Note 760 — Chapter XVIII · ARCHITECTURE AND DWELLINGS OF THE NAHUAS.
Reading edition
'Mayores que la plaça que ay en Salamanca.' Bernal Diaz, Hist. Conq., fol. 70. Cortés, Cartas, p. 106, states that a town of 500 houses could be located within its compass. Torquemada, Monarq. Ind., tom. ii., p. 144, Gomara, Conq. Mex., fol. 119, Las Casas, Hist. Apologética, MS., cap. li., and Herrera, Hist. Gen., dec. ii., lib. vii., cap. xvii., agree upon a length to each side of one cross-bow or musket shot, and this, according to Las Casas, cap. cxxxii., is 750 paces; in the same places he gives the length at four shots, or 3000 paces, an evident mistake, unless by this is meant the circumference. Hernandez estimates it at about 80 perches, or 1,420 feet. Sahagun, Hist. Gen., tom. i., lib. ii., p. 197, who seems to have investigated the matter more closely, places it at 200 fathoms, which cannot be too high, when we consider that the court enclosed 77 or more edifices, besides the great temple. Carbajal Espinosa, Hist. Mex., tom. ii., p. 226, gives a length of 250 varas.