Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1850-11-05
Service WanderiGgS.
BY AN OFFICER OF ARTILLERY.
G Hn u T. A &.


| Who has not heard of The Pyramid o
Cholula--reprrsented by wood-cut in
The primer Biographies. as truncated
pyramid, with long, four-sided base,
and regular steps on every side, to the ia
nous temple of the more famous Quelzal.
coal at lis summit Or what reader o
Prescott does not recall the thrilling me-
mories Of the massacre, by Cortez and the
allied Indians, of thousands Of Ire natives,
in the town at lis base, in retaliation Oi
their treachery?
The story is no doubtexaggerated, and
lie child's wood-rul is as like the actual
reality as Hyperion TO saiyr." ssy
The memories are exaggerated for Pres
cot draws his materials from the Spanish
historian and it has passed into pro-
verb among The Spanish, that of what his
torians and travellers relate, we may be-
ieve '.ia mitud de la mifad." But even
when this quarlering process had passed
upon the story OF Bernal Daz, there still
remains enough of the tragic and roman
tic in the recOllections of that picturesque
spot, 10 invest II with particular interest
to The traveller.
The impression, think, which is forced
upon the mind Of one iourneying IL Mex
co, is. that the numbers. The magnlicence,
he civil cation and the virtues Of the race
which COrtez met when he marched into
the iable-lands of Puebla, have been
strangely exaggerated. Sufficient time
has not elapsed to destroy the vestiges OF
such mighty cities, and the lab"urs OF
such advanced civilization, as the histO-
rians of the conquest relate as existing al
the beginning OF the sixteenth century,
These glowing records were doubtless
made. partly to swell the importance of
the little band of conguerors, partly TO
please the young and mighty emperor
who had Just ascended the throne. and
who regarded the new discoveries as Civ
ing glorious celebrity TO his reign. and
partly, too, in accordance with the litera-
~ fashion OF The times, which borrowed
from the stage mprelricious ideas of orna-
ment and arlihre, and which considered,
Oft-limes, the accessories more important
than the truth.
But without undertaking farther to ques-
tion Spanish authorities, or TO measure
old Spanish literature BY the standard OF
the presen, age, let as speak Of CholuIa
as it is now, divested, by the testimony OF
an eyewitness, OF the romance Of histo-
ry, aud the storytelling PICTORIAL geog-
raphies.
1t was in July, ls47, while the army
was resting from The labours Of Vera Cruz
and Cerro Gordo,% and gathering lis en-
trgies for the Sampsonian task OF taking
the gates of Mexico: when action had
been dislurbed, and we were left in the
nervous, anxious state of suspense which
none but soldier can realize; II was al
this time, and nnder these circumstances,
that parties were formed 10 visit all the
tons of Puehla. First in order came the
curoslties within the city. We explored
The Cathedral, of which mortals had built
The walls, and which angels had capped
with mighty dome, Of a symmetry and
perfection in stone-work unequalled, OF
course, by human builders. In gratitude
to the supernatural architects, the city has
since been called ia Pue6la de los .4n-
gsies."
Then we went to the foot of The storm
mountain, MaIinrhe, and some of the adj
! venuIrous climbed 10 lis summit. In the
afternoons we had bulI-fghts, and in the
evenings wre,ched fcairO, to keep mp
he excitement. With these aids 10 kill
ing time. (which peaceable occupation
we were obliged to substitute Tor killing
Mericans. we postponed ChoIula, as
one often keeps graliliealon in prospect,
nor wishing TO destroy The pleasing an'ir-
IIpalion.
AT last, however. the bull-Gghis ceased
10 excite, The theatre was prodiglOus
Ibore, and The time had decidedly come for
enjoying Cholula.
Un beautiful morning in July, with
latitude and elevation conspiring. by their
contrary efforts. 10 render the weather de-
IligtiuI and The ali balmJ, twenty or thur
ty officers, escorted 10y squadron of dra-
goons, set upon The level road that stretch
les over an almost treeless plain, 10 Cho-
lula.
/ The pyramid shove in sight" as soon
as we left the city, looking a, distance
! syera Cruz was taken in March, ..and CerrO
Gordo fought in April.