HISTORY OF MEXICO. 349 



pan with Mexico, which was interfe&ed by feven fmall 

 canals for the paflage of boats from one lake to the 

 other, and over thefe were wooden bridges for the 

 convenience of palfengers, which lifted up eafily when 

 it was neceffary to obftrucl: the paffage of an enemy. 

 After having paffed through Mexicaltzinco, and viewed 

 Colhuacan, Huitzilopocho, Cojohuacan, and Mixcoac, 

 cities all fituated upon the borders of the lake, they ar- 

 rived, amidfi: an immenfe concourfe of people, at a place 

 called Xoloc, where this and the road of Cojohuacan 

 met each other. In the angle formed by thefe two 

 roads, which is not more than half a league diftant from 

 the capital, there was a baftion with two little towers, 

 furrounded by a wall more than ten feet high, with bat- 

 tlements, two entrances, and a draw-bridge ; a place 

 moll: memorable in the hiftory of Mexico, from having 

 been the camp of the Spanifti general in the liege of 

 that great city ; there the army made a halt, to receive 

 the compliments of more than a thoufand Mexican no- 

 bles, all uniformly dreffed, who, in paffing before the 

 Spanifh general, made a bow with the ufual ceremony 

 of touching the earth and kifTmg the hand. 



Thefe compliments being over, in which the fpace of 

 an hour was confumed, the Spaniards continued their 

 courfe, all in as regular order as if they had been going 

 to the field of battle. A little way before they reached 

 the city, Cortes was informed that the king of Mexico 

 was coming to meet him ; and a little after he appear- 

 ed, with a moft numerous and noble attendance. Three 

 nobles preceded, each holding up in his hand a golden 

 rod, as the infignia of majefty, by which the people 

 were advertifed of the prefence of their fovereign. Mon- 

 tezuma came richly clad in a litter covered with plates 



of 



