HISTORY OF MEXICO. 151 



ceeded towards the fouth-caft, as far as the river Gila, 

 where they flopped for fome time ; for at prefent there 

 are ftill remains to be feen of the great edifices built by 

 them on the borders of that river. From thence having 

 refumed their courfe towards the S. S. E.- they flopped 

 in about 29 degrees of latitude, at a place which is more 

 than two hundred and fifty miles diflant from the city 

 of Chihuahua, towards the N. N. W. This place is 

 known by the name of Cafe grandi^ on account of an 

 immenfe edifice flill exifling, which, agreeably to the uni- 

 verfal tradition of thefe people, was built by the Mexi- 

 cans in their peregrination. This edifice is conflru^led 

 on the plan of thofe of New Mexico, that is, confifling 

 of three floors with a terrace above them, and without 

 any entrance to the under floor. The door for entrance 

 to the building is on the fecond floor, fo that a fcaling 

 ladder is neceffary ; and the inhabitants of New Mexico 

 build in this manner, in order to be lefs expofed to the 

 attack of their enemies ; putting out the fcaling ladder 

 only for thofe to whom they give admiffion into their 

 boufe. No doubt the Aztecas had the fame motive for 

 raifmg their edifice on this plan, as every mark of a for- 

 trefs is to be obfervcd about it, being defended on one 

 fide by a lofry mountain, and the refi: of it being fur- 

 rounded by a wall about feven feet thick, the founda- 

 tions of which are flill exifling. In this fortrefs there 

 are flones as large as mill-flones to be feen ; the beams 

 of the roof are of pine, and well finiflied. In the centre 

 of this vafl fabric is a little mount made on purpofe, by 

 what appears, to keep guard on, and obferve the ene- 

 my. There have been fome ditches formed in this place, 

 and feveral kitchen utenfils have been found, fuch as 



c^irtheii 



