MONTEZUMA I.

In the reign of Itzcoatl, the fourth king of Mexico, a young man of the royal race, named Montezuma Ilhuicamina, began to attract notice for his shining qualities. His surname of Ilhuicamina signified "Archer of Heaven," and in the ancient Mexican paintings he is represented with an arrow piercing the sky. He also obtained the appellation of Tlacaele, or "Great Heart." His invincible courage and strength of body were the theme of unbounded admiration among his countrymen, who naturally set a high value upon qualities so very useful in the state of perpetual hostilities that distinguish the early Mexican annals.

The first mention we find of Montezuma in the Mexican histories, is immediately after the conquest of Tezcuco by Itzcoatl, when he was sent on a difficult and dangerous embassy by the Mexican king. On his return, he had the ill-fortune to fall into an ambuscade of his enemies, who took him, and all his attendants, prisoners, and conducted them to Chalco, where they were delivered into the hands of Toteotzin, the chief of that city, and an inveterate enemy of the Mexicans. They were confined in a close prison, under the care of an officer named Quateotzin, who received strict orders to keep them on short allowance of provisions, the amount of which was prescribed, until the mode of putting them to death should be

determined. Quateotzin had more humanity than his master, and ventured to disobey him. He supplied his prisoners liberally with food, and saved them from famishing. After a long detention, Toteotzin decided, as the most profitable way of disposing of his prisoners, to deliver them over to the Huetzozincans, to be sacrificed on their altars, according to the bloody rites of the nations of Anahuac, who studied to conciliate the god of war by human sacrifices. Montezuma and his companions were accordingly sent, under a strong escort, to the city of Huexotzinco. But the inhabitants of this place, amidst all their barbarism, were not without a sentiment of honor and humanity. Why," said they," should we put men to death who have committed no other crime than that of serving their country? And even if they deserve to die, what honor can we obtain by taking the lives of prisoners whom we never captured? Go back to your master," said they to the officers of Toteotzin," and inform him that the people of Huexotzinco will not disgrace themselves by a deed so infamous."

The prisoners were accordingly reconducted to Chalco. But Toteotzin, far from being touched by the magnanimous conduct of his neighbors, fell upon another expedient to turn his prize to account. He had incurred the enmity of Maxtlaton, the tyrant of the Tepanecans, by his inconstancy and treachery in abandoning the cause of that monarch at a critical conjuncture. He now indulged a hope of conciliating him by placing at his disposal Montezuma and his friends, against whom the tyrant was known to entertain the most vindictive feelings. He accordingly

sent him information of the capture of these persons, and offered to receive his orders as to any fate he chose to assign them. While he awaited the answer, he directed the Mexicans to be shut up closely, as before, under the superintendence of the same Quateotzin, whose disobedience of his orders, it appears, he had never discovered.

Quateotzin, naturally humane and generous, had become strongly attached to Montezuma by observing the noble qualities which his prisoner displayed during his captivity. Having the strongest reason to apprehend that Maxtlaton would not hesitate to consign the Mexicans to a cruel death, he formed the heroic and gallant resolution to rescue them from their fate at the hazard of his own life. On the evening preceding the day on which the messengers were expected to return, he informed Montezuma of the danger that menaced him, and counselled him to save himself by an immediate flight. As he possessed exact information of the state of the roads and

the guards posted upon them, he advised the prisoners to make the best of their way to the shore of the lake at Chimalhuacan, and embark for Mexico at that place. He recommended his family to the care of Montezuma, as he had little doubt that immediate death would be his portion as soon as the flight of the prisoners should be known. With these words, he ordered the prison doors to be thrown open at dead of night by one of his confidential officers. The Mexicans had no means of requiting the noble generosity of their benefactor, except by instantly following his advice. They stole silently out of the prison

at midnight, and proceeded cautiously over by-paths to the neighborhood of Chimalhuacan, where they lay concealed all the following day, with nothing but raw vegetables for their sustenance. In the night that followed, they seized canoes upon the shore, and embarked. By swift rowing, they escaped all pursuit, and arrived safe at Mexico, where they were received as persons arisen from the dead.

Toteotzin was inflamed with the most furious rage on learning the flight of the prisoners. Quateotzin was immediately suspected, and the worst apprehensions of that generous man were realized by the sanguinary orders of his chief. He was immediately put to death and his body quartered. The vengeance of the barbarous Toteotzin did not spare his innocent family. The wife and children of the unhappy victim shared his fate, with the exception of a son and daughter, who were fortunate enough to make their escape. The daughter fled to Mexico, where she enjoyed the protection and honor due to the offspring of a man who had sacrificed his own life in a deed of humanity and the performance of an important service to the Mexican nation.

The embassy of Toteotzin, notwithstanding his hopes, did not result in gaining for him the good will of the Tepanecan king. Maxtlaton refused to be cajoled by the flattery and obsequiousness of the chief of Chalco. He sent him for answer that he was a double-faced traitor, and ordered him to set his prisoners at liberty without delay. No feeling of humanity, it appears, prompted this command. Maxtlaton hated the Mexicans most intensely, and was not

accustomed to spare his enemies; but his rage was so highly excited against Toteotzin, that he could not resist the inclination to frustrate his designs and treat him with contempt. So far was he from a wish to favor the Mexican nation, that he was actually engaged in collecting a large army to strike a heavy and decisive blow upon them. The rumor of the approaching war threw Mexico into consternation. The people considered themselves utterly incapable of offering any effectual resistance to the Tepanecan forces, and flocked in crowds to the king, deprecating the war, and entreating him to save the city and the nation from ruin, by negotiating with their too powerful masters; for Mexico, at this period, was still nominally subject to the king of the Tepanecans. "Peace! peace!" they cried, at the gates of the palace, 66 sue for peace. from Maxtlaton. Offer him submission and solicit his clemency. Let our god be borne on the shoulders of the priests into his presence. In this way only can we be saved from the calamities that hang over our heads.” So great was the clamor of the populace, which at length swelled into violent threats, that the prudent king began to fear a popular şedition, which might prove more fatal than a war with the enemy. He showed symptoms of an inclination to yield to their demands; but Montezuma, who was present, was touched with shame at the thought of this ignoble submission. His indignation burst out into the bold language of reproach. "6 Oh, ye Mexicans!" he exclaimed, "what would ye do? Have ye lost both reason and courage? How has such cowardice stolen into your hearts? Have