h
it concealed, when they beheld a great hall filled with rich and
beautiful stuffs, articles of curious workmanship of various kinds, gold
and silver in bars or just as it had been dug from the earth, and many
jewels of great value. 'I was a young man,' says one of the Spaniards
who was allowed a sight of the treasure, 'and it seemed to me that all
the riches of the world were in that room.'

By Cortes' order the wall was built up again, and strict injunctions
were given that the discovery should be kept a profound secret. The
Spaniards had now been a week in Mexico, and the general's anxieties
increased daily. Cortes resolved upon a bold stroke. Calling a council
of his officers, he laid his difficulties before them, and, ignoring the
opinion of some who advised an immediate retreat, he proposed to march
to the royal palace and by persuasion or force to induce Montezuma to
take up his abode in the Spanish quarters. Once having obtained
possession of his person, it would be easy to rule in his name by
allowing him a show of sovereignty, until they had taken measures to
secure their own safety and the success of their enterprise. A pretext
for the seizure of the emperor was afforded by a circumstance which had
come to the ears of Cortes while he was still in Cholula. Don Juan de
Escalante, who had been left in charge of the Spanish settlement at Vera
Cruz, had received a message from an Aztec chief called Quanhpopoca
declaring his desire to come in person and tender his allegiance to the
Spaniards, and requesting that four soldiers might be sent to protect
him through the country of an unfriendly tribe. This was not an uncommon
request, and the soldiers were sent, but on their arrival two of them
were treacherously murdered by the Aztec; the others escaped, and made
their way back to the garrison. The commander at once marched with fifty
of his men and some thousands of Indians to take vengeance upon the
cacique, and though his allies fled before the Mexicans, the few
Spaniards stood firm, and by the aid of their firearms made good the
field against the enemy. Unfortunately, seven or eight of them were
killed, including Escalante himself, and the Indians who were taken
prisoners declared that the whole proceeding had been by Montezuma's
orders. One of the Spaniards fell into the hands of the enemy, but soon
died from his wounds. He happened to be a very big man of ferocious
appearance, and when his head was sent to Mont