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greatly struck with the polish and the cut of the 
stones^ all of which are parallelepipeds ; the care 
with which they have been arranged^ without 
cement between the joints ; and the execution of 
the reliefs, with which the stones are decorated. 
Each figure occupies several stones ; and, from 
the outlines not being interrupted by the joints 
of the stones, we may conjecture, that these 
reliefs were sculptured after the construction 
of the edifice was finished. Among the hiero- 
glyphical ornaments of the pyramid of Xochi- 
calco, we distinguish heads of crocodiles spout- 
ing water, and figures of men sitting crosslegged 
according to the custom of several nations of 
Asia. As the edifice is placed on a plain, ele- 
vated more than thirteen hundred metres above 
the level of the ocean, and since crocodiles haunt 
only the rivers which are near the coast ; it 
seems strange, that the architect, instead of imi- 
tating plants and animals belonging to moun- 
tainous countries, should have employed, in these 
reliefs, with extreme industry, the gigantic pro- 
ductions of the torrid zone. 
The ditch, with which the hill is surrounded, 
the covering of the terraces, the great number of 
subterraneous apartments dug in the rock on the 
northern side ; the wall that defends the ap- 
proach to the platform, concur all together to 
give the monument of Xochicalco a military 
aspect. The natives even to this day designate 
