merciless; lacking in veracity if not common honesty, but zealous and courageous. His forces comprised one hundred and twenty horsemen, three hundred infantry, including one hundred and thirty cross-bowmen, and twenty thousand picked native warriors. Spain was at once declared the sovereign power and Alvarado was established as the representative of that government. The incidents of the conquest of Mexico were repeated in a smaller and less impressive way since the number of the natives was not so great, and no powerful and advanced tribe such as the Aztecs held sway. The Quiché Indians were, at that time, the most powerful tribe in Guatemala, but the domination of the country was shared with the Cakchiquels and Zutugils. News of the white men with their wonderful weapons of warfare had already reached these people. Kicab Tanub, King of the Quichés, tried to form an alliance with the other kings against the invading forces, but failed. This conference was held at Totonicapan and was attended by two hundred thousand warriors with great barbaric display. The Zutugils entered into an alliance with Alvarado after receiving certain promises. Alas! for the proffered friendship and friendly hand. It meant only vassalage for the natives and death for the kings. Thus by lying, deceit, intrigue, duplicity and even the good offices of some of the priests, the power of these mighty tribes was broken and the rule of Spain installed, and a new order of things was established. The people, except a few powerful chiefs, were enslaved. These few chiefs were released upon accepting baptism and went forth as missionaries to their people. Thousands of the natives were set at work making bricks, bringing stone and other building materials for the capital, which was established in a beautiful valley between the mountains in the very shadow of two volcanic peaks which were destined to bring death and disaster upon the invaders, as if in revenge for their trampling upon the rights and freedom of those to whom this valley rightfully belonged. The labour of tens of thousands of enslaved natives resulted in a beautiful city which was overthrown and destroyed in a night of terrible thunder and lightning, of frightful rumblings of the earth, and of a terrific rushing of waters which laid the whole city waste. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER II FROM OCEAN TO OCEAN