The Fair God; or, The Last of the 'Tzins: A Tale of the Conquest of Mexico

Aztecan. In fact, Christian methods, of

oath. Near noon of one of its fairest days a traveller came descending the western slope of the Sierra de Ahualco. Since the dawn his path had been amongst hills and crags; at times traversing bald rocks that

om the shoulder; maxtlatl and tilmatli-sash and mantle-of cotton, blue tinted, and void of ornament; on the wrist of his left arm he wore a substantial golden bracelet, and in both ears jewelled pendants; while an ebony band, encircling his head, kept his straight black locks in place, and permitted a snow-white bird's-wing for decoration. There w

eyond that, blue in the distance and faintly relieved against the sky, the royal hill of Chapultepec, with its palaces and cypress forests. In all the New World there was no scene comparable with that he looked upon,-none its rival for beauty, none where the heavens seemed so perfectly melted into earth. There were the most renowned cities of the Empire; from that plain went the arm

he matchless vale so overhung with loveliness and full of the monuments of a strange civilization. So rapt was he that he did not observe the ocelot come and

s brisk walk brought them to the foot of th

of tamanes,[3] tawny, half-clad, broad-shouldered men, devoured loaves of cold maize bread. Near the roots of the trees their masters reclined comfortably on petates, or mats, without which an Aztec trader's outf

ing to the ci

g's courier," su

celot at his heel

. Bring me

several of them at once, a

up, the whole party stood rea

rbed you," he said, quietly f

ered one of the older men; "but

smiled. "See,

rs. The old merchant, however, ste

I feared the brute might set on and wound

eing tempted by the prospect of cheer f

" said the friendly trader. "

uit the wayfarer helped himself. A runni

were better. I killed his mother, and took him when a whelp. Now he doe

are not

taken many captives. I have practised arms, and, at times, boasted of skill,-foolishl

"I understand you. You have served so

has travelled with strong trains, and even attacked ci

renown. In what provinc

Tihu

s not as large as now; when, in fact, most gates were closed against us, because our king was an Aztec, and we had to storm a town, then turn its square into a market for the sale of our wares. Sometimes we marched an army, each of us carrying a thousand slaves; and yet our tasks were

of his new acquaintance was appeased; th

been worthy a king. But now I have no leisure for the lux

ail not to be there before the market closes

heard my

! The roads for days have been thronged

s the o

uetzal'! Certainly, my son, you have he

believe he was to

es at Iztapalapan for the night, and cross the causeway before the sun to-morrow. If you care to keep u

ather's good report. Certainly, I will go a distance with you at least,

sumed his load of wares, and took his place; those armed put themselves, with their masters, at the head; and at another peal from the shell all set forward. The column, if such it may be called, was long, and not without a certain picturesqueness as it crossed the strea