122 



MEXICO, CENTRAL AMERICA, WEST INDIES. 



is an expression occurring in a report on the sanitary state of the place But if 

 foul water abounds in Mexico, the pure water brought from a distance by 

 aqueducts is far from sufficient for the wants of the people ; in 1882 it was scarcely 

 880,000 cubic feet per day, or less than twenty gallons per head of the population. 

 The drainage of the subsoil itself presents grave difficulties ; by carrying off the 

 overflow, which gives consistency to the marshy ground, the buildings are apt to 

 lose their centre of gravity and to topple over at the least vibration of the surface. 

 The gradual drying up and shrinking of the land has already caused rents and 

 fissures in most of the large structures, while others have sunk several feet in the 



Yig. 48. — Mexico aitd its Envieonments. 

 Scale 1 : 120,000 



99°I0 



WssV or breenwicK 



09°5 



3, 300 Vaids. 



ground. It is now regretted that, in order to secvire his triumph, Cortes decided 

 to rebuild the city exactly on the site of the old capital, and ay the foundations of 

 his churches on the temples of the gods, instead of selecting a new position on the 

 more elevated land which stretches westwards to the neighbouring mountains. 

 The wealthy quarters, however, are already stretching out in this direction. Certain 

 villages, such as Casablanca and Taciibat/a, where the nationnl observatory has been 

 established, are gradually expanding and becoming connected with the capital by 

 avenues lined with buildings. Mexico is thus steadily moving westwc/rds towards 

 the less tainted rising grounds. The city is adorned with some fine promenades, 

 such as the Paseo and the Alameda, where a fountain indicates the site of the 

 ancient Q^^^/^ffc^É^/'O, that is^ the "burning-place," of the Inquisition. Victims of 



