Page:The Mastering of Mexico.djvu/178

146 of us. And who can wonder!—for never had they seen horses, nor men such as we!

As for ourselves, we did not know what to think, or whether what we beheld was real. On one side of us large towns, in the lake many more, the canoe-covered lake itself, and before us the splendor of the great city of Mexico! Innumerable crowds!—and we—not even four hundred men!—and all remembering the warnings given by friendly tribes not to trust our lives to the treachery of a people who would kill us as soon as they had us in their town. In all the world what men have ever ventured so bold a deed as this!

When we had come to where another small causeway branched off other caciques, all clad in splendid mantles, met us and, touching the ground with their hands in token of peace, bade us welcome in the name of Montezuma. We halted a good while at this fork, for Cacamatzin and other chiefs with us went forward to meet the ruler, now slowly approaching, seated in a litter surrounded by caciques. When we had again advanced to a place where several small towers rose together, the monarch got down from his litter, the chief caciques supporting him under the arms and holding over his head a canopy wrought with green feathers, gold and silver embroidery, pearls and chalchihuite stones—all very wonderful.