Mexico - Its Ancient and Modern Civilisation, History, Political - Conditions, Topography, Natural Resources, Industries and - General Development

C. Reginald (Charles Reginald) Enock

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• Publié par: mosang
• Publié le: 08 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 24
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 6 Mo

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The Project Gutenberg EBook of Mexico, by Charles Reginald Enock
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Title: Mexico
Its Ancient and Modern Civilisation, History, Political
Conditions, Topography, Natural Resources, Industries and
General Development
Author: Charles Reginald Enock
Editor: Martin Hume
Release Date: April 2, 2007 [EBook #20959]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MEXICO ***
Produced by Ron Swanson
THE SOUTH AMERICAN SERIES
EDITED BY MARTIN HUME, M.A.AN IDYLL OF MEXICO: INDIAN CARRIERS, RUINED CHURCH, AND SNOW-CLAD PEAK OF ORIZABA.
MEXICO
ITS ANCIENT AND MODERN CIVILISATION
HISTORY AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS
TOPOGRAPHY AND NATURAL RESOURCES
INDUSTRIES AND GENERAL DEVELOPMENT
BY
C. REGINALD ENOCK, F.R.G.S.
CIVIL AND MINING ENGINEER
AUTHOR OF "PERU" AND "THE ANDES AND THE AMAZON"
WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY
MARTIN HUME, M.A.
WITH A MAP AND SEVENTY-FIVE ILLUSTRATIONSNEW YORK
CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS
First Edition 1909
1910Second Impression
Third Impression 1912
Fourth Impression 1914
Fifth Impression 1919
(All rights reserved)
PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN
PREFACE
The purpose of this work is to treat of Mexico as a topographical and political
entity, based upon a study of the country from travel and observation; a method
such as has found favour in my book upon Peru. The method of viewing a
country as a whole, with its people, topography, and general conditions in
natural relation to each other, is one which commands growing acceptance in a
busy age. I have been able to observe much of the actual life and character of
Spanish-American countries from considerable travel therein. Both Mexico and
Peru ever lured me on as seeming to hold for me some El Dorado, and if I have
not reaped gold as the Conquistadores did, there are nevertheless other
matters of satisfaction accruing to the traveller from his journeys in those
splendid territories of mountain and forest.
Mexico, superfluous to say, is not part of South America, although this book
appears in this series. But it is part of that vast Spanish-speaking New World
whose development holds much of interest; and which may occupy a more
important part in coming years than is generally thought of at present.
THE AUTHOR.
CONTENTS
PAGE
BIBLIOGRAPHY xxi
INTRODUCTION BY MARTIN HUME xxv


CHAPTER I
A FIRST RECONNAISSANCE 1
Romance of history—Two entrance ways—Vera Cruz—Orizaba—
The Great Plateau—Fortress of Ulua—Sierra Madre—
Topographical structure—The Gulf coast—Tropical region—Birds,Topographical structure—The Gulf coast—Tropical region—Birds,
animals, and vegetation of coast zone—Tierra caliente—Malaria—
Foothills—Romantic scenery—General configuration of Mexico—
Climatic zones—Temperate zone—Cold zone—The Cordillera—
Snow-capped peaks—Romance of mining—Devout miners—
Subterranean shrines—The great deserts—Sunset on the Great
Plateau—Coyotes and zopilotes—Irrigated plantations—Railways—
Plateau of Anahuac—The cities of the mesa central—Spanish-
American civilisation—Romance of Mexican life—Mexican girls,

music, and moonlight—The peones and civilisation—American
comparisons—Pleasing traits of the Mexicans—The foreigner in
Mexico—Picturesque mining-towns—Wealth of silver—Conditions
of travel—Railways—Invasions—Lerdo's axiom—Roads and
horsemen—Strong religious sentiment—Popocatepetl and
Ixtaccihuatl—Sun-god of Teotihuacan—City of Mexico—Valley of
Mexico—The Sierra Madre—Divortia aquarum of the continent—
Volcano of Colima—Forests and ravines—Cuernavaca—The trail of
Cortes—Acapulco—Romantic old haciendas—Tropic sunset—
Unexplored Guerrero—Perils and pleasures of the trail—Sunset in
the Pacific Ocean.


CHAPTER II
THE DAWN OF MEXICO: TOLTECS AND AZTECS 20
Lake Texcoco—Valley of Anahuac—Seat of the Aztec civilisation—
Snow-capped peaks—Pyramids of Teotihuacan—Toltecs—The first
Aztecs—The eagle, cactus, and serpent—Aztec oracle and
wanderings—Tenochtitlan—Prehistoric American civilisations—
Maya, Incas—Quito and Peru—The dawn of history—The Toltec
empire—Rise, régime, fall—Quetzalcoatl—Otomies—Chichemecas
—Nezahualcoyotl—Astlan—The seven tribes and their wanderings
—Mexican war-god—The Teocallis—Human sacrifices—Prehistoric

City of Mexico—The Causeways—Aztec arts, kings, and civilisation
—Montezuma—Guatemoc—Impressions of the Spaniards—The
golden age of Texcoco—Vandalism of Spanish archbishop—The
poet-king and his religion—Temple to the Unknown God—Aztecs
and Incas compared—The Tlascalans—The Otomies—Cholula—
Mexican tribes—Aztec buildings—Prehistoric art—Origin of
American prehistoric civilisation—Biblical analogies—Supposed
Asiatic and Egyptian origins—Aboriginal theory.


CHAPTER III
THE STRANGE CITIES OF EARLY MEXICO 37
Principal prehistoric monuments—Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan—
Pyramids of Teotihuacan—Toltec sun-god—Pyramid of Cholula—
Pyramids of Monte Alban—Ruins of Mitla—Remarkable monoliths
and sculpture—Beautiful prehistoric stone-masonry—Ruins of
Palenque—Temple of the Sun, and others—Stone vault construction
—Tropical vegetation—Ruins of Yucatan—Maya temples—
Architectural skill—Temples of Chichen-Ytza—Barbaric sculpture—
Effect of geology on building—The Aztec civilisation—Land and
social laws—Slavery—Taxes, products, roads, couriers—Analogy
with Peru—Aztec homes and industries—War, human sacrifice,
cannibalism—History, hieroglyphics, picture-writing—Irrigation,
agriculture, products—Mining, sculpture, pottery—Currency and
commerce—Social system—Advent of the white man.


CHAPTER IV
CORTES AND THE CONQUEST 56
Landing of Cortes—Orizaba peak—The dawn of conquest—
Discovery of Yucatan—Velasquez and Grijalva—Life and character
of Cortes—Cortes selected to head the expedition—Departure from
Cuba—Arrival at Yucatan—The coast of Vera Cruz—Marina—Vera
Cruz established—Aztec surprise at guns and horses—Montezuma
—Dazzling Aztec gifts—Messages to Montezuma—Hostility of the
Aztecs—Key to the situation—The Cempoallas—Father Olmedo—
Religion and hypocrisy of the Christians—March to Cempoalla—

Montezuma's tax-collectors—Duplicity of Cortes—Vacillation of
Montezuma—Destruction of Totonac idols—Cortes despatches
presents to the King of Spain—Cortes destroys his ships—March
towards the Aztec capital—Scenery upon line of march—The
fortress of Tlascala—Brusque variations of climate—The Tlascalans
—Severe fighting—Capitulation of Tlascala—Faithful allies—
Messengers from Montezuma—March to Cholula—Massacre of
Cholula—The snow-capped volcanoes—First sight of Tenochtitlan.


CHAPTER V
THE FALL OF THE LAKE CITY 76
The Valley of Mexico—The City and the Causeways—The
Conquistadores enter Mexico City—Meeting of Cortes and
Montezuma—Greeting of the Aztec emperor to the Spaniards—
Tradition of Quetzalcoatl—Splendid reception—The Teocalli—
Spanish duplicity—Capture of Montezuma—Spanish gambling—
News from Vera Cruz—Forced march to the coast—Cortes defeats
Narvaez—Bad news from Mexico—Back to the capital—Alvarado's
folly—Barbarous acts of the Spaniards—The fight on the pyramid—
Destruction of Aztec idols—Death of Montezuma—Spaniards flee

from the city—Frightful struggle on the Causeway—Alvarado's leap
—The Noche Triste—Battle of Otumba—Marvellous victory—
Spanish recuperation—Cuitlahuac and Guatemoc—Fresh
operations against the capital—Building of the brigantines—Aztec
tenacity—Expedition to Cuernavaca—Xochimilco—Attack upon the
city—Struggles and reverses—Sacrifice of Spaniards—Desertion of
the Allies—Return of the Allies—Renewed attacks—Fortitude of the
Aztecs—The famous catapult—Sufferings of the Az