HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



339 



*what multitude of workmen affembled for the conftruc- 

 tion of the public edifices, and what expedition they 

 made in building. In thofe times a whole village has been 

 raifed, though compofed of huts of wood, covered or 

 thatched with hay or ftraw, and the new fettlers have 

 conduced their families, their animals, and all their 

 other property to it, in one fingle night. 



As to their fortifications it is certain and indubitable, 

 from the depofitions made by Cortes and all thofe who 

 faw the ancient cities of that empire, that the Mexicans, 

 and all the other neighbouring nations living in focieties, 

 raifed walls, baftions, palifades, ditches, and intrench- 

 ments for their defence. But without the atteftations of 

 thofe eye-witneffes, the ancient fortifications which ftill 

 exifl in ^uauhtochco or Guaatufco, and near to Molcaxac, 

 would be fufiicient to mew the error of M. de Paw. It is 

 true -that fuch fortifications were not comparable to thofe 

 of the Europeans, becaufe neither was their military ar- 

 chitecture perfected, nor had they occafion to cover them- 

 felves from artillery, of which they had no experience 

 or conception : but they gave plain proofs of their in- 

 duftry in inventing many different kinds of expedients to 

 defend themfelves from their native enemies. Whoever 

 will read the unanimous depofitions of the conquerors, 

 will not entertain a doubt of the great difficulty they 

 found in taking the ditches and intrenchments of the 

 Mexicans during the fiege of that capital, although they 

 had fuch an exceflive number of troops of allies, and the 

 advantages of fire arms, and the brigantines. The ter- 

 rible defeat the Spaniards met with when they meant to 

 have retired in fecret from Mexico, will not fuffer a doubt 

 to remain concerning the fortifications of that capital. It 

 was not furrounded by walls, becaufe its fituation was 



rendered 



