of the Mediterranean sea-growth from which it takes its name. A pure
white campanile with its inverted hanging flowers, like metallic bells,
which it so much resembles, stood beside the coral-tree.

An excursion of about thirty miles on the Mexican and Vera Cruz Railroad
took us in sight of the two remarkable pyramids erected to the gods
Tonateuh, the sun, and Meztli, the moon, situated near the present
village of San Juan Teotihuacan. With the exception of the pyramid at
Cholula, these are doubtless the most ancient prehistoric remains on the
soil of Mexico. That dedicated to the moon has been so far penetrated as
to discover a long gallery with a couple of wells situated very nearly
in the middle of the mound. The entrance to this is on the southern
side, at about two thirds of the elevation. What the purpose of these
pits could have been, no one can say. There are still some remains on
the pyramid dedicated to the sun which indicate that a temple once
occupied the spot, which is said to have been destroyed by the Spaniards
nearly four hundred years ago. Excavations show that the neighboring
ground is full of ancient tombs. The pyramid dedicated to the sun-god is
a little larger than the other, being about two hundred feet high and
seven hundred feet in length at the base, with a nearly corresponding
width.

Speaking of Teotihuacan, Bancroft says: "Here kings and priests were
elected, ordained, and buried. Hither flocked pilgrims from every
direction to consult the oracles, to worship in the temples of the sun
and moon, and to place sacrificial offerings on the altars of their
deities. The sacred city was ruled by the long-haired priests of the
sun, famous for their austerity and their wisdom. Through the hands of
these priests, as the Spanish writers tell us, yearly offerings were
made of the first fruits of the fields; and each year at harvest-time, a
solemn festival was celebrated, not unattended by human sacrifice." In
the neighborhood of these huge mounds there are traces of a large and
substantially built city having once existed. It is believed to have
been twenty miles in circumference. Obsidian knives, arrowheads, stone
pestles, and broken plaster trowels are often found just below the
surface of the soil. A large number of smaller pyramids stand at various
distances about the two principal ones which we have named. These do not
exceed twenty-five or thirty feet in height, and are thought to have
been dedica