DEC. 27. After breakfast, we rode a league to see the _ahuahuetes_[2]--cypress trees--of large dimensions, some of them are not less than fifty feet in circumference. A large edifice, it is believed, stood once in the midst of them. There are traces of buildings. The regularity with which these trees are disposed, proves, beyond a doubt, that they were planted. They are so regular, that in order to enclose three sides of a square it was necessary to lay a few _adobes_ only between them. Two rows of these trees form a long street. This grove of _ahuahuetes_ is seen distinctly from the city of Mexico, their deep green contrasting strongly with the dry and open plain which surrounds them. [Footnote 2: _Cupressus disticha_. The largest tree known of this description is at the village of Atlixco, in the state of Puebla. It is in circumference 23.3 metres, or 76½ English feet.--_Humb. New Spain_, _l. 3. c. 8, p. 154. Ed. of 1827_.] We employed the afternoon in revisiting the antiquities of _Tescuco_. We were also conducted to the garden belonging to the convent of San Francisco, where a remarkable carved stone lies neglected under a tree. It is round and represents a man, whose nose is prodigious, in a kneeling attitude, holding something--what it is we could not discover--in his hands; behind him is another figure, which defied all our efforts to decipher it. At night, we accompanied the young ladies of the house to a ball given by the principal merchant of the town. The room was filled with men, women, and cigar smoke. This compelled us to make an early retreat, for our eyes were not yet insensible to its effect. DEC. 28. After an early breakfast, and the completion of some repairs to our coach, we took leave of the excellent family who had entertained us most hospitably. We now directed our steps towards _Otumba_. Passing several small villages--some of them are very picturesque, with their enclosures of the _cactus cylindricus_, which grows to the height of fifteen or eighteen feet--the country became barren and uninteresting, until we reached the fine hacienda of _San Antonio_. Here we deviated from the direct route, but were compensated for the loss of time by the sight of an extensive stone wall, built to contain water for the purpose of irrigating the estate, and for the use of the cattle. This large _presa_--or pond--was the work of the Jesuits, who formerly owned the finest property in New Spain, and who were sagacious and industrious in improving their possessions. Retracing our steps, we passed the extensive buildings of _San Antonio_, leaving immediately upon our left its beautiful wheat fields, which the laborers were then engaged in watering. This is the dry season, and wheat will grow only where it can be irrigated frequently.