Page:The Rambler in Mexico.djvu/94

88 the different quarters, was carried on by light canoes. These canals are now almost all filled up; and except that of Chalco, there is no considerable canal in the city. On the other hand, the causeways are now above double their original number. The three ancient calzadas are still maintained; the first being still that of Tacuba, the second of Guadaloupe, and the third of San Augustin. There are then in addition, the great calzada running to the southeast over the flats, to the southern extremity of Lake Tezeuco, and thence to the new Vera Cruz road; that to Chapultepec, southwest: and lastly, one in the direction of the northwest, towards Guautitlan. Several of these causeways are planted with avenues of poplars and other trees, and along two of them, those of Chapultepec and Tacuba, the supply of fresh water is brought from the mountains to the capital by the aqueducts of Chapultepec and Santa Fe.

Let us turn together for our first excursion to the southward, upon the great calzada, leading to Chalco and San Augustin, by a continuation of which, the traveller attains the eastern declivity of the Sierra Madre, and the Pacific at Acapulco. It was in this direction that two of our number made our first sortie, a few days after our arrival, early on a glorious morning, in whose brilliant sunshine the facades of the palaces shone like silver and enamel.

A light caleche with a couple of well-bitted horses soon bore us over the pavement of the long street: and passing the Garita, we entered upon the raised causeway, with the sterile tracts of the marshy flat surrounding the city on either hand—a vast tract of country with groups of volcanic hills in the middle ground—and in the distance a splendid semicircular range of mountains, comprising the highest summits of the great porphyritic chain. The Monte Ajusco, towards whose base we were bending our course, was comparatively at no great