HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



241 



their example, their fubje^ls were animated to fuch ac- 

 tivity, that in a fliort time the work was perfedlly com- 

 pleted which muft otherwife have been many years in 

 accompliiliing. The dyke was nine miles in length, and 

 eleven cubits in breadth, and was compofed of two pa- 

 rallel palifades, the fpace between which was entirely 

 filled up with flone and fand. The greatefl: difficulty 

 which occurred, was in being obliged occalionally to work 

 within the lake, efpecially in fome places where it w^as 

 of a coniiderable depth ; but this was overcome by the 

 ficill of the conductor, and the perfeverance of the la- 

 bourers. This dyke was certainly of great ufe to the 

 city, although it did not entirely protect it from inun- 

 dations : that, however^ is not wonderful, as the Span- 

 iards, although they employed European engineers, 

 were not able to cScS: its fecurity from them, after la- 

 bouring two centuries and an half upon it, and expend- 

 ing many millions of fequins. Whilft this work was 

 going on,, the Chalchefe rebelled, but were quickly 

 brought under obedience again, although not without 

 the lofs of fome Mexican officers. 



The accident of the inundation was foon follov/ed by 

 a famine ; which arofe from the harveft of maize, in 

 the years 1448 and 1449, being exceedingly flinted ; 

 the frofl having attacked the ears while they were young 

 and tender. In the year 1450, the crop Vv-as totally 

 loft from the want of water. In 1451, befides having 

 unfavourable feafons, there was a fcarcity of grain for 

 feed, fo much of it being confumed on account of the 

 fcarcity of preceding harvefts ; from which in 1452, 

 the neceffities of the people became fo great, that as the 

 liberality of their king and the nobles was not fufficient 

 to relieve them, although they opened their granaries 

 Vol. I. h ' to 



