360 HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



on horfeback could pafs abreaft. Befides thefe three 

 roads, there was another fomewhat narrower for the 

 two aqueducts of Chapoltepec. The circumference of 

 the city, exclufive of the fuburbs, meafured more than 

 ten miles, and the number of houfes were at leaft fixty 

 thoufand (q). The city was divided into four quarters, 

 and each quarter into feveral diftri&s, the Mexican names 

 of which are ftill preferved among the Indians. The di- 

 viding lines of the four quarters, were the four broad 

 roads, leading from the four gates of the area of the 

 greater temple. The firft quarter called Tecpan^ now 

 St. Paul, comprehended all that part between the two 

 roads leading from the fouthern and eaftern gates. The 

 fecond Mojotla, now St. John, the part between the 

 fouthern and weftern roads. The third Tlaquechiuhcan, 

 now St. Mary, the part between the weftern and nor- 

 thern roads; and the fourth Alzacualco, now Sr. Sebaf- 

 tian, the part of the city between the roads which led 

 from the northern and eaftern gates. To thofe four 

 parts into which the city was divided from the time of 

 its foundation, the city of Tlatelolco was added as a fifth, 

 fituated towards the north-weft, having been united after 



the 



{q) Torquemada affirms, that the population of the capital amounted to one 

 hundred and twenty thoufand houfes ; but the anonymous conqueror, Gomara, 

 Herrera, and other hiftorians, agree in the number of fixty thoufand houfes, 

 not that of fixty thoufand inhabitants, as Robertfon fays; for no ancient author 

 computed them fo few in number. It is true, that in the Italian tranflation of 

 the relation of the anonymous conqueror we read faffante mila abltanti ; but this 

 has been without doubt, a miflake of the tranflator, who having, perhaps; 

 found in the original fefanta mil Vicinos, tranilated it fixty thoufand abltanti, 

 when he ought to have faid fuochi; becaufe, otherwife Cholula, Xochomilco, 

 Iztapalapan, and other fuch cities would be made greater than Mexico. But 

 in the above mentioned number the fuburbs are not included. It appears that 

 Torquemada included the fuburbs, but Hill his calculation appears exceflive. 



