Page:Travels in Mexico and life among the Mexicans.djvu/316

308 the side of a building, they are exposed to the rude assaults of man and beast. A horse was stabled in that quarter of the garden at the time of my visit, close by these valuable antiquities, and, judging by the appearance of some of them, he had given expression to his contempt by kicking off their noses and ears.

Leaving this court, where two palms give a tropic cast to the complexion of the garden, we seek access to the museum. Entrance once gained, through a gallery lined with portraits of the famous viceroys of Mexico, with a full-length of Maximilian on horseback in the background, one soon sees what a valuable collection this is, which has been accumulated during the past ninety years. There is an authentic portrait of Cortes; opposite is his banner,—that silken pennon so often in peril from the savage hordes it was borne amongst. One room is filled with the silver service of Maximilian, some antique armor and relics of the conquerors, while valuable portraits of the viceroys and bishops of Mexico adorn the walls above. Entering the largest room, one sees some fine specimens of that famous picture-writing of the Aztecs, such as they used for conveying to Montezuma the intelligence of the arrival of the white strangers on his coast, in those fateful years of the conquest. There are images here, and gods of every known shape and kind, for the ancient Mexicans rejoiced in a greater variety of gods than any other nation existing at that time. It is related, I remember, that when Cortes proposed to the Tlascalans to abjure their gods, and set up the Virgin Mary instead, they made reply that "they could not do that, but they would give her a fair show with the rest." Whole or none was the policy of Cortes, and he later compelled them to cast down their idols and set up an image of his own choice.

This is a benevolent government, and encourages the learned and scientific men of all countries to come here and study. It opens to them its vast fields of archaeological treasures, and says, "Come and investigate"; it points out pyramids and mounds, and says to those wise men from other lands, "Come and dig"; and then it swoops down upon the findings of those wise men and carries them to the Museum.