Chap. V. <JL M EX; 1 € A H? 



a half from Tztacpalap* : to which the neighboring Village Houcilopucho was no.t 

 much inferior. 



Thefe three Places, before they were fubdu'd by the Spaniards, boafted many 

 brave Temples and high Towers, whofe luftre appear'd at a great diftance, but 

 now being turn'd into Cloyfters, they are inhabited by Monks and Nuns. 



The Salt made here of Earth, though not white, and onely fit to make Pickle of, 

 is Tranfported to many Places. 



About Mexico there are alio feveral Villages, the chiefeft of which are i. Ma* Towns ana 

 ftitlan, a Town plealantly feated upon the top of an huge Mountain, in the midft of ll s es abo ^ 

 mod delicate Groves and fliady Woods, and reckoned to contain no lcfs than thirty 

 thoufand Inhabitants in all, dwelling either in the City, or upon the fides of the 

 Mountain. 



Antepecaue ; this is a Town belonging to the Marquefs deFalle, who is of 



2. 



the Pofterity of Corte^ and faid to be feated in the moft delicious place of all New 

 Spain. 



j. Acapu\co } a Town feated upon the South-Sea, or Mare del Zur, yet belong- 

 ing to this Province. It is a haven-Town, and one of the moft frequented upon 

 the South-Sea, fituate upon a large and capacious Bay of about a League broad at 

 the Entrance, and affording many convenient Stations and Docks for Shipping. 

 At the bottom of the Bay Weftward lieth the Town, with a ftrong CaftU very op- 

 portunely built, both for the command and fecurity of the Port, well wall'd and 

 fortifVd with Bulwarks, and having a conftant Garrifon of four hundred Soldiers 

 in it, or thereabouts. The reafon whereof, I fuppofe, may be chiefly this, v^. that 

 from this Pore there is the greateft Traffick and Entercourfe held betwixt the Eajl 

 and WeU-Indies, together with the Philippine Iflands. 



The Countrey hath many rich Mynes of Silver in it, and fome of Gold • the siivqpMjroej. 

 chief of which are by Herera reported to be thefe, vi^. i. Thofe of 'Tuchuca, four- 

 teen Leagues diftanc from Mexico, z.OfTafco. yTalpuiana. 4. Cultepeaue. 5. Zaw* 

 alpa. 6. Zupanguo, and divers others. 



The reft of the Villages are Guatitlan, Tenpuca, pfcapufalco } Tacuba, and Su- 

 cbimilco* 



The neighboring Province Xilotepeck, which is exceeding fruitful, is alfo famous &»*» ' 

 for two Fountains, whereof one near the Village Queretaro produces boyling Water, 

 which when cool'd, is a wholfom Drink forCattel : The other for four years is 

 full of Water, and for four years after it is empty 5 in great rainy Seafons it is 

 quite dry, and in droughty Weather it overflows. 



Between the Villages Queretaro and San Juan, is a Plain which extends it felf fcveQ 

 Leagues in breadth , and feven in length , befides two Leagues farther beyond Quar- 

 teroj where a hundred thoufand Head of Cattel, andten thoufand Horfes, find 

 plentiful Pafture. 



The Mountain Nevada, near the City De tos Jngelos , deferves no fmall admira- ^Jgjgi; 

 tion • for it begins at thirty Leagues end to rife exceeding high, and being flat on 

 the top, hath a wide gaping Mouth, whofe bottom is fathomlefs • from which at 

 Sun-rifing and fetting rifes a Smoak up directly towards the Skie, but immediately- 

 after fprcading like a Plume of Feathers, it is difpers'd by the Wind, and no 

 more feen till it appears in a dusky Cloud. With the Smoak are alfo Allies vomited 

 up 5 yet the Mountain is very plealantly planted with lofty Cyprefs, Cedar, Oak, 

 andPine-Trees. The neighboring Fields abound likewife with Wheat, Cotton, 

 and Mai%.. There feldom appears any Rain here. 



At the Foot of this Mountain lies the Village Tepecco, famous for the Cryftal 



C c and 





Nevada, 





