The Shasta courier., 1865-10-21
Fernando Cortez.

p "a A1SeA euduurd, Spaln, IN 1IS0.-
Inc law TO which he was bred at Salamanca,
be quilted Tor military life. In 1904 he
went to St. Domingo, and in 1911 accompan
led 'alasquez to Cuba, and received from
him grant of land, as reward for his ser.
vices.
The conquest of Mexico being resolved
| upon, Valasquez intrusted Cortez with the
command Of the enterprise. The expedition.
which consisted OF ten small vessels, and
only seven hundred men. sailed on the 18th
of November, 1918; and, on bis arrival at
Tobasco, Cortez set fire to his ships. that his
soldiers might have no other resources than
their own valor. With only five hundred
men badly armed, and fifteen horses, he de-
feated the Tlascalans, who presumed to dis
pute his progress and after rewarding the
hospitality of the inhabitants of Cholula with
raplne and slaughter, the conqueror present
ed himself at the gates of Mexico He was
received with great pomp and every mark of
friendship by Montezuma; but though treat
ed with confidence, Cortez acted with dupici,
ty, and seizing the person of the unsuspect-
ing monarch, he compelled him in the rigor
of confinement to acknowledge. himself the
vassal of the crown of Spain.
Thus absolute in Mexico, Cortez soon
heard that Valasquez, jealous of his glory,
had sent an expedition, under Narvaez, to
bring him back in chains to Cuba; but no.
wise dismayed at the intelligence, he left one
of his officers (Alvarado) governor of the
capital. and FASTENED back to Vera Cruz
With the sagacity of an intrepid soldier he
surprised and defeated Narvaez, and by his
conciliating conduct he had the art to con-
vert his enemies into friends, and to return
to Mexico supported by those who had come
to destroy his hopes.
During his absence, Alvarado had been
guilty OF excesses towards the natives and
instead of submission Cortez found the most
determined hostility. Unable by force or
persuasion to quell the tumult, he caused
Montezuma. arrayed in his royal robes. to
appear before his incensed subjects, but the
Mexicans disregarded the interference of
their captive monarch, who during the battle
received mortal wound. Yielding to the
storm the Spaniards retired from Mexico.
and though they had lost the half of their
little army they had determined on revenge
On his way towards Tlascala, whom he
defeated with dreadful slaughter at Otumba :;
and after recruiting his forces with five
hundred and fifty infantry and forty horses
and number of allies from Tlascala and
other neighboring towns, he marched back
to Mexico, December, 1920. The conquest
of Texuco. the second city of the empire,
was followed by the siege of Mexico. which
the new sovereign Guatilnozin, the nephew of
Montezuma, brave prince ably defended
The artillery of the Spaniards, however,
prevailed over the feeble weapons of the
Indians; and after three months resistance.
Guatlmozin was seized in canoe as he at
t,l+ - 1t I -.
ity was followed bv the fall Of the capital,
and the destruction of the Mexican empire
Above two hundred thousand Indians made
their immediate submission to these few bold
adventurers but they were not satisfied
with the immense treasure of the plundered
city, and the unfortunate monarch was ex-
posed to tortures, that he light confess
where the hidden treasures of Montezuma
was deposited Guatimozin was shot by his
inhuman prosecutors, with some of his
minister's on charge of conspiracy. Mas,
ter of populous and opulent empire, Cortez.
though cruel and avaricious, began to dis
play the character of a prudent and beni
fcent governor. Mexico, which had been
destroyed during the siege, rose from ruins.
and in 1886 he commanded in person a fleet
which discovered California.
But while these successes enlarged the
dominions of Spain, the conqueror was an
object of envy at home. and he was soon re-
called to give an account of his conduct ::
and after enduring for while the resent
ment of his enemies, he had the good for
tune to procure the favor Of his sovereign
Charles v, who, while under the impulse of
gratitude, made him a grant of new and
large powers, creating him governor general
of Mexico, and Marquis of Guaxaci; but he
subsequently removed him from the COVER
norship.
In order to obtain justice, Cortez in 1910
returned for second time to Spain; and he
accompanied the Emperor to Algiers, where
he highly distinguished himself Yet he
was unable to procure even an audience
"Who are you?" exclaimed Charles. when
Cortez had on one occasion forced his way to
the steps Of the Emperor's carriage. 81 am
the man. replied the undaunted warrior,
. who has given you more provinces than
your father left you townsn' Cortez died at
Seville, in comparative obscurity. on the I'd
of December. 1854, aged sixty-nine. Great
and heroic as the character of Cortez ap
pears he deserves the execration of posteritv
for the cruelties which he exercised on the
inoffensive Indians.
The city of Mexico at the time of Cortez' S
conquest. contained sixty thousand families.
1t was divided into two parts, one of which,
called Tlatelulco, was Inhabited by the
meaner sort while the court and nobility re-
sided in the other, which had the appellation
of Mexico, which thence was given to the
whole city. 1t stood in a spacious plain,
surrounded by high rocks and mountains,
from which many rivulets, falling down into
the valley, formed several lakes, and among
these were two that extended about thirty
leagues in circumference. and were sur
rounded by fifty towns. In the middle Of
the lake stood the great city, Joined to the
mainland by three noble causeways. The
public buildings and houses of the nobility
were of stone.
lHE WIFE MARKET.-A Saratoga cores
pondent says: So far as heard from. the
matrimonial market stands thcs: Old stock