Diario las Américas., 1958-07-25
Know thy
NeighbOr
By ANTONIO RUIZ

MEA1CO
after meeting the Prince, Cortes
ordered his army to march for
ward, great crowds came to watch
so many of them that they were
in the way. The road followed the
edge of the lake for a while, Their
crossed it by means of a bridge
"aS wide as a horSeman's spear"
according to a letter of Cortes tt
the King of Spain. Huge crowds
also gathered on both sides of the
bridge, to gaze in amazement al
the strangers.
Following the first bridge, they
came to a city on a peninsula
which had twelve thousand houses
half built on land, half on water
many of them with woodwork Of
ceder and other pleaSant-smellins
kinds of wood, "aS good as the
best in Spain, according to Cor
ties. The people welcomed then
and lodged Cortes in a house whose
walls were covered with painted
cotton. The house had a garden
with fruit trees and flowers, ano
a beautiful pool and patio. The
wall of the patio was decorated
with multi-colored murals.
On November 8, 1919, the Spa
niards marched toward the capita.
of Moctezuma's empire, and were
received by the Emperor, whose
litter was all covered with gold
jewels, and green feather work
and with a roof of green feather
work. When the litter was SCI
down, noblemen of the Emperor's
court swept the ground with
brooms, then laid down a beautiful.
rich cloth for the Emperor to ster
on. Three heraldS advanced hold
ing golden stats. Finally. with
great dignity, Moctezuma came
forward, very richly dressed, wear
ing sandals with thick Soles Of
solid gold, with a nobleman or
each side of him.
my Lord, be welcome, the EN-
peror said to Cortes - "you have
arrived in your land, among YOU
people. This is what was told US
by the Kings long ago, that you
would return to rule this country"
The Indian crowds were deeply
impressed when they saw Mocte
yuma, who never walked anywhere
walk beside Cortes and lead him tC
the palace built by Moctezuma':
father, SO big that all the Spani
ards and their 1000 Indian serv
ants and friends had plenty Of
room to live in it. Cortes decided
to strike boldly. With a few sol
diers he went one day to the EN-
peror'S palace, accused him of hav
ing caused the death of a few Spa
niards on the coast, and insisted
that Moctezuma come to stay in
the building where Cortes lived
80 he could watch him. At last
after more than four hours urging
Moctezuma went, but not before
the Spaniards threatened him with
death. Cortes, with Moctezuma in
his power, ruled the wole Mexican
Empire all winter, collecting 8
great deal of gold.
Cortes tried very hard to persua,
de Moctezuma to stop human sacri
flee, but it was to no avail, although
he ordered them stopped several
times. Finally, he became SO angry
with the Indians who brought him
all the gold that he demanded, but
who would not obey him on re
ligious matters, that he went to the
temple and knocked down one Of
their most important idols.
At this moment, Panfilo de Mar
vaez had arrived in Veracruz with
a fleet and seven hundred men,
to take Mexico away from Cortes
who, with two hundred men, hur
ried to the coast to meet him Mes
Sengers from Narvaez came and
spoke angrily to Cortes, but he
gave them great quantities of gold
In the night he captured Narvae7
and then made so many friends
among the fleet members, that all
OF the fleet decided to follow him,
and he returned to the capital
Stronger than ever. o
Spanish Version Page 8.