CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Birth and parentage of Hernan Cortes—His early boyhood—At the age of fourteen he is sent to the University of Salamanca—Proves lazy, and returns home—Leaves his books, and takes to field-sports—Disappointment of his father—Passion of young Cortes for military life—Determines to join the great captain Gonzalo in the wars of Italy, but is disappointed—Resolves to accompany his kinsman Ovando to Hispaniola, but is prevented by an accident—At length reaches Hispaniola in 1504—Kindness of Ovando—Restlessness of Cortes—His third disappointment—Accompanies Diego Velasquez in his conquest of Cuba—Imprudence of Cortes—Expedition of Hernandez de Cordova and Juan de Grijalva—Discoveries of Grijalva—Excitement among the Spaniards—Cortes manages to get command of an expedition for the continent—Jealousy of Velasquez—Attempts to stop him at Trinidad and Havana—Enthusiasm among the followers of CortesPage 13

CHAPTER II.

Cortes arrives at Cozumel—Imprudence of Alvarado—Discovery of Geronimo de Aguilar—his wretched condition—The fleet reaches Tabasco—Hostility of the natives—Cortes offers to treat with them; they refuse—Notwithstanding their opposition, he makes his landing—Defeats them on the great plain of Ceutla—Receives Doña Marina as a present—He erects a cross upon the plain—The fleet sails for St. Juan de Ulua—Reaches that harbor—Kindness of the natives—Interview with Teutchlile, their chief—Demands that he may see the Emperor Montezuma, and sends presents to him—Alarm of Montezuma—He refuses to see the strangers, but sends presents to them—Cortes again demands to see him—Anger and fear of the Emperor—Commands Cortes to leave his empire, yet sends him further presents31

CHAPTER III.

Teutchlile arrives at the Spanish camp with the commands of Montezuma—Finds Cortes in the midst of difficulties with his men—Leaves the camp angry—Murmurs of the men—Management of Cortes—Commences the settlement of Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz—Quiets the complaints of the discontented—The Cacique of Chempoalla invites him to visit him—Cortes accepts the invitation—Interview between them—The settlement is removed to Quiabislan—Friendship of the Caciques of Chempoalla and Quiabislan—The tax-gatherers of Montezuma arrive—Cortes arrests them—The Totonacas become his friends—Visits the Cincapacingas—Makes friends of them—Imprudence of Cortes in the temple of Chempoalla—Sends messengers with presents to the King of Spain—Plot of Escudero and Centeno to stop them—They are put to death—Cortes destroys his fleet, and prepares to march toward Mexico—Arrival of Alonzo de Pineda upon the coast—Stratagem of Cortes—Sets out on his march—Passes Xalapan, Socachema, and Texotla, and arrives at Xocotlan—Interview with the Cacique—Determines to pursue his journey through the province of Tlascala46

CHAPTER IV.

Cortes enters the Tlascalan territory—Character of the people—Wars with the Tlascalans—Cortes subdues them—They become his allies—Marches to Cholula—Conspiracy and awful massacre of the Cholulans64

CHAPTER V.

Cortes sends messengers to Montezuma, and leaves Cholula—Alarm of Montezuma—The Spaniards reach the summit of Ithualco, and see the valley of Mexico—Montezuma retires to the palace of Tlillancalmecatl to mourn and pray—Sends his nephew Cacamatzin to dissuade Cortes from entering his city—Cortes crosses the causeway of Iztapalapan—Meets Montezuma—His splendid appearance—Enters Mexico, and makes his quarters at the palace of Axajacatl—Montezuma visits him—Cortes returns the visit—By his permission, visits the great market-place, the temple, &c.—Is disgusted in the temple—Anger of Montezuma—Suspicions of the Tlascalans—Death of Escalante—Treachery of the nobles—Cortes resolves to seize Montezuma—Enters his palace, and carries him away to the Spanish quarters83

CHAPTER VI.

Montezuma becomes satisfied at the Spanish quarters—Arrival of Quauhpopoca—He is delivered to Cortes—His confession—Is tried, and condemned to die—Montezuma is fettered, and Quauhpopoca burnt—Revolt of Cacamatzin, the lord of Tezcuco—He is made a prisoner—Cortes persuades Montezuma to swear allegiance to the King of Spain—and to send him a present of gold and silver—The nobles are roused—Montezuma orders Cortes to leave the country—allows him time to build ships for his departure—Arrival of Pamphilo de Narvaez with eighteen ships—Cortes is ordered again to leave—His joy and disappointment—Treachery of Montejo—Anger of Velasquez—Endeavors to make a friend of Narvaez—Sends him messages and presents—Narvaez proves stubborn—Cortes leaves one hundred and fifty men with Alvarado at Mexico, and marches to Chempoalla—Attacks him at midnight and makes him a prisoner—The soldiers of Narvaez gladly enlist under him102

CHAPTER VII.

Insurrection of the Mexicans in the capital—Struggles of Cortes—Death of Montezuma—Awful conflict in the temple—The Spaniards retreat from Mexico—Dreadful massacre on the causeway of Tacuba—Cortes escapes with the remnant of his army to the temple of Otoncalpolco—Determines to go to Tlascala120

CHAPTER VIII.

Battle of Otompan—Victory of the Spaniards—Cortes reaches Tlascala—Kindness of the Tlascalans—The soldiers of Narvaez murmur—Cortes receives unexpected reinforcements—The murmurers are sent home—He despatches messengers to Spain, Hispaniola, and Jamaica—Orders ship-timbers to be cut in the Tlascalan forests—Makes his head-quarters at Tezcuco—Death of Cuitlahuitzin—Guatimozin is made King of Mexico—Cortes attacks the cities Iztapalapan, Chalco, and Tlalmamalco—Sandoval reduces Zoltepec—The timbers for the brigantines are brought to Tezcuco—Xaltocan and Tacuba are reduced—Guatimozin refuses terms of peace—Quauhnahuac and Xochimilco are attacked—Narrow escape of Cortes—Conspiracy of Villafaña—Courage and address of Cortes—The brigantines are launched140

CHAPTER IX.

The siege of Mexico is commenced—Dreadful massacre of the Spaniards on the causeways—Narrow escape of Cortes—Frightful festival of the Mexicans in the temple—Their cunning—Prudence of Cortes—The siege is renewed—Message to Guatimozin—His scornful answer—The Spaniards enter the capital—The last quarter is besieged—Guatimozin is made prisoner—The capital reduced—Disappointed avarice of the Spaniards—Guatimozin is put to the torture—Cortes snatches him from his tormentors—Death of the Mexican King—Conquest of the distant provinces—Enmity of the Bishop of Burgos toward Cortes—Rebuilding of the capital—Cortes liberates Narvaez157

CHAPTER X.

Revolt in Panuco—Intrigues in Spain against Cortes—His friends support him—The King makes him Captain-General and Governor of New Spain—His great popularity—Arrival of Garay—Imprudence of his men—Slaughter of the Panuchese—The Bishop of Burgos and Narvaez continue their intrigues—Treachery and death of Christoval de Olid—March of Cortes to Honduras—The King issues a commission to investigate his conduct—Fidelity of the soldiers of Cortes—He embarks for Spain—Death of Sandoval—Reception of Cortes at the Spanish court—He returns to Mexico disappointed—Difficulties with the Audiencia—Embarks in new adventures—Discovery of California—Fails in his plans—Returns to Spain—Ingratitude of the King—Scornful treatment of the ministers—Death of Cortes—His remains are taken to Mexico174

THE ADVENTURES OF HERNAN CORTES.