AN AGUADA. 



211 



esting objects of consideration. Ever since our ar- 

 rival in the country, we had been told that they 

 were artificial, and, like the ruined cities we were 

 visiting, the works of the ancient inhabitants. At 

 first we had considered these accounts unreliable, 

 and so nearly approaching the marvellous that we 

 put but little faith in them ; but as we advanced 

 they assumed a more definite character. We were 

 now in a region where the people were entirely de- 

 pendant upon the aguadas ; all considered them the 

 works of the antiguos ; and we obtained at length 

 what we had long sought for, certain, precise, and 

 definite information, which would not admit of ques- 

 tion or doubt. 



Faihng in his attempt to procure water from the 

 well, before referred to, in the plaza, in 1835 Senor 

 Trego turned his attention to this aguada. He be- 

 lieved that it had been used by the ancients as a 

 reservoir, and took advantage of the dry season to 

 make an examination, which satisfied him that his 

 supposition was correct. For many years it had 

 been abandoned, and it was then covered three or 

 four feet deep with mud. At first he was afraid to 

 undertake with much vigour the work of clearing it 

 out, for the prejudices of the people were against it, 

 and they feared that, by disturbing the aguada, the 

 scanty supply then furnished might be cut ofi". In 

 1836 he procured a permission from the govern- 

 ment, by great exertions secured the co^-operation of 

 all the ranchos and haciendas for leagues around, 



