IDalleg of /IDesico's Drainage. 273 



Martinez, and one by Simon Mendez was accepted, his plan being to 

 direct all the waters of the valley by one canal into the neck of the 

 Tula, the spot selected by Martinez for his outlet. It was soon dis- 

 covered that the plan of Simon Mendez was far too costly, and as the 

 money that could be spared was practically melting away without per- 

 ceptible progress being made, Enrico Martinez was again requested to 

 carry out the work as arranged with Father Sanchez. 



The next Viceroy, the Marquis of Cadereita, was most desirous 

 to see the work of the tunnel pushed on ; but however enthusiastic he 

 may have been, lack of funds prevented him from giving effect to his 

 desires. The work continued very slowly, Martinez being unable to 

 do any work at the tunnel, and he contented himself with improving the 

 canal by lining it in bad places with cement. Martinez struggled on 

 for thirty-seven years with this work, and died unnoticed and un- 

 cared for. All trace of his place of final rest was lost. 



In 1637 an earthquake made sad havoc with the tunnel works, and 

 for lack of funds no repairs could take place ; but when funds were 

 obtainable workmen could not be procured, the earthquakes and inun- 

 dations having carried off many thousands of these poor fellows. The 

 survivors lacked heart to return to such an unfortunate and, as they 

 thought, accursed work. 



In the year 1640 the work was being pressed on by men from the 

 prisons, under the direction of the Franciscan monks, and carried on, 

 with varying results, in this way for thirty-five years, until Senor Don 

 Martin Solis was made head of the municipal council. He being an 

 avowed enemy to the Franciscans, sent them away, and undertook the 

 superintendence of the work himself; but his method of treating the 

 prisoners was so harsh and cruel that they broke out into open revolt, 

 and the works were threatened. Therefore, to save the works and his 

 own life, he consented to the return of the Franciscans. It is estimated 

 that up to this time some two hundred thousand men lost their lives on 

 this work. The Franciscans steadily, but slowly, worked on, always 

 with a very limited exchequer, until 1767, when there remained some 

 1935 metres (i-J- miles) still to be completed. A contract was entered 

 into to finish this work in five years for $800,000; but instead of five 

 years it took twenty-two years, and, instead of 8 metres (25 feet wide), 

 as contracted for, it was only 3 metres (9 feet 10 inches) wide. 



The Spaniards continued the work in other hands for one hundred 

 and fifty years before the task of opening the cut was completed. 

 Spasmodic work for a century and a half led at last to the accomplish- 

 ment of this project in 1789. The old tunnel of Martinez is now a 

 gigantic trench from 30 to 160 feet in depth and some 300 feet broad 

 in some places, and is known as the Tajo de Nochistongo. The im- 

 mediate vicinity of the workings was depopulated of its native inhabit- 



