nitude, built
half in the water and half on dry land. The spot where it stood is at
present all dry land; and where vessels once sailed up and down, seeds
are sown and harvests gathered. In fact, the whole face of the country
is so completely changed that he who had not seen these parts
previously, would scarcely believe that waves had ever rolled over the
spot where now fertile maise plantations extend themselves to all sides;
so wonderfully has everything changed here in a short space of time!

[43] Clavigero says, that a Mexican load was equal in weight to fifty
Spanish pounds, or eight hundred ounces, and values the gold which
Motecusuma offered to Cortes on this occasion at above three millions of
ducats! (p. 216.)

[44] Torquemada (Monarch. Ind. lib. iv) gives many reasons why
Motecusuma was so undecided as to whether he should allow the Spaniards
to enter his metropolis. (p. 216.)

[45] Other writers say, that several of the Spaniards could not be
persuaded for a length of time that it was not the monarch himself. (p.
218.)

[46] Bernal Diaz says, "Tres piedras que se llaman margaritas."
Margarita is Spanish for a pearl; yet it is evident our old soldier is
not speaking of pearls here, and most likely what he calls stones were
nothing more than coloured Venetian glass, which was formerly held in
great estimation; for in the next chapter he further describes these
stones by "piedras de vidrio," stones of glass. (p. 218.)

[47] Cortes, in his despatches, gives even a more glowing description of
this charming spot; a strong proof that Bernal Diaz has not said too
much of it. (p. 219.)

CHAPTER LXXXVIII.

_The magnificent and pompous reception which the powerful Motecusuma
gave to Cortes and all of us, on our entrance into the great city of
Mexico._

The following morning we left Iztapalapan accompanied by all the
principal caziques above mentioned. The road along which we marched was
eight paces in breadth, and if I still remember ran in a perfectly
straight line to Mexico. Notwithstanding the breadth, it was much too
narrow to hold the vast crowds of people who continually kept arriving
from different parts to gaze upon us, and we could scarcely move along.
Besides this, the tops of all the temples and towers were crowded, while
the lake beneath was completely covered with canoes filled with Indians,
for all were curious to catch a glimpse of us. And who can wonder at
this, as neither