ROBERT TOMSON a.d. 



1558. 

 is subject to great sicknes, and in my time many of the 

 Mariners & officers of the ships did die with those 

 diseases, there accustomed, & especially those that were 

 not used to the countrey, nor knew the danger therof, 

 but would commonly go in the Sunne in the heat of the 

 day, & did eat fruit of the countrey with much disorder, 

 and especially gave themselves to womens company at 

 their first comming : whereupon they were cast into a 

 burning ague, of the which few escaped. 



Halfe a dayes journey from Vera Cruz, towards VentadeRin- 

 Mexico, is a lodging of five or sixe houses, called the <^'^^^^'^' 

 Rinconado, which is a place, where is a great pinacle 

 made of lime and stone, fast by a river side, where 

 the Indians were wont to doe their sacrifices unto their 

 gods, and it is plaine and low ground betwixt that and 

 Vera Cruz, and also subject to sicknes: but afterward 

 halfe a dayes journey that you do begin to enter into 

 the high land, you shall find as faire, good, and sweet 

 countrey, as any in the world, and the farther you go, 

 the goodlier and sweeter the countrey is, till you come 

 to Pueblo de los Angeles, which may be some 43 leagues Pueblo de los 

 from Vera Cruz, which was in my time a towne of 600. ^H^^^^- 

 housholds, or thereabout, standing in a goodly soile. 

 Betweene Vera Cruz and that you shall come through 

 many townes of the Indians, and villages, and many 

 goodly fieldes of medow grounds. Rivers of fresh waters, 

 forrests, and great woods, very pleasant to behold. From 

 Pueblo de los Angeles, to Mexico, is 20. leagues of very 

 faire way and countrey, as before is declared. Mexico Mexico. 

 was a Citie in my time, of not above 1500. housholds 

 of Spaniards inhabiting there, but of Indian people in the 

 suburbs of the said city, dwelt above 300000. as it was 

 thought, and many more. This City of Mexico is (iC^, 

 leagues from the North sea, and 75. leagues from the 

 South sea, so that it standeth in the midst of the maine 

 land, betwixt the one sea and the other. It is situated 

 in the middest of a lake of standing water, and environed 

 round about with the same, saving in many places, going 



355 



