fields
were cultivated, and beautiful flowers grew wild in profusion.

During the march the Spaniards passed many towns containing queer
houses and temples. They entered many of the temples, threw down the
idols, and took possession of ornaments of value. At length they saw
in the distance a city which was built in a salt lake. Three avenues,
built of stone, led across the water to it.

These avenues, which were four or five miles in length, were guarded
on both sides by Indians in canoes. The avenues continued through the
city, meeting in the center, where the great temple was situated.

The temple was inclosed by a huge stone wall, and contained twenty
pyramids, each a hundred feet in height. Nearly all of the houses were
two stories high, and were built of red stone. The roofs were flat,
with towers at the corners, and on top of the roofs there were beautiful
flower gardens.

Into this remarkable town Cortes and his followers marched. Montezuma
received his unwelcome guests with every mark of friendship, and with
much pomp and ceremony. The great emperor was carried on a litter,
which was richly decorated with gold and silver. The nobles of his
court surrounded him, and hundreds of his retainers were drawn up in
line behind him.

[Illustration: Meeting of Cortes and Montezuma.]

The first thing, when Cortes and Montezuma met, was the customary
exchange of presents. Cortes presented Montezuma with a chain of
colored glass beads, and in return the Aztec ruler gave Cortes a house
which was large enough to accommodate all of the Spaniards.

For ten days these two men met each other and exchanged civilities,
Cortes pretending to be paying a friendly visit, and Montezuma feeling
puzzled and uncertain.

At length Cortes induced Montezuma to go to the house where the
Spaniards were living, and then, when he got him there, refused to
allow him to leave, thus keeping him a prisoner in his own city.

This daring act aroused the suspicions of the Aztecs. But Cortes used
all his cunning to deceive these simple-hearted people and to make
them continue to think that the Spaniards were gods. Still, the Aztecs
were beginning to feel very bitter toward Cortes and his followers
because of the disrespect with which they treated the Aztec temples
and gods. The Spaniards were constantly throwing these gods out of
the temples. Even their great god of war was not safe.

Cortes openly derided this image, calling it trash, and pro