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MONTEZUMA. 151
:M EXICO.
39. MONTEZUMA.-I.
1. High on th e table-land of Mexico there once
stood a beautiful city, whi ch was built partly on th e
shores of a lake and partly on islands in th e lake.
The houses were built of sto ne, and were of great size.
I n th e squares of th e city stood beautiful temples,
ornamented with silver and gold and j ewels, the principal
of which were th e temple of the sun and the
temple of th e god of war. All round th e lak e th e
country was well cultivated, and produced crops of
cotton, maize, wheat, sugar, and coffee. Great roads
led from the capital to the coasts of th e Gulf of
Mexico and-of the Pacific Ocean.
') The people who dwelt there were called Aztecs.