<tA M E^I C J. 



Chap. V. 



M,Jleca is divided into Jlta and Baxa, both of which have Rivers and Brooks 

 that afford Gold, whither the Indian Women taking Provifions, go for feveral days 

 and gather Gold in Troughs, which they exchange at the Spanifb Markets for 

 Provifions. 



Not far from the Village Cuertlavaca, lies a high Mountain, remarkable for a 

 ftrange Cave, whofe Entrance is very narrow, at the end whereof appears a fquare 

 Place of fifty Foot; upon one fide whereof ftand Pits with Steps , near which be- 

 gins a crooked Way of a League long ; at the end of which is 'a fpacious Place 

 with a Fountain of good Water , from the Foot of which flows a fmall Brook : 

 But becaufe none have made any farther difcovery of this Cave, the other parts of 

 it remain yet unknown. 



On the top of St. Antonio, the Indians live with their Families in Caves between 

 the Rocks. 



Not far from hence appear two Mountains, whofe tops, though they lie at a 



great diftancc from one another, at the bottom they are fo near, that a Man may 

 ftep from one to the other. 



The fix Rocks fennoles, formerly Garrifon'd by the Kings of Mexico, have Gold, 

 Lead-Mynes, and a Root which is us'd in (lead of Soap. 



In the Village Totomachiapo, is a Cave of half a Mile long, at the end whereof the 

 Water prevents a farther difcovery. 



The Rocky Countrey Zapotecai formerly bred very falvage Inhabitants, Mantled 

 in Furrs, but now Civiliz'd, clad after the common manner. 



The People fpreadover Guaxacuako, Tluta, and Cue^txatla, obferve Circumcifion, 

 according to an ancient Cuftom • from whence fome have in vain fought for a ce> 

 ftimony, that thefe Americans fliould be originally extracted from the fcatter'd 

 Tribes of Ifrael \ but the Tartars more immediately, who at laft crofting the Straits 

 of Mian, furnilh'd the defolate Countrey of America with Inhabitants: But this 

 Opinion is without any probability of truth \ for it will never follow from their 

 Circumcifion, that the Tartars, the greateft People on Earth, muft owe their origi- 

 nal to a few Ifraelites, Prifoners, fince that Ceremony was never thought on by 

 them till they embrae'd the Mabumetan Religion. And though they had been Cir- 

 cumcis'd before Mahomet's time, this would be no teftimony that they were ex- 

 trafted from the Ifraelites : f Q r how many People embrae'd Circumcifion, which 

 were never extradred from Abraham's Seed ? It is affirm'd by Viodom* Siculus, that 

 the Cholchians ■ by fhilo Judxus, the Egyptians ■ by Herodotus, the Moors ; by Strata, 

 the Troglodytes ■, by Cyprian, the fhmmcians and Arabians Circumcis'd themfelves from 

 all Antiquity, which is to this day obferv'd by fome of them. It alfo plainly ap. 

 pears by the Prophet Jeremiah, that the Egyptians, Edomites, Ammonites, Moabttcs, and 

 ljhmaelites, had the fame Cuftom anciently amongft them. 



The Towns of principal note inhabited by the Spaniards in this Province, are 

 I. Mteauera, in the Valley aforefaid, a (lately City, and beautifi'd with a fair Ca. 

 thedral Church, built with Pillars of the fineft Marble, of great heighth and 

 bignefs. The River which glides by the Walls, fpringing out of the Ground, runs 

 to the Mountain Coatlan. Not far from thence lies the Village Herrera, which boafts 

 four hundred Spanifh Families, though fome fay that the greateft part of them are 

 Indians, who pay the Spaniards Cotton Cloaks and Nuts for Tribute. 



2. Illephonfo delos Zapotecas, lies on a Mountain belonging to the Mixes, anciently 

 a falvage, ftrong, and long.bearded People, who fpeak a grofs Language, and in 

 former times went naked, onely a white Deer-skin, Tann'd in Man's Brains, about 

 their Middle. They maintain'd continual War againft the Zapotecas, and could 



never 



%6t) 



Strang«Civ« 



i. 1 



Ammtaui\ 

 whether Ex- 

 tracted from 

 the ten 

 Tribes of (f- 

 r*tL 





• 



Towns and 

 chief Village! 

 of Gnaxaf*. 



