took formal possession with the army. No effort appears to have been made to erect a church, and for several years a hall in Cortés' house served for chapel.[1] This seems a strange neglect on the part of men who came in the guise of crusaders. They were more attentive to temporal comforts, as manifested in particular by the eagerness to introduce water. Indeed, one of the first measures had been the restoration of the aqueduct which in Aztec times brought water from Chapultepec, about two miles distant.[2]
"Raze and tear down, ye slaves, but all must be rebuilt with your own hands for the victor!" Such had been the taunting prophecy frequently thrown into the teeth of the allies as they paved a way for the Spaniards through the city of the Aztecs, and truly was it fulfilled, for the task of rebuilding was ruthlessly exacted from the lake allies, though the Aztecs had to share in it. It was also necessary to populate the city to obtain hewers of wood and drawers of water and other purveyors for the comfort of the victors. As the best means to promote
- ↑ Testimony of Tapia and Mejía and others, in Cortés, Residencia, i. 48, 91, 162, et seq. Vetancurt leaves the impression that this chapel was dedicated to St Joseph: 'Parroquia unica que era de Españoles.' Trat. Mex., 6.
- ↑ The original was constructed on a causeway of solid masonry 5 feet high and 5 feet broad, the water running through 2 pipes of masonry to different reservoirs and branch pipes, as described more fully in Native Races, ii. 563-6. The pipes were not wholly restored, so that the water flowed partly in open canals. This proving objectionable from dust and refuse, portions were ordered to be covered, and on August 26, 1524, Juan Garrido was employed at a salary of 50 pesos de oro to watch over it, additional men being appointed as the need became apparent. Part of the beautiful grove of Chapultepec was actually cut down to prevent leaves from falling into the spring. The aqueduct did not extend beyond the first houses on the Tacuba side of the city, and it was proposed in 1527 to repair the aqueducts of Coyuhuacan or Huichilobusco, and extend them to the southern suburb. This appeared too costly, and efforts were made to extend the Chapultepec aqueduct to the centre of the city, as appears from contracts with the municipality, one dated April 17, 1528. Libro de Cabildo, MS., 17, 23, 193, 221, etc. Nothing appears to have been done, however; for the procuradores in Spain demanded special legislation, and by order of September 22, 1530, the extension to the main plaza was decreed, the cost to be apportioned among Spanish and native settlers. 'De lo (water) que se perdiere, se podre hazer un molino para propios de la dicha ciudad.' Puga, Cedulario, 64; Alaman, Disert., ii. 287-91. This work was concluded only in 1537. The fine aqueduct Tlaspana was not in operation till the middle of the following century.
