( '45 ) 



From the fquare we proceeded to the great temple, but before we 

 entered it we made a circuit through a number of large courts, the 

 fmalleft of which appeared to me to contain more ground than the 

 great fquare in Salamanca, with double inclofurcs built of lime and 

 ftone, and the courts paved with large white cut flone, very clean; or 

 where not paved, they were plaiftered and polifhed. When we ap- 

 proached the gate of the great temple, to which the afcent was by a 

 hundred and fourteen fteps, and before we had mounted one of them, 

 Montezuma fent down to us fix priefts, and two of his noblemen, to 

 carry Cortes up, as they had done their fovereign, which he politely 

 declined. When we had afcended to the fummit of the temple, we 

 obferved on the platform as we paffed, the large ftones whereon were 

 placed the victims who were to be facrificcd. Here was a great figure 

 which refembled a dragon, and much blood frefii fpilt. Montezuma 

 came out from an adoratory in which his accurfed idols were placed, 

 attended by two priefts, and addrefling himfelf to Cortes, expreffed his 

 apprehenfion that he was fatigued; to which Cortes replied, that fa- 

 tigue was unknown to us. 



Montezuma then took him by the hand, and pointed out to him 

 the different parts of the city, and its vicinity, all of which were com- 

 manded from that place. Here we had a clear profped: of the three 

 caufeways by which Mexico communicated with the land, and of the 

 aquedud: of Chapultepeque, which fupplied the city with the fineil 

 water. We were ftruck with the numbers of canoes, pafiing to and 

 from the main land, loaded with provifions and merchandife, and wc 

 Gould now perceive, that in this great city, and all the others of that 

 neighbourhood which were built in the water, the houfes flood fepa- 

 rate from each other, communicating only by fmall drawbridges, and 

 by boats, and that they were built with terraced tops. We obferved 

 alfo the temples and adoratories of the adjacent cities, built in the form 

 of towers and fortreffes, and others on the caufeway, all whitewalhed, 

 and wonderfully brilliant. The noife and buftle of the market-place 

 helow us could be heard almoft a league off, and thofe who had been 



