always in use when the other required clean- ing. A building extremely useful ; and Montezuma valued hmiself so much upon the invention, that he ordered his own effigies and that of his father, which bore a pretty near * Cronica c"e la Nueva-Espana, por Francisco Lopez de Gomara; Madrid, 1749 j p. 79, (originally printed at Saragossa, 1552.) t Humb. N. Spain, vol. ii., p. 31. PRELIMINARYESSAY. 75 resemblance to his, to be engraved on two stones, with an ambition to perpetuate his me- mory by so signal a benefaction done to the city.;' * Montezuma's reign commenced A. D. 1502. The city was captured on 13th August, 1521 — 196 years after its foundation by the Aztecas. Clavigero mentions another aque- duct constructed by the predecessor of Montezuma, Ahuizoth, from Copoacai to Mexico — of which the chief object was to supply the failing waters of the salt water lake that surrounded Mexico — and which had become difficult of navigation.! " The water," says our author, " was conveyed with many superstitious ceremonies, some of the priests offering incense, others sacrificing quails, and anointing the lip or border of the aqueduct with blood ; others sounding musical instruments, and otherwise solemnising the arrival of the water. The high priest wore the same habit with which they represented Chalcli- chuitlical, goddess of the water." A very rainy season succeeded which caused the lake to rise and overflow — doing much damage. In consequence the new aqueduct was destroyed. Iztacpalapa, a town of 10,000 houses, on one of the causeways leading to the city of Mexico, was, says de Solis, noted for " many fountains of sweet and wholesome waters, conveyed by several aqueducts from neighboring mountains." $ Our adventurous and intelligent traveller, Stephens, in describing his visit to Palenque in ruins, thus commemorates its aqueduct :§ " The exploration of the aqueduct, Pawling and I attempted together. It is supplied by a stream which runs at the base of the terrace on which the palace stands. At the time of our arrival, the whole stream passed through this aqueduct. It was now swollen and ran over the top, and alongside. At the mouth we had great difficulty in stemming the torrent. Within it was perfectly dark, and we could not move without candles. The sides were of smooth stones about four feet high, and the roof was made by stones lapping over like the corridors of the buildings. At a short distance from tha entrance, the passage turned to the left, and at a distance of 160 feet it was completely blocked up by the ruins of the roof which had fallen in. What was its direction beyond, it was impossible to determine, but it certainly did not pass under the palace, as has been supposed." A fine modern aqueduct was built at Rio Janeiro, in 1740, in imitation of that of Lisbon, and in some of its proportions, is hardly less imposing. " It consists," says McLuccock, " of two walls about six feet, arched over, with suf- * P. 78, Book iii., of De Soils' History of Mexico — done into English by Thomas Townsend, London, 1779, t Clavigero in Cullen's translation, vol. ii. p. 204., London Edition in 4to. 1787, p. 204, t Book iii., Class x., p. 55, Townsend's translation. 5 Stephens' vol. ii, p. 321., at Palenque. -% 76 PRELIMINARY ESSAY. ficient space for workmen to enter it occasionally and pass through its whole length. At suitable intervals, there are openings for the admission of light and air. Within it, is laid the canal, about eighteen inches wide, twenty-four deep, and three miles long. It commences at the bottom of the lofty conical peak of the Corcovado, where the waters flowing from that mountain, are collected into a covered reservoir, and thence conveyed into the canal. Their course from the summit is through deep and shady woods, and the canal is defended from the sunbeams, and thus, until they reach the city, little of their freshness is lost." * This water supplied the fountains, whence it was distributed for sale by water carriers — none being conveyed by pipes into the houses. The largest public fountain is in the square fronting the palace, and close to the harbor. This supplies the shipping, and it is constantly surrounded by sailors of all nations. Captain Cooke expressed doubts about the goodness of the water for long voyages ; but Dr. Von Spix, a Bavarian traveller, who visited Brazil in 1818, states, that it had been conveyed to India and back, and found un- corrupted. The supply of water from this source and all others, is spoken of as scanty, for such a population ; but no account is given of the quantity. In the United