under the bridges, on which the reservoirs are placed, and men stationed above fill them with water, for which service they receive a suitable compensation."

We are indebted for this translation to Mr. Folsom, the Librarian of the New York Historical Society ; who is preparing for the press a complete English version of Cortes' Letters. " Chronicle of New Spain" was published Gomara, the Chaplain of Cortes, whose in 1552, states in addition to the above, that " the water was brought from a place called

Chapoltepec, three miles distant from the city, where it sprang from a hill, at the foot of which stood two statues wrought in stone, with bucklers and lances, the one represent- * ing, (it is said,) Montezuma, and the other his father, Oxayaca."

Cortes, in his 5th letter to Charles V., speaks of the springs of Amilco, near Cherubasco, of which the waters were brought to the city by pipes of burnt earth. We still, says Humboldtjt perceive the remains of this great aqueduct, which was constructed with double pipes, one of which received the water, while they were employed in cleaning 1

the other.

De Sol is, the historian of the Conquest of Mexico, speaking of the magnificence of Montezuma, and of his works, thus refers to the waters and aqueducts of the city :

" In all these gardens and pleasure houses, he had many fountains of sweet and wholesome water, conveyed from the neighboring mountains, by different canals as far as the causeys, whence in covered pipes, it was introduced into the city for the use ;