616 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1810. 



the other lakes of Mexico, are 

 frequented by prodigious multi- 

 tudes of wild ducks, wild geese, 

 and other aquatic birds. The 

 Mexicans leave some empty 

 gourds to float upon the water 

 where those birds resort, that they 

 may be accustomed to see and to 

 approach them without fear. The 

 bird-catcher goes into the water 

 so deep as to hide his body, and 

 covers his head with a gourd ; the 

 ducks, &c. come to peck at it, and 

 then he pulls them by the feet 

 under water, and in this manner 

 secures as many as he pleases. 



The Mexicans take serpents 

 alive, either by twisting them with 

 great dexterity, or by approaching 

 them intrepidly, and then seizing 

 them with one hand by the neck, 

 and closing their mouths with the 

 other. Every day, in the apothe- 

 caries shops of the capital, and 

 those of other cities, may be seen 

 live serpents, which have been 

 taken in this manner. 



The lake of Chalco abounds 

 with a great variety of fish, and 

 from its vicinity to the city of 

 Mexico, affords great amusement 

 to the citizens, who constantly fre- 

 quent it in boats, in order to en- 

 joy that most pleasing and favour- 

 ite diversion ; they make use of 

 nets as well as hooks, harpoons, 

 &c. and they are wonderfully dex- 

 terous in catching the fish. 



Among the eatables, the first 

 place is due to maize, which they 

 call haolli, a grain granted by Pro- 

 vidence to that part of the world, 

 instead of the corn of Europe, the 

 rice of Asia, and the millet of 

 Africa, over all which it possesses 

 some advantages; as, besides its 

 being wholesome, relishing, and 

 more nutritive, it multiplies more, 



thrives equally in different climes, 

 does not require so much culture, 

 is not so delicate as corn ; stands 

 not in need, like rice, of a moist 

 soil, nor is it hurtful to the health 

 of the cultivator; they have se- 

 veral species of maize : the large 

 and the small ; the white, the yel- 

 low, the blue, the purple, the red, 

 and the black. Of maize they 

 make their bread, which is totally 

 different to the bread of Europe 

 in taste, in appearance, and in its 

 preparation. They put the grain 

 to boil in water with a little lime ; 

 when it becomes soft, they rub it 

 in their hands to strip off the skin, 

 then pound it in the metlatl, or 

 stone in which they grind their 

 maize ; then they take out a little 

 of the paste, and stretching it by 

 beating with both hands, they 

 form the bread, after which they 

 give it the last preparation in the 

 comalli, which is a round, and ra- 

 ther hollow pan, about an inch 

 thick, and fifteen inches in diame- 

 ter. Theformofthebread is round 

 and flat, about eight inches in dia- 

 meter, some less than a quarter of 

 an inch in thickness, and some as 

 thin as strong paper. The making 

 of bread, as well as the preparing 

 and dressing of every kind of meat, 

 is the peculiar occupation of their 

 women. The atolli is a gruel 

 made of maize, after it has beea 

 boiled, well ground, dissolved in 

 water, and strained. They give it 

 commonly to sick persons, as a 

 most salutary food, sweetening it 

 with a little sugar instead of honey, 

 which is used by the Indians. 

 To them it is so grateful, that 

 they cannot live without it; it 

 forms their breakfast, and sus- 

 tained by it, they bear the fatigues 

 of agriculture, and other servile 



