During the war it was thrown down--has been broken for various purposes, and its remains now lie neglected, an object of interest to the curious traveller only. All our new friends now volunteered to show us something, and we had nearly seen nothing in the contest of each to carry us to different places. At length, we effected a compromise, and were carried to search a _corral_ or cattle yard for the capital of the column. We looked in vain in yard and stable, notwithstanding one present assured us he had seen it. We abandoned the pursuit of the evanescent block, and were conducted by an old man (who was called Cortés, and who affected to be of pure Indian blood, and to despise all others who were not,) to his house, in a corner of which was worked a carved stone--evidently an antique, but it was a work posterior to the conquest, for it represented an armed man on horseback. Cortés then carried us to the rear of the church, to see another carved stone, but it was placed so high in the wall that we could scarcely distinguish it, but enough appeared to convince us that it bore the arms of Spain. These instances prove how cautious we must be in adopting the opinions of the natives on antiquarian matters. It was now dark, and we returned to our _meson_, as miserable and cheerless a house of entertainment as traveller ever entered. We made, nevertheless, a good supper of eggs, _frijoles_ (beans), and wine, of which we partook in the kitchen. On making inquiries respecting a celebrated aqueduct which we understood to exist in the vicinity of _Otumba_, we learned that it was distant nearly five leagues. We had intended to return to Mexico on the morrow, but we now determined to visit this work. During the evening, one of our lately formed acquaintances called to introduce one of his friends, who politely offered us horses, a favor which we gladly accepted. DEC. 29. We rose early, and joined by three of our new acquaintances, were soon on horseback. One of those who attended us, was manager of two fine _haciendas_, which we visited on our way to the arches of Zempoala. The first, Soapayuca, owned by the _Conde de Tepa_, a Spanish nobleman, is about a league from _Otumba_. Having been burnt during the revolution it has been rebuilt on an extensive scale. Our road ran along the _lomes_ of the mountains, through fields of the _maguey_. About two leagues and a half from _Otumba_, we were shown, on our left, the plain of _San Miguel_, where Cortes is represented to have gained his celebrated victory, in the retreat from Mexico to _Tlascala_. A ride of three leagues brought us to the _hacienda_ of _Ometusco_--an estate from which _pulque_ only is made, which gives to its owner, Don Ignacio Adalid, of Mexico, a nett profit, as we were informed, of $15,000 a year. Here we took breakfast, and after viewing the buildings, pursued a narrow path through the _magueyes_ to the _Arcos de Zempoala_.