MEXICO. 



167 



conspire to raise the southern lakes to an unusual level, 

 the danger to the capital would not be lessened. 



After thus spending the morning in the survey of this 

 great work, we prepared to return by the direct road to 

 Mexico, eleven leagues distant. Guautitlan is a consid- 

 erable town, with a fine church, and curious old colon- 

 naded buildings, lying in a valley at the northern side of 

 that spur of hills which connects the Cerro de Cristobal 

 with the main eastern branch of the Sierra Madre. The 

 river of that name is properly a tributary of Lake Zum- 

 pango, though I believe its w 7 aters now pass at once into 

 the desague. It is the most powerful stream in the val- 

 ley of Mexico. 



The passage of the ridge to the town of Tanepantla 

 presented nothing very worthy of note ; but, when in 

 continuing our route through the cultivated fields in its 

 vicinity, the view upon the opening plain, lake, and wide 

 panorama of mountains, with the domes of the city illu- 

 minated by the declining sun, again unfolded itself to us, 

 we were at a loss for language to express our sense of 

 its indescribable beauty. 



Our amusing excursion had been but of four days' 

 duration. 



LETTER VIII. 



We found, on our return to the city, after the excur- 

 sion in the environs as detailed in my last, that the good 

 humour of the inhabitants, which I have described as 

 a little frozen during Lent, was undergoing a gradual 

 thaw. 



The government of the country had repented its stern 

 conduct to the votaries of Terpsichore, Euterpe, and 

 Thalia, and the long train of petty artists attached to the 

 corps $ opera. It had graciously revoked the edict of 

 banishment — had advanced a part of the money justly 

 claimed by the contract — and had agreed to favour with 



