INSURRECTION BURNING OF THE PALACE. 219 



and the country was menaced with famine. On the 9th of June, 

 in this year, the rain fell in torrents, and, accompanied as it was 

 by hail, destroyed the grain that was cultivated not only around 

 the capital, but also in many of the best agricultural districts. The 

 roads became impassable, and many parts of the city of Mexico 

 were inundated by floods from the lake, which continued to lie in 

 the low level streets until the end of the year. Every effort was 

 made by the authorities to supply the people with corn, — the staff 

 of life among the lower classes, — and commissaries were even 

 despatched to the provinces to purchase grain which might be 

 stored and sold to the masses at reasonable prices. But the sus- 

 picious multitude did not justly regard this provident and humane 

 act. They imagined that the viceroy and his friends designed to 

 profit by the scarcity of food, and to enrich themselves by the 

 misery of the country. Accordingly, loud murmurs of discontent 

 arose among the lower classes in the capital, and on the 8th of 

 June, 1692, the excited mob rushed suddenly to the palace of the 

 viceroy, and setting fire not only to it but to the Casa de Cabildo 

 and the adjacent buildings, destroyed that splendid edifice together 

 with most of the archives, records and historical documents which 

 had been preserved since the settlement of the country. A dili- 

 gent search was made for the authors of this atrocious calamity, 

 and eight persons were tried, convicted and executed for the 

 crime. The wretched incendiaries were found among the dregs 

 of the people. Many of their accomplices were also found guilty 

 and punished with stripes ; and the viceroy took measures to drive 

 the hordes of skulking Indians who had been chiefly active in the 

 mob, from their haunts in the city, as well as to deprive them of 

 the intoxicating drinks, and especially their favorite pulque, in 

 which they were habituated to indulge. The crop of 1693, in 

 some degree, repaired the losses of previous years, and in the en- 

 suing calm the Conde de Galve commenced the rebuilding of 

 the viceroyal palace. The property destroyed in the conflagration 

 in June, 1692, amounted in value to at least three millions of 

 dollars. 



In this year, the viceroy, who was anxious for the protection of 

 the northern shores of the gulf, and desirous to guard the territory 

 of Florida, from the invasion or settlement of the northern nations 

 of Europe, fitted out an expedition of expert engineers to Pensa- 

 cola, who designed and laid the foundations of the fortifications of 

 this important port. Three years afterwards, before the termina- 



