of an apple, the nerves carry the story to the mind; and thus it is that we feel and find out what is going on.

So it is with the olfactory nerves; they have the power of perceiving what effluvia is in the air, and they tell the mind of it. At first thought, it might not seem that smelling was a very important sense. The lady in the preceding picture appears to think that the nose is made only that she may enjoy the perfume of the rose; and there are others who take a very different view of the matter. I once knew a fellow who insisted upon it that there were more bad smells than good ones in the world, and therefore he said that the sense of smelling was a nuisance, as it brought more pain than pleasure. I am inclined to think that this view was not singular, for I know several people who go about with their noses curled up, as if some bad odor was always distressing them. I make it a point, when I meet such discontented people, to cross over, and go along on t'other side of the way.

But, however others may feel, I maintain that the nose is, on the whole, a good thing that smelling is a convenient sense, and that we could not get along very well without it. Let us con

sider the matter.

It must be remarked, in the first place, that in man, as well as animals, the sense of smelling is placed very near the sense of taste and the organs of eating, We may, therefore, infer that smelling is a guide to us in the choice of food; that what is of a good flavor, in general, is wholesome, and that what is of an offensive smell is unwholesome. The fact, doubtless, is, that we abuse the sense of smelling so much by the artificial tastes we cultivate, by eating spices and pickles, and a great variety of condiments, that it ceases to aid us as much as nature intended it should. Brutes, who never eat cooked dishes, composed

of twenty different ingredients, have not their senses thus blunted and corrupted. The cow, the sheep, the horse, all are guided, as they graze among a thousand kinds of herbs, by the certain and effectual power of smell, to choose those which are wholesome, and to reject those which are hurtful. Now if mankind were as natural and simple in their habits as these animals, no doubt the sense of smell would be a good counsellor as to what food is good and what is bad.

There is one very curious thing to be noticed here, which is, that what is pleasant to one is offensive to another. Now putrid meat is wholesome to a dog it sets well upon his stomach; and accordingly it smells good to him. But such food would produce disease in man; and to him the smell of it is loathsome. This shows, very clearly, that the sense of smell is a kind of adviser to tell creatures how to select their food. It also induces us to avoid places where the air is tainted or impure; for we are liable to contract diseases in such an atmosphere. Thus it is obvious that the sense of smelling is important not only as a guide to health, but as a guardian against disease and death.

In many animals the sense of smell is very acute. The dog will trace his master's footsteps, by the scent alone, through the streets of a city, and amid a thousand other footsteps; he will follow the track of the fox, or the hare, or the bird, for hours after it has passed along. The vulture scents the carrion for miles; and the wolf, the hyæna, and the jackal, seem to possess a similar acuteness of scent.

While the sense of smell is thus sharp in some animals, others, which need it less, possess it in an inferior degree. Fishes have only a simple cavity on each side of the nose, through which water, impregnated with odors, flows, and communicates the sensation of smell. Many of the inferior animals, as worms,

reptiles, and insects, have still less perfect organs of sensation, and probably possess the sense of smell only to a corresponding extent.

Sketches of the Manners, Customs, &c., of the Indians of America.

CHAPTER XVI.

Cortez enters the city of Mexico.-Meeting with Montezuma.-Cortez seizes the emperor.

Effect on the Mexicans.-Cortez is attacked by the Mexicans, and Montezuma dies.Cortez retreats from the city.—Is victorious in a battle.-Obtains possession of Mexico.

AFTER remaining about twenty days in Tlascala, to recruit the strength of his soldiers, Cortez resumed his march for the capital. The emperor, convinced by the fate which had overtaken the Tlascalans that it would be vain to oppose the advance of so powerful an embassy, consented at last to receive them into the city, and to allow them an audience. The Spaniards accordingly advanced with great care, for fear of surprise, and at last began to cross the causeway which led to Mexico, through the lake.

As they drew near the city, they were met by a magnificent procession, in which Montezuma appeared, seated on a litter, which was carried on the shoulders of four of his chief favorites. He received Cortez with the greatest respect, and conducted him to a palace, built by his father, where he invited him to take up his abode. It was of stone, and so large that the whole Spanish force was quartered in it.

After remaining quiet several days, during which he had several interviews with the emperor, and had time to perceive the extent and grandeur of the

city, Cortez began to reflect on the danger of his situation. Shut up, with a handful of men, in a vast city, whose sovereign was perhaps only restrained by fear from inflicting punishment on his audacious visiters, he saw that, should they once lose their hold on the mind of the king, they would be in the

utmost peril from his resentment at their open contempt of his authority. Accordingly he resolved to render himself secure by a bold and ingenious plan. He determined to induce the emperor, by entreaties or force, to take up his residence in the Spanish quarters, where he would always be in their power. The next day, therefore, proceeding to the palace, accompanied by a few of his officers, he demanded and obtained a private interview with the emperor; and at last, by assurances of safety if he complied, and threats of immediate death if he refused, he prevailed upon him to trust himself in the hands of the Spaniards.

The dejected king was carried to the residence of Cortez by his weeping attendants, who naturally suspected that he was to be held in custody, as a hostage for the safety of his jailers. They did not, however, dare to oppose the will of their sovereign; and Montezuma remained thenceforth a close prisoner in the hands of Cortez. Still he was treated by the Spaniards with all the respect due to his rank, and the operations of government went on as usual, under the name of Montezuma, but principally according to the directions of Cortez. By means of the power thus acquired, Cortez was able to collect a large amount of gold and silver from the royal treasuries, which appeared to the troops sufficient to repay them for all the toils and hardships which they had undergone; but when two fifths had been subtracted for the king and Cortez, together with the sums spent in fitting out the expedi

tion, the share of a private soldier was found to be so small, that many rejected it with disdain, and all murmured loudly at the cruel disappointment-a just punishment for the greedy avarice which had prompted the undertaking.

In this state matters remained for about six months. Montezuma now reminded his visiters, that since they had obtained all that they required, it was time for them to depart from the capital. Cortez was not then in a situation openly to oppose this request. He, therefore, in order to gain time for reinforcements to arrive from Spain, replied that he intended to depart as soon as he should be able to build a sufficient number of ships, in place of those which had been burnt. This appeared so reasonable to the king, that he ordered him to be supplied with all the materials that he might want for this purpose.

While Cortez was in this state of suspense, he received the unwelcome news that a body of Spaniards, more than a thousand in number, had landed on the coast, sent by the governor of Cuba, who was his enemy, with orders to deprive him of his power, and send him, bound, to Cuba, to receive punishment as a traitor to his sovereign. This was a critical moment; but Cortez was not a man to be discouraged by any danger. He left a hundred and fifty men in the capital, directing them to keep a most watchful eye upon the king, and to use every means to preserve the city quiet during his absence. He then marched with the utmost celerity to the place where his enemies were encamped, took them by surprise, and made them all prisoners, with the loss of only two men. He then, by kind and friendly treatment, and glowing descriptions of the riches which they would obtain under his command, prevailed upon the whole army to enlist under his banners.

With this welcome reinforcement, he

returned to Mexico, as hastily as he came; for he had received from Alvarado the alarming intelligence, that, in consequence of the cruelty of the Spaniards, the inhabitants had risen upon them, killed several, wounded more, and were closely besieging them in their quarters. Cortez, however, was suffered to enter the city unopposed. He was received by his countrymen with transports of joy, but he found that the reverence, with which the Mexicans once regarded him, was gone. The very next day, they attacked him with the utmost fury, and were not repulsed without the greatest difficulty. Two sallies, which the Spaniards afterwards made, were ineffectual.

Cortez now resolved to try a new expedient. When the Mexicans approached, the next morning, to renew the assault, they beheld their captive sovereign, who, in his royal robes, advanced to the battlements, and, while every tongue was mute, addressed them in behalf of the Spaniards, and exhorted them to cease from hostilities. For a moment, a profound silence reigned; but the Mexicans had lost the reverence which they bore toward their monarch, and they soon broke out into loud reproaches and execration of his cowardice. A volley of stones and arrows succeeded, one of which struck Montezuma on the temple, and he fell. The Mexicans, seized with horror and remorse at the effects of their rage, fled in terror from the walls. The unhappy king was borne to his apartments by his attendants, who strove to console him for his misfortune; but in vain. Brokenhearted at the disobedience of his subjects, and his own wretched situation, he tore the bandages from his breast, and refused all nourishment, till death speedily terminated his sufferings.

After the death of his royal captive, Cortez had no other resource than to retreat at once from the city. He made

his preparations with all diligence, and, on the night of the 1st of July, 1520, set out on his march, hoping to withdraw unperceived. But he was fatally mistaken. All his motions were closely watched by the natives, and before he reached the middle of the causeway leading from the city, through the lake, he was suddenly attacked by them, both in front and rear-while from the canoes in the lake showers of arrows were poured upon them from unseen foes. The Spaniards, confounded by the darkness of the night, and the number of their enemies, after a slight resistance, broke, and fled in utter confusion. Many were slain; a number perished in the lake, and some fell into the hands of the enemy. The fate of the last was far the worst for they were reserved to be sacrificed, with the most cruel tortures, to the gods of the Mexicans.

The next morning, when Cortez reviewed the miserable remnants of his troops, now reduced to less than half their former number, he is said to have wept at contemplating the ravages made among his brave followers in a single night, which was long known and remembered by the Spaniards, as the night of sorrow.

But the spirit of the Spanish leader was still unconquered; he encouraged his dejected followers by the hopes of future victories, and exhorted them to push on with all speed to Tlascala, where they would again be surrounded by their faithful friends. For six days they proceeded with the greatest difficulty, constantly skirmishing with small bodies of Mexicans, who shouted as they approached, "Go on, robbers, go to the place where you shall soon meet the vengeance due to your crimes." The Spaniards were not long left in doubt as to the meaning of these words; for, reaching the top of an eminence before them, a spacious valley opened to their

view, covered with a vast army, extending as far as the eye could reach. At the sight of this great multitude, many of the bravest Spaniards began to despair; but, encouraged by the words. and example of their undaunted general, they advanced; their enemies gave way before them, but only to return again to the combat in another quarter. Hundreds fell, but hundreds appeared to supply their places; until the Spaniards were ready to sink under the fatigue of their unavailing efforts. At this time, Cortez observed near him the great standard of the Mexicans; and he recollected to have heard, that upon the fate of this depended the success of every battle. Collecting a few of his brave officers, whose horses were still capable of service, he dashed with tremendous force through the ranks of the enemy, slew their general, and seized the standard. The Mexicans, seeing the fall of their sacred banner, gave up at once all hope of victory, threw down their arms, and fled in every direction.

Cortez now continued his march, and soon arrived into the territories of the Tlascalans. By these faithful allies he was received with as much cordiality as ever, notwithstanding his reverses, and he immediately set about making preparations for the conquest of Mexico, with so much diligence, that, at the end of six months, he found himself at the head of more than 500 Spaniards, and about 10,000 Tlascalans and other Indians. He did not, however, undertake immediately the siege; he began by reducing, or gaining over to his cause, the smaller cities lying near the capital, and thus he gradually confined the Mexican power within smaller limits.

In the meantime, the Mexicans were not idle; directly after the death of Montezuma, his brother, Quetlevan, was raised to the throne. His reign was short; within a few months he was car