186 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



which feparate the vale of Mexico from the diocefs of 

 Angelopoli, and thofe of Chiapa, of the Zapotecas, 8cc. 

 befides pines, oaks, allies, hazels, firs, and a great ma- 

 ny others, common to both continents. The trees pe- 

 culiar to that land are in (till greater number, and of 

 more value. There are whole woods of cedar, as we 

 have already mentioned. The conqueror Cortes was 

 accufed by his rivals before Charles V. of having ufed 

 for the palace which he made be built in Mexico, feven 

 thoufand beams of cedar ; and he excufed himfelf by 

 faying that it was a common wood in that country. It 

 is in fact fo very common, that they make the flakes for 

 the foundation of houfes in the marfhy places of the 

 capital, of this wood. There are alfo woods of ebony, 

 that fo juftly celebrated tree, in Chiapa, Yucatan, and 

 Cozumel ; of brafil wood in hot countries, and the odo- 

 rous wood of aloes in Mifleca. The Tapincoren, the 

 Granadillo or red ebony, the Camote , and others which 

 we have mentioned in our hiftory, afford better timber 

 than is to be had in Europe. LafHy, to avoid a tedious 

 enumeration, we refer the reader to Acofta, Hernandez, 

 Ximenes, and other European authors who have been 

 in New Spain, although all they fay is not fufficient to 

 convey a competent idea of the fertility of that land. 

 Acofla affirms, that " as well in refpecl to number as 

 " to variety of trees produced by nature, there is a 

 " greater abundance in America than in Afia, Africa, 

 " and Europe (£)." 



The nature and quality of a foil is bed difcovered by 

 the plants which it fpontaneoufly produces without the 

 affiflance of art. Let us compare, then, the produc- 

 tions of Europe with thofe, not of America, but only 



of 



(£) Acofta, lib- iv. cap. 30. 



