CITIES SAN AUGUSTIN FESTIVAL TEZCOCO, TACUBA. 237 



has been already noticed in a previous portion of this work. 1 The 

 desague, according to recent reports, requires considerable repairs 

 and improvements for the future security of the capital. 



The principal cities, towns and villages of this State are : — The 

 national and state capital Mexico; — St. Angel, three leagues from 

 the capital; — Tacubaya, about equidistant from Mexico, contain- 

 ing a number of beautiful residences, and an archiepiscopal Palace 

 surrounded by groves and gardens; Santa Fe, Tlalpam or San 

 Augustin de las Cuevas, four leagues south of the capital, situated 

 upon the first slopes of the mountains, and filled with charming 

 dwellings, to which the Mexicans occasionally retire during the 

 warm season. It is in this town that the festival of St. Augustin is 

 kept in the month of May, and during the three days of its celebra- 

 tion, Tlalpam is a scene of gaiety rarely equalled elsewhere on this 

 continent. Rich and poor pour out from the capital to partake of 

 the unrestrained amusements of the season, and thousands of dol- 

 lars are lost at the gambling table or in the cock-pit, without which 

 no Mexican festival is considered complete. The Mexican ladies 

 appear at the balls which are given every night, or during the after- 

 noon, on the green at the Calvario, and vie with each other in the 

 splendor and variety of their dresses. 



Ajusco, is a village south of Tlalpam: — Chalco, lies on the bor- 

 ders of the lake of that name, and is surrounded by the villages of 

 Acohualpan, Totolapan, Tapostlan, Jico, Tlapacoya, Xochimilco, 

 Mexicalcingo, Iztapalapan, Colhuacan, Huitzilopocho, Itztacualco, 

 Churubusco, and Cuyuacan, most of which are inhabited by Indians 

 and Mestizos who supply the markets of the capital. The Indians 

 of Chalco, with their caballos de palo or " wooden horses," as they 

 fancifully call their boats, carry on an extensive trade with Mexico 

 and its vicinity. They navigate their lake and the canal leading to 

 it with great dexterity; and large boats, capable of containing fifty 

 or sixty persons, are almost daily seen leaving the landings at Mexi- 

 co in order to convey passengers and freight to the neighboring 

 country. 



Tezcoco, lies on the eastern shore of the lake of that name, opposite 

 Mexico, and at the distance of about 12 miles. It is no longer a 

 town of much importance, but is interesting for its historical asso- 

 ciations and for the ancient remains within its limits and neighbor- 

 hood which will be subsequently described. 



Tacuba is the site of the Spanish army's refuge after the noche 

 triste or "melancholy night," during which Cortez and his band 



1 See page 179, vol. I. 



