A few miles farther and the beautiful valley of Mexico lay suddenly
revealed before them like a vision of enchantment. It was a scene of
verdant charm, the bright green of the fields and groves diversified with
the white walls of villages and farm-houses, the silvery flow of streams,
and the gleaming surface of winding lakes, while beyond and around a wall
of wooded mountains ascended to snowy peaks. It was a scene of summer
charm that had not been gazed upon by an invading army since the days when
Cortez and his men looked down upon it with warm delight.
The principal lakes visible were Lake Chalco, with the long, narrow lake
of Xochimilco near it, and seven miles to the north Lake Tezcuco, near the
western shore of which the city of Mexico was visible. Between Chalco and
Tezcuco ran the national road, for much of its length a narrow causeway
between borders of marsh-land. Near Lake Xochimilco was visible the
Acapulco road. Strong works of defence commanded both these highways.
[Illustration: ON THE BORDER OF LAKE CHALCO.]
ON THE BORDER OF LAKE CHALCO.
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