A Prince of Anahuac.

by James A. Porter.

PREFACE.

In placing this volume before the public we would ask the critical reader to regard with leniency its imperfections, in view of the fact that an exigency, arising through serious misfortune to the writer, made the issue a necessity.

The narrative is based upon the Tezcucan historian, Ixtlilxochitl's, brief account of the overthrow of his ancestral government by Tezozomoc, the Tepanec king, in 1418; and its restoration, under Prince Nezahualcoyotl, eight or ten years later.

The wonderful experience of Nezahualcoyotl--Hungry Fox--(abbreviated, for convenience, to 'Hualcoyotl) is made the nucleus around which the story is woven. So far as possible, the incidents related of him, his condemnation to death by Maxtla, the son and successor of Tezozomoc, his remarkable escapes therefrom, and other personal trials, have been given in accordance with the historian's account. The descriptive portions, including what relates to the country and manners of the people, are based upon conclusions drawn from reading a traditional history, and, therefore, to some extent, hypothetical; yet are, no doubt, quite as correct as a great deal of what has been written and put out as authentic.

The narrative is a representation of the writer's conception as to how the triumph of Tezcuco over her oppressors might have been brought about, together with such incidental situations and characterization as appear best suited to make it attractive. Whether or not success has been attained in the work, the public must decide.

The characters introduced, with the exception of Hualcoyotl and Maxtla, which are historical, are fict.i.tious, created to meet the exigencies of the situations.

The p.r.o.nunciation of names will be greatly simplified by the reader bearing in mind that x and ch are convertible, the sound of sh being subst.i.tuted, as in Ix, which is p.r.o.nounced Ish; Teochma--Te-osh-ma; Xochitl--Zosh-itl, and Ixtlilchoatl--Ish-thlil-sho-atl. S being an unused letter, z is frequently given a soft sound, as in tzin, which is p.r.o.nounced tsin; Euetzin--U-et-sin; Oza--Os-a; Itzalmo--I-tsal-mo, and Itlza--I-tel-sa. H is silent, as in Hualcoyotl, which is p.r.o.nounced U-al-co-yotl; Hualla--U-al-la, and maquahuitl--ma-ka-u-itl.

With these brief explanations we conclude our preface, hoping that our labor has not been in vain, but that the production of it may furnish some instruction and a few hours' pleasurable pastime.

THE AUTHOR.

INTRODUCTION.

The great valley of Anahuac--the valley of Mexico--if not now, was once a grand and beautiful spot, such as is rarely found upon the face of our terraqueous globe. When nearest its natural state, in the time when its inhabitants directed their efforts to beautifying and not to marring it, it might well have been denominated an Eden. We refer to that period in its transition which covered a century or two prior to the fall of Montezuma.

The majority of the people of Anahuac were not, strictly speaking, Aztecs, but became so by centralization: the Montezumas and their immediate predecessors becoming, by the trend of events, masters of the situation.

The great Aztec empire had scarcely a half century of existence, and was preceded by a condition of things in which tribal distinction prevailed, the Aztec being only one of many tribes, and not greatly superior, if superior at all, to some of its neighbors. In fact, the Aztecs, prior to the overthrow of the Tepanec empire, unquestionably occupied a position of inferiority. From this time on, however, their power and influence may be said to have rapidly increased, until their supremacy was a.s.sured in the formation of an empire with their ruling prince at its head.

That the reader, who is not informed with respect to the Anahuacans and the conditions which prevailed among them, may be better prepared for an intelligent perusal of our story, the following brief account of them is presented.

They were a remarkable people, in many respects; and, when the lack of opportunities which hindered, and the peculiar conditions which influenced them, are taken into account, were wonderfully intelligent and well advanced in civilization. Although of the Indian race, they had nothing in common with their red brethren of the north in their habits and manners.

Their religion was based on an incongruous and exaggerated mythology, which, through the influence of superst.i.tion and the machinations of a perniciously insinuating priesthood, resulted in idol worship and the terribly vitiating practice of human sacrifice. They believed in a supreme being, whom they supplicated, but in an indirect way. They were unable to conceive of a personal unity so comprehensive in attributes of perfection as is the Great Creator and Savior of man, and, therefore, supplicated through inferior ministers--presiding deities, represented in great images set up in their teocallis--temples.

They had a system of education, which embraced a traditional history, astronomy, mechanics, arithmetic, and a means of communicating ideas by written signs, designated hieroglyphical painting, which was imparted to the youth through the medium of a public school, under the management of the priesthood.

Their domestic habits, and the rules regulating intercourse between the s.e.xes, were most advantageous for the women. They, unlike their red sisters of the north, and, we might add, some of the whiter ones of Europe, were required to do no labor that was counted the man's, but were left strictly to the performance of their domestic duties. They were treated with the greatest consideration, especially by their husbands; and, when sought after in marriage, were courted in a manner truly chivalrous.

Of their young women we quote from a well-known and authentic writer: "The Aztec maiden was treated by her parents with a tenderness from which all reserve was banished.... They conjured her to preserve simplicity in her manners and conversation, uniform neatness in her attire, with strict attention to personal cleanliness. They inculcated modesty as the great ornament of a woman, and implicit reverence for her husband a duty."

When circ.u.mstances would allow of it the women beguiled the time in the lighter work of adornment; or, not infrequently, pa.s.sed it in quiet indolence. It is said of them that they were quite pretty, not at all like what may be seen to-day in their miserable descendants. Their long and profuse black hair was usually confined by a web of some kind, or adorned with wreaths of flowers, or strings of glittering beads, formed from the precious metals and the richer gems of stone and pearl. A scarf was sometimes worn upon the head, the fashion or design of which we will not attempt to describe. There is scarcely anything said by writers of their dress. We may infer, however, that it was worn with a view to convenience, neatness, and show. The prevailing skirt, we dare say, was of a length which did not hamper the movement, but was, nevertheless, a work of art, as were the jackets and leggings which were worn by the higher cla.s.ses, in which elaboration and richness of decoration were often indulged to a degree approaching gorgeousness.

The s.e.xes shared alike in occasions of festivity. They indulged in banqueting and other social gatherings, which were conducted with elegance and a remarkable degree of refinement. We quote briefly on this point: "The halls were scented with perfumes and the courts strewed with odoriferous flowers, which were distributed in profusion among the guests as they arrived. Cotton napkins and ewers of water were placed before them as they took their seats at the board; for the venerable ceremony of ablution before and after eating was punctiliously observed." Here is evidence of an elevated social condition, and certainly would indicate the obtaining of a high regard for forms in which love of the beautiful is shown and a commendable decency inculcated.

They smoked tobacco and indulged in intoxicants--marks of civilization, but to become drunken was a disgrace, which was punishable in the young.

The governments were in some instances republican in the manner of operating them, though subject to the rule of a prince whose position and rights were inherited, and who was surrounded by a cla.s.s of persons dignified as n.o.bles. However, the disposition of the king had much to do with restricting or extending the privileges of his subjects, which occasionally resulted in despotism, as in the case of the Tepanecs.

The people were encouraged to become producers, especially in the matter of agriculture. This branch of industry was closely studied, and, considering the disadvantages labored under by the farmer in the absence of draft animals, was very successfully conducted. They appeared to understand the management of the ground, the dryness of which was relieved by irrigation.

The princ.i.p.al products of the farm were maize, cacao (chocolate), and a variety of garden vegetables--the food supply--while cotton and maguey furnished the material from which various kinds of cloth and paper were produced, and we are told the land teemed with an abundance thereof.

Slavery existed in various phases, the conditions being fixed according to the circ.u.mstances governing the case. Much of the labor was, of course, done by this cla.s.s of persons.

The forests were carefully preserved and heavy penalties imposed to prevent their destruction.

The men were not permitted to pa.s.s their time in idleness, but were furnished employment by the government in the promotion of public improvements, such as the building of great aqueducts and highways, and expansive public edifices, palaces and temples, an example of public economy worthy of imitation by the more enlightened people of the world.

Polygamy was practiced according to the means and inclination of the individual. It was mostly confined to the n.o.bility, however.

With all their severity the laws protected a man completely in his personal rights, not only as a proprietor and master, but as a slave.

The marriage relation was regarded with the greatest reverence and adhered to with fidelity.

The sovereign was especially protected in his marital affairs, death being visited upon the man who in the least degree usurped his place in the affections of a wife or one chosen to be a wife, and the woman concerned, we infer, was not held guiltless, but on the other hand was counted _particeps criminis_.

With these few references and the information with which the narrative abounds, the reader, we feel, will be enabled to proceed intelligently and with satisfaction in its perusal.

A PRINCE OF ANAHUAC.

CHAPTER I.

In a private and secluded apartment of his ancestral palace sat Hualc[=o]y[=o]tl,[1] the then reduced prince of Tezcuco, deeply engrossed in the mysteries of some hieroglyphical ma.n.u.script lying on a table before him. While thus engaged, his personal servant, Oz[=a], appeared at the door of his apartment, and paused in an att.i.tude of waiting. The prince, happening to look up, saw him, and said:

[1] See Preface with reference to p.r.o.nunciation of names.

"What is your errand, Oza?"

"If it will please my master, Itzalmo would have speech with him,"

replied he.

"Bid Itzalmo come; and, Oza, stand without; I may want you."