THE WORDS AND MUSIC COMPOSED FOR MERRY’S MUSEUM. [Illustration: music] March is like a child, Now gentle and now wild; March is like a child, Now gentle and now wild; To-day, the soft winds blow, To-morrow it doth snow, To-day the soft winds blow, To-morrow it doth snow. March is like a rill, Now roaring, and now still; Today the blast is stinging, To-morrow birds are singing. March is like a cloud, Now bright, and now a shroud; To-day the warm rain falls, To-morrow we have squalls. March is like a bear, With sharp claws and soft hair; To-day ’tis rough and wild, To-morrow, all is mild. [Illustration: THE HARPY EAGLE.] MERRY’S MUSEUM. VOLUME III.--No. 4. [Illustration: _Montezuma._] Sketches of the Manners, Customs, &c., of the Indians of America. CHAPTER XV. _Description of Mexico.--Montezuma.--Landing of Cortez.--His reception.--Advances towards the Capitol.--War with the Tlascalans._ In the first part I have related, briefly, but with as much clearness as possible, the history of the Indians of the West Indian Islands, and of South America. I have described their customs and manners, and traced the progress of the Spaniards and other Europeans from the “Landing of Columbus,” till all the islands, and the greater part of the southern continent were subjected to the invaders. We will now turn to North America, and pursue the fortunes of the Red Man from the burning clime of Darien to the cold regions of the Arctic sea. At the time of the discovery of the New World, the region which is at present known by the name of the Republic of Mexico, extending from the Pacific to the Gulf of Mexico, and from the United States to Guatemala, was called _Anahuac_. This vast country was inhabited by several independent nations, of which the Mexicans were by far the greatest and most civilized. Their capital city, Mexico, was situated on a group of islands in the Lake of Texcuco, partly natural and partly formed by the labor of the inhabitants. The lake of Texcuco lay in a large and beautiful valley, called the Vale of Mexico, in the central part of the country of Anahuac. From the shore, three great dykes or causeways, formed of stone and earth, led to the city, the appearance of which must have been magnificent, even to men of enlightened Europe.