HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



195 



was called val/a, by the Spaniards of America. This is 

 a fquare platform, of about five feet, compofed of otatli, 

 or folid canes, tied firmly upon large, hard, empty 

 gourds. Four, or fix paflfengers feated themfelves upon 

 this machine, and were conducted from one fide of a ri- 

 ver to the other by two or four fwimmers, who laid 

 hold of one corner of the machine with one of their 

 hands, and fwam with the other. This fort of machine 

 is (till ufed on fome rivers diftant from the capital, and 

 we ourfelves pafifed a large river on one of them in 

 1739. ls perfecTly fafe where the current of the wa- 

 ter is equal and fmooth, but dangerous in rapid and im- 

 petuous rivers. 



Their bridges were built either of ftone or wood, but 

 thofe of ftone we are of opinion were extremely few in 

 number. The mo ft fingular kind of bridge was that to 

 which the Spaniards gave the name of Hamaca. This 

 was a number of the ropes, or natural ligatures of a tree, 

 more pliant than the willow, but thicker and ftronger, 

 called in America Bejucos, twifted and woven together, 

 the extremities of which were tied to the trees on each 

 fide of rivers, the trefs or net formed by them re- 

 maining fufpended in the air in the manner of a 

 fwing (a). There are fome rivers with fuch bridges 

 ftill. The Spaniards durft not pafs them, but the In- 

 dians pafs them with as much confidence and intrepid- 

 ity as if they were crofting by a ftone bridge, perfectly 

 regardlefs of the undulatory motion of the hamaca, or 

 the depth of the river. But it is to be obferved, that 

 the ancient Mexicans having been excellent fwimmers, 



had 



(<z) Some bridges are fo tight drawn that they have no undulatory motions, 

 jand all of them have their fide fupport made oj; the fame parts of the tree. 



