on at the Tlascalan army, which followed in
their rear.

The street was in many places intersected by canals. Passing over
these on light bridges, they at last reached a great square near
the center of the city, on one side of which rose the huge temple
of the war god of the Aztecs. Facing this was a palace of
Montezuma's father, which had been appropriated, by the emperor, as
quarters for the Spaniards. The emperor himself received them in
the courtyard, presented Cortez with a magnificent necklace, and
then, saying he would visit them later on, withdrew.

The palace was large enough to afford accommodation for the whole
army; and as it was surrounded by a massive stone wall, flanked
with towers, Cortez saw, with satisfaction, that it could without
difficulty resist any sudden attack. He placed sentries on the
walls, and planted his cannon to command the approaches; and in
order to prevent any chance of a quarrel arising, he forbade any
soldiers to leave the palace, without orders. A large number of
Mexican slaves had been appointed to attend upon the strangers, and
a meal was speedily served by them to the troops, who were then
permitted to take a sleep, for some hours, during the heat of the
day.

The emperor paid another visit in the evening, and had a long
conversation with Cortez, distributing a large number of rich
presents among the Spaniards before leaving. After he had left they
celebrated their arrival in the city by a salute with their cannon,
whose thunder added to the impression produced upon the natives by
the tales they had heard of the prowess of their visitors, and
heightened their belief in the supernatural powers of the
Spaniards.

The next day Cortez returned the emperor's visit. He was
accompanied by a few of his principal officers, and five or six
soldiers. The palace was of immense size, built, like the rest of
the houses, of red stone, and ornamented with marble. Fountains
sparkled in the courts through which the Spaniards passed, and
crowds of Aztec nobles thronged the squares and great halls. The
walls of these apartments were hung with richly dyed cotton, or
with draperies of gorgeous feather work, while the fumes of incense
rose up in clouds from censors.

Montezuma, surrounded by a few of his nobles, received them; and
Cortez at once opened to him what he considered to be the chief
object of his enterprise, and through the medium of Marina
expounded the doctrines of Christianity, a