236 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



The above mentioned road of Chapol tepee, as well 

 as others made upon the lake, and frequently taken no- 

 tice of in this hiftory, are inconteftable proofs of the in- 

 duftry of the Mexicans ; but it is (till more manifefted 

 in the foundation of their city ; for whereas other ar- 

 chitects have no more to do than to lay a foundation 

 upon folid earth, to raife an edifice, the Mexicans were 

 obliged to make the foil on which they built, uniting 

 by terraces feveral little iflands together. Befides this 

 prodigious fatigue, they had to raife banks and pallif- 

 adoes to render their habitations fecure. But if in thefe 

 works their indullry is confpicuous, in many others the 

 Mexicans fliew their tafte for magnificence, Amongfl 

 the monuments of ancient architecture which are extant 

 in the Mexican empire, the edifices of Mictlan, in Miz- 

 teca, are very celebrated ; there are many things about 

 them worthy of admiration, particularly a large hall, 

 the roof of which is fupported by various cylindrical co- 

 lumns of ftone, eighty feet high, and about twenty in 

 circumference, each of them confuting of one lingle 

 piece. 



But this, or any other fabric of Mexican antiquity 

 now remaining, cannot be compared with the famous 

 aqueduct of Chempoallan. This large work, worthy 

 of being ranked with the greateft in Europe, was done 

 about the middle of the fixteenth century. The Fran- 

 cifcan miflionary Francifco Tembleque, directed, and the 

 Chempoallefe executed it with wonderful perfection. 

 Moved with companion for the diftrefs which his prof- 

 elytes fuifered from a fcarcity of water, as all that 

 could be gathered in trenches and ditches was confumed 

 by the cattle of the Spaniards, that pious father under- 

 took to relieve the neceffities of his people at all events. 



The 



