34 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



in 1428 Avere stirred up to refuse submission to the proud warrior, 

 Maxtlaton, king of the Tepanees. 



" Why,'' cried the old man ; " Why, Tenuchcas, do you refuse to 

 submit ? Are your hearts not filled with pity at the sight of so many old 

 men, of women juid children, who through your fault, will become 

 victims of the Tepanees ? Your enemies are so numerous that the 

 mountains are covered with them, and, if you do not accept their yoke, 

 one of you must fight with more than ten. The mountains and the 

 forests are their ramparts ; and we. we have not even a rock behind 

 which to shelter ourselves from their fury." 



When the elders had ceased speaking, at once a thousand voices 

 were raised against the timorous proposition. 



" We shall know how to make war as our fathers did before us," 

 they exclaimed on every side. " Have we no longer arrows and bucklei'S ? 

 If our country falls into an enemy's power, our honour at least shall be 

 vindicated."' 



The elders, frightened at this determination, made vain efforts to 

 change it. They pointed out to the Mexicans their fewness in number, 

 exaggerating the forces of Maxtlaton. 



" And what about us, then ? " cried out the young men of all classes 

 in the assembly, labourers, fishermen and merchants. "So you count us 

 for nothing ? We shall know how to vindicate the memory of our king 

 and to make ourselves respected by the whole world." 



■'Go, then," replied «the old men, vanquished by this last shaft. 

 " Go ! If you return victors over the Tepanees you shall be our equals. 

 We will ennoble you, your wives and your children." 



Then, with one voice, all joined in the cry, " War ! War ! Let not 

 a soul sta}' behind in his house nor rest by the wav until we have 

 triumphed over our enemies."' It is interesting to learn that the Mexican 

 youths' confidence in their valour was well placed and that they scattered 

 the Tepanees of Maxtlaton. 



I add a very brief extract from another native historian, Garcilasso, 

 of Peru. The mummified remains of some of the Incas had been taken 

 up by the Spaniards from their resting places in Cuzco and placed in 

 Lima. One of these was the body of Iluayna Capac, who had died 

 about eighty years before. " It Mas so well preserved that it seemed to 

 be in life. The eyes were made of very thin gold, and so well formed 

 that they seemed natural ; and the whole body was prepared with a 

 species of bitumen. There appeared on the head the scar of a stone 

 thrown in war, and the long hair was visible, very hoary and perfect." 

 Here is Garcilasso's touching little comment : " The bodies weighed so 

 little that any Indian might carry them in his arms or on his shoulders 

 from house to house of the gentlemen who wished to see them. They 

 carried them, covered with cloths, through the streets and squares, sur- 



