332 SUBSEQUENT CAREER OF CORT¿S. [Book VII.

for superintending his vast estates, and he now de-voted himself to bring them into proper cultivation.He introduced the sugar-cane from Cuba , and itgrew luxuriantly in the rich soil of the neighbouringlowlands. He imported large numbers of merinosheep and other cattle, which found abundant pas-tures in the country around Tehuantepec. His landswere thickly sprinkled with groves of mulberry-trees,which furnished nourishment for the silk-worm. Heencouraged the cultivation of hemp and flax, and, byhis judicious and enterprising husbandry, showed thecapacity of the soil for the culture of valuable pro-ducts before unknown in the land; and he turnedthese products to the best account, by the erectionof sugar-mills, and other works for the manufactureof the raw material. He thus laid the foundationof an opulence for his family, as substantial, if notas speedy, as that derived from the mines. Yet thislatter source of wealth was not neglected by him;and he drew gold from the region of Tehuantepec,and silver from that of Zacatecas. The amountderived from these mines was not so abundant as at

markable for its natural beautyand its historic associations. “ Itwas the capital,” says Madame deCalderon, “ of the Tlahuica na-tion, and, after the Conquest, Cor-tés built here a splendid palace, achurch, and a convent for Francis­ cans , believing that he had laidthe foundation of a great city.

.It is, however, a place

of little importance, though so fa-

vored by nature; and the Conquer-or’s palace is a half-ruined bar-rack, though a most picturesqueobject, standing on a hill, behindwhich starts up the great whitevolcano. There are some goodhouses, and the remains of thechurch which Cortes built, cel-ebrated for its bold arch.” Lifein Mexico , vol. II. let. 31.