SIX MONTHS IN MEXICO. 



83 



tion by the Spaniards : the same high fronted 

 military saddle, with its defensive eantlets 

 and covering for the horse, that was worn by 

 Cortez, and the enormous spur of our Henry 

 the Seventh, are now in constant use here by 

 the paysanas, or country gentleman. 



The streets of the city are straight and 

 broad, crossing each other at right angles, 

 and dividing the whole into squares of con- 

 siderable size. They are paved with large 

 stones, in a peculiar and highly ornamental 

 manner, of a chequered or diamond-shaped 

 pattern, being first formed of large thin 

 stones, placed edgeways in beds of sand, and 

 the interstices filled with square stones, set as 

 nearly together as possible; afterwards, very 

 thin fragments of stones are firmly wedged in, 

 rendering the whole compact, durable, and 

 handsome; and I am decidedly of opinion 

 that this method is greatly superior to that 

 now used in England, both as to durability 



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