Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-07-20

bined numbers in all the different temples
in all the cities? The mind shudders to
think. But even worse than this was the
eating of The bodies of the victims by the
debased Aztecs. They did not. as have
some, eat these victims for want of other
animal food, but served up grand ban
quet with human flesh as the greatest deli
cacy of the dessert
The pyramid of Cholula must not be for
gotten. This is a teocdllis constructed on
n colossal scale. Haven describes it in
this way: "The pyre. with a base of forty
acres, is of the size of Boston common
Conceive of these free religion puritians
leveling off that sacred place, and bringing
loads of earth from Brighton, Brooklyn,
Dorchester and Sumerville to erect the
leveled square into pyramid as high rs
the pineapple knob of its state house! Up,
up, up slowly creeps the mighty plateau,
growing narrow as it grows tall, like many
up-lifted men. Yet when above the tallest
house on Beacon street. it is twenty acres
across, and when it reaches the dome of the
| capitol ten acres across; and when it stops
at the pine apple knob it is two or three
acres across" 1t is then surmounted BY a
teocallis of the usual form, save that it is
more magnificent, for Choula, in the
centre OF which is the pyramid, is the re-
| ligious city of the Aztecs what Mecca is to
the Mahommedan and Jerusalem to the
Christian.
One thing more with regard to their re-
| liglon. There was one of their deities who
was less disgusting, his name was Tuetza-
colt, and he was the god of the wind. Hav-
ing incurred the anger of another god he
was compelled to go into exile. but, on his
way stopped at Cholula, ordered the erec-
ton of pyramid. and prophesied that at
some future time he would return to claim
his kingdom. For long centuries he was
not heard of, but in the early part of the
sixteenth century the Aztecs generally
| seemed to believe that he would soon come,
oVerturn the existing government. and
establish his own power. When Cordova
and Grijalva discovered Mexico and made
some slight explorations the Aztecs thought
i that the mysterious white strangers were
the messengers of their ancient Tuetzacolt.
Their speedy departure caused the Aztecs
TO breathe more freely and look for a
| 1,ncar laaea of Vak thap hal hut
short respite as fernando Cortes, Span
ish adventurer, an idler while at college,
Il scapegrace while at home, the trial of his
mother and the despair of his father, ad-
mired yet feared during his stay at Cuba.
suddenly with six hundred men (was there
ever more famous six hundredp) sixteen
horses, and fourteen pieces of artillery,
appeared on Mexican soil and all their
former apprehensious were aroused. This
was the beginning of the famous Conquest
of Mexico which Prescott has made i'm
mortal With hundreds of men Cortes
conquered millions. Away from home,
upon unknown ground. with open enemies
without and secret enemies within the
camp, with his ships burned and means Of
retreat cut off, with his ammunition many
times gone, with ship after ship sent from
Cuba to harrass or supercede him, with nc
help from the home government, with the
organized and disciplined army of the
whole empire against him he achieved an
unparalleled series of conquests, terminal
ing in the destruction of the city and the
downfall of the empire. Sowing the seeds
of dissention among the native tribes he
secured part of them to serve under his
own standard, and thus was verified the
proverb, "A house divided against itsel
cannot stand" Perhaps the most daring
thing in the whole campaign was the
entering into the capital, with its popula
ton of over 200 600, with his few hundred
of Spaniards and fewer thousands of Thos
calan allies and taking captive in his own
capital, in the midst of his own loyal sub
jects, any of whom would have died fo
him the emperor of the Aztecs. History re
cords no more valarous feat. But it was onl
by constancy Of purpose combined will
fearless courage that the end was finally
obtained. Many times WAS the little arm
almost out off, their resources almost gone
the soldiers almost discouraged; but the
genius of Cortes triumphed over all thes
obstacles and Mexico was finally conquer
ed, though the final struggle cost thu
empire nearly million OF inhabitants an
the conhagration of their beautiful capital
But in less than six years CorLes had re
built it. had begun to develop the materia
resources of the country, had organized
new government and made almost number
g less plans for the future of his empir,
I One of the great motives for the conques
: was the abolishing of human sacrifice an
s the establishing of the Catholic religion
q More than once he imperlled the success
l.. of the whole expedition in his efforts
secure the conversion OF the natives. Wher
g ever practicable he threw down the image
d of the Aztec gods and placed in their stea
}: images of the Virgin Mary and the infar
n Christ, at the same time trying to inculca,
8 the principal truths Of his religion. Ate
IS the conquest was completed he wrote
r. Charles ", emperor of Spain, to send OF
d to Mexico large number of missionarie
I, not pampered prelates or luxurious priest
y but simple, devoted and earnest heralds
h the cross. This was done, and the conve
l. sion of Mexico to the Catholic faith Wi
1f the result.
le NEW TELEGRAPH CoMBINATIoN.-Js
al Gould's supremacy in the telegraph wor
3 promises to be Of short duration, if II pr
v iected scheme of what is known as n