By Right of Conquest; Or, With Cortez in Mexico by G. A. Henty
Chapter 6: Anahuac.
It was now six months since Roger was wrecked on the coast ofTabasco, he spoke the native language with perfect fluency, and hadlearned all that was known as to the nations round Tabasco.Malinche was his chief source of information. She herself did notbelong to the country, but, as she told Roger, to a tribe that hadbeen conquered by far mightier people, called Aztecs, who livedfarther to the west.
It was from them, she said, that the people of Tabasco obtainedtheir gold; which was there very plentiful, and was thought butlittle of, as being useful only for ornaments, drinking cups, andsimilar purposes. They dwelt in a city named Mexico, standing inthe midst of a lake. There were kindred peoples near them, and thecountry generally was called Anahuac. All were subject to theAztecs, and their armies had gradually conquered all thesurrounding peoples.
They possessed great temples, compared to which those of Tabascowere as nothing. Their gods were very powerful, and all prisonerstaken in war were sacrificed to them. They had rich mantles andclothing, and the Tabascans were but savages, in comparison.
Being asked how it was that she, who was a native of such a nation,came to be a slave among the Tabascans, she replied with tears thatshe had been sold. Her father had been a rich and powerful cazique,of Painalla, on the southeastern borders of the Mexican kingdom. Hehad died when she was very young, and her mother had married again,and had a son. One night her mother had handed her over to sometraders, by whom she had been carried away. She had learned, fromtheir conversation, that her mother desired her son to inherit allher possessions; and that she had, therefore, sold her to thesetraders. The daughter of one of her slaves had died that evening,and she intended to give out that Malinche was dead, and tocelebrate her funeral in the usual way. The traders had brought herto Tabasco, and sold her to the cazique of that town.
"But this mother of yours must be an infamous woman, Malinche,"Roger said indignantly, "thus to sell away her own daughter to be aslave!"
"Girls are not much good," Malinche said, sadly. "They cannotfight, and they cannot govern a people. It was natural that mymother should prefer her son to me, and should wish to see him acazique, when he grew up."
Roger refused to see the matter in that light, at all, and wasindignant at Malinche for the forbearance that she showed, inspeaking of the author of her misfortunes.
This conversation had taken place at the time when Roger had firstlearned to converse in the Tabascan language. The girl'sstatements, with regard to the wealth of the country to which shebelonged, had fired his imagination. This was doubtless the countryconcerning which rumors were current among the Spanish islands, andwith whom it had been the purpose of his father's expedition toopen trade.
Malinche told him that they spoke a language quite different fromthat of the Tabascans. There were many dialects among the variouspeoples under the sway of the Aztecs; but all could understand eachother, as they had all come down, from the far north, to settle inthe country.
Thinking the matter over he determined, if possible, that he wouldsomeday make his way over to Malinche's country, which seemed sofar in advance of the Tabascans.
"The Spaniards will go there some day," he said; "and although theywould kill me without hesitation, if they found an Englishman therebefore them; I might yet, in some way or other, manage to achievemy escape."
Accordingly, he asked Malinche to teach him her language; and atthe end of the six months he could converse with her in it, almostas readily as he could in Tabascan; for in learning it he had noneof the initial difficulties he had at first encountered, inacquiring Tabascan--the latter language serving as a medium.
The year which had elapsed, since the Swan sailed from Plymouth,had effected great alteration in Roger's figure. He had grownseveral inches, and had widened out greatly; and was fulfilling thepromise of his earlier figure, by growing into an immensely largeand powerful man. He was, even now, half a head taller than thevery tallest of the natives of Tabasco; and in point of strength,was still more their superior. Thus, although the belief in hissupernatural origin was rapidly dying out, a certain respect forhis size and strength prevented any of his opponents from any openexhibition of hostility. The fact, too, of his perfect fearlessnessof demeanor added to this effect. Roger carried himself well, andas, with head erect, he strolled through the streets of Tabasco,with a step that contrasted strongly with the light and nimble oneof the slenderly built natives, men made way for him; while hissunny hair, which fell in short waves back from his forehead, hisfearless gray eyes, and the pleasant expression of his mouth,rendered him a source of admiration to the women; who, with scarcean exception, still believed firmly that he was no ordinary humanbeing.
One day, when Roger was dressing in the morning, he heard excitedtalking in the street, and the sound of hurrying feet.
"What has happened this morning, Malinche?" he called out.
"The merchants have come," she said. "The merchants from mycountry."
As Roger had heard, from her, that a trade was carried on by Mexicowith the surrounding countries, by merchants who traveled inparties, with strong bodies of armed men, and that they had been atTabasco but a few days only before he had first arrived there, andmight be expected again in about a year, he was not surprised atthe news. He had, indeed, been looking forward to this visit; forhe felt that his position was getting more and more unsafe, andthat the cazique would not be able, much longer, to support himagainst the hostility of the majority of the men of importance inthe town. What he had heard from Malinche had greatly raised hiscuriosity with regard to her country, and his longing to see thesepeople, whom she described as invincible in war, and so infinitelysuperior in civilization to the Tabascans.
He had closely inquired, from Malinche, whether she thought hewould be well received, did he reach her country. Malinche'sopinion was not encouraging.
"I think," she said, "that they would sacrifice you in the temples.All our gods love sacrifices, and every year countless persons areoffered up to them."
"It is a horrible custom, Malinche."
Malinche did not seem to be impressed, as he expected.
"Why?" she asked. "They would be killed in battle, were they notkept for sacrifice. The Aztecs never kill if they can help it, buttake prisoners, so that death comes to them in one way instead ofanother; and it is better to be killed in the service of the gods,than to fall uselessly in battle."
"I don't think so at all, Malinche. In battle one's blood's up, andone scarcely feels pain; and if one is killed one is killed, andthere is an end of it. That is quite different to being put todeath in cold blood. And do they sacrifice women, as well as men?"
"Sometimes, but not so many," she said; "and in dry weather theyoffer up children to Talloc, the god of rain."
"But they cannot capture them in war," Roger said, horrified.
"No, they are sold by their parents, who have large families, andcan do without one or two."
To Malinche, brought up in the hideous religion of the Mexicans,these things appeared as a matter of course; and she could scarcelyunderstand the horror, and disgust, which her description of thesacrifices to her gods caused him.
"And you think that they would sacrifice me, Malinche?"
"I cannot say," she replied. "The priests are masters in thesethings. If they said sacrifice, they would sacrifice you; but ifthey thought you a god, you would be treated with great honor. Howcan I tell? I think that they would pay you greater honor thanhere, but of course I cannot tell."
"Why should they pay me greater honor, Malinche?"
"Because one of our gods was white. Quetzalcoatl was the kindest ofour gods. He taught us the use of metals, instructed us how to tillthe ground, and laid down all the rules for good government. Whenhe lived in Anahuac everyone was happy. Every head of corn was sobig that a man could scarce carry one. The earth was full offlowers and fruit. Cotton grew of many colors, so that there was noneed to dye it, and the very birds sang more sweetly than they haveeve
"But why did he not, Malinche?"
Malinche shook her head.
"He was a god, but not one of the greatest, and one of these grewangry with him--I cannot tell who. Perhaps it was the god of war,who saw that the Anahuans were so happy that they no longer wentout to conquer other people, and to provide sacrifices for him.Perhaps they were jealous, because the people worshipedQuetzalcoatl more than them. Anyhow, they were angry with him, andhe was obliged to leave us.
"He came down to the sea, and took leave of the people, promisingthat he or his descendants would some day revisit them. Then hetook his seat in his boat, which was formed of serpent skins, andsailed away, and has never been seen again. But we all know thatone day, if he does not come himself, white people will come fromthe sea to us.
"I think, Roger, that you are one of the descendants ofQuetzalcoatl; and I think my countrymen would think so, too, andwould hold you in great honor, if the priests, who are verypowerful, did not turn them against you."
"What was this god like?" asked Roger.
"He was tall in stature, and he had a white skin; and his hair wasnot like yours, for it was long and dark, and flowed over hisshoulders, and he had a great beard. But as you are tall and white,you are like him; and as he went towards the rising sun, it may bethat, afterwards, his hair changed from black to a color likeyours, which seems to me brown when you are sitting here, but goldwhen the sun falls on it."
"So it seems, Malinche, that I may be sacrificed, or I may be takenfor a god! I would much rather that they would be content to treatme for what I am--a man like themselves, only of a different raceand color."
Roger had many conversations of this kind with Malinche, and as hefelt his position becoming daily more precarious among theTabascans, had come to believe that he should have at least as gooda chance, among the Aztecs, as where he was.
In return for all the girl told him about her country, he told hermuch about his own. He explained to her that there were manypeoples among the whites, as among the reds; and they foughtagainst each other in battle, having weapons which made a noiselike thunder, and killed at a great distance. He told her how oneof these peoples, named Spaniards, had conquered many islands notvery far distant from Tabasco; and how assuredly they would come,in time, and try to conquer this country, too. He explained that,while the nation to which he belonged was, at present, at peacewith the Spaniards, they were not allowed to come into this part ofthe world; and that, had he and those who had sailed with himfallen into their hands, they would have been all put to death.
The news, then, that the Aztec traders had arrived was a matter ofas much interest, to Roger, as to the people of the town. Theselooked forward to purchasing many things which they could nototherwise obtain; for the gold ornaments, the rich feather mantles,and most of the other articles of superior manufacture which Rogerhad seen, were not the work of the natives of Tabasco, but of theirpowerful neighbors.
The traders would stay, Malinche said, for four or five days, atleast; and Roger, therefore, thought it better not to go out to seethem, until he learned what were the cazique's views concerninghim. He therefore remained quietly at home, all day.
Upon the following morning he received a summons from the cazique.
"White man," the chief said, "I have spoken to the Anahuac tradersconcerning you, and they have a great desire to see you. Thereforeyou will, this morning, accompany us to their camp."
An hour afterwards Roger started with the cazique, and a numerousbody of the latter's counselors and attendants. The encampment ofthe Anahuans was a quarter of a mile from the town. In the centerrose a large tent, the abode of the merchants; and around, rangedin regular order, were the rough huts erected by their escort.
These were assembled in military array. They were, like theTabascan soldiers, clad in thick quilted doublets. Their spearswere tipped with copper; or with obsidian, a stone resemblingflint, of great hardness, and capable of taking a very sharp edge.
In front of the tent were several banners, embroidered in differentdevices in gold and feather work. Roger afterwards learned thatmerchants were held in far higher consideration in Anahuac than inEurope, that their business was considered as one of great honor,and that they were permitted to assume what may be called heraldicdevices on their standards, to carry bright-feathered plumes, andto wear gold ornaments--such decorations being only allowed towarriors who had, by their deeds in battle, been admitted into aninstitution which closely resembled that of knighthood; all othersdressing in plain white cloths, woven from thread obtained from thealoe. Even members of the royal family were not exempted from thislaw.
The whole trade of the country was in the hands of these merchants,who traded not only to its utmost borders, but with neighboringpeople. They were allowed to raise forces sufficient for theirprotection; they furnished the government with descriptions of thepeople they visited; and often afforded the State a pretext forwars and annexations, by getting up quarrels with the natives. Theyresembled, in fact, the East India Company during the last century,mingling in their persons the military and mercantile character.
In addition to their soldier escort, they took with them on theirjourneys a vast number of slaves. These carried the merchandise,made up into packets weighing about eighty pounds. Many of theseslaves had been instructed in the arts of the Aztecs, and therewere among them musicians, singers, dancers, and workers in metaland feather work; and these were sold, at high rates, to the peoplewith whom they traded.
The merchants, who were attired in rich feather mantles, withplumes of bright feathers upon their heads, came to the entrance oftheir tent when the cazique, with his company, approached. Aftersome talk between them and the chief, by means of an interpreter,Roger was brought forward from the rear of the company.
The merchants inspected him with grave curiosity. They turned andtalked among themselves; then they invited the chief to enter theirtent. He remained there for some time, and when he came out againreturned to his companions and, ordering four of his soldiers toaccompany him back to the town, left the rest of his party totraffic as they chose with the merchants.
He did not address Roger until they reached his house, and thenbade him enter with him.
"White man," he said, "the Anahuan merchants wish to carry you awaywith them to their own country; and have offered, in exchange,sundry slaves and articles of merchandise. I would not have partedwith you; and have told them, indeed, that you were no slave ofmine, to sell as I chose, but a stranger who had come to visit mefrom I know not where; and have also told them that, if you go withthem, it must be of your own free choice, for that misfortune mightfall upon my people, did I treat you with aught but honor.
"It is, then, for you to decide. You know that I wish well to you,and hold you in great esteem, deeming that your visit here willgive prosperity, as well as honor, to Tabasco. But there are thoseamong my people who are foolish and headstrong, and who view yourcoming with suspicion. The priests, too, are unfavorably disposedtowards you, and have long urged that you would make a mostacceptable sacrifice to the gods. So far I have withstood them, butI am old and cannot look to live long, and after I have gone yourenemies would assuredly have their way. Therefore I think it is foryour good that you should go with these merchants."
The cazique was speaking the truth, but not the whole truth. Themerchants had offered, in slaves and goods, an amount which hadexcited his cupidity; and he was, moreover, glad to be rid of thepresence of one who was the cause of constant dispute and troublein his councils. At the same time, he still believed in thesupernatural powers of his visitor; and was afraid that, if thelatter went against his will, he might invoke all sorts of ills andmisfortunes upon Tabasco.
He was much relieved then, when Roger replied that he was willingto go with the merchants.
"I have seen," he said, "that my presence here is unwelcome tomany, and that I was the cause
Great was the grief of Malinche when she learned, from Roger, thathe was to go with the Anahuans.
"Could not my lord take me with him?" she asked presently, as hersobs lessened in violence.
"I shall be but a slave myself, Malinche."
"If you ask the cazique he will let me go with you. I am but oflittle value to him."
Roger did not answer for some minutes. He would have been glad,indeed, to have had Malinche--who had been his companion andfriend, and whom he regarded almost as a sister--with him, butthere were many things to be considered. He might be well receivedin this new country, but he might be sacrificed to these gods oftheirs; and in that case Malinche might share his fate--as she saidthat even women were offered up. Even if well received, he mightnot be able to have Malinche with him.
Besides, of course he did not want her as an attendant, and in whatother capacity could she go? If he got into trouble, and had to tryto escape from their land, he might not be able to carry her off,too. If they were separated, what was to become of her? She couldnot go to the mother who had sold her as a slave. No; certainly, hedecided, he must go without her.
"Malinche," he said, after a long silence, "it cannot be. There isno saying what my fate may be, among your people. I may be offeredup to those terrible gods you told me of. I may be treated as aslave. There is no saying what might happen. At any rate, I shallbe unable to afford you any protection. Were we separated, as it isalmost certain we should be, where could you go, or what wouldbecome of you? Besides, how in any case could we keep together? Icould not have you as a slave, even if I wanted to do so, in yourown country; and how else could you go with me? If you like, I willask the cazique for your freedom, so that you might travel back toyour own country with the merchants."
The girl shook her head.
"I have no friends there, now," she said. "Where should I go?"
"That is just what I am saying, Malinche. There is nowhere for youto go except with me; and I do not see how you could go with me. Ifyou do not like this, I will promise you that, if things turn outwell with me in your country, I will send by the next merchants whocome here, and buy you from the cazique, and find friends for youthere, and place you with them."
"You would have wives there," the girl said passionately; "and youwould never think any more of me."
Roger burst into a loud laugh.
"Why, Malinche, I am only a boy! I am not yet eighteen; and in mycountry we do not think of taking wives, until we are eight or tenyears older than that. It is a serious thing with us, for each manhas only one wife; and it behooves him, therefore, to be verycareful in making his choice. I hope, long before it comes to mytime for thinking of marriage, to be back in my own country andamong my own people. If I were to marry here, how could I everthink of going away? I could not go and leave a wife behind me. Icould not take her away with me, because she would never be happyamong a strange people, any more than I should be happy if I livedhere.
"No, no, Malinche, there is no fear of my marrying, any more thanthere is of my forgetting you. You can trust me. If I live, and dowell in your country, I will send for you; and I will tell yourpeople that you have been as a sister to me, and will see that thismother of yours does you justice, and that you shall come to yourown again, and you shall marry some cazique of your own choice. Ifyou do not hear from me, you will know that things have gone badlywith me, and that either I have been sacrificed to your gods, orthat I am held as a slave and have no power, whatever, to helpyou."
Malinche said no more. Her dark eyes were full of tears, but withthe habit of submission natural to Mexican women, she simply tookRoger's hand and placed it against her forehead.
"Malinche will wait," she said, and then hurried from the room.
Before leaving, Roger gave Malinche several of the handsomest ofthe bracelets and necklaces that had been bestowed on him, in thefirst flush of his popularity at Tabasco; and gave presents also tothe old woman. The two girls wept bitterly when he said goodbye tothem, and Roger, himself, had to fight hard to restrain his tears.
"It is as bad," he said to himself, "as it was saying goodbye toDorothy and Agnes. Color does not matter much, after all. Malincheis just as good and kind as if she were white."
The cazique himself conducted Roger to the Anahuac encampment. Hehad, that morning, made him various presents of robes and mantles,for he was very desirous that his visitor should part in goodwillfrom him; and he again impressed upon him the fact that he onlyparted with him because he felt that he could not protect him fromthe ill will of some of his people.
The merchants made no secret of their satisfaction, as soon as theyhad handed to the cazique the goods and slaves they had agreed togive, in exchange for Roger. They had, like the cazique, pretendedto be indifferent as to the bargain; and had haggled with him overthe terms of the purchase. But both parties were equally desirousof concluding the agreement and, while the cazique considered thathe was making an excellent bargain for the visitor who hadvoluntarily placed himself in his hands, the merchants were stillmore delighted.
In the first place, the Mexicans were, as Malinche had told Roger,looking for the arrival of Quetzalcoatl, or of a white descendantof his from the sea; and if Roger were to turn out to be theexpected god, the honor which would fall upon them, as hisproducer, would be great, indeed. But even should this not proveso, they would gain great credit, to say nothing of profit, bybringing home so singular a being, who would either be received inhigh honor by the king, or would be one of the most acceptablesacrifices ever offered to the gods.
As soon, therefore, as the cazique had left, they addressed Rogerin terms of high respect, and presented to him some of their mosthandsome feather robes, tiaras with plumes, ornaments, and arms.
To their stupefaction, Roger replied in their own language, and asthey were in ignorance that the cazique possessed a countrywoman oftheir own, among his slaves, they regarded this as a miracle of themost singular kind, and as an indisputable proof of thesupernatural nature of their visitant. It was true that he did notspeak as a native, but Quetzalcoatl, himself, might well haveforgotten somewhat of his own language, in his hundreds of years ofabsence from Mexico.
The large tent was at once placed at Roger's disposal, themerchants contenting themselves with a smaller one, raised besideit. A number of slaves were told off to attend upon him, and hismeals were served with the greatest ceremony and deference.
That night, as Roger lay upon the soft pile of quilted rugsprepared for him, his mind was sorely troubled as to his position.Was he right in allowing them to deceive themselves into a beliefthat he was a supernatural being? Ought he not, rather, to tellthem that all these gods they worshiped were false, and that therewas but one true God--He who was worshiped by the White men?
Thinking it over in every way, he concluded at last that there wasno necessity for him, at present, to undeceive the Anahuans. Hewould do no good by doing so, and would ensure his own destruction.He resolved however, that nothing should induce him to pay honor totheir gods, or to take any part in their bloody sacrifices.
"They can kill me if they will," he said; "but I am not going to befalse to my religion. If they should not kill me I may be able, intime, to persuade them that their gods are false; but for thepresent it would be madness to try to do so. From what Malinchesaid they are devoted to their religion, and the priests are allpowerful. If I am to do any good, therefore, it must be donegradually.
"What should we think, at home, if an Indian were to arrive, and totry and teach us that our God was a false one? Why, he would beburnt at the stake, in no time. And one cannot expect that theseIndians would be more patient, in such a matter, than we should.When the Spaniards come, they will doubtless overthrow their gods,and force them to be Christians, just as they have the peoples inthe islands."
The next morning, early, th
For six days they passed through a country more or less cultivated,with villages scattered about. One of these was always chosen fortheir stopping place, and Roger admired the regularity and orderwith which the encampment was formed, and the good conduct observedin the dealings with the people.
Provisions were obtained by barter, and the inhabitants mingledfearlessly with the trading party. He remarked on this to themerchants, who replied that it was always their custom to keep onthe most friendly terms with the people.
"Our caravans," they said, "visit all the countries round our own,and did one of them ill treat the natives, the others would sufferfor it. Therefore, we are always particular to give them no causefor dissatisfaction. The empire is extensive, and many parts of itare but newly conquered; therefore we should be gravely blamed,were we to embroil ourselves with its neighbors, until the kingdesired to carry his arms in that direction.
"Sometimes we have trouble. We were with a party who, a few yearsback, were attacked of the people of Ayotlan. We saw that troublewas coming, and fortified our camp; and for four years carried onwar with the town, and in the end captured it. But this was forcedupon us, and we had the approval of the king. All those concernedin the struggle were permitted to have banners of their own, andmilitary emblems."
"How did you supply yourselves with provisions all the time?"
"The country people were neutral. That was the advantage we hadfrom having always treated them well, while the cazique of Ayotlanhad been a tyrant, and had greatly oppressed them. So they broughtin provisions to us for sale, and we had less difficulty, in thatway, than the people of the town."
At last the villages of the Tabascans were left behind. For somedays the caravans traveled through a very sparsely populatedcountry, and then arrived at a large village, where the Anahuaclanguage was spoken.
"We are now in the country of the king," the principal merchantsaid. "All over it you will find the same language spoken; foralthough there are many people who lived under their own chiefs,and many of whom have been but lately conquered, the language issimilar, though spoken with differences, for all the tribes camedown from the north and settled here."
"And who dwelt here before they came?"
"A people called the Toltecs. They were a great people, wellinstructed in agriculture, great workers in metals and builders ofgrand cities."
"And what became of them?"
"It is not known, but misfortunes came upon them, famine ordisease, and it is said that they went away to the south. Then camea people called the Chichemecs, a barbarous people from the north,whom we found here when we came. Of us, the greatest tribe were theAztecs, who settled on one side of the great lake and built a citythere, called Tenochtitlan, or sometimes Mexico, from the great wargod Mexitli.
"Another great tribe were the Tezcucans, to which we belong; andour capital is Tezcuco, on the eastern side of the same lake.Mexico and Tezcuco formed an alliance; and with us was Tlacopan, asmaller kingdom, hard by. It was agreed that in all wars, one-fifthof the spoil should go to the Tlacopans, and the rest be dividedbetween the Aztecs and the Tezcucans. This alliance has remainedunbroken, and together we have conquered all the countries round,and from sea to sea."
"What sea?" Roger interrupted.
"There is, on the west, another great sea like this on the east,which stretches away no man knows whither; and between these twoseas all the peoples, save one, acknowledge the dominion ofMexico--for although we are in alliance, the Aztecs have of lateyears taken the lead, for they have had very great monarchs, andare more war loving than we of Tezcuco; and our kings, and those ofTlacopan, acknowledge the Aztecs to be the leading power, and giveto their king the title of Emperor.
"We maintain our own laws and usages. Our king places the crownupon the head of each new monarch of Mexico, but we own him to bethe chief of our Confederacy, and the more distant countries, thathave but recently been conquered, have been assigned entirely tothe Aztecs, although we have had our proper share in the slaves andspoil taken in the war."
"And what is the one state that has not been conquered by yourConfederacy?"
"Tlascala. It lies high up among the mountains and, although but asmall state, has maintained its independence, and has several timesrepulsed the attacks of our best soldiers."
Roger thought that Tlascala must be a sort of Mexican Switzerland.
"It is singular that a small state should have resisted so long,"he said.
"They have not been very often attacked," the merchant replied."There is little to be got from them but hard knocks. The countryis not fertile, the cold is too great, and they have only thenecessities of life. Except for slaves, and for sacrifice to thegods, there is nothing to be gained by their conquest."
"And you all worship the same gods?" Roger asked.
"Assuredly," he said, "although some are thought more highly of inone kingdom, some in another. Mexitli--or as he is generallycalled, Huitzilopotchli--is of course the greatest everywhere; buthe is worshiped most of all by the Aztecs. Quetzalcoatl is alsogreatly worshiped."
As he spoke, the merchant glanced furtively up at Roger. The ladsaw that this was a favorable opportunity for creating animpression. He smiled quietly.
"It is right that he should be," he said, "since he taught you allthe good things you know; and was, like myself, white."
This proof of the great knowledge possessed by the being before himvastly impressed the Mexican. How could this strange being know theMexican tongue, and be acquainted with its gods, unless he were oneof them? It had pleased him to assume ignorance of other matters,but doubtless he was well aware of everything that had passed inthe country since he left it. Henceforth the respect which he andhis companions paid to Roger was redoubled.
As soon as they had reached the borders of Mexico, a swift runnerhad been dispatched to the nearest post with a message, to be sentforward to the King of Tezcuco, with the tidings of the arrival ofa strange white being in the land; and asking for instructions asto what was to be done with him. In the meantime, the merchantstold Roger that they wished him to abstain from going out into thevarious villages and towns at which they stopped.
"Until we know what are the king's wishes concerning you, it werebetter that you were not seen. In the first place, all this countryby the coast is under the Aztec rule, and as soon as you were seen,messages would be sent forward to Mexico, and the Emperor mightdesire that so great a wonder should be sent direct to him;whereas, if our own King sends first for you, you would be hisproperty as it were, and even Montezuma would not interfere.
"It will not be long before an answer arrives, for along all theroads there are post houses, two leagues apart from each other. Ateach of these couriers are stationed, men trained to run at greatspeed, and these carry the dispatches from post to post, at therate of eight or nine miles an hour."
"But the messages must get changed, where they have to be given sooften?"
"Not at all," he said. "The couriers know nothing of the dispatchesthey carry."
"Oh, they are written dispatches?" Roger said. "Then you possessthe art of writing?"
"Writing, what is writing?" the merchant asked.
"Letters are inscribed on paper," Roger said, "so that the personreceiving them at a distance understands exactly what the one whowrote wished to say."
The merchant shook his head.
"I know nothing of what you call letters," he said. "We drawpictures, on a fabric formed of prepared skins, or of a compositionof silk and gum, but chiefly on a paper prepared from the leaves ofthe aloe. Besides the pictures there are marks, which areunderstood to represent certain things. These picture dispatchesare made in the