138 



HtJEJUTLA. 



cious establishment; breakfasting with uncommon zest 

 after our preparatory ride of seven hours. 



The estate attached to the hacienda is one of the 

 most princely and productive in the valley of Mexico. 

 In old times it had belonged, with much valuable land 

 on the same side of the lake, to the Jesuits. Later it 

 came into possession of the Marquis Vibanco, and now 

 appertains to the exiled General Moran. The dwelling 

 house, though spacious, is hardly worthy of the size and 

 construction of the adjoining offices ; among which the 

 two troges, or barns, are distinguished for their vast 

 size and massive architecture. The largest, which we 

 rudely measured, forms one immense apartment of sev- 

 enty yards in length, by twenty-two in breadth. They 

 are calculated to hold the whole of the ample produce 

 of maize and wheat yielded by the estate. The land is 

 rendered extremely productive, by the excellent system 

 of irrigation to which it is subjected. The water is con- 

 veyed hither from the mountains to the east, by means 

 of stone conduits. Ward computes the annual income 

 derived from this property at 60,000 dollars. 



Leaving the carriage and the mules to find their way 

 to the town of Tezcuco, at the distance of a short 

 league, we got on horseback in the course of the after- 

 noon, to visit some of the objects of interest in the 

 neighbourhood. The frequent occurrence of deep fis- 

 sures in the surface of the plain, compelled us to make a 

 circuitous route, to gain the ancient but decayed town 

 of Huejutla, now reduced to a mere Indian hamlet, while 

 the large church erected by the Spaniards soon after the 

 conquest, and its singular Aztec ruins, mark it to have 

 been a place of considerable consequence both before 

 and after that period. 



The church stands upon a raised platform, from which 

 you descend to a second walled enclosure by a broad 

 flight of steps. This enclosure is covered with sward, 

 and overshadowed by seventeen noble olive trees, which 

 tradition states to have been the first planted by the con- 

 querors in New Spain. Their venerable appearance 

 attests their great age. 



