WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA 139 



attached to the thorny points of the leaves, for sewing alpargatas 

 (rope sandals). The leaves have much medicinal value for the treat- 

 ment of cuts and wounds and other troubles. They make cord from 

 the leaves just as from hemp; in that country they call this cord 

 mecate ; the leaves serve as tiles for their houses ; and the shoot or 

 stalk it puts forth, being tall and stout, is used like a joist in Indian 

 construction and much else. Let this brief description suffice for the 

 district of this Diocese, as we pass on to treat of the Diocese of 

 Mexico. 



Chapter XI 



Of the Great City of Mexico, Seat of the Court and Capital of 

 the Realms of New Spain ; of Its Foundation and Beginnings in the 

 Days of Heathendom, and of the Kings Who Reigned There, and 

 Their Dates. 



394. The original immigrants who settled the realms of New 

 Spain, according to the ancient traditions of the Indians and to what 

 has been written on the subject, comprised seven tribes. According 

 to the account and explanation given by the Indians, these issued 

 forth from seven caves, and that was the source from which they are 

 derived. By their reckoning it was 800 years ago that they left 

 Nabatlan ; and before reaching the territory of Mexico they tarried 

 80 years on the road, engaged in colonizing cities along the way. 



395. The first were the Xochimilcos, who founded the city of 

 Xochimilco, which means city of flowers ; those of the second line 

 or tribe were the Chalcos, who founded the city of Chalco and other 

 towns ; those in the third line were the Tapanecas, who founded 

 Tacuba and Atzcapotzalco to the N. of Mexico City, on the shore of 

 the great lake, and many other towns, for this tribe had much in- 

 creased and multiplied. The fourth were those who founded the 

 city of Texcoco ; the fifth founded Caulnagal or Cuernavaca; these 

 were highlanders. The sixth were the TIaxcaltecas, who crossed the 

 sierra and founded the city of Tlaxcala, which means city of bread, 

 and other cities and towns ; there were many giants there, whom they 

 slew with tricks and cunning, for their savagery and hostility inter- 

 fered with the colonizing. Thus these various lines of descent fin- 

 ished settHng the territory of New Spain, by the reckoning of their 

 books and annals, in the year 880 after the birth of our Lord and 

 Savior Jesus Christ; by the reckoning given by some of our authors 

 and historians, in the year 900. 



396. Those of the seventh line were the Mexicans, who came and 

 settled New Spain 302 years later, i.e., in 1202. These brought with 



