St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-05-06

prove them to have been built by man.
At Apizaco the branch road is taken
to Puebla where safe anchorage Is
found inside of large yard surround
ed by high stone wall. This stop at
Puebla was greatly enjoyed. The city
is fourth in size in the republic, its
streets are exceptionally clean, and its
surroundings are historic because of
the sanguinary struggle between the
Spaniards under COrtes and the Aztecs,
and 25 years ago between the French
and Mexicans. The cathedral is one
of the finest, if not the best, architec-
turally, in all Mexico, and the pull
pit and stairway leading to it are made
of the beautiful onyx which is quar-
ried near here and is used largely in
small ornaments, which are for sale
everywhere.
Seven miles from Puebla by "tram"
is the city of Cholula and its ancient
pyramid. Long before the traveller
reaches the town his eye takes in a
hill rising directly out of the plain,
surmounted by an intellectually fine
church. This is the pyramid of Che
lula. 1t is not a very long but it is
wearisome climb to its top. This pyra-
mid is 2O4 feet in hight, measures
1000 feet at the base and its top is a
platform, los feet square. 1t is COM
posed, SO far as excavations have
shown, of alternate strata of brick and
clay. The sides are OvergrOwn with
grass, shrubs and even large trees. A
winding road which is paved with
stones leads to the top, and the upper
slope is gained by a flight of stone
steps. Here, where the ancients had
erected a shrine to the "GOd of the
Air." the Spaniards built a church.
The view from the top is exceedingly
fine. Popocatapetl is not more than
twenty miles distant The long snow
capped ridge of Ixtaccihuatl can also
be seen in clear weather. In the Op-
posite direction, and dozen miles
away, rises Malinche, and to the right
of Puebla, is the great snow cone of
Orizaba. Cholula is spread out at the
foot of the pyramid, and all around are
rich fields of corn and wheat.
Who made this mOnstrOus mound
and when, is not known. 1t was no
doubt built by some early race and
was erected as a sacrifcial mount,
from the top of which human beings
were offered to their unknown God"
Wednesday morning, services were be-
ing held in the church on the mount
and 33 wOrshippers were counted, one
a young mother with an infant in her
arms. The effort to reach this church
is about like going from st. Johnsbury
to the top of Harris hill. and this moth
er had to carry her child up all that
tedious way.
In the afternoon another railroad
ride Of 90 miles and 'tram" of six
miles brought lis to Tlascala (Clas- ca
LAY the capital of the state of that
name. The last February excursion
party are supposed to be the only
Americans that ever visited this place.
The Tlascalans became famous as the
allies of Cortes, and it is believed that
he could not have conquered Mexico
with his 800 Spaniards had it not been
for their friendship and aid. They
were not only spies and infOrmers, but
they carried the luggage of the Span
iards and were their willing and eff
cient servants. This was not because
thew loved them but because they hat
ed the neighbOring tribes. History
relates that when Cortes and his army
were in this very Puebla, where two
such rare days have just been passed,
his mistress (who was an Indian maid
en- and was his firm friend and inter-
prefer all through his bloody cOnquest)
informed him that there was cOnspir-
acy forming among the Indians, by
whom he was surrounded. With that
bold and instant decision which made
this conqueror the successful general
he was, he invited all the prominent
Aztecs and others into the plaza, to
the number of one or two thousands,
and after upbraiding them for their
contemplated treachery, ordered his
cannon to fire upon them, and they
were helplessly slaughtered. He then
let his Tlascalan allies loose and the
streets literally run with blood. That
was the way fernando Cortes put
down rebellion.
The state of Tlascala is now govern
ed by a full-blooded Indian. Our par
ty called upon him, were Hospitality
received, he shook hands with all, and
in behalf of the American visitors,
Hon. Edward L. Pierce of Boston,
through an interpreter, made a little
speech of cOngratulatiOn and good
will, to which the governor mOdestly
responded, thanking the "pale faces"
for their visit, inviting them to inspect
the state building, which they did, and
asking them to "call again." The
governor is good-looking Indian,
dresses in black suit, has dignified
and courteous bearing, lives in good
and commodiOus house, and seems to
fare about-as we'll as white folks. His
reception room is some 80 feet long by
90 feet wide, with a good carpet, up
holstered chairs and sofas, mirrors,
etc. The dining room is nearly as
large and is hung with paintings and