Page:Mexico in 1827 Vol 2.djvu/428

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412
MEXICO IN 1827

over the river Tula, or Moctezuma, and some fine fields of maize. The Church is curious, having been constructed at the time of the Conquest as a military position, with lofty walls, unbroken by windows, and surmounted by little turrets, which give it more the appearance of an old castle, than of a building consecrated to Divine worship. There is another church of a similar appearance at Jalapa, and Mr. Martin thought that they both resembled some of the old churches built by the order of the Templars, in France.

Nov. 5.—We reached Ărrōyŏ Sārcŏ after travelling ten hours over a road covered with lava, and rocks of volcanic origin: parts of it were so bad as to make the progress of the coach exceedingly slow, and we did not reach the Meson till after dusk in the evening. We found it so very small and bad, that we were compelled to seek a night's lodging in a neighbouring Hacienda belonging to Revilla, the proprietor of the German mines at Chico. His steward received us with much civility, and made over to us the two only disposable rooms. One of them was nearly full of maize, but Mr. Martin and I found a vacant spot to erect our beds, while our companions spread their mattresses upon the Indian corn, which they assured us, in the morning, formed a most comfortable couch, as it accommodated itself to the shape of the body. The lands belonging to the Hacienda are nine leagues in extent, and are very valuable, from their vicinity to the