THE ARENA. No. LXXV. FEBRUARY, 1896. THE LAND OF THE NOONDAY SUN-ANAHUAC BY WALTER CLARK. While Europe, Asia and Africa were having their revolutions and dynastic changes, which are narrated in the so-called "Histories of the World," the great drama of life was equally being played out on this side of the Atlantic. Here likewise great empires rose, flourished and passed away, to be succeeded by others. Here too ambitious men intrigued, schemed and fought, to obtain fame which they fondly believed would last forever. On either side of the ocean, in ignorance of their contemporaries, life proceeded on parallel lines. In each hemisphere from time to time some great nation believed its own civilization "the world," its own king king of kings," its own government and rule the final and lasting one. All have disappeared, and the moon shines coldly down and the night winds sigh alike over the ruins of Nineveh and Palenque, Memphis and Uxmal, Carthage and Cholula, Troy and Tenochtitlan, and many another metropolis whose walls and temples have been dust and whose heroes, kings and people have been nameless for many a dead and forgotten century. When Mexico first became known to Europeans it was the seat of a great empire where the arts and sciences flourished, while savages of the lowest grade of barbarism roamed at will throughout the territory now covered by the great "Republic of the North." Mexico was first discovered to Europeans by Cordova, who landed at Cape Catoche in Yucatan, 1517, somewhat more than one hundred years before the landing of the Pilgrim fathers at Plymouth Rock. In 1518 Grijalva anchored off the site of modern Vera Cruz and opened communication with the Aztecs. In April, 1519, Hernando Cortez landed at the same spot and with scant ceremony began his march upon the capital which he entered in November of that year. Copyrighted 1896, by the Arena Publishing Co. From 349 the death of Guatemozin, the last Aztec emperor, in August, 1521, the Spaniards held possession of the country exactly three hundred years till the withdrawal of Juan O'Donoju, the last Spanish viceroy, in August, 1821, when Spain recognized the independence of the country, which had been secured by the combined efforts of the descendants of the conquered Indians and the native descendants of their conquerors. The history of Mexico prior to the conquest has been only partially recovered. The earliest authentic fact ascertained is that, about A. D. 650, the Toltecs were in possession of a vast empire. This was coeval with the disorganization existing in Europe after the irruption of the Goths and Vandals, and a century and a half before the coronation of Charlemagne, which event marked the beginning of the social and political structure of modern Europe. Who were the predecessors of the Toltecs, and who the Toltecs themselves and whence they came, will remain unknown until some new Champollion shall arise to decipher the writings chiselled in the stones and pencilled in the marble of the mighty cities whose ruins extend for miles along the rivers of Yucatan. Tradition relates that all these successive nations who held sway in Mexico came from the northwest, and everything in fact points to their Mongolian origin, which is true perhaps of all the aborigines of the two Americas save the Esquimaux and Greenlanders, whose ancestors in some remote age may have crossed over from Europe. In the eleventh century, about the time William of Normandy was founding the English monarchy upon the victory at Hastings, a nother conqueror - but nameless now forevermore-leading the Aztecs from the northwestward, came down upon the Toltecs, enervated by the plenty and ease of their long dominion, an d drove them out to Yucatan and Guatemala, where the degenerate remnants of their descendants still linger. The Aztecs held high rule till four and a half centuries later they in turn met their fate beneath the iron rule of Cortez and his adventurers. The Aztec civilization possessed many of the arts and sciences and was the equal of the contemporaneous civilization of Asia and in many respects not inferior to that then existing in Europe. It was, however, marred by human sacrifices, not less than twenty thousand victims, mostly prisoners of war, being offered annually, it is said, in their temples. During the three centuries of Spanish rule there were sixtyfour viceroys, all of them being Europeans except one Juan de cuña (1722-34) who was born in Peru. The first and most ominent viceroy was Antonio de Mendoza; next to him Pacheco 789-94) was the most famous. The revolt against Spain was augurated by Hidalgo, a priest, Sept. 16, 1810, which is the tal day of Mexican independence. The next year he was ptured and shot, when the leadership was taken up by Morelos, other priest. The republic has shown its gratitude by naming state after each of these patriots. Independence was acknowledged by Spain in the treaty of guala, August, 1821, and Augustin Iturbide became provisional esident. The crown was offered to a royal prince of Spain t being declined, Iturbide was proclaimed emperor May, 1822. March, 1823, ten months later, he had to flee for his life and eturning from England in 1824 was taken prisoner and shot. Between 1821 and 1868 the form of government was changed en times. Over fifty persons succeeded each other as presients, dictators or emperors, both emperors being shot -Iturbide 1824 and Maximilian in 1867 and more than three hundred uccessful or abortive revolutions are recorded; but amid all his confusion the thoughtful student will detect a steady progess towards the ultimate triumph of those Liberal ideas which re the true basis of national freedom. The long struggle beween the aristocratic and clerical party termed Escosses and the democratic element styled Yorkinos or Liberals has definitely resulted in victory for the latter, as with the similar struggle in France. The first constitution was adopted in 1824 and was modeled upon that of the United States, though strange to say this country did not recognize the Mexican Republic till 1829. In 1838-39 there was war between Mexico and France. In 1845 Texas seceded, and when President Santa Anna attempted to coerce her at the head of his army, she took the president prisoner. On June 4, 1845, war between Mexico and the United States began over a dispute as to the little strip of territory between the Nueces and the Rio Grande rivers; Texas having become a member of the American Union, which claimed the Rio Grande as the boundary, while Mexico asserted that the Nueces river, a few miles farther north, was the true line. This war was ended nearly three years later by the treaty of Guadaloupe Hidalgo, ratified May 19, 1848, whereby Mexico ceded quite half of her entire territory. Meantime General Taylor had won the battles of Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma and Monterey in 1846, and the brilliant victory of Buena Vista on Feb. 22, 1847, where he defeated four times his number. In March of the latter year General Scott landing at Vera Cruz had marched on the capital, defeating the enemy at the National |