ZTbe Dalles of flDejico's Dratnaae, 271 



In December, 1608, in the presence of the Viceroy Don Luis de 

 Velasco and the Archbishop of Mexico, Enrico Martinez inaugurated 

 the outlet of the waters, the whole of the work just described being; 

 executed in one year. Humboldt tells us that fifteen thousand native 

 Indians were employed on these works. 



In spite of the great good these works brought to the people, there 

 was an outcry for economy, but it is certain that other motives 

 prompted the disturbance and the attempt to harass and hamper the 

 Viceroy. The object was to prevent a grant of money from being 

 made to pay for the lining of the canal with cement. This was found 

 to be necessary, as the greater part of the work was excavated in marl, 

 and the liberated waters ran with such velocity that the symmetry of 

 the tunnel was soon destroyed, and its passage and usefulness lessened 

 by the debris that obstructed the fairway. This state of things was 

 brought so forcibly home to the objectors that a small sum of money 

 was reluctantly granted, sufficient to patch up the tunnel in places 

 where the rush of waters had made the most havoc, hydraulic cement 

 or mortar being used, but the sum granted proved to be totally 

 inadequate, and for want of more money the tunnel was rendered per- 

 fectly useless by falling obstructions. This occurred in the year 1609. 

 Gossips and theorists then united to run down the scheme, although it 

 was conceded that the work had averted a terrible inundation or sub- 

 mergence of Mexico City. 



A few years elapsed before the question of continuing the works for 

 the tunnel again caused excitement; but a general feeling grew up that 

 the work of the tunnel should be continued. The opposition was strong 

 enough to obtain the hearing of an appeal in Madrid, with the result' 

 that the Spanish Government in 1614 procured the services of a Dutch 

 engineer, named Adrian van Boot, to proceed to Mexico City to 

 examine and report on the canal works, and to submit a plan ta 

 remedy the evils. As the result of his labors he condemned the plan 

 of Father Sanchez, and recommended that the old means of defence 

 used by the Indians should again be adopted, and that dams and dikes 

 should be thrown up at once. This report had the effect of annoying 

 almost everybody, and was the means of much fruitless discussion. In 

 this dilemma the Spanish Government, when appealed to, confessed 

 they were unable to advise the Viceroy of Mexico what to do, but 

 sent the Marquis of Gelves to Mexico to see into matters, and he, 

 having unbounded faith in the ability of the Dutch engineer, Adrian 

 van Boot, and hoping to keep money in the treasury, ordered Enrico 

 Martinez to close up the tunnel completely, and to return the rivers to 

 their natural courses; but before these orders were half executed the 

 enormous rush of waters grew so alarming that he had to accept 

 again Enrico Martinez's plan over that of Adrian van Boot. The 



