J62 NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS.

all the inhabitants plentifully. The other is empty , that whenit is necefTary to clean, or repair the former , the ftream ofwater may be turned into it. As this conduit paffes along twoof the bridges , where there are breaches in the eaufeway,through which the fait - water of the lake flows , it is con-veyed over them in pipes as large as the body of an ox , thencarried from the conduit to the remote quarters of the city incanoes, and fold to the inhabitants. Relaz. ap. Ramuf 241, A.

NOTE XXV. p. 166.

In the armory of the royal palace of Madrid , are fhownfrits of armor , which are called Montezuma’s. They arecompofed of thin lacquered copper - plates. In the opinionof very intelligent judges they are evidently eaftern. Theforms of the filver ornaments upon them, reprefenting dra-gons , &c. may be confidered as a confirmation of this. Theyare infinitely fuperior in point of workmanfhip to any effortof American art. The Spaniards probably received them fromthe Philippine iflands. The only unqueftionable fpecimen ofAlexican art that I know of in Great Britain , is a cup ofvery fine gold , which is faid to have belonged to Montezuma.It weighs s oz. 12 dwt. Three drawings of it were exhibitedto the Society of Antiquaries , June 10 , 176s. A man’shead is reprefented on this cup. On one fide the full face ,on the other the profile , on the third the back parts of thehead. The relievo is faid to have been produced by punchingthe infide of the cup, fo as to make the reprefentation of aface on the outfide. The features are rude, but very tolerable ,and certainly too rude for Spanifh workmanfhip. This cupwas put-chafed by Edward earl of Orford , while he lay inthe harbour of Cadiz with the fleec unter his command,and is now in the pofieifion of his grandfon, Lord Archer.

I am indebted for this information to my relpecfable andingenious friend Mr. Barrington.