SIX MONTHS TN MEXICO, 



155 



ness of the great captain himself ; with the 

 identical embroidered standard under which 

 he wrested this immense empire from the 

 hands of the unfortunate Montezuma. We 

 were shown a massive table of mahogany, 

 which was extraordinary from its size, the top 

 being formed of only one plank, and still more 

 remarkable from having been the property 

 of the conqueror. There is a neat church 

 belonging to this establishment, containing a 

 monument to the founder, with a pompous 

 inscription, recording his actions, and sur- 

 mounted, as I have before mentioned, by a 

 well executed bust in bronze. 



A strong iron-bound chest was produced, 

 and when unlocked we were allowed to touch 

 the bones of him who conquered and added 

 New Spain to the territories of Charles V. 

 I attentively examined the cranium of this 

 extraordinary person, but saw nothing to dis- 

 tinguish it — I should judge from it that his 



