Page:About Mexico - Past and Present.djvu/28

22 should tell the-story of redemption on the banks of this sacred river of the Hindus. He did not dream that between him and the object of his search two continents stretched their vast length almost from one polar circle to another, and that behind them rolled the widest ocean in the world.

It was with this great purpose in view that Columbus resolutely turned away from this half-opened door to Mexico and left the discovery and conquest of that country to a man who had the same idea of going westward to India, and the same desire to bring the heathen into the fold of the Church, but who had time to turn aside to take possession of all the gold-mines that opened along his way.

We need not turn our back on Mexico because Columbus did. Let us lift the veil by which it was so long hidden from the European world and look at this beautiful land as it appeared

Mexico, which occupies the tapering southern end of North America, was then held by various tribes, the chief of which were called "Aztecs." Yucatan, which had recently been brought under tribute by these warlike people, was the southern limit of their conquest. Their other boundaries are unknown save that with different kindred tribes they occupied all of what is now known as Mexico,

For grandeur of scenery and variety of climate and productions this country is unsurpassed by any other on the globe. The great mountain-chain which runs along the Pacific shore of both continents widens out in this region into lofty table-lands. One of these, called