DRAINAGE OF MEXICO. Vl'J 



extraordinary noises. There were three kinds, winch could 

 frequently all be heard at once. One of these made a 

 noise something like what one would expect a frog to 

 make, namely, a dismal croak, but the sounds uttered by 

 the others were like no sound I ever heard an animal make 

 before. A distant railway-train approaching, and a black- 

 smith hammering on an anvil, were the only noises with 

 which I could compare them. 



Two days were spent in this interesting town, when we 

 returned to Mexico and from thence to Zumpango, to visit 

 the Nochistongo cut. Here the English engineering firm 

 of Reed & Campbell were engaged in digging a huge tun- 

 nel to drain the valley of Mexico, and especially lake 

 Zumpango, whose waters had long threatened the destruc- 

 tion of the City of Mexico. This tunnel was to be nine 

 and one-half miles in length, and at an average depth of 

 two hundred and fifty feet. The tunnel was to connect 

 with the Tajo de Nochistongo {the cut before referred to), 

 and the waters carried from thence into the Montezuma 

 River, which empties into the Gulf of Mexico. This great 

 canal was commenced in ICOl for the proper drainage of 

 the valley of Mexico. It varied in width from two hun- 

 dred and eighty to six hundred and thirty feet, with a 

 depth of from one hundred and fifty to one hundred and 

 ninety-six feet. The Mexican government endeavored to 

 utilize it for drainage purposes a few years ago, but the 

 attempt was a failure, and the present company were using 

 it as a terminus for the tunnel. 



The City of Mexico is much below the level of several of 

 the lakes, the waters of lakes Chalco and Yochimilco being 

 ten, and those of lake Zumpango twenty-five feet above 

 the city. In order to save the city, which has been twelve 

 times wholly and partially inundated, it was decided to 

 divert the waters of Zumpango into the river Montezuma, 



