252 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



Not contented with feeding upon living things, they 

 cat alfo a certain muddy fubftance that floats upon the 

 waters of the lake, which they dried in the fun, and pre- 

 ferved to make ufe of it as cheefe, which it refembled in 

 flavour and tafte. They gave this fubftance the name of 

 TecuitlatU or excrement of ft ones. Accuftomed thus to 

 thofe vile articles of food, they were unable to abandon 

 them in the feafon of their greateft plenty ; on which 

 account the market was always feen full of innumerable 

 fpecies of raw, boiled, fried, and roafted little animals, 

 which were fold there particularly to the poor. How- 

 ever, as foon as by their commerce with fifh they were 

 able to purchafe better aliment, and to cultivate by the 

 exertions of their induftry the floating gardens of the 

 lake, they entertained themfelves with better provifions, 

 and at their meals there was nothing wanting, as the 

 conqueror fays, either in refpecl: to the plenty, variety, 

 or nicety of their dimes (g). 



Among the eatables, the firft place is due to majze, 

 which they called TIaoIIi, a grain granted by Providence 

 to that part of the world, inftead of the corn of Europe, 

 the rice of Afia, the millet of Africa, over all which it 

 poffelTes fome advantages ; as befides its being whole- 

 fome, reliftiing, and more nutritive, it multiplies more, 

 thrives equally in different climes, does not require fo 

 much culture, is not fo delicate as corn, ftands not in 

 need, like rice, of a moift foil, nor is it hurtful to the 

 health of the cultivator. They had feveral fpecies of 

 maize, differing in fize, colour, and quality from each 

 other. Of maize they made their bread, which is to- 

 tally different from that of Europe in tafle and appear- 

 ance, 



(g) See the firft letter of Cortes, the hiftory of Bcrnal Diaz, and the rela- 

 tion of the anonymous conqueror. 



