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SIX MONTHS IN MEXICO. 



tresses, palaces, and other extensive buildings, 

 are alone sufficient to attest its former conse- 

 quence and splendour ; but it is likewise well 

 known to have been in earlier times the seat of 

 Mexican literature and arts. It was the 

 Athens of America, and the residence of 

 historians, orators, poets, artists, and the great 

 men of every department of the sciences who 

 existed in those days. It was on the return of 

 Cortez to the attack of Mexico, after a series 

 of misfortunes succeeding the night of desola- 

 tion, with his army recruited by the Spaniards 

 from Cuba, and reinforced and assisted by the 

 Tlascallans, that, advancing to this city, he 

 was invited by the caique to enter and take up 

 his quarters for the night; but the wary 

 general, suspecting treachery, deferred his 

 entry till the morning, when he found the 

 town deserted, and that preparations had ac- 

 tually been made to destroy his army had he 

 accepted the invitation the evening before. 

 Upon this, Cortez deposed the reigning caique, 



