176 HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



united. Upon this foundation they lay the light buflies 

 which float on the lake, and over all, the mud and dirt 

 which they draw up from the bottom of the fame lake. 

 Their regular figure is quadrangular ; their length and 

 breadth various ; but as far as we can judge, they are 

 about eight perches long, and not more than three in 

 breadth, and have lefs than a foot of elevation above 

 the furface of the water. Thefe were the firft fields 

 which the Mexicans owned after the foundation of Mex- 

 ico ; there they firft cultivated the maize, great pep- 

 per, and other plants, neceflary for their fupport. In 

 progrefs of time as thofe fields grew numerous from the 

 induftry of thofe people there were among them gar- 

 dens of flowers and odoriferous plants, which were em- 

 ployed in the worfliip of their gods, and ferved for the 

 recreation of the nobles. At prefent they cultivate 

 flowers, and every fort of garden herbs upon them. 

 Every day of the year, at fun-rife, innumerable veflels 

 loaded with various kinds of flowers and herbs, which 

 are cultivated in thofe gardens, are feen arriving by the 

 canal, at the great market-place of that capital. All 

 plants thrive there furprifingly ; the mud of the lake is 

 an extremely fertile foil, and requires no water from 

 the clouds. In the largeft gardens there is commonly 

 a little tree, and even a little hut to fhelter the cultiva- 

 tor, and defend him from rain, or the fun. When the 

 owner of a garden, or the Chinampa^ as he is ufually 

 called, wifhes to change his fituation, to remove from 

 a difagreeable neighbour, or to come nearer to his own 

 family, he gets into his little veflfel, and by his own 

 ftrength alone, if the garden is fmall, or with the aflift- 

 ance of others, if it is large, he tows it after him, and 

 conduces it wherever he pleafes with the little tree and 



hut 



