which was followed by the adoption of the faith of another sect.

"The Russian church," continued my friend, "which you are aware is the Greek Church reformed much in the same manner as the Protestant is the Romish Church reformed, resembles the Romish in its forms and ceremonies, but is more like the established Protestant churches in its independence and its practice. The monarch with us as with you, is the head of the entire establishment, and the same tolerance which you practise towards other sects, is also practised by us with the same good effects."

"There is however," he added, "a reasonable hope of the final drawing together of the different Christian sects. This may be chiefly seen in the better feeling for one another which exists at the present day, above that formerly entertained. Religion is unchanged, but men better comprehend its ends, and entertain yearly more charity for one another.

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'Religious wars are no longer fought with the sword. The bonfires of London and Paris are burned out. Even the inquisitions of the south of Europe have since the conclusion of the last general war, opened their gates and let the victims of the most ignorant and tyrannical rulers of mankind breathe again the free air.”

The other place of interest that we visited was at Chapaltepec, about a league from the city, where may be seen almost all that now remains to recall the memory of the last princes of the ancient race once peopling this region of America, comprising little more than the gardens of Montazuma.

We set off on foot with our approved guide, and the first thing that attracted our attention as we left the city was a noble aqueduct forming one of the two great courses by which water is conveyed from the higher country, and which is supported by nine hundred wide arches.

The sources of this watercourse are at the hill of Chapaltepec, towards which we were directing our steps, while those supplying the watercourse which enters another part of the town, are at the hill of Santa Fé which is further from the city.

After an agreeable walk, we came to the gates of the gardens of Montazuma which were open, and at which there were two sentinels who did not obstruct our passage. We found the ground rise a little after entering, until we came to a branch of the road on the right, conducting to the more elevated ground upon which stands the castle of Chapaltepec, an edifice built by one of the viceroys in the days of Spanish rule.

to

We first took the straight way which leads directly the site of the former palace and gardens of the Mexican princes. The gardens are said to have at one time encompassed the hill for several miles around, to have been filled with shrubs and flowers, and to have possessed every enchantment which the highest refinement of the times afforded. There are now howeve no remains whatever of the palace, or indeed of the gardens, save a few magnificent trees, which still adorn the place of residence of the last sovereigns of this ancient people. The most remark

able of these, are of the cypress species, which stand like an eternal monument of the past grandeur of the monarchs of the ancient race. Tradition reports, and we may well believe, that those proud sovereigns, the heads of the terrible system of government and the frightful mythology which prevailed, once passed their leisure hours amidst the women of their harems, under the branches of these very trees, which are supposed to have been centuries old even at the time of the conquest of the country.

The height of one of them is immense, and we found the trunk at about four feet from the ground, to be ten times the span of a man's arms, or about forty-five or fifty feet, in circumference. The other trees of the same species are not much inferior to this; and there are about a dozen of a different species equally magnificent, while their age is rendered more apparent by their trunks and larger boughs being covered with plants and moss. There were also many of the kinds often before mentioned as prevailing throughout the tropical regions of America.

The greater part of these trees, were standing near the banks of a narrow and tranquil lake, which is said to have afforded fishing for the ancient sovereigns; and near the lake abound shrubberies of natural growth and wild flowers, which, if they do not recall the past, add to the gloomy aspect of the place.

After we had gratified ourselves by inspecting the little to be seen in the garden besides the trees, we ascended a winding carriage road which led to the castle above mentioned. This, notwithstanding its

European origin, is an ancient building in a state of decay. The apartments were uninhabited, and without furniture, and the walls, which are from their situation much exposed to the wind, were crumbling away, while the windows which had once had glass in them, were now without any.

From the terrace beneath the walls of the castle we obtained even a more extended view of the city and its vicinity, and of the snow-capped mountains which encompass the plain, than from the observatory of the university. The most conspicuous object which now came under our notice was, the rural retreat of Tobayca, where the wealthier portion of the citizens pass the hottest season of the year.

At the base of the hill we had ascended, and near the pathway which leads to its summit, there is a cold spring, now walled in, which is said to have been the bath of Montazuma.

CHAP. XXXIX.

THE SILVER MINES OF REAL DEL MONTE.

Level Road. Cultivated Country.— Arrival at Puchaca. - Road to Real del Monte. - Arrival at the Director's. - Curious Reception. Mrs. Buchan. -Meeting Mr. Buchan. Inspection of the Offices of the Chief Engineer. - Ride to the Outworks of the Mining Establishment. Reducing the Silver from the Ore. Patio Process. - Wet Crushing Mills.- Process of the German Barrels.-- Regla. - Natural Objects of Curiosity. — San Migel. — Romantic Country. — Descent into the principal Mine at Real del Monte. — Account of the Interior. - The principal Veins worked. - Departure.

As it was my intention to visit the silver mines of Real del Monte which are at a convenient distance from the city of Mexico, our consul Mr. Mackintosh, their principal proprietor, offered me a letter to the director of the works, Mr. Buchan; but by some accident I missed. seeing the consul before my departure and set off without this advantage.

There was but one other passenger in the diligence, a gentleman who had been speculating heavily in mines with very indifferent success. He was now, however, full of hope, that a favourable change was taking place, by the introduction of improvements in the working of the ores, which would soon enable him. to recover the losses he had sustained.

We were both well armed, and therefore free at least from the terror I had suffered on my last journey, lest