Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1883-02-06
The City of Mexico.
Written for the HERALD

Written for the HERALD
In the very center OF tho central pla-
teau, between the branches of the noun
tains of Anahuac, surrounded by noun
tains, apparently volcanic circle, lies
the valley of Mexico. To the southeast
is the range of mountains whore the ex-
tinct volcanoes of Popocatopetl tthe
smoking mountain) and lxtaccihuatl
1.-THE woman in white) are situated; to
the south is the volcano of Ajusco, about
Il, 900 feet above the sea. To the west is
the elevated range of Monte de los
Cruces, nearly 10000 feet high. To the
north the land rises gradually till it
touches the Sierras of Atotonilco and
Pachuca. The form of the valley is
elliptic--about forty by thirty miles. The
land of the valley was formerly covered
by the water falling from the sides of the
surrounding mountains. As described
by Cortes, in 1920, sit was valley sur
rounded by mountains, and most of its
surface occupied by two lakes" Now it
has the lakes of Chalco, Xochimilco,
Texoco, Xaltocan, San Cristobal and
Zumpango.
This valley, undoubtedly the most
interesting in America, is situated be-
tween 49, 10 "a" and TO- 81 Is" north
latitude, ut an average elevation of 7400
feet above the level of the sea. Its
climate is temperate. In spring the
valley has flowers of lovely eolors-of
intense fragrance. In summer, fruits
the most varied and seductive; and in
autumn and winter its gorgeous tints of
sky, its soft, poetical, starry heavens;
valuable timber of great varieties, cereals,
fish in its lakes and streams, fowls the
most pleasant to the sight and appetite,
and snenry the most lovely, with tho
atmosphere lmpid and the wind charged
with the odors Of clustering herbs, pre-
sent perpetual spring. From tho ele-
waited rock and castle palace of Chapul-
tepeo the scene displayed beneath and
around you has no rival Chapultepec
itself is marvel of picturesque and
romantic beauty. Hero the Aztec kings
passed their summers, and it has been
the abode of royalty and the dwelling
place of rulers ever since. There is in
finite lovelness in this lonely, wild,
richly foliagei hilltop, with the great
golden valley below. 1t is an elevated
mound of porphyry, surrounded by i'm
monse trees (ahuchuete aud sabinos) in
a forest formed, centuries old, with mini.
iature lakes and fountains throwing their
silvery sprays high to the summit of the
rock in the lovely recesses of the dark
wood Flowers, domestic and exotic,
cover the eminence, and the beautifully
laid gardens around the Palace. The
sun going down behind the western Cor
dillera, themountain yelled by splendor
Of burning light across the sky as
iewelled thrones Of gods; Ajasco, with
its dark projecting rocks, the towering
forms OF the volcanoes in the pink and
rose of their SHOWS; on the north the
naked eminence of Tepeyac, whose yell
low color contrasts with the blue of the
henveue. tho yo,,o,.,F ,,,;st nvar tho laly ne
beautiful dells; rocky knolls; rows OF
trees, shadowy and regular, dotting the
valley; farm houses and haciendas,
hamlets. below You the great city, with
its snowy buildings bathed in flood of
amber and radiant light mirrorel in the
lake in soft, bAlmy atmosphere; here
poetry, beauty and history, with its
mysterious past, place scene, the
beauty of which can be better expressed
by paraphrasing the words of the Arab
poet, " Have you seen the valley of
Mexico from Chapultepee Then re-
ioice and die; for there is no other sight
on earth, and you are prepared to view
the beauties of Paradise
In the bosom OF this enchanting val
ley sits, robed in white and purple, the
Empress City of America, tho great
Tenoohtitlan, the seat OF empire of the
conquering Aztec race. The origin of
this people is lost in the mist of ages.
Possibly migrating from Iztlan about
the tenth or eleventh century, they
reached this spot about 1925, where, in
obedience to religious inspiration, the
legend says, they found rock covered
with cactus plant on which an eagle
was devouring snake, and here rested
heneforth to become the great race of
the American continent to be van
pushed only by the then great people
Of Europe.