128 STX MONTHS IN MEXICO, 



mountain was perforated by artificial excava- 

 tions, and that a flight of steps led to one 

 near the top, which he himself had entered, 

 but which no one as yet had courage to ex- 

 plore, although it was believed that immense 

 riches were buried in it. 



We remounted our horses, and an hour 

 brought us back to Tezcuco, greatly fatigued 

 indeed, but more lamenting the little time we 

 had been able to devote to the most interesting 

 place we had yet visited; and which, it is 

 not a little extraordinary, appears to have 

 been unnoticed by the Spanish writers at 

 the Conquest, in whom it probably excited 

 as little interest as it does in the present in- 

 habitants of the city of Mexico, not one of 

 whom could I find who had ever seen or 

 even heard of it. What a subject for con- 

 templation does this collection of ruins pre- 

 sent to the reflecting mind ! The seat of a 

 powerful monarch, whose subjects (if we may 



