“On entering the gates, to the right are seen those artificial tumuli, the teocalli of unburnt brick so common in most Indian towns, supposed to be temples, tombs, or places of defence, or perhaps serving for all these purposes. The foundations and ruins of temples, fortresses, palaces, and other extensive buildings, are alone sufficient to attest its former consequence and splendour; but it is likewise well known to have been in earlier times the seat of Mexican literature and art. It was the Athens of America, and the residence of historians, orators, poets, artists, and the great men of every department of the sciences who existed in those days.
“What a subject for contemplation does this collection of ruins present to the reflecting mind! The seat of a powerful monarch, whose subjects (if we may judge from their works) were probably an enlightened people, existing and flourishing long before the continent of America was known to Europe, and yet a people whose customs, costume, religion, and architecture strongly resembled those of an enlightened nation of Africa.”
Mr. Bullock continues:—
“We soon arrived at the foot of the largest pyramid (at Otumba), and began to ascend. It was less difficult than we expected, although, the whole way up, lime and cement are mixed with fallen stones.[[66]] The terraces are perfectly visible, particularly the second, which is about thirty-eight feet wide, covered with a coat of red cement eight or ten inches thick, composed of small pebble-stones and lime. In many places, as you ascend, the nopal trees have destroyed the regularity of the steps, but nowhere injured the general figure of the square, which is as perfect in this respect as the Great Pyramid of Egypt.
“We everywhere observed broken pieces of instruments like knives, arrow and spear-heads, &c. composed of obsidian, the same as those found on the small hills of Chollula; and, on reaching the summit, we found a flat surface of considerable size, but which has been much broken and disturbed. On the north-east side, about half-way down, at some remote period, an opening has been attempted.
“Dr. Oteyza, who has given us the measure of these Pyramids, makes the base of the largest six hundred and forty-five feet in length, and one hundred and seventy-one in perpendicular height. I should certainly consider that the latter measurement is considerably under the mark, and that its altitude must be half its breadth.”
There is no doubt that these Mexican pyramids were built by Moses for the same purpose as those in Egypt; and that these were similarly finished off with casing-stones, to preserve the corn from the effects of the elements, like their prototypes throughout Egypt. Dr. Robertson in his History of North and South America, says:—
“As far as one can gather from their obscure and inaccurate descriptions, the great temple of Mexico, the most famous in New Spain, which has been represented as a magnificent building, raised to such a height that the ascent to it was by a flight of a hundred and fourteen steps, was a solid mass of earth of a square form, faced partly with stone. Its base on each side extended ninety feet, and decreasing gradually as it advanced in height, it terminated in a quadrangle of about thirty feet.”
In its original state this building would have terminated in a sharp point, instead of a quadrangle of such extent; and have been faced entirely with stone, smoothly polished, from base to summit—resembling the Egyptian pyramids.
When the Spaniards under Cortes, visited Mexico, “the Empire[[67]] was at a pitch of grandeur to which no society ever attained in so short a period. Its dominion extended from the North to the South sea, over territories stretching, with some small interruption, above five hundred leagues from east to west, and more than two hundred from north to south, comprehending provinces, not inferior in fertility, population, and opulence, to any in the torrid zone.