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 on March 4, 1519, and presented a strange sight to the eyes of the astonished natives—boats, the like of which they had never seen; a new and wonderful animal, bear-

ing strangely equipped soldiers; huge weapons that belched forth fire and smoke, and pale-faced men whom the natives looked upon as visiting gods; all conspired to fill these primitive people with consternation and alarm. The invaders had several cannon and a number of horses.

The natives, of course, had never seen a cannon,

and it is a noteworthy historical fact that the horses Cortes had with him were the first on the North American continent. Cortes soon discovered that Montezuma ruled over a vast empire, that his riches were immense, and that his power was absolute. This discovery only added to the zeal of the invaders. Cortes was an extraordinary man. Courageous and resourceful, he combined military skill with

artful intrigue, and—when

deemed

helpful—un-

ae Be:

s

Facsimile Signature of Cortes