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Show 1So :BOOK IV. "---v-J SacT. :XJ, The inundation of Mcx· ico, H I S 'T 0 R Y 0 F M E X I C 0. co, in order to revenge the lofs of fome Mexicans who had. been put t:o death 'by that people. This glorious expedition added to.lus cro\vn the ftates of Huaxtepec, Jauhtepec, Tepoztlan, J acapichtln, Totolapan, Tlalcozauhtitlan, Chilapan, which w re more than n hundred and fifty mi.les difrant from the court, Coixco, Oztomantla, Tlachmallac, nnd many others ; then turning to the weft, he co~q uered T z ompahuacan., bringing under fubjetl:ion to the crown of IYiex1CO both the great oowltry of the Cohuixcas, who had been tl:e authors of .the deaths above mentioned, and many other neighbounng fl:ates whtch had provoked his rcfentment probably by fimilar infults. Upon his return to hit> court he enlarged the temple of Huitzilopochtli, and adorned it with the fpoils of thofe nations. Thefe conquefts were made in the nir.e firfl: years of his reign. In the tenth year, which was the 1446 of the vulgar era, a great inundation happened in Mexico, occafioned by exceffive rains, which [welled the waters of the lake till they overflowed and bid the city fo much under water as to deftroy many houfes ; and the ftreets becoming impafiable, boats were made ufe of in every quarter. Montezuma much diftrefied by the accident, had rccourfe to the king of Tezcuco, hoping his penetration might fuggeft fome remedy to this calamity. That difcerning king advifed a great dyke to be made to keep ou~ the water, and laid down a plan of it, and pointed out the place where it fhould be made. His counfel was approved by Montezuma, who commanded it to be followed with inll:ant execution. He ordered the fubjecrs of Azcapozalco, Cojolmacan, and Xochimilco, to provide fo many thoufand large ilakes, and the people of other parts to furnia1 the necefiary ftones. He fummoned alfo to this work the inhabitants of Tacuba, lztapalapan, Colhuacan, and Tenajuca, and the lords and the kings themfelves, engaged themfelves firll: in the £ttigue; from their example, their fubjects were animated to fnch atl:ivity, that in a fhort time the work was perfetl:ly completed which mull: othcrwife have been many years in accomplifhing. The dyke was nine miles in length, and eleven cubits in breadth, and was compofed of two parallel pali-~ fades, the fpace between which was entirely filled up with fl:one and fan d. The gr~ateft difficulty which occurred, was in being obliged occafi.onally to work within the lake, efpecially in fome places where it was of a con-fiderable H I S T 0 R Y 0 F M E X I C 0, fiderable depth ; bnt this was overcome by the fkill of the condu&or, Rnd the pcrfeverance of the labourers. This dyke was certainly of great ufe to the city, although it did not entirely proteCt it from inundations i th at, however, is not wonderful, as the Spaniards,. although they employed E uropean engineers, were not able to effetl: its fecurity from them, after labouring two centuries and a half upon it, and expending many millions of fequins. Whilll: this work was going on, the Chalchde rebelled, but were quickly brought under obedience again,. although not without the lofs of fomc Mc.r.ican ofiicers. The accident of the inundation was foon foil owed by a famine; which nrofe from the harvell: of maize, in the years 1448 and r 449, being exceedingly fl:inted; the frofl: 11aving attacked the ears while they were young and tender. In the year I 4 so, the crop was total.I.y lofl from the want of water. In I 4 51, befides having unfavourable feafons, there was a fcarcity of grain for feed, fo much of it being confumed on account of the fcarc:ity of preceding harvefts; from which in 1452, the neceflities of the people became fo great, that as the liberality of their king and the nobles was not fufficien t to relieve them, although they opened their granaries to affill: them, they were obliged to pmchafe the neceflaries of life, with the price of their liberty. Montezuma being unable to. relieve his fubjetl:s from their dill:rc[s, permitted them to· go to other countries to procure their fupport; but knowing that fome of them made ilave_, of themfeives for two or thr e days fuftenance only, he publifhed a proclamation, in which he conimaudcd that no woman fhould fell herfelf for lefs than four hundred ears of maize,. and no man for lcfs than five hundred. But nothing. conlcl ll:op the defl:rutl:ive confequences of famine. Of thofe who went to feek relief in other countries fome died of hunger on their way. Others who fold themfelves for food, never returned to their native country. ' The greater part of the Mexican populace fupported themfelves like their ancell:ors, on tl:e water-fowl, the herbs g10wing in the mar01esJ and the infctl:s and fmall fi{h which they caught in the lake. Thr! following year was not fo unfavourable, and at length, in I 454, which was a fecular year, there was a moil: plentiful harveft of maizeJ. and likewife of pulfe, and every fort of fruit. But BOOK IV~ '--..,-J Sr: cT. xrrr }";1mi nr in M xk o. |