throne, not con-
tent with the spacious residence of his
father, he erected another much more
magnificent, fronting on the plaza
mayor Of the present city of Mexico.
So vast was this great structure that
as one of the historians informs US, the
space covered by its terraced roofs
might have afforded room for thirty
knights to run their courses in regu-
lar tournay. His fathers palace al
though not so high, was SO extensive
that the visitors were too much fatigued
in wandering through the apartments.
ever to see the whole of it. The PAL
aces are built of red stone. ornamented
with marble, the arms of the Montezu-
ma family, ian eagle bearing tiger in
his talons) being scnlptured over the
main entrance. Crystal fountains, fed
by great reservoirs on the neighboring
hills, played in the vast halls and gar
dens, and supplied water TO hundreds
of marble baths in the interior OF the
palaces. Crowds Of mobiles and tribu-
tary chieltains were continually saun-
tering through the halls or lettering
away their hours in attendance on the
court. Rich carvings in wood adorn-
ed the ceilings, beautiful mats of palm
leaf covered the floors. The walls
were hung with cotton richly stained,
the skins Of wild animals or gorgeous
drapeIies of feather work wrought in
imitation Of birds, insects, flowers, in
glowing radiance of colors. Clouds of
incense from golden censors diffused
Intoxicating doors through splendid
apartments occupied by the nine hun
dred and eight9 s0iUes and five thou
sand slaves Of Montezums.
He encouraged science aud learning,
and public schools were established
throughout the greater part of bis en-
pire. The city Of Mexico in his day
numbered twice as many inhabitants
as at the present, and one thousand
men were daily employed 10 watering
and sweeping its streets, keeping them
so clean that man could traverse the
whole city with as little danger of soil
ing his feet as his hands. A careful
police guarded the city. Extensive ar
senals, graneries, war horses, an aviary
for the most beautiful birds, menage.
ries, houses for reptiles and serpents.
a collection Of human monsters, fish
ponds built of marble, and public libra
ries, all on the most extensive scale,
added their attraction to the great city
OF the Aztecs. Gorgeous temples-in
which human victims we're sacrificed,
and their blood baked in bread, or
-Eeir bodies dressed for food to be de-
v1ured by the people at religious fes-
tivals-reared their pyramidal affairs
far above the highest edifces. Thou
sands Of their brother men were thus
sacrificed annually. The temple Of
Msxiill-their war god-was so con-
structed that its great alarm gong,
sounding to battle, reused the valley FOR
three leagues around, and called three
hundred thousand armed Aztecs to the