Page:Mexico in 1827 Vol 2.djvu/245

curve towards the middle of the stern, which gives it a particularly graceful appearance. Both trees are covered, in part, with a parasitic plant, (Tillandsia usneoides,) resembling long grey moss, which sets off their dark foliage amazingly. They were formerly surrounded by a whole wood of Sabinos as venerable as themselves; but the Revolution, which spared nothing, did not respect them. A detachment of troops was quartered at Chăpūltĕpēc, which, from its commanding height, is a strong military position; and although it was never attacked, more damage was done by these barbarians, than the place would have sustained had it been taken by storm. They cut down a number of the finest old trees for fire-wood, and as no notice was taken of such slight excesses, at a time when licence was the order of the day, it is wonderful that any should have escaped. The view from the Ăzŏtēă of Chapultepec, embraces the whole extent of the valley of Tĕnōchtĭtlān, with its lakes and villages, and highly cultivated fields, intersected, every here and there, by rocks of the most uncouth shape, which stand sometimes isolated, and sometimes in groups so very singularly put together, as to give quite a novel character to the scene. Beyond these again, the eye rests upon the two splendid mountains, which form the boundary of the valley to the South-east. The most distant of these, Pŏpŏcătēpĕtl is higher than any mountain in the Northern division of America, except Mount St. Elias. Īztăccihuătl, which is