The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-18

Notwithstanding all this C,ortez start
ed and with his little band. made his
way over the mountains and conouered
the nation of Millions The story bas
been told in the WONDERFUL works or
Prescott, and others, and its times havs
been pictured In the novels of Rider
Haggard and our own Gen. Lew Wal
lace. | shall net attempt any descrin-
tins but will only take you to some
points over the route and show you
how they look in this year of our Lord.
1913. -
On the Way Over the Mountains
Where Cortez landed there have
Strung up the great wharves of Vera
Cruz, at which dozen or more of the
best known lines of steamers call ev-
cry month. There are railroads r,ln.
ming from there to the capital tbaI
Isthmus of Tehuantepec and to other
parts of the republic, and about the.
harbor is a city of 10000 or more. whicl,.
mas streets paved with asphalt and new
buildings beside those of the style of
old Spain. The country about is taken
up with fruit gardens and tropical
plantations, and passing over the road
which Cortez took on his way to the
capital you go through banana fields
and great coffee estates. climbing high
er and higher in plain sight of the
snow-clad peak of Orizaba, until at last
you traverse the pass, and come down
into the famed valley of Mexico where
amid the lakes Is situated the oapital Of
of the Mexican republic and just where
about 400 years ago was the capital OF
the Montezumas.
The distance from the coast II about
zoe miles and Cortez drafted 1000 In
dian porters to transport his baggage.
The most of his way was through the
wilderness, and 1t was at the town of
Tlaxcala. near Puebla. that he fought
with the indians of that name and
made them his allies. Tlaxcala II low a
shabby village whose chief interest Is
in its collection of Cortez relics.
1t was at this point some of the Span
fards turned aside to ascend Popo-
catepl for sulphur to be used in making
gunpowder and they entered the Mexi-
can valley by way of Amecameca, which
is still small town on the slope Of that
mountain. 1t Is where one leaves the
railroad and starts up the volcano on
foot.
AS far as the Mexican capital is con-
cerned, 1t Is full of the remains of Cor
tez and Montezuma. The Aztec city was
like Venice, in that 1t was built upon
islands with numerous bridges Since
then the land has been drained and the
spaces between the islands SO filled that
the city is now solid land. Nevertheless,
the old places of note can be picked out
The cathedral stands where the great
Teocali or mound upon which the sacri-
fices took place once was. The hospital
of Jesus is where Montezuma welcomed
the Spaniards and at chapultepec, which
is now a beautiful park where the presi-
dent has his summer home was the|
summer residence of the emperor, Monte
yuma, where he had his favorite wives
his fish ponds, aviary and hunting lodge.
You can ride out of it now on the street,
car. The Spaniards made their way thereI
in boats and on foot. Farther out of the|
city You may trace the causeway by|
which Cortez entered the capital, and find|
the place where the famous gardens n|
which Montezuma and Guauhtemoc enterl|
tanned the Spaniards.
The Tomb of Cortez
There is one spot. however, which you'll
will fail to find and that is where Corte5|
lies buried. Where that is no one knows
He died in Spain. in a little village near|
Seville. and his body rested there in OBJ
scurity for 10 years, when his son, Don|
Martin had it exllumed and brough1|
TO Mexico. II was first kept here in the
Monastery of San Francisco, In Texceco{
and was then brought to the Church Il |
San Francisco in the Mexican capital d
lay In that church for more than 15C
years, when it again brought forthI
in a great procession and carried to the|
hospital of Jesus of Nazareth There it'll
lay for 30 years, and then, for fear of
a mob which proposed to destroy it, theI
friends of the family entered the tomb|
by night and secretly removed the re-
mains Some believe that they were again|
buried in Mexico, and others will tell
YOU that they rest in the, tombs of the|
Sicilian branch of the family nearI
Palermo. But as to the exact truth d
am unable to say.