THE AZTECS 183 
lake were not fit to drink. A double water main of terra 
cotta was laid from the springs to the town. New land 
was made, probably after the manner still to be seen in 
Fig. 67. Picto- 
graphic Record of 
the Conquest of the 
Springs of Cha- 
pultepec, ‘‘Hill of 
the Grasshopper.” 
Aubin Codex. 
the famous floating gardens of Xochi- 
milco by throwing the soil from the 
bed of the shallow lake into enclosed 
areas of wattle work. Gradually a 
Venice-like city, traversed by canals 
and admirably protected from attack, 
rose from the lake. At the coming 
of the Spaniards there were three 
causeways leading to the shores of 
the lake and each of these was pro- 
tected by drawbridges. ‘There was a 
city wall upon which were lighthouses 
for the guidance of homecoming fish- 
ermen. There were palaces and mar- 
ket places and a great central plaza 
called the Tecpan, where were situ- 
ated the principal temples. 
The Aztecs count their history as 
a great people from their first war chief Acamapichtli 
who commenced his rule in 1376 (Codex Aubin). The 
names and the order of the succeeding war chiefs is 
the same in several records, but the dates are found 
to vary slightly. 
Acamapichtli 1376-1396 
Huitzilihuitl 1396-1417 
Chimalpopoca 1417-1427 
Itzcouatl 1427-1440 
Moctezuma I 1440-1469 
Axayacatl 1469-1482 
Tizoce 1482-1486 
Ahuitzotl 1486-1502 
Moctezuma II 1502-1520 
Cuitlahua 1520 
Cuauhtemoc 1520-1521 
