whole mountain had been covered with palaces, temples, baths, hanging gardens, &c.; yet this place has never been noticed by any writer.

"I am of opinion that these were antiquities prior to the discovery of America, and erected by a people whose history was lost even before the building of the city of Mexico. In our way down we collected specimens of the stucco which covered the ter

race,still as hard and beautiful as any found

at Portici or Herculaneum. Don T. Rosa

lia informed us that we had seen but the commencement of the wonders of the place; that there were traces of buildings to the very top still discernable ;-that the mountain was perforated by artificial excavations, and that a flight of steps led to one near the top, which he himself had entered, but which no one as yet had had courage to explore, although it was believed that immense riches were buried in it.

"We regained our horses, and an hour brought us back to Tezcuco, greatly fatigued indeed, but more lamenting the little time we had been able to give to the most interesting place we had visited; and which, it is not a little extraordinary, appears to have been unnoticed by the Spanish writers at the conquest, in whom it probably excited as little interest as it does in the present inhabitants of the city of Mexico, not one of whom could I find who had ever seen, or even heard of it. What a subject for contemplation does this collection of ruins present to the reflecting mind!The seat of a powerful monarch, whose subjects (if we may judge from their works) were probably an enlightened people, existing and flourishing long before the Continent of America was known to Europe,and yet a people whose customs, costume, religion, and architecture, strongly resembled those of an enlightened nation of Africa, which may be said to have ceased to exist twenty centuries before this continent was discovered. Who now can solve this difficulty? ...

"We returned to Tezcuco across some fine fields of corn, and having put up our horses again, commenced our rambles over this very interesting city and its suburbs, every part of which exhibits remains of its ancient grandeur ;-the raised mounds of brick are seen on all sides, mixed with aqueducts, ruins of buildings of enormous strength, and many large square structures nearly entire (which I believe to be of Mexican architecture) fragments of sculptured stones constantly occur near the church,the market-place, and palace; a visit to which cannot fail to awaken the most interesting recollections in the mind of a person at all versed in the history of this portion of América. It was in this palace that Cortez, with his whole army, was lodged and entertained, as described in the simple narrative of Bernal Días, whose accounts I had many opportunities of corroborating. It was in the market-place here, too, that the

zeal of the first bishop collected the documents of Mexican history, knowledge, and literature-all the Aztec paintings, manuscripts, and hieroglyphical writings ;-when, forming them into an immense pyramid, he committed them to the flames amid the unavailing prayers of the people for their preservation.

The following extract relates to another interesting excursion.

"After a vain inquiry for the celebrated pyramids of the Sun and Moon, or of St. Juan de Teotihuacan, we set off for Otums ba, in the expectation of finding them near that place, a ride of two hours over a fine country, on which the number of handsome Spanish churches and haciendas exceeds that of any part of Mexico through which I had yet travelled. We arrived at the commencement of the monntains, on which there was not a vestige of vegetable soil or vegetation, the whole being a soft ironcoloured stone, in which the continual passing of horses had worn deep tracks up to the animals' knees, and not more than fourteen inches wide, in which tracks it is very requisite to keep, in order to save the traveller from a worse road. We had thunder all the afternoon, and towards evening it rained in torrents, so that the dry beds of the rivers were in an hour filled, and poured their muddy waters in floods to the Mexican Lake, where depositing the earthy parts, it must in a short time be filled up. Upon descending the mountain, we first caught a view of the two pyramids on a plain in front of us, at about five or six miles distant, and another hour brought us, drenched with rain, just before dark, into Otumba, the first place reached by Cortez after his defeat. At this place, after being refused admittance at several houses, we with some difficulty procured shelter in an empty carpenter's shop, where, in our wet clothes, having no fire, upon a bare floor of mud, without food but not without appetite, we had a prospect of passing the night; but observing a fire in a cottage near, I ventured to enter, and finding only an old woman and some children, I seated myself. The old lady was not at all pleased at my intrusion, but a few medias given to the children, and a dollar to herself,soon produced us bread and eggs; we dried our clothes, and having procured dry boards to repose ourselves upon, we passed the night in the carpenter's shop better than we expected.

"Good bread and excellent chocolate were provided for our breakfast. After a stroll round the city, which is said to have once contained 50,000 inhabitants, we examined two curious ancient columns, richly sculptured; called upon the Padre, but he could give us no information respecting the pyramids, although they were in full view from the windows of his house. We then left this wretched and deserted place, where even the water is so bad that necessity

alone can induce any person to use it; and proceeded to the stupendous remains, from which we were now distant about a league and a half. As we approached them, the square and perfect form of the largest became at every step more and more visibly distinct, and the terraces could now be counted. We rode first to the lesser,which is the most dilapidated of the two,and ascended to the top, over masses of falling stone and ruins of masonry, with less difficulty than we expected. On the summit are the remains of an ancient building, forty-seven feet long and fourteen wide; the walls are principally of unhewn stone, three feet thick and eight feet high; the entrance at the south end, with three windows on each side, and on the north end it appears to have been divided at about a third of its length. At the front of the building, with the great pyramid before us, and many smaller ones at our feet, we sat down to contemplate the scene of ancient wonders: -where the eye takes in the greater part of the vale of Mexico, its lake and city,and commands an extensive view of the plains beneath, and the mountains that bound the west of the valley.

"It was at this place that Cortez fought and defeated the innumerable army of Indians; after the horrible night of desolation, he expressly says, that he arrived on the plains near Otumba; he ascended an eminence, and discovered the whole district covered with armies; despair filled every breast, except the intrepid leader's. The innumerable hosts of Indians arrived, and closed round the small band of Spaniards, when the dauntless Cortez, with a few horsemen, charged furiously that part of the enemy where the royal banner was carried; the bearer was killed, the banner taken, and the whole of the immense multitude fled in consternation from the field, offering no further interruption to the retreat of Cortez through Otumba to the territory of Tlascalla.

"I think there can be little doubt that these immense structures, which vie with the pyramids of Egypt were,at the period we are speaking of, in the same state in which they are now; and that it was on ascending one of them that Cortez beheld the approach of the great Indian army. There is no other eminence near, which could have answered the purpose; and if these had been objects of veneration, as temples, or places of military strength, of the people, then in use, they would no doubt have been defended, and he would not have been permitted to have approached them On descending we partook of some refresh ment, and our Indian guide procured us some pulque, which was very acceptable, I went to a cottage close by, in which were several children almost in a state of nature. I tried to entice them by presents,but could not prevail on them to come near me : they seemed much terrified at our white faces and odd dresses. We mounted, and

rode to the several small barrows that are scattered in various directions round the base of the second, and on the road to the largest pyramid;--in some places they forin regular streets running east and west.

"Not far from the great pyramid, near a gate, lay an enormous stone, with a few sculptured ornaments. It is apparently of great antiquity. A boy who had followed us, observing that we viewed it with attention, took my son a little distance through great dimensions, covered with sculpture, a plantation, and showed him another of with a hole in the top-he supposed it a stone of sacrifice.

"We soon arrived at the foot of the largest pyramid, and began to ascend. It was less difficult than we expected, though the whole way up, lime and cement are mixed with fallen stones. The terraces are perfectly visible, particularly the second,which is about thirty-eight feet wide, covered with a coat of red cement eight or ten inches thick, composed of small pebble stones and lime. In many places, as you ascend, the nopal trees have destroyed the regularity of the steps, but no where injured the general figure of the square, which is as perfect in this respect as the great pyramid of Egypt. We every where observed broken pieces of instruments like knives, arrow and spear-heads, &c. of obsidian,the same as those found on the small hills of Chollula; and, on reaching the summit, we found a flat surface of considerable size, but which has been much broken and disturbed. On it was probably a temple or other building-report says, a statue covered with gold. We rested some time on the summit, enjoying one of the finest prospects imaginable, in which the city of Mexico is included. Here I found fragments of small statues and earthen ware, and what surprised me more, oystershells, the first that I had seen in Mexico; they are a new species, and I have brought specimens home. In descending I also found some ornamental pieces of earthenware,the pattern one of which is in relief, much resembling those of China, the other has a grotesque human face. On the north-east side, at about half-way down, at some remote period, an opening has been attempted. This should have been from the south to the north, and on a level with the ground, or only a few feet above it ;— as all the remains of similar buildings have been found to have their entrances in that direction. Dr. Oteyza, who has given us the measure of these pyramids, makes the base of the largest six hundred and fortyfive feet in length, and one hundred and seventy-one in perpendicular height. to the age of the pyramids, and the people by whom they were erected, all must be a matter of mere conjecture; no one whom I could meet with in Mexico knew or cared any thing about them. None of the inhabitants had even been to see them, though from the cathedral, both of them, as well

As

bad grasp❜d the trembling boy's arm. Then we may proceed.'-No, we `want hands, and my orders are imperative. You must with us.'-Never! (said the other, pulling forth a pistol from his breast :) My liberty is as dear to me as life, and he who robs me of one must also take the other.' The lad press'd close to his side, and after a short ineffectual struggle they were both secured, but not till the man had become senseless-aye, almost lifeless in the contest. Well, we pickt up a few more, and then returned. The frigate was unmoored, and heaving short upon the small bower when we got aboard. An express had arrived to say, that a suspicious ship had been seen off the Start, and we were ordered to overhaul her. The boats were hoisted in, and the man and lad conducted to the sick bay, the man still senseless, the boy half dead with fright. Bring to,' cried the first Lieutenant. All ready, Sir.' Heave round at the capstan, and run the anchor up to the bows.'Away danced the men to the tune of 'Off she goes.' 'Well behaved, lads, well behaved,' said the Captain from the quarter-deck. 'Heave and in sight,' was heard from the forecastle as the ponderous iron appeared above the water; and in less than a minute the Boatswain's pipe gave signal to heave and haul. Hook on the cat! Hoist away!' and the anchor was instantly run up to the cat-head. Haul taut the fish! Walk away!' and the massy flukes rose gradually up the vessel's bows, till the pipe sounded, High enough! Belay! The anchor was secured, and Loose sails!' cried the Boatswain,after a flourish with his call. Bear a hand, my boys, cast off your gaskets, and shake out the reefs,' said the Captain. All ready, Sir. Let fall! sheet home! hoist away!' bellowed the first lieutenant through his trumpet, and instantly that which had been only bare poles was covered with canvass 'low and aloft. Morning began to streak the east with a brighter glow as we pass'd the Mew Stone. I was at the helm. 'Well, Sims, (said the Captain, addressing the Surgeon,) did you meet with any success? None, Sir; all my inquiries have been fruit

less. I went according to your directions, but could obtain no other intelligence than that such a person had been known there, but quitted the place without any one being able to tell where she had gone.'-'I feel grateful for your attention, my friend. Oh, Sims, when I sailed from England on that fatal cruise, I left behind me a wife and two dear children. For fifteen years these limbs have felt the galling fetter; for fifteen years I struggled with affliction as the drowning wretch struggles hard with death, and yet a ray of hope would beam on my mind, and cast a gleam of sunshine on the future. The thoughts of freedom swelled in my breast each rising morn, and buoyed me up through the toil of the day. My dreams of night were still of home, and often have I been transported to those I loved.-I've stretch'd forth my arms in ecstacy, when the rattling of my chains awoke me to a sense of misery. last, after repeated efforts, I escaped, and returned to my native land. I flew to the sweet spot of innocence and joy, where once-but you cannot tell my feelings. The cottage was swept away, to improve the neighboring esstate. The white stone in the yard of the village-church bore the name of her

6

At

yes, my Maria lay mouldering below, my children cast abandoned on the world. Father of mercies! from thy throne behold, protect, and restore them to a longing parent's arms - Pon deck there!' shouted the man at the mast-head. 'Halloo!' replied the first Lieutenant. A sail on the starboard bow, Sir. Port, lad, port !'—'Port it is, Sir,' says I. The Lieutenant run forward with his glass. Meet her, boy, meet her! Steady!'-Steady,' says I again. He appplied his glass to his eye. "What is she, Mr. -?' inquired the Captain. By the length of her legs, Sir, I should take her to be one of our own class, only heavier.”—' Beat to quarters, and see all clear for action.'- Aye, aye,Sir. Drummer,blow up a tune upon your sheep's-skin fiddle, that they may hear you at the Land's End.'- Aye, aye, Sir.'

Shall I show them the Buntin?' inquired the officer. If you please.'Hoist the colours abaft. Main-top