I he Floating Gardens of Mexico 
may be worth while to 
consider them a little 
more in detail. The 
pilgrim to the watery 
region takes a train 
from the Plaza Mayor 
to the Embarcadero, 
where he finds three 
or four punts await¬ 
ing his convenience. 
Choosing the most 
attractive boat, or the 
most persistent boat¬ 
man—probably the 
latter—he seats him¬ 
POPPY FIELDS ALONG THE VIGA CANAL 
bind several of these together and to plant the 
ground with whatever had most chance of 
being productive. Here he would often 
erect a hut and live on his floating domain, 
which he could steer at will with his long pole 
among the reeds of the salt lagoons and the 
lakes. The beautiful floating gardens which 
developed from this primitive idea, are a 
matter of history, and there is some mention 
of them in the old picture writings of the 
Aztecs, where Coxcoxtli, a king of the marshy 
regions, is represented in his dug-out canoe. 
This image used to be regarded as a deluge- 
myth and the king became known as “Cox- 
cox, the Mexican Noah,” but it evidently 
referred to his connection with the floating 
gardens. 
The canal of La 
Viga—the old Aztec 
canal — is navigable 
from Mexico City to 
the towns and villages 
on Lakes Chaleo and 
Xochimilco. 1 he 
floating gardens of 
Xochimilco and of 
Ixtacalco are perhaps 
more beautiful, both 
in situation and vege¬ 
tation, than those at 
Santa Anita, but as 
these latter are more 
accessible and can be 
easily reached by 
water from the city, it 
self on a little wooden 
bench under a gaily 
striped awning and 
watches his gondolier, if one may call him 
so, as he deftly gets clear of the various 
craft which block up the way. He is a 
picturesque object himself, quite as pictur¬ 
esque as his Venetian prototype, even if his 
punting is without the graceful rhythmic mo¬ 
tion of the gondolier. 1 he Mexican is dressed 
in white linen, the shirt knotted in front over 
a scarlet sash, while trousers and sleeves are 
rolled up displaying bronzed limbs, the lithe, 
slim limbs of the Indian. On his head is the 
inevitable sombrero, casting a deep shade on 
his dark face. 
That part of the canal of La Viga which is 
nearest to the city is not famous for its clean¬ 
liness. The w y ater is dirty and full of decay- 
A HIGHWAY IN XOCHIMILCO 
