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Show 1300K IX. ~ li I S T 0: R Y 0 F M E X I C 0. Japan, towards tho fouth, upwards of [even miles; that. of Tlacopan, towards the w.eft, abo4t two miles; and that of Tepejacac, towards the north, of three miles in length ( p) ; and aH three fo bro:ld, th:tt ten men 011 horfeback could pafs abreafi:. Befides thefe three road s, there was another fomewhat narrower for the two· aquedutl:s of Cha ... poltcpec. The circumference of the city, exclufive of the fuburbs, mcafurcd more than ten miles, and the number of houfcs were at lcafl: fixty thoufand ( q ). The city was divided into four q~arters, a~1d each quarter into feveral difiriCl:s, the Mexican names of wluch arc fhll prcfcrved among the Indians. The dividing lines of the four quarters, were the four broad roads, leading from the four gates of the area of the greater temple. The fidl: quarter called 'tecpan, now St. Paul, comprehended all that part between the two ro:tds leading from the fouthern and eafi:ern gates. The fecond Mojotlcz, now St. John, the part between the fouthern and wefi:ern roads. The third 'tlaquechiuhcan, now St. Mary, the part between the wefl:ern and northern roads; and the fourth Alzacualco, now St. Sebafl:ian, the part of the city between the roads which led from the northern and eall:ern gates. To thofe four parts into which the city was divided from the time of its foundation,. the city of Tlatelolco was added as a fifth, fituated towards the northweft, having been united after the conquefi: of king Axajacatl to Tenochtitlan, and both together formed Mexico. (p) Dr. Robcrtfon puts inOend of the road of Tepcjacac, that of Tezcuco, which, in the part where he defcribcs Mexico, he places towards the north -wefr, and when he fpcaks of the polls of the SpaniOt forces at the liege of that c.tpital, he pbces it towards the enfr: though he has already [aid, that there was no road upon the lake rowurds the eaO : but there nercr was, nor could be, any road on tho lake from Mexico to Ter.cuco, on account of the procligious depth of irs bed in that part; and if there could have been any, it would not have been only three miles as this author afiirms, but fifteen mile¥ in length, which is the diOancc betw een them. (q) Torquemada affirms, that the population of the capital amounted to one hundred and twenty thoufand hoafes; but the anonymous conqueror, Gomara, Herrera, and other hitlori: m s, agree in the number of lixty thoufand houfes, not that of fixty thouf:md inhabitants, as Robcrtfon fays; for no ancient author computed them fo few in number. It is true that in the Italian tranOation of the relation of the nnonrmotts conqueror we read fi:J!n11te mil~ nbilallti; but this has been, without doubt, a miOake of the tranflatot· who h:tvin,. perha11s r d ' • . • ' "' ' 10U11 t11 th_c ongmalfo.fi111ta mil Yicinos, tr:inOnted it fixty thoufand nbitnnti, when he ought t?. have f.11d .fuocbi; becaufe, othcrll'ife Cholula, Xochornilco, lztapalapnn, and other fuch ctttes woulcl be made greater than Mexico. But in the above mentioned number the fuburhs are not included. It appears that Torquemad~t included the fuburbs, but fiill his calculation ~tppears e:xceffi ve. Around J H I S T 0 R Y 0 F M E X I C 0. AroUJ)d the city there were many dykes and refcrvoirs for colleCling water when it was necdEtry; and within it fo many canals, that there was hardly a difl:ritl: which could not be approached by boats; a circumfl: ance which did not lefs contribnte to embellifh the city, and to make the tranfportation of provilions, and all other commodities of · traffick cafy, than to give the citizens fecurity from the attempts of their enemies. Although the princip.tl il:rects were broad and fl:rait, of many others, fome were mere canals, where there was no pan: .. ing but in boats ; others were paved and free of water, and fome had a {mall channel between two terra.ffes, which ferved for the convenience of palfengers, and for the unloading of vefi(;ls, or were little gardens planted with trees and flowers. Among the various bui'ldings of the city, befides many temples and magnificet;t royal palaces, of which we have already fpoken, there were other palaces, or great houfes, which the feudatory lords had confl: mtl:ed for their habitation during the time which they ,were occafionally obliged to refide at court. Almoll: all the houfes, except thofe of the poor, had balconies with parapets, and fome of them cvc::n battlements and towers, though much finaller than thofe of the temples: fo that upon the whole, the Mexicans provided for their defence in theh· ftreets and houfcs as well as their temples. Bcfides the large and famous fquare of Tbtelolco, where the principal market was held, there were other little marke::t- places dill:ributed . through the city, where they fold ordinary provifions. There were alio in different places fountains and fi{h -ponds, particularly near to the temples, and many gardens', part laid out on the natural level of the earth, and part raifed into high terrafles. The many and great buildings, neatly whitened and poli!hed, the lofty towers of the temples, fcattered through the four quarters of the city, the canals, trees, and gardens, formed an a8emblage of objctts fo beautiful, that t~e Spaniards appeared never f.1.tisficd with viewing it, particularly when they beheld it from the upper area of the greater temple, which not only commanded a profpect of all the extent of Mexico, but alfo of the lake, and the beautiflll and populous cities around it. They were not lefs all:oni!hed at feeing the royal palaces, and th_e wonderful variety of plants and :·inim:lls which were reared .VoL . II. L there · 73 BOOK Vlii. '--......----' . ' |