The Spanish Pioneers by Charles Fletcher Lummis

If the reader should ever go to the City of Mexico, -- as I hope he may, for that ancient town, which was old and populous when Columbus was born, is alive with romantic interest, -- he will have pointed out to him, on the Rivera de San Cosme, the historic spot still known as El Salto de Alvarado. It is now a broad, civilized street, with horse-cars running, with handsome buildings, with quaint, contented folk sauntering to and fro, and with little outwardly to recall the terrors of that cruellest night in the history of America, -- the _Noche Triste_.

The leap of Alvarado is among the famous deeds in history, and the leaper was a striking figure in the pioneering of the New World. In the first great conquest he bore himself gallantly, and the story of his exploits then and thereafter would make a fascinating romance. A tall, handsome man, with yellow locks and ruddy face, young, impulsive, and generous, a brilliant soldier and charming comrade, he was a general favorite with Spaniard and Indian alike. Though for some reason not fully liked by Cortez, he was the conqueror's right-hand man, and throughout the conquest of Mexico had generally the post of greatest danger. He was a college man, and wrote a large, bold hand, -- none too common an accomplishment in those days, you will remember, -- and signed a beautiful autograph. He was not a great leader of men like Cortez, -- his valor sometimes ran away with his prudence; but as a field-officer he was as dashing and brilliant as could be found.