The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-06-16
Continued from last tceek }
THE LAND OF THE MONDAY
SUN--MEXICO IN MID WINTER.
From Arena for May.)
BY JUSTICE WALTER CLARK. Ii. D

The numerous lines Of street cara
take one not only to all parts OF the
city but to all the suburban towns and
the battle fields, for all Of Seott's 6at-
ties except the skirmish at the National
Bridge and the stout fight at Cerro
Gordo. down below Jalapa, were
fought in this valley in sight of the
city walls. a visit to the field of Cheru
busco will forcibly remind those who
have been on the field Of Waterloo Of
the contest for tie similar wall sur,
rounded enclosure of HOugOumont.
AtChapultep8C, which was also carried
by our troops, a visit to the Natl nal
Military Academy and the rooms Of
the Presidential Mansion ia very inter
esting From the east windows the
President looks down upon the great
city and the lovely valley and up to
the encircling range Of mountains and
the SNOW covered peaks. No monarch
in all Europe has 80 magnificent a 10
cation for his castle, palace, orchateau.
At the foot of the hill Is q touching
memento, a tell shaft to the memory
of the boys, the young cadets of the
military academy, who fighting for
their homes persisted here" so the
inscription reads, in the northern in
vasion, 1847" In such q case, God
alone can adjust the responsibility.
With the sleeping moonlight lying
athWart che white shaft and the green
mound, the thought must come that
somebody, not those gallant youths,
was to blame.
The street leading west from the north
end OF the cathedral is the one along
which Cortez reiterated on the terrible
night of June 80, 1890, during which
he lost three fourths of his men. The
street was then i~ntersected by canals
the bridges over which had been broken
down by the Az1eCs. A fl. ing leap
taken by bis lieutenant AIvarado over
one of these gave the name of "Alva
RADIOS Leap" to the spot, which is
still pointed out, though th8re are nov
no canals, but solid pavement. At
another point where the slaughter was
especially fearful, a church stands to
commemorate the event and that
masses may be still said for the dead,
who persisted on that memorable and
fearful retreat. Further along the
present street, which has now firm
land on each side, was then a narrow
causeway i~ntersecting the lake in which
the canoes of the Az ecs sWarmSd to
essail the ~retreating line OF Spaniards.
Corsez lost eight hundred and eighty
seven SpaniRrds (three fourth Of them).
four thousand Rliians, all his artillery,
treasure, and wagons, and when he
reached the end Of the cause way, he
sat down and Wept beneath a great
tree which is still sanding and called
Noche TriS.e (angIice Dismal Night')
Well might he weep, for he had Of his
Spaniards only some two hundrsd and
fifty Left, not one Of them ungounded,
aGd was II the midst Of a mighty en-
pire which had risen against him,
Lively AOOe III III SONSNONAAA4H 4OGAU u
was harrassed, end at Cuba, a few
miles eff, it is related that he cut his
way with his little band through two
hundred thousand hostile soldiers.
After making all allowance for our re
ceiviDg the history of these events
from the coEqlering side only enough
remains to show that this conquest of
the miIIions Of Mexico By Cortez with
his few hundred Spanirds was one of
the most marvellous events in all his
tory. He had magnificent staying
qualities" for Notwithstanding this
terrible disaster, he came back in De-
cember of the same year and after a
siege OF eight months, with the aid Of
one hundred and twenty five thousand
T~lascalans whom he had persuaded to
help him, and a small re enforcement
of Spaniards, he retook the city and
completed the conquest Of the country.
Some American tourists have injured
the historic tree by cutting relics from
it; it is now surrounded by an iron
fence and guarded. The street-car
line to Tacuba runs close by it.
Notwithstanding the great work of
Cortez, the immense slaughter which
this man Of blood and iron" committed
in order to strike terrow into the sub
millions has not been forgotten. A
large portion Of the Mexican people
being Indian descent, not a town, ham
let, OF street in all Mexico preserves
his fame; no monument in ell the Re