Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-08-29

great square, frlnged about with burnt
! out houses, was crowded with thousands
of people, some of them engaged in COM
bat with the Spaniards, but the larger
/ Fart collected there to witness my murder
Now, we reached the top OF the pyramid,
two hours before midday, for there were
| atiil many rites to be cnrriad out ere the
moment Of sacrifice. Firat was led into
She sanctuary Of Tezcat tho god whose
| Rsme bore. Here was his statue or IDOL
Gaahioned In black marble and covered
Vlth golden ornaments. IN the hands of
his idol was shield Of burpished gold on
| which It's jeweled eyes were .iIed, reading
there, as his priests fnbled, ,Jl that passed
upon the earth he had created Before him
also was plato Of gold, which with NUT
tered invocations the head Wiest cleansed
as watched, rGbbing 10 with his long and
matted locks. This done he held 1t to my
lips that might breathe on 1t, and
turned faint aud SICK for knew that It
| was being made r.ady to receive my heart,
which I felt beating in my breast.
Now, what further ceremonies were to
be carried out in this unholy place do
not know, for ut that moment great
| tumult arose in tbe square beneath, and
/ was hurried from the sanctuary by tho
| priests. Then perceived this: Called to
madness by the storm Of missiles rained
upon them from Its crest, tho Spaniards
were attacking the teocalli. Already they
were pouring across the courtyard In large
| companies, led by Cortes himself and
| with them came many hundreds Of their
| allies, tho Tlascalans. On the other hand,
do ~ Att
! ing to the foot Of the first stairway to give
the white men battle there. Five minutes
passed, and the fight grew fierce. Again
and again, covered BY the fire OF tho ar
quebusiers the Spaniards charged the
Aztecs, but their horses slipping upon the
stone pavement at length they dismount-
ed and continued the fray on foot. Slow
" and with great slaughter the Indians
were pushed back and the Spanlsrds gain
ed q footing on the first stairway. But hun
dreds of warriors still crowded the lofty
winding road, and hundreds more held the
top, and it was plain that II tho Spaniards
won through ut oil the task would be
hard one. Still fierce hope smote me like
blow whom saw what was toward II
the Spaniards took tho temple, there
would BIO no sacrifice. No sacrifice could
be offered till midday, 81 Otomie had told
me, and that was not for hard upon two
hours 1t came to this, thcil--if the Span.
iards were victorious within two hours,
there was chnnco for mo; IL not, ] must
die.
Now, when was led out Of the sanctu-
ary OF Tezcat wondered because the
Princess Otomie or rather tho Goddess
Alta, as sho was then called, was standing
among the chief priests and disputing
with them, for l had seen her bow her
head at the door Of the holy place and
Thought that 1t was In token OF farewell,
seeing that she was the last Of tho four
women to leave me. OF what she disputed
I could not hear because Of the din Of bat
tie, but the argument was keen, and 1t
seemed to mo that the priests wore some
what dismaycd at her words and yet had
fierce Joy in them. 1t appeared also that
she won her cause, for presently they
bowed in obeisance to her, and turning
slowly she swept to my side with pecul-
lar majesty of gait that even then noted.
Glancing up Mt her fnce also, saw that 1t
was alight as though with u grcat and holy
purpose, and, moreover, that She locked
like some happy bride passing to her hus.
bands arms
why are you not gone, Otomief" ]
said. Now 1t is too late. The Spaniards
surround the teocalli, and you will be killed
Or taken prisoner. +"
II await tho end, whatever It may BE- "
she answered briefly, and we spoke no
moro for awhile, but watched the progress
of the fray, which was fierce indeed.
Grimly tho Aztec warriors fought before
the symbols Of their gods and In the sight
Of tho vast concourse Of people who crowd
ed the square beneath and stared at the
struggle in silence They hurled them
selves upon the Spanish swords, they
gripped tho Spaniards with their hands,
and screaming with rage dragged them to
the steep sides Of tho roadway, proposing
to cast them over. Sometimes they suo-
oeeded, and ball Of men olinging together
would roll down the slope and be dashed
10 pieces on the stone flooring OF the court
yard, Spaniard being in tho center Of the
ball. But do what they would, like somo
vast and writhing snake, still the long az
ray Of Teules, Glad in their glittering mail,
plowed Its way upward through the storm
Of spears and aFrows. Minute by minute
and step by step they orept on, fighting as
men fight who know the fate that awaits
the decorators OF the gods Of Anahuao,
fighting for life and honor and safety from
the stone of sacrifice.
Thus an hour went by, and the Span
iards were half way up the pyramid.
Louder and louder grew the fearful sounds
of battle, the Spanisrds oheered and called
on their patron saints to aid them, the
Aztecs yelled like wild beasts, the priests
screamed invocations to their gods and
cries Of encouragement to their warriors,
while above all rose the rattle Of the
arquebuses, the roar Of the cannon and
the fearful note Of the great drum Of
snakes sltn, on which half naked priest
beat msdly. Only the multitudes below
never moved nor shouted. They stood
silent, gazing upward, and could see tho
sunlight flash ON the thousands Of their
staring eyes,
Now, all this while was standing near
the stone Of sacrifice, with Otomie at my
side. Round me were Q hng Of priests,
and over the stone was fixed square OF
black cloth supported upon four poles,
which were set In sooketa IN the pave
ment. In tho center Of this black cloth
was Bewed golden funnel, measuring
inches or 90 eafoss OF Ia mouth, and the
Sunbeams passing through this funnel fell
In bright patch the size Of an apple upon
the space Of pavement that was shaded BY
the cloth. As the sun moved In the heay-
ems, 50 did this ring Of Light creep scross
the shsdow till at length 1t climbed the
stone sacrifice and lay upon Its edge.
Then, at Sign from tho heed priest,
his ministers laid hold Of me and plucked
what was left Of my fine clothesfrom mo
as cruel boys pluck living bird till
stood naked except for the paint upon my
body and cloth about my Joins. Now /
knew that my hour had come, and,
strange to tell, for the first time this day
courage entered into me, and reioiced to
think that soon should have done with
my tornentors. Turning to Otomie, be-
gan to bid her farewell In O clear voice,
when to my amaze saw that as I had