THE CONVENT OF CAPUCHINAS _Frontispiece_. VALLEY OF TULA 15 COLUMN FROM TULA 24 RUINS FOUND AT TULA 25 QUETZALCOATL 31 PORTICO AT KABOH 43 VASE IN THE NATIONAL MUSEUM, WASHINGTON 63 CASA DEL GOBERNADOR, UXMAL 71 STATUE FROM PALENQUE 73 TABLET OF CROSS AT PALENQUE 74 MAYAN BAS-RELIEF 77 STATUE OF CHAAK MOOL 79 ZAMNA 81 ORGAN CACTUS 85 IDOL IN TERRA-COTTA 89 CANAL OUTSIDE THE CITY OF MEXICO 93 STONE OF TIZOC 103 SCULPTURE REPRESENTING HUMAN SACRIFICE 107 COURT OF THE MUSEUM AT MEXICO 113 VASE. MUSEUM AT MEXICO 120 PYRAMID AT TEOTIHUACAN 169 EARLY POTTERY 187 CATHEDRAL AT MORELIA 201 PUEBLA DE LOS ANGELES 205 TEMPLE OF XOCHICALCO 225 CACTUS HEDGE 239 PANORAMA OF PUEBLA 269 INDIAN HUT IN THE TIERRA CALIENTE 283 CATHEDRAL, CITY OF MEXICO 289 THE VIGA 293 VALLEY OF MEXICO 303 MONTEREY, MEXICO 315 GENERAL TAYLOR 317 GENERAL SCOTT 325 SIEGE OF VERA CRUZ 329 BATTLE OF MOLINO DEL REY 335 STORMING OF CHAPULTEPEC 337 BENITO JUAREZ 343 ARCHDUKE MAXIMILIAN[A] 351 SAN LUIS POTOSI 359 CHAPULTEPEC IN THE TIME OF MAXIMILIAN 361 HEAD-QUARTERS OF JUAREZ AT SAN LUIS DE POTOSI 379 THE CONVENT OF CAPUCHINAS 381 ZAPOTEC ORNAMENT 393 IMAGE OF A ZAPOTEC CHIEF 394 PRESIDENT PORFIRIO DIAZ 397 AQUEDUCT IN THE CITY OF MEXICO 410 [Footnote A: From "The Fall of Maximilian's Empire." By permission of the author, Seaton Schroeder, Lieut. U. S. N.] For a number of these illustrations the publishers are indebted to the courtesy of Messrs. Hochette & Co., publishers of "Le Voyage au Mexique," by Jules Leclercq. THE STORY OF MEXICO. I. THE SUBJECT. The steamer stops, and we are lying off Vera Cruz, in the Gulf of Mexico. Half a mile off, the long, low shore stretches north and south, with the white town upon it, flat roofs making level lines on the houses glaring in the morning sunlight, domes and church towers rising above the rest; glimpses of bright green tree-tops are to be seen, but outside the city all is barren and waste. The plain behind rolls up, however, and the background is the peak of snow-capped Orizaba, silent, lofty, 17,356 feet above our level. This is what we see to-day, leaning over the bulwark of our large luxurious steamer which has brought us, easily, from Havana in a few days, over the smooth, green waters of the Gulf. Our only anxiety has been the possible chance of a "Norther," which may break loose at any time in that region, sweeping over the waters with fury and driving the Stoutest vessels away from the coast they would approach. Our only exertion has been to keep cool upon the pleasant deck, and to take enough exercise to be able to enjoy the frequent food provided by the admirable _chef_ of the steamer. The scenery is the same that Fernando Cortés looked upon, some three hundred years ago, when he, too, cast anchor about half a mile from the coast, and scanned the shore with an anxious eye, to find a suitable landing. Orizaba rose before him, as now we see it, stately, majestic, cold and forbidding, under its mantle of snow. We must envy the adventurer, in spite of our advantages in the way of ease and comfort. He stood upon the cramped deck of his little vessel, surrounded by a handful of men, with a limited amount of provisions, and great uncertainty about the next supply. No town stretched out its sheltering walls before him; there was scarcely harborage for his ships. Yet he had the advantage of absolute novelty in his undertaking from the moment...