190 



HISTORY OF 



MEXICO. 



were fold or exchanged there, were fo numerous and fo 

 various, that hidorians who faw them, after making a 

 long and tedious enumeration, conclude with faying, it 

 is impofiihle to exprefs them all. Without contradicting 

 their aifertion, and to avoid prolixity, we will endeavour 

 to comprehend them in a few words. To that fquare 

 were carried to be fold or exchanged all the productions 

 of the Mexican empire, or adjacent countries, which could 

 ferve for the necelfaries of life, the convenience, the lux- 

 uries, the vanity, or curiofity of man (#) ; innumerable 

 fpecies of animals, both dead and alive, every fort of eat- 

 able which was in ufe araongft them, all the metals and 

 gems which were known to them, all the medicinal drugs 

 and fimples, herbs, gums, refms, and mineral earths, as 

 well as the medicines prepared by their phyficians, fuch as 

 beverages, electuaries, oils, plafters, ointments, Sec, and 

 every fort of manufacture and work of the thread of 

 the metl, maguei, or aloe, of the mountain palm, of cot- 

 ton, of feathers, of the hair of animals, of wood, of flone, 

 of gold, filver, and copper. They fold there alfo flaves, 

 and even whole velTels, laden with human dung, for 

 dreffing the ikins of animals. In ftiort, they fold in 

 that fquare every thing which could be fold in all that 

 city ; for they had no mart elfewhere, nor was any thing 

 fold out of the market-place except eatables. The pot- 

 ters and jewellers of Cholula, the goldfmiths of Azcapo- 

 zalco, the painters of Tezcuco, the ftone-cutters of Te- 

 najocan, the hunters ofXilotepec, the fifliers of Cuitla- 

 huac, the fruiterers of hot countries, the mat-weavers and 



chair-makers 



(x) Whoever will take the trouble to read the description which Cortes, Ber- 

 nal Dias, and the anonymous conqueror have given of their market, will be con- 

 vinced there is no exaggeration made here of the variety of their merchandize*. 



