leap or not he was a glorious hero, such an one as the world has not often seen since the discovery of gunpowder, which has had pretty much the same effect upon individual heroism as that of the discovery of the art of printing on eloquence."

A colossal bronze statue of Charles the Fourth of Spain stands in the court-yard of the same building where the museum is kept. It was designed by a Mexican artist, Tolsa, and cast by another Mexican; the latter, I think, an Indian. It is said by competent judges not to be surpassed by more than two similar works in the world.

They have there also the great sacrificial stone upon which human victims were sacrificed. It is a large mass of stone some four feet high, and eight feet in diameter, of circular form, with figures in relief, elaborately cut on the top and sides. I think that it is the best specimen of sculpture which I have seen amongst the antiquities of Mexico. It is a curious problem how they were able to cut stone without other instruments than those made of copper, jade and obsidian.

It was the custom that the captive or other victim to be sacrificed fought seven of their best gladiators; if he was victorious his life was spared, but if vanquished he was placed on this stone and his heart taken out, and whilst yet palpitating it was offered to their God. That this was really the sacrificial stone there can be no doubt, as the Spaniards were themselves made to witness the sacrifice at one time of sixty-two of their companions who fell into the hands of the Mexicans at the battle of the "Narrow Causeway," in Mexico, where Cortes was in such imminent peril. Bernal Diaz thus describes the scene:

"And again the great drum of Huichilobos (the idol) sounded with many smaller drums, and shells, whistles and a kind of small trumpets,

the combined sounds of which were most sad and frightful; and when we looked above to the lofty idol temple whence the sounds came, we saw them pushing and buffeting our companions whom they had made prisoners when they defeated Cortes, as they were carrying them to be sacrificed; and when they had arrived at the top of this temple where their accursed idols were kept, they put plumes on the heads of some of the prisoners, and made them dance before Huicholobos (their idol), and immediately after they had finished dancing, they laid them on their backs on stones, which had been made for such sacrifices, and with knives made of flint they cut open their breasts and took out their hearts, and while they were yet palpitating offered them to their idols. The bodies they threw down the steps to the Indian butchers, who were waiting below to receive them, who cut off the arms and legs, and skinned the faces, which, with the beards on, they dressed as skins are dressed to make gloves. These they exhibited at their feasts, and in this manner they were all sacrificed. They ate the arms and legs, the hearts and blood were offered to their idols, and the other parts of their bodies were thrown to the lions, tigers, and serpents which were kept in the menageries, which I have described in a former chapter. All these cruelties were seen from our tent by Pedro Alvarado, and Sandoval, and all our other captains. The curious readers of this narrative will imagine what our grief must have been, and we said amongst ourselves, oh, thanks to God that they have not also sacrificed me, and let it also be considered that although we were not far off, we could not prevent it, but could only pray to God that he would save us from so cruel a death. At that instant large squadrons of Mexican warriors came charging upon us, and all our efforts to repulse them seemed unavailing. They said to us, You all have to die in the same manner, for our gods have often times so promised us.' The threats which they uttered to our Tlascalan friends were so horrid as to terrify them greatly; they would throw to them the legs of Indians, and the arms of our soldiers which they had roasted, saying, eat the flesh of these Teudes,* and of your brothers, for we are satiated, and of those which are left you may fill yourselves."

The author, Bernal Diaz, in a subsequent part of his history, says, that although men are generally frightened by the

A word meaning gods, which the Mexicans applied to the Spaniards.

first battle in which they are engaged, and rarely afterwards, yet he frankly confesses, that although before he witnessed this sacrifice, he had been in many and perilous battles, and had never been conscious of trembling, yet that he was a coward ever afterwards, and never went into battle without a certain sinking and sickness of the heart. I could fill many pages with descriptions of other things which are to be seen in the museum in Mexico. But as I have very little taste for such affairs, I must refer the reader to the interesting volume of M. Brantz Mayer, whose descriptions are very full and accurate.

CHAPTER XIII.

The New Theatre-Market-Alameda-The Paseo-Aqueducts-Water Carriers-Drones-Great National Pawn Shop-A Necklace of PearlsFour Diamond Rings-Anecdotes of a Revolutionary country.

THE new Theatre in the street Bergard, which was finished in 1843, is said to be the finest in the world, except that of Saint Carlos at Naples. I can conceive of nothing of the kind more elegant in its architecture, or perfect in its arrangements. I have seen in it a concourse estimated at seven or eight thousand, and it was not full. There are eight tiers of seats, with a pit sufficient to accommodate a larger audience than the whole of any ordinary theatre. In the rear of each box there is a room for the accommodation of those who occupy the box. These boxes, in certain tiers, rent for two and three thousand dollars per annum, some of them I believe for even more. The whole theatre is lighted by splendid chandeliers. It was called the theatre of Santa Anna; the name was of course changed after his fall by a people who were capable of disinterring the leg which he lost in a most heroic defence of Vera Cruz at the time when it was attacked by the French, and which had been brought to Mexico a few short months before, been buried with great pomp, and a funeral oration pronounced over it by a distinguished member of the Mexican Congress.

With more truth in Mexico than in any other country may one say of popular applause and favor

"Thou many-headed monster thing,
Oh who would wish to be thy king."

The new Market just finished and also named in honor of Santa Anna, is admirably arranged for its purpose.

Of all the spots in Mexico, the Alameda is the most beautiful. It is a public square on the western border of the city, containing about forty acres, enclosed by a stone wall. It is covered with a thick growth of poplar trees and hence the name; the whole square is intersected with walks paved with flag-stones; all these walks unite in the centre where there is a beautiful jet d'eau, and from this point they diverge in every direction, and again unite in four or five smaller circles. There is a carriage-way inside of the wall entirely surrounding the square.

A short distance from the Alameda is the Paseo-the fashionable ride. It is a broad road just on the outside of the city, of perhaps a mile in length, and terminating at the aqueduct. Here every one in Mexico who has a coach of his own, and every one who has not, who has money to pay the hire of a hackney coach, assemble, besides hundreds and often thousands of horsemen. I would say at a venture that I have frequently seen a thousand carriages and more than five thousand horsemen on the Paseo. If I were now to return to Mexico, and desired to see any of my acquaintance, I would go to the Paseo, with the utmost confidence of meeting them there. It is just as much a habit of their lives to ride on the Paseo in the evening, and to go to the theatre at night, as it is to breakfast or dine. The carriages used by the ladies are always closed, but with pannels instead of curtains; through the windows of their coaches they see and are seen by their lovers, exchange glances, and salute them most gracefully with their fans. In this way and almost in this way only, are the courtships conducted, and often for months and years, without the parties ever having exchanged a word with each other.