UC-NRLF B 3 b57 ms THE ROBERT E. COWAN COLLECTION I'RESKXTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF CfiLIFORNlfl C. P. HUNTINGTON JUNE. 18Q7, Accession Ncy'0//6 Class N* Si: u \ \ Q VC,^ 'A' gsg^g/gBsrvrrii meMe^^e^' lis ujyiO(iMriiy -■^T^^rpT ..'^I'iiK- I? iT>A7 i !!i§\\:% \ lE MEXICO: ITS GEOGRAPH Y— I TS PEOPLE- ITS INSTITUTIONS: S a. 14 I A A N' N A . WITH A MAP, CONTAINING THE RESULT OF THE LATEST EXPLORATIONS OF FREMONT, WILKES, AND OTHERS. B Y THOMAS J. FARNHAM, Author of " Travels across the Great Western Prairies," " Travels in California," &.c. &c. N E W - Y O R K : H. LONG & BROTHER, 32 Ann-Street. f>'^f3 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1846, BY THEODORE FOSTER, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New York. ;tf//4 PREFACE. This book is intended to present a concise view of the Republic of Mexico, in its physical features and moral aspects. Its geography, its agriculture, its mines, its people, its military resources, its government, its church, and its public men, are treated in a manner thought to be the most concise and intelli- gible. In doing this the author has consulted all the standard authorities on the subject, and selecting therefrom what he has deemed true, has added the same to the knowledge which he himself acquired during his travels in that country. He there- fore ventures to say, that no other single work contains so full and so accurate an account of Mexico as this. Of the Map accompanying the work, it should be said that readers may he assured of its general correctness. In regard to those portions of it which relate to the Californias, the author avers it to be the only one in existence which presents any- thing like a full and accurate idea of the geography of those countries. The author's own explorations, together with those of the U. S. Exploring Expedition under Captains Wilkes and Fremont, are used in its construction. On the whole, it is hoped that this little book will meet the desire of the public for information relative to the wide-spread and important regions of which it treats. No parts of the earth are so pregnant with great events as these. Inhabited by a race incapable of self-government ; whose vices are so numerous and deleterious as to prevent any considerable increase of their numbers ; whose union with the Indian and Negro debase the morals and decrease, from gene- ration to generation, the physical and mental powers — Mexico must eventually be peopled and gov^erned by another race. As the Indian and other inferior orders of the human family have ever given place to the Caucasian branch ; so must, as a general law, all mixtures of that branch with these, fade before the greater intelligence of its pure blood — so certainly as the stars do before the sun. How interesting then does the fate of Mexicans become ; and their country — the theatre of coming acts and scenes of untold influence overman — how important for Americans to know it well. The following pages describe it. THE AUTHOR. W' MEXICO, TEXAS AND CALIFORNIA, CHAPTER I. PHYSICAL FEATUEES. Sources of Information. Previous to the publications of Robertson, the Scottish historian, little more was known of the Spanish American colonies than the history of their discovery and conquest. For two hundred years, with the exception of UUoas' travels and discourses, and the narratives of Bouger and Condamine, no satisfactory intelli- gence had been communicated to the world relating to any of the principal Spanish settlements. But at the commencement of the present century, with the change of system adopted by the Spanish government, the scene changed. Travellers were no longer refused admittance to her colonies. In consequence, much additional information has been given to the public, bj"- the various publi- cations of Molina, Alcedo, Estallo, Depons, Antillon, and, above all, by Hum- boldt, whose work yet remains our main authority on the geography of those regions. His remarks, however, embrace only that part of Mexico which lies to the south of the 24th deg. of N. latitude. The deficiency was in some mea- sure supplied by General Pike, of the American army, who, in 1S05-7, traversed the country from Santa Fe to Chihuahua, and thence east to Louisiana. Of late years there has been no want of writers. Of these the most credible and intelligent are the following, to all of whom are we more or less indebted for the succeeding sketches. t Waddy Thompson's Recollections. New-York, 1846. Gilliam's Travels in Mexico. Philadelphia, 184.5. Life in Mexico. By Madame Calderon de la Banca. 2 vols. Boston, 1843. General Green's Texan Expedition. New- York, 1S45. Brantz Mayer's Mexico ; as it Was and Is. New- York, 1842. Prescott's History of the Conquest of Mexico. 3 vols. New-York, 1844. Kendall's Santa Fe Expedition. 2 vols. New-York, 1S44. Bernal Diaz' History of the Conquest of Mexico. Translated by Lockhart. 2 vols. Svo. London, 1844. Mexico in 18-27. By A. G. Ward. 2 vols. London, 1828. Latrobe's Rambler in Mexico. 2 vols. London, 1836. Bullock's Six Months in Mexico. 2 vols. London, 1825. Cullen's History of Mexico. 3 vols. Philadelphia, 1817. De Solis's History of the Conquest of Mexico. 2 vols. London. 1738. Edwards' History of Texas. 1vol. Cincinnati, 1836. Alexander von Humboldt's Essay on New Spain. 4 vols Svo. London, 1811. Kennedy's Texas ; its Geogi-aphy, &c. New-York. 1844. 6 PHYSICAL FEATITRES. Newell's History of the Revolution in Texas. New- York, 1838. Poinsett's Notes on Mexico. Philadelphia, 1824, Farnham's Travels in California. 8vo. New-York, 1844. Forbes' History of California. 1 vol. London. Life in California. 1 vol. New-York, 1846. Texas and the Texans. 2 vols. Philadelphia, 1841. Texan Emigrant. Cincinnati, 183S. Mrs. HoUey's Travels in Texas. Baltimore, 1830. Boundaries. The Republic of Mexico, as it existed at the time it assumed its independence, extended from the 14th to the 42d parallel of north latitude. It is separated from Guatemala by a line drawn from the foot of Tehuantepec in the Pacific, to the bay of Honduras. Its boundary line with the United States was understood to commence at the mouth of the Sabine river, which is about two hundred miles west of the Mississippi. From this point it ascends that stream to its source in the belt of high land w^hich separates the valley of the Red river from Texas ; thence north-west to the Red river : it then ascends the course of that stream to the 100th deg. of W. longitude ; and thence strikes off N. to the Ar- kansas, in the same meridian, up that river to its source ; from thence to the source of the Platte river, in 42 deg. N. latitude, and thence almost due W. til! it strikes the coast of the Pacific, in latitude 42 deg. N., which is about the line of demarkation between Massachusetts, and Connecticut, and Pennsylvania, and New-York. Extent of Surface. At its southern extremity, Mexico is but 130 miles in width. Between Aca- pulco and Vera Cruz it is 280 miles. In latitude 26 deg. between the mouth of the Rio del Norte and the eastern shore of the Gulf of California, it is 725 miles in width ; at latitude 30 deg. it is 1200 miles in width, and in latitude 33 deg. it is 1400 miles from the eastern limit of Texas to the Pacific Ocean. From the irregularity of its form it is impossible to determine with precision the superficial contents of Mexico ; but, according to the best authorities it may be considered as occupying about 1,200,000 square miles, or more than six times the area of France. In this estimate we do not include the area of Texas, which of itself contains about 500,000 square miles. Natural Divisions. This immense country is divided by nature into three regions, each of which is marked by distindi features. The first comprehends the countries lying to the east of the isthmus of Tehuantepec, which is crossed by the meridian of 95 deg. \V. Greenwich ; we shall call it the eastern region. The second extends from the meridian of 95 deg. in a curved line to the mouth of the Rio del Norte on the east, (26 deg. N. lat.) and to the most northern recess of the Gulf of Cali- fornia (32 deg. N. lat.) on the west ; it is the central region, or Anahuac. The third, or northern region, comprehends the countries situated north of a line '^'•awn from the mouth of the Rio del Norte to that of the Colorado. The Eastern Region. The eastern region comprehends the plains of Yucatan, the plain of Tobasco, and*'the isthi;.v'=; of Tehuantepec. The north-eastern extremity of the isthmus of Yucatan, nedi Cape Catoche, is hardly more than 150 miles from Cape St. Antonio on the island of Cuba. Through the strait formed by these headlands, PHYSICAL FEATURES. 7 a current, with considerable velocity, sets in to the north. The northern and western shores of the peninsula have no harbours, but only roadsteads, which during the northern gales are very unsafe, but along the eastern shores there are several harbours. The shores are sandy and flat. The level country ex- tends to a considerable distance inland, whilst the centre of the peninsula is occu- pied by a range of low hills. The hilly district in the interior, as well as the flat country on the northern coast, has a sandy soil, and no spring water is found from Cape Catoche to the mouth of the Rio de St. Francisco, which empties itself in Campeachy Bay. Its vegetation is scanty ; the trees are stunted, and ihe plants of a languid growth, except during the rainy season, (from May to September ;) but as the climate, though exceedingly hot, is healthy, it is much better inhabited and cultivated than the eastern shores. Plain of Tobasco. The plain of Tobasco begins on the east at some distance east of Lake Ter- minos, and extends westward to Patrida Rock, a moderately elevated cape on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, (98deg. W. long.) This plain is more than 250 miles long, and extending inland from 50 to 120 miles. Its surface is a dead level, and the soil alluvial. Being very fertile, it is covered with a thick forest of heavy growth, but is little cultivated on account of its being subject to inunda- tions, and generally under water for several months during the rainy season. It seems that this part of Mexico suffers as much from the superabundance of water as other parts for the want of it. To this circumstance, and the great heat of the summer, is the unhealthinoss of this tract to be attributed. The Plain of Tobasco is watered by a considerable river, the Rio de Tobasco, and its two branches, the Usumasinta and the Grijolva. Isthmus of Tekuantepec. The plain of Tobasco occupies the northern portion and about one half of the isthmus of Tehuantepec. It has a very hot, but rather dry climate, and the soil, though not distinguished by fertility, is capable of producing several tropical plants. It is supposed that an easy line of communication may be established across the isthmus of Tehuantepec between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific, as the two seas are only 130 miles distant, and the plains adjacent are watered by navigable rivers. This was a favourite idea with Santa Anna. AnaJiuac. The central region of Mexico, commonly called Anahuac, exhibits great variety in its natural features. The eastern coast, which is low and sandy, runs on in a continuous line virithout being broken by inlets or bays ; and consequently it contains no harbours except those formed by the mouth of the river ; and even these are only unsafe roadsteads, as the rivers of this coast, with the exception of the Rio Alvarado, have only water enough in the rainy season. North of 22 deg. several rivers of considerable size fall into the sea, but except at their mouths, the coast cannot be approached by vessels, as it is lined by long, low and narrow islands, which lie parallel to, and from two to six miles from it. The channels by which these islands are separated are too shallow to admit even boats. The country adjacent to the shores, and from three to ten miles inland, is very low, but is defended from the sea by sand hills rising from 50 to 200 feet high. The soil is sandy and quite destitute of vegetation. At the back of this low sandy tract the country rises gradually to the foot of an extremely steep ascent, which constitutes the eastern ridge of the extensive table-land farther west. The coua- 8 PHYSICAL FEATURES. try which lies between the shores and the steep ascent varies in width. At Vera Cruz it is onl}'' 60 miles wide. Farther north it widens till it becomes nearly 180 miles across. This tract is comprehended in what is called the " hot coun- tries." The seasons are divided into the winter, or the season of the north winds, and the summer, or season of the breezes. The former lasts from Octo- ber to April, during which time the north winds are prevalent, and frequently blow with the force of a hurricane, sometimes for days together : they are the terror of navigators on these shores. During these periods the coast is healthy and the vomito or yellow fever ceases. The mean heat of this season is 71 deg. of Fahrenheit, but whilst the north winds are blowing, the thermometer some- times descends to 60 deg. Rain is not rare during this season, but the showers are only of short duration. During the summer the heat is great ; the mean temperature is about 81 deg. The rains are not heavy before June, but in thai month they descend in torrents nearly every day for several hours. In July alone about fifteen inches of rain fall, or two-thirds of the mean annual quantity at London. Ascent to the Table- Lands. The steep ascent which bounds this tract on the west rises in some places in terraces which lie between the declivities, and in such parts the ascent occupies a considerable space ; but in other parts it rises from 5000 to 6000 feet in a dis- tance generally not exceeding ten miles in width, and frequently much less. The acclivity is so steep, that in the whole line there are only two places where it is practicable for carriages, namely at Xalapa, near Vera Cruz, and at Saltillo, west of Monterey, though its whole length does not fall short of 600 miles. Table-Lands. The physical feature of Mexico is a high table-land, bearing some aspect in this respect to the southern peninsula of India. These immense plains, situated at an elevation of from 6000 to 8000 feet above the level of the ocean, have oc- casional inequalities of surface ; lofty mountains and luxuriant valleys diversify the appearance of the country in some parts ; but in general a continuous level, as smooth almost as the ocean, extends for upwards of 1500 miles through the interior of Mexico, and to the territory of the United States. Hence, while the communication between the city of Mexico and the eastern and western sea- coasts is extremely difficult, and on some portions of the routes can be carried on only by mules, there is nothing to prevent wheel-carriages from running from the capital to Santa Fe, and thence to St. Louis, or other places on the Mis- sissippi. On the side of the Pacific, the table-land of Anahuac approaches very near the sea. In some places the high mountain masses advance to the very shores ; in others, a narrow level tract intervenes ; but the table land is divided from the Gulf of Mexico by a low plain, called the Plain of Cuetlachtlan, which extends about 100 miles inland. The surface of the table-land of Anahuac, which is reached from the Plain of Cuetlachtlan by a very rapid ascent, consists of a considerable number of plains with a level or undulating surface. These plains are generally of considerable extent, measuring in length from 40 to 200 miles and more ; and in width from 20 to 100 miles. These plains are separated from each other by ranges of hills, which rise to 500 or 600 feet above their level ; but the plains themselves vary in their elevation; the most extensive being from 5000 to 9000 feet above the sea-level, whilst some smaller ones are much lower. s RIVERS, LAKES, BAYS AND GULFS. 9 That portion of the table-land which spreads from the Plains of Tlascala and Mexico, souih and south-east, and which, as far as the isthmus of Tehuaritepec, is called the table-land of Mixtecapan, appears not to rise more than 5,000 feet on an average. 'J'owards the Pacific, however, it is indented by wide valleys which extend nearly north and south, and open towards the sea; but even these valleys are of considerable height. The town of Oaxaca, which lies in the principal valley, is 4,S00 feet above the sea, and the adjacent higher ground, on which the ruins of the Palace of Mitla arc found, is 5,300 feet high. But as we proceed along the s^a to the N. W. and approach the harbour of Acapuico, the table-land is broken by deep valleys, which extend east and west. The level of these valleys declines as they approach the Pacific, and at the same time they become narrower. The road from Mexico to Acapuico passes through four of them. The valley of Istla, nearest to the plain of Tenochiiilan, is 3,226 feet, the valley of Mescala 1,696 feet, that of Papagallo 627, and ihat of Pere- grino, nearest the Pacific, is 525 feet above the level of the sea. The Plain of ChUiudhud, which extends along ihe eastern base of the Sierra Madre, may be considered as a continuation of the table-land of San Louis de Potosi, not being separated from it by a range of mountains or any other marked boundary-line, except that the northern part of the table-land of Potosi (between 23o and 24o N. lat.) gradually assumes that aspect of sterility which character- ises the Plain of Chihuahua. This plain extends from south-south-east to north-north-west more than 600 miles, and is terminated on the north by a line drawn from the Presidio de S. Bernardino to the Paso del Norte, near the paral- lel of 32o. Its width varies from 150 to 200 miles. At its southern extremity, where it is contiguous to the table-land of San Louis de Potosi, it may be nearly 6,000 feet above the sea-level; but it lowers towards the north. This immense tract of country may be compared with some of the steppes of Asia. We do not know its elevation above the sea, but Humboldt estimates that of the country along the banks of the Rio del Norte at about 2,000 feet, an estimate which ap- pears rather too low than too high. But towards the south the country certainly rises to a much greater height, a fact which is shown by the course of the riv- ers, which here run in the opposite direction to those of Sonora — namely, from south to north. The surface of this plain is nearly level. The soil is strongly impregnated with nitre, muriate of soda, and carbonate of potash. It is entirely destitute of trees, except along the water-courses, which are skirted by poplars. In the rainy season it is covered with grass, which affords pasture for sheep ; in the dry season it is without verdure, except along the rivers. Some portions are covered with small sharp stones. In those districts which are at some dis- tance from the rivers, there are numerous dry salt-lakes, from which large quan- tities of salt are collected by the inhabitants. These salt lakes render the coun- try excessively unhealthy; for whenever there is any wind, the air is filled with saline particles and dust, which oppress respiration and cause numerous diseases. The rivers, along which alone the cultivated tracts occur, run in beds several feet under the surface of the plain, and all terminate (with the exception of the Rio Conchos) in lakes without outlets, like those in the steppes of Asia. The most remarkable are the Rio de las Casas Grandes, the Conchos, and the Rio Grande of the Plain. Mountains. The steep ascent above described constitutes the outer edge of the elevated plains of Anahuac, which extends westward to a great distance. The edge itself is lined by aco:i:inuous series of hills, rising in general only to a moderate eleva- tion above th ■ table-lands ; but some of them attain a great height, as the Coffre de Perote, near the road leading from Vera Cruz to Me-^ico, which is 13,415 feet 10 RIVERS, LAKES, BAYS AND GULFS. above the level of the sea, and the peak of Origida, virhich attains a height of 17,373 feet. It is in strict geography improper to denominate the mountains of Mexico a prolongation of the Andine chain of South America. So far is this from being the case, that long before the Andes have reached the isthmus of Panama, they have dwindled into inconsiderable hillocks ; and in Verragua, the Sierra de Can- tagua runs in an opposite direction to the Andes, as if to interrupt their exten- sion into North America. In the Mexican province of Oaxaca, the chain occu- pies the centre of the isthmus. On this part of the chain there is a point so elevated that both the Atlantic and Pacific are visible from it. This would indi- cate an elevation of 7700 feet above the sea. From eighteen and a half to twenty- one degrees the Cordillera stretches from north to south. Of this chain " the mountain of smoke," a volcano covered with perpetual snow, is one of the most elevated summits in all Mexico. Humboldt estimates it to be 17,735 feet above the level of the sea. There are many other peaks of nearly an equal altitude. The mean elevation of the whole range, of which these summits make a part, is 9842 feet of absolute elevation. The " star mountain," which is the highest peak in all Mexico, and which is visible from Vera Cruz, is 17,876 feet above the level of the sea, and is the first part of the continent which is visible to navi- gators. From the north-eastern part of the intendency of Mexico, the chain assumes the name of Sierra Madre, and then leaving the eastern quarter, it runs north-west to Guanaxuato. North of this city it becomes of an extraordinary breadth, dividing immediately into three branches, of which the most eastern runs in the direction of the coast, and is lost in the province of New Leon. The western branch passes to the north as far as the source of the Rio Gila. From its western side many lateral chains stretch south-west to the Gulf of California. The middle branch of the Sierra Madre, which may be viewed as the central chain of the Mexican Alps, stretches northwardly into the province of New- Mexico, and finally terminates in latitude 41 deg., where it divides the waters which flow into the Pacific from those which flow into the Atlantic. From this other ranges of mountains meet from different directions, and again spread out northwardly, under the appellation of the Rocky Mountains. No mountain ridge connects the Sierra Madre with the Rocky Mountains. CHAPTER II. RIVERS, LAKES, BAYS AND GULFS. Considering the extent of Mexico, its large rivers are very few. The table land of Anahuac is nearly destitute of rivers on account of the dryness of the atmosphere and the aridity of the soil. The few streams are only navigable for a short distance from the sea. They descend from great heights, in a compar- atively short course, and are very shallow. Rio Bravo, or Rio Grande del Norte. This, the chief river in Mexico, rises in lat. 40 d. 12 m. N., and 111 d. 30 m. W. long., immediately west of the sources of the Platte and Arkansas. It has several large tributaries. For two hundred miles above Santa Fe, it runs through a valley bounded on both sides by snowy mountains. The whole course of the . Rio del Norte is at least 2000 miles, 540 of which are to the N. W. of Santa Fe. It is not navigable in any part of its course, owing to sand-bars in the flat country, RIVERS, LAKES, BAYS AND GULFS. 11 and to mountains in the upper part of its course. Small boats can ascend only about 200 miles from the Gulf. There is a bar at its mouth with only seven feel of wiUer. Small schooners, however, can ascend to Malamoras. The author of " Commerce of the Prairies," thus speaks of this river : — " The famous Rio del Norte is so shallow for the most part of the year, that Indian canoes can scarcely float in it. Its navigation is also obstructed by fre- quent shoals and rippling sections, for a distance of more than a thousand miles below Santa Fe. Notwithstanding the numerous tributary streams which would be supposed to pour their contents into the Rio del Norte, very few reach their destination before they are completely exhausted. The most considerable, Rio Puerco, although at least a thousand miles in length, is dry at its mouth for a portion of the year. It is, then, no wonder that this ' Great River of the North ' decreases in volume of water as it descends. In fact, above the region of tide- water, it is almost everywhere fordable during most of the year. Its banks are generally very low, and yet, owing to the disproportionate width of the chan- nel, (which is generally 350 yards,) it is not subject to inundations. Its only rises are those of the annual freshets, caused by the melting of the snows in the mountains." Rio Sacramento. This river empties into the Bay of San Francisco, in Upper California. One of its principal branches rises in the Sierra Nevada, about 300 miles N. E. from the Bay ; another large branch has its source in the same range, about 200 miles N. of the Bay. The Colorado. This river empties into the Gulf of California. It is made up of several small ones. It is a little above 600 miles in length. It receives the appellation of Colorado or coloured river, from its waters being coloured by the rains falling on a soil of red clay, through which it passes. It is a deep and copious stream, capable of being navigated by square-rigged vessels, for but about 30 miles Through- out its whole course, its banks are said to be entirely destitute of timber ; and it is doubtless true that for 300 miles there is not a tree growing near it of ten inches in diameter. Rio Grande — called also the Rio Santiago. This is one of the most considerable rivers in Mexico. It rises to the east of the volcano of Toluca, and in the first part of its course is called Rio Lerena. It passes through the lake of Chapala, and pursues a rapid course to the Pacific, forming an Estuary at its mouth in which there are several islands ; on its south- ern side is the well known port of San Bias. The whole length of the river is rising 500 miles. Rio Panuco. This river may be considered as rising in the lake of Zumpaugo, adjacent to the city of Mexico. In its upper course it is so very swift, and so frequently in- terrupted by shoals and rapids, that it is said to be navigable for boats only in a few places. In the upper part it is called Tula. It becomes navigable, however, about 170 miles from its mouth. Ten miles lower down it is joined by the Rio Lanioin, which flows from the west, and is then called the Rio Panuco. Vessels drawing not more than twelve feet of water may go up to Panuco, eighty milea 12 CIVIL DIVISIONS, CITIES, TOWNS, ETC. from its mouth. It enters the Gulf of Mexico at Tampico, after a winding course of ahout 400 miles. The port of Tampico is formed by its mouth, but is crossed by a bar, which has generally not more than twelve feet of water. The other rivers in Mexico are not of much importance. None of them are navigable for any considerable distance. The lakes are very numerous, and occupy a considerable portion of the plains ; one tenth of the valley of Mexico is covered by lakes. The largest lake is that of Chapala, which is traversed by the Rio Santiago. It is about 90 miles long, and from 12 to IS miles wide. BAYS AND GULFS. The chief Bays or Gulfs are those of Tehuantepec, and the large inland gulf of California. The first lies on the Pacific, in 16 d. N. lat., and is 125 miles across. The Gulf of California is a very large inland sea, stretching 880 miles from S. E. to N. W. The entrance to this Gulf, between Cape St. Lucas, the S. E. point of California, and the mouth of the El Ruso on the eastward, is 200 miles across ; and from thence as far north as lat. 27 d., the average breadth is from 120 to 150 miles ; from thence to the head it seldom exceeds 60 miles. The printed maps of this Gulf are all sadly erroneous. Gulf of Mexico. This Gulf extends between the 18th and 30th parallels of north latitude, and is nearly of a circular form, but somewhat elongated from east to west. In the latter direction it is 1,150 miles long; in the transverse direction it is about 930. It opens in a S. E. direction, between the peninsula of Yucatan and Florida, or between the Capes of Catoche and Sable, which are about 465 miles distant from each other. The island of Cuba divides this opening into two channels; the one to the S. W. communicating with the Sea of the Antilles, and the other to the N. E. with the Atlantic, by means of the straits of the Bahamas or Flor- ida. South from the mouth of the Rio del Norte round about to the mouth of the Rio Alvarado, an extent of 600 miles, the Gulf does not present a single good port, as Vera Cruz is merely a bad anchorage amidst shallows. The Mexi- can coast may be considered as a sort of dyke, against which, the waves, con- tinually agitated by the trade winds blowing from E. to W., throw up the sands carried by the violent motion. The rivers descending from the Sierra Madre have also contributed to increase these sands, and the land is gaining on the sea. No vessel drawing more than 12 1-2 inches of water can pass over these sand-bars without danger of getting aground. In the middle of the Gulf, the winds blow regu- larly from the N. E., but they vary considerably on approaching the shore. CHAPTER III. CIVIL DIVISIONS, CITIES, TOWNS, ETC. The territory of Mexico is made up of nineteen states, and the territories of New Mexico, California, Colima and Tlascala. CIVIL DIVISIONS, CITIES, TOWNS, ETC. 13 I. — Yucatan.* This is the most easterly state of Mexico. The isthmus which connects it with the continent of North America, is but 120 miles wide. Its population is about 500,000. The soil is very fertile, and when under proper cultivation, produces great crops of cotton, indigo, tobacco, pepper, sugar cane, Indian corn, and other kinds of grain. The scarcity of water in the central parts of the state renders the crops variable ; and years occur in which the poorer classes are driven to seek subsistence on roots. Cattle, fowls and bees are very nume- rous; wax and honey plentiful; but there are no mines. The forests abound with wild beasts. The principal article of commerce is logwood. Merida, the capital, is about twenty-four miles from the sea, on an arid plain. It carries on some commerce in agricultural produce, by means of the small harbour of Sisal, which has but little depth of water. Population, 32,000. Campeche, on the bay of the same name, has a harbour, but which is not safe. It exports a considerable quantity of wax and Campeche wood. Popula- tion, 19,000. II. — Tabasco. The State of Tobasco extends from the Rio Pacaitun to the Rio Huasacualco, more than 200 miles along the shore, and about 50 or 60 miles inland. The surface is level, and mostly subject to inundations. Victoria, or Tabasco, the capital, is built on an island at the mouth of the Rio Tabasco. It has a harbour, and carries on some trade in the produce of the coun- try. The population is 4000. III. — Chiapa. The State of Chiapa, until the year 1825, belonged to Guatemala ; in that year it joined the confederation of the States of Mexico. Chiapa is separated from the Gulf of Mexico by Tabasco. The population consists principally of Indians, who speak five different languages. Ciudad de las Casas (formerly Ciudad Real,) the capital, is situated in a fer- tile valley : it has a university, and 3S00 inhabitants. At the north-eastern angle of this state, near the boundary of Yucatan and Tabasco, in a thick forest, are ruins, apparently those of a large city. The character of the building, as well as of the ornaments, differs greatly from that of all other ancient edifices in America. These remains are called the ruins of Palenque, from a neighbouring village of that name. It was here that Messrs. Stephens and Catherwood made most of their ingenious resefirches. IV. — Oaxaca. . The State of Oaxaca comprehends the southern portion of the isthmus of \ Tehuantepec and the table-land of Mixtecapan : it extends along the Pacific, / with a coast line of more than 360 miles. It is one of the best cultivated and / most populous parts of Mexico, and produces, in addition to cochineal, great [ quantities of indigo and cotton. Silk is got from a species of wild silk-worm. \ Oaxaca, the capital, situated in a fertile valley, 4,800 feet above the sea, is ' well built, and contains some fine squares and public edifices ; it has also an aqueduct. * For an account of the Political revolution that has lately occurred in Yucatan, see Ap- pendix. * ^^ CIVIL DIVISIONS, CITIES, TOWNS, ETC. Tehuantepec, situated at the mouth of the Rio Chimalapa, has a harhour, the entrance of which is very dangerous, and not deep enough for large vessels. The population is 7,000 persons. There are remains of ancient buildings in j^ several parts of this state. V. — Vera Cruz. The State of Vera Cruz comprehends a small portion of the isthmus of Tehu- antepec, and the greater part of the plain of Cuetlachtlan, with the eastern declivity of the table-land of Anahuac ; a small portion of the table-land, and also the mountains of Orizava and Cofre de Perote belong to it. Vera Cruz is the principal port in Mexico. It lies on a low sandy shore, inter- sected with marshes which extend for miles along the coast. The port is, prop- erly speaking, an open road-stead, protected only by a shoal, and is very dan- gerous in winter, when the north winds blow. It is very small, and can contain but about 30 vessels. The little island of San Juan de Ulloa, which is entirely covered with the fortress, is some five or six hundred yards from the mole or quay at Vera Cruz, between which points all the commercial shipping enters. A very narrow chan- nel affords the only passage for vessels of war, which must of necessity pass immediately under the guns of the fort. The fortress of San Juan de Ulloa has always been looked upon as one of the strongest in the world. When it was blown up, in 1839, by the French, the armament was in a most wretched condi- tion, and as to scientific engineers and artillerists, there were none. Even then it would have been no holiday affair had it not been for the accidental explosion of the magazine. But Vera Cruz is much more effectually protected than by all her fortifica- tions, by the northers and vomito (yellow fever.) The former have been the terror of all seamen since the discovery of the country. The latter prevails on all the Atlantic coast of Mexico during the whole year, and with the greatest malignancy for two thirds of the year ; and it so happens that the few months of comparative exemption from the ravages of the yellow fever, are precisely those when the northers prevail with the most destructive violence. To illus- trate the ferocity of these northers, we quote the following incident from a recent traveller. " Soon after my arrival," says he, " I gave to a servant some clothing to be washed ; but he soon returned with my bundle and informed me that the washer-woman refused to take the clothes unless I would release her from all responsibility if a norther should carry them away : whereupon assuming the hazard, on the following c^ay, upon short notice, the winds came and scattered my clothing like kites in' the air, and I never saw it more." The inhabitants, on the first coming of the storm, are compelled immediately to tightly bar their doors and windows, stopping up the key-holes and every other crevice, to pre- vent light articles in the house from being disturbed, as also their eyes from being put out by the sand. The health of Vera Cruz is perhaps worse than that of any other place on the habitable globe, and it is calculated that one-fifth of its inhabitants annually per- ish. The sickness of Vera Cruz is attributed to the increased intensity of the sun's heat, reflected from the high white sand-hills that overlook the town, as also from the poisonous vapour which arises from the stagnant waters of the lakes and swamps vi'hich surround the city. The venomous insects that infest that hot region, aid likewise in no small degree, by never leaving the inhabitants to repose, and constantly causing feverish excitement and irritation to promote disease. The city of Vera Cruz is enclosed by a continued wall of coral-stone and brick. The streets are paved with stone shipped from Quincy, Mass. The CIVIL DIVISIONS, CITIES, TOWNS, ETC. 15 town is laid off in squares, and the houses are a solid mass of buildings covering the whole squares. Many of the houses are large, some three stories high, built in the old Spanish or Moorish styles, and generally enclosing a square court with covered galleries. They have flat roofs, glass windows, and are well adapted to the climate. The whole town, as well as the castle, is built of coral, and the lime that forms the cement, is of the same material. There is one tolerably good square, of which the government-house forms one side and the principal church the other. The foot-paths are frequently under piazzas, a great accommodation to travellers, protecting them from the sultry heat of the sun and the heavy rains, which descend in torrents during the wet season. Sixteen cupolas are counted from the sea, but only six churches are now in use. Indeed, nearly all the churches, nunneries and monasteries have been abandoned since the place has been lost to the Spaniards. Nothing is more repulsive to strangers accus- tomed to the bustle of American cities, than the death-like appearance of the place. Of any other city it would be a disgrace to say the grass grows in the streets, but here it would be considered a compliment, for no vegetation is to be observed even for miles around, and fish is the only article of provision not brought from a distance. The only water fit to drink is what falls from the clouds, and is preserved in tanks. Living at the hotels is very expensive. Milk is scarcely to be had, as not a cow is kept within many miles, and what perhaps is peculiar to Vera Cruz, there is not a garden even near it. Society here is ex- tremely confined, and morality at a very low ebb. Few of the European merchants are married. The streets are filled with carrion vultures, and act as scavengers for the place. The population does not exceed 6,500. It was here that Cortes landed to commence his ever-memorable expedition, although this is not the town which he founded of that name, which was about six miles distant. Xcdapa, or Jalapa, the capital of the state, is situated on the steep declivity of the table-land, about 4,340 feet above the level of the sea. It is a pleasant town, and the depot between Vera Cruz and Mexico. An annual fair is held here, which is much frequented. It contains eight churches, a good school for draw- ing, and 13,000 inhabitants. Perote, situated on the edge of the table-land, 8,300 feet above the sea, has a population of 10,000. It contains one of the four castles or fortresses erected by the Spanish government in Mexico. A portion of the prisoners taken in the recent Santa Fe expedition, were sent to this place. Alvarado, at the mouth of the Rio Alvarado, has a small harbour, some little trade, and 1,600 inhabitants. Yl.—Puehla. The State of Puebla comprehends a large portion of the table-land of Tlascala, and of its southern declivity, having only a low and comparatively narrow tract along the coast of the Pacific, about 65 miles long. La Puebla de los Angelos, the capital, contains between 60,000 and 70,000 inhabitants. It is well built, with straight and wide streets, and contains many fine houses. The cathedral, which stands in a large square, is a magnificent edifice, and is rich in gold and silver ornaments. \\\.— Tlascala. The territory of Tlascala is enclosed by the state of Puebla. It contains a population of Indians, and of mixed races, which, even under the Spanish dominion, enjoyed several privileges which had been granted to them for having aided the Spaniards in the conquest of Mexico under Cortes. Their privileges 16 CIVIL DIVISIONS, CITIES, TOWNS, ETC. and independence have been confirnned by the republican government. The inhabitants are chiefly occupied with agriculture. Tlascala, or Tlaxcallan, the capital, contains a population of 4,000 persons. The walls were erected long before the arrival of the Europeans. YIU.— Mexico. The State of Mexico lies between 16 d. .34 m. and 20 d. 10 m. N. lat. The best cultivated portion is the table-land, where wheat and the fruits of Europe are grown, as well as the maguey and the Indian corn. The southern districts are very thinly peopled. In these fertile valleys the tropical productions succeed. Tezcuco, the capital, is situated on the plain of Tenochtitlan, on the east side of the lake of Tezcuco, and about thirty mil?s from Mexico. It has some man- ufactures of cotton, and about 5,000 inhabitants. Acapulco is the sea-port of Mexico on the Pacific. It was the seat of the Spanish trade with the Phillipine Isles, and the store-house of immense wealth. Its port is a basin cut from the solid rock, and is capable of receiving the largest vessels. It is very hot and unhealthy, and contains about 4000 inhabitants, chiefly negroes. IX. — The Federal District. The Federal District is surrounded by the State of Mexico, and comprehends only the environs of the metropolis, in the centre of the plain or valley of Te- nochtitlan. The Valley of Mexico. Midway across the continent, somewhat nearer the Pacific than the Atlantic, at an elevation of nearly 7800 feet, is the celebrated valley of Mexico. It is of an oval form, about 120 miles in circumference, and is encompassed by a tower- ing rampart of porphyritic rocks, which nature seems to have provided, though ineflfectually; to protect it from invasion. The appearance of the valley is that of an oval basin surrounded on all sides with mountains of every degree of eleva- tion, and of every variety of appearance, from a little rugged promontory to Pococatopetl, as some say, the highest mountain in Mexico, and even the highest upon the continent, covered with perpetual snow, 10,400 feet higher than the city itself. No less than five lakes spread over the valley, occupying at least one-tenth of its surface. " Thus at one view," remarks a late writer, " bursts upon the astonished traveller, village, city, lakes, plains, and mountains, alto- gether forming a tout ensemble of the most imposing character. I could only admire the extensive fields spread out before me, for the valley of Mexico is justly renowned for its fertility. Thus, while I might upon the right hand be attracted by an extensive meadow appropriated for grazing, on the left, I would be greeted by the pleasing prospect of miles in extent, and as far as the eye could reach, of lands cultivated alone in maize or Indian corn. And while now I would arrive at verdant nooks, with acres of land cultivated in chili or red pepper — of which some individuals, from a single crop of chili alone, realize the immense sum of $50,000, — and then I would come upon the green and flowery fields, cultivated to feed the cochineal insect." " The view of the valley of Mexico is certainly beautiful and grand, and but for the painful absence of timber, and the vast sterility of much of its territory, might perhaps be the most magnificent sight anywhere to behold upon the face of the globe. As I progressed, I was soon brought in bold view by my close contact with the lake region. One of these lakes, near the ciiy of Mexico, I was in- CIVIL DIVISIONS, CITIES, TOWNS, ETC. 17 former, was thirty miles in leng h, anJ has the appcanmcc of a bay or port to the i^reat city. There is- on the border of the lake hoi springs, the waters of which arc used for bathing' purposes. As the ddigencla entered on the great cause- way which separates Lake Cnolco from Xochicalo, a passenger iiir)rnied me that this bridge was not only made by the Aztecs, but was the s.ime identical track which Cortes and his travellers passed on the 8lb of November, 1519, the day ou which liiey iirst set foot in the city of Mexico." Description of the City. The city of Mexico is said to be the finest built city on the American conti- nent. In the principal streets the houses are all constructed on the strictest ar- chitectural rulei. The first buildings were erected by Cartes, who did every thing well, from writing a couplet to conquering an empire. Many of the finest buildings in Mexico are still owned by his descendants. The public square is said to be unsurpassed by any in the world; it contains some twelve or fifteen acres paved with stone. The Cathedral covers one entire side, the Palace an- other ; the western side is occupied by a row of very high and substantial houses, the second stories of which project into the street the width of the pavement; the lower stories are occupied by the principal retail merchants of the city. The most of these houses were built by Cortes, who, with his characteristic sagacity, and an avarice which equally characterized him in the latter part of his life, selected the best portion of the city for himself. The President's Palace, formerly the palace of the viceroys, is an immense building of three stories high, about five hundred feet in length, and three hun- dred and fifty wide ; it stands on the site of the palace of Montezuma, which was destroyed by Cortes. It is difficult to conceive of so much stone and mor- tar being put together in a less tasteful and imposing shape. It has much more the appearance of a cotton factory or a penitentiary, than what it really is. Only a very small part of this palace is appropriated to the residence of the President. All the public offices are here, including heads of the different de- partments, ministers of justice, treasury, &c. The halls of the deputies and of the Senate, are in the same building, and also that of the botanic garden. The Cathedral, which occupies the site of the great idol temple of Montezuma, is five hundred feet long by four hundred and twenty wide. Like all the other churches in Mexico, it is built in the gothic style. The walls, of several feet in thickness, are made of unhewn stone and lime. The streets of Mexico are uncommonly wide, much more so than is neces- sary, considering that they are not obstructed, as in our city, by drays and wag- gons. The side-walks are uncommonly narrow. The streets are all paved with round stones; the side-walks with very rough flat ones. The houses on the principal streets are all two and three stories high. The walls are built of rough stones, of all shapes and sizes, and large quantities of lime mortar. The streets cross each other at right angles, dividing the whole city into squares. Each one of these squares is called a street, and has a separate name. Instead of designating the street in its whole extent by one name, each side of every square has a different name, and names which sound to Protestant ears very much like a violation of the third article of the decalogue, such as the street of Jesus, and the street of the Holy Ghost. In most of these streets there is a church, which gives name to the street on which it stands. In many instances these churches and convents cover the whole square, not with separate build- ings, but one single edifice, with the usual court or open space in the centre. There is not, I believe, a house in the city without this court, of greater or less dimensions, in proportion to the size of the building. There is only one door on the lower story, and that high enough for a coach to pass through. It opens 2 *l8 CIVIL DIVISIONS, CITIES, TOWNS, ETC. into the court through which you pass to the steps leading to the upper story, where alone every body lives, except the lowest classes. In all the establish- ments of the better classes, the basement story is only occupied by the servants, and as lumber rooms, and what appears very strange, as stables. There is not in the whole city such a separate building as a stable. " In visiting Count Cer- tuna," says Mr. Thompson, " whose whole establishment is altogether princely, I found this court on the ground floor used as a stable, and passed through rows of horses and carriages, to make my way to the most spacious halls, filled with fine paintings of the great masters, and furnished throughout in a style altogeth- er gorgeous." In some of the large private buildings, thirty and forty different families reside ; each one having rented one or two rooms, all entering at the only outside door into the court, which is the common propeny of all, and from which each one has an entrance into his own rooms on the ground floor or the gallery above, which runs all around the building. The area of Mexico does not exceed two miles in length and a mile and a half in width, a very small space to be occupied by a population of nearly 200,000. But it is not at all surprising, when you see thirty or forty families all huddled away in one house, and consider what a large number sleep in the open air in that delightful cli- mate. How pure must be the atmosphere when Mexico is so remarkably healthy, notwithstanding such a crowded and filthy mode of living, and with a tropical sun shining upon the moist surface of the whole valley ! It is a little curious, that whilst the buildings and population of IMoxico are thus crowded into so small a space, and that rents are three limes as high as in New-York, yet all around the city there is a vacant ground, and as dry as the city itself, which may be had almost for the taking. " I was riding out with a friend one evening," says Mr. Thompson, " when he showed me a square con- taining between five or six acres, just on the outskirts of the city, and not more than half a mile from the public sqware, which he had just purchased for four hundred dollars !" The city is partly supplied with provisions and vegetables by small boats, which bring them over the Lake of Tezcuco ; but as the lake is very shallow in January and February, the supply is then generally stopped, and the city de- pends, especially for vegetables, on the supply by the canal of Iztapalapan, which leads from the Lake of Xochimilco to the town. This canal is narrow, but always covered with small canoes loaded with fruits and vegetables : it passes through the chinampas, or floating gardens, which, in their present state, are long nar- row strips of ground, redeemed from the surrounding swamp, and intersected by small canals. They are well cultivated, abound in fine vegetables, and their edges are planted with poplars. It is stated that they originally consisted of wooden rafts, covered with earth, and floated about in the lake when it was full of water, whence their name is derived. At present they are stationary, but it is said that there are still some floating gardens in the Lake Xochimilco. TJie Halls of the Montczumas. Montezuma II. ascended the Mexican throne X. D. 1502, at the age of 23, before Mexico had been discovered by Europeans. He died 30th June, 1520, in the 42d year of his age, of wounds inflicted by the Spanish discoverers, whom he had invited to his royal palace. Historians agree in admiring his character. On ascending the throne, not content with the spacious residence of his father, he erected another, much more magnificent. So vast was this great structure, that, as one historian informs us, the space covered by its terraced roof, might have aflforded ample room for thirty knights to run their courses in a regular toumay. His father's palace, although not so high, was so extensive that the visitors were too much fatigued in wandering through the apartments ever to CIVIL DIVISIONS, CITIES, TOWNS, ETC. 19 see the whole of them. The palaces were built of red-stone, ornamented with marble, the arms of the Montezuma family (an eagle bearini^ u ticrer in his talons) being sculptured over the main entrance. Crystal fountains, fed by great reser- voirs on the neighbouring hills, played in the vast halls and gardens, and sup- plied water in hundreds of marble baths in the interior of the palaces. Crowds of nobles and military chieftains were continually sauntering through the halls, or loitering away iheir hours in attendance on the court. Rich carvings in wood adorned the ceilings, beautiful mats of palm-leaf covered the floors. The walls were hung with cotton richly stained, the skins of wild animals, or gorgeous draperies of feather-work, wrought in imitation of birds, insects, and flowers, in glowing radiance of colours. Clouds of incense from golden censers diffused intoxicating odours through splendid apartments, occupied by nine hundred and eighty wives and 5,000 slaves of Montezuma. This building was totally destroyed by Cortes, and the President's Palace now stands on its site. X. — Queretaro. The State of Queretaro, lying between 20 d. and 22 d. N. lat., comprehends a great part of the table-land of Queretaro, which, within the state, is about 6,300 feet above the level of the sea. It is comparatively populous and fertile, producing all the grains and fruits of Mexico. Queretaro, the capital, is distinguished by its fine buildings and its aqueduct. The population amounts to about 40,000, of which number one third are Indians. XT. — Guanaxuato, The State of Guanaxuato extends over a portion of the table-land of Quere- taro, which, within its limits, has an elevation of about 6000 feet. It is the smallest of the Mexican states, but the most populous, and probably also the richest. Guanaxuato, the capital, is situated in a ravine in the midst of the mines, 7,294 feet above the sea. It contains a mint and many fine buildings. XII. — Michoacan. The State of Michoacan was formerly the intendencia of Valladolid ; but this name was changed at the time of the union of the Mexican states, into that of an ancient Indian kingdom, which existed here before the Spanish conquest. Valladolid, at present called Morelia, in honour of the Mexican general Mora- les, is the capital. It is situated in a plain 6,434 feet above the sea ; and con- tains 18,000 inhabitants. Some of the public buildings are very good; among others the college, which is esteemed one of the best in Mexico : the cathedral is a magnificent edifice, and the acqueduct, by which the town is supplied with good spring-water, is handsomer than that of Mexico, and built of stone. XIII. — Colima. The territory of Colima is situated on the shores of the Pacific, where it oc- cupies a coast line of about 100 miles. Its surface, properly speaking, is not mountainous, but a plain, on which there are several high hills and the elevated volcano of Colima. The climate is consequently hot ; and, as the soil is fertile, it yields many tropical products, particularly cotton of excellent quality. Nearly all the inhabitants are Indians, who, at their own request, have a ^o\- so CIVIL DIVISIONS, CITIES, TOWNS, ETC. ernment independent of that of the state of Xalisco, to which they formerly be- longed. Colima, the capital, is situated at the fool of the volcano of the same name, in a very fertile plain. XIV, — Jalisco or Xalisco. The State of Jalisco or Xalisco Avas formerly the province of Guadalaxara. The low country north of the river Santiago, consists of extensive plains, and contains very few hills. The countries along the shores of the Pacific are more covered with forests than any other part of Mexico. Guadalaxara, the second city in Mexico, is situated in a fertile plain not far from the banks of the Rio Santiago, below the great cataracts. It contains about 60,000 inhabitants. It has a fine cathedral, many churches and convents; and the streets are lined by colonnades. The commerce of Guadalaxara with the adjacent countries and the port of San Bias, is considerable. San Bias, or San Blasio, is a good harbour at the mouth of the Rio Santiago, on a rock, surrounded by low marshes, which render the climate very unhealthy. During the rains it is almost entirely abandoned by the inhabitants ; who, at other times, amount to about 3,000 in number. Vessels are built here ; and much salt is collected in the neighbourhood. The trade is considerable, but has lately much decreased. XV. — Zacatecas. The State of Zacatecas comprehends the northern portion of the table-land of Queretaro, and the southern part of the plain of Chihuahua ; the boundary line between them running some miles north of the town of Zacatecas, and thence to Sombrerete. Both portions have a very arid soil, but the table-land of Quere- taro contains many fertile districts. Zacatecas, the capital, stands in a ravine between high hills, all of which con- tain veins of silver. Its churches are large buildings, the stone work of which is richly decorated. The number of inhabitants is estimated at more than 30,000. A great portion of the jalap exported from Mexico is collected in the neighbouring hills and valleys. XVI. — San Luis Poiosi. The State of San Luis Potosi comprehends the southern portion of the plain of Chihuahua, and its declivity towards the gulf of Mexico and the plain of Monterey. The surface is in many places uneven and rugged, and little culti- vated. The numerous mines produce silver, copper, tin, and brimstone. San Luis Potosi, the capital, is situated in a pleasant valley near the sources of the river Tamoin, a branch of the Rio Panuco. It contains 16,000 inhabi- tants, who carry on some trade. XVII. — Burango. The State of Durango occupies the highest and widest part of the Sierra Madre, and also a considerable portion of the plain of Chihuahua. The eastern declivity of the Sierra Madre is the more fertile district, and it is better cultivated and more populous than the plain, which is nearly a desert, except along the courses of the rivers. Durango, at present called La Ciudad Victoria, is a regularly built town, situ- ated on a plain more than 6,848 feet above the sea. In winter the thermometer CIVIL DIVISIONS, CITIES, TOWNS, BTC. 21 descends many degrees below the freezinir point. The inhabitants, amounting to 22,003, are industrious, and are partly occupied in the manufacture of wool, leather, and in cabinet-work. There are some mines in the neighbourhood, and a mint in the town. Numerous herds of cattle are brought from the plain to the market of Durango. XVUl.—New Leon, The State of New Leon (Nuevo Leon) extends over a large part of the plain of Monterey and the mountain tract lying between it and the Rio del Norte. The plain is very little known. It appears to consist of extensive levels, here and there intersected by hills of moderate elevation, and exhibits a good deal of fertility, but is little cultivated. There are few important mines in the moun- tains o( the northern districts. Large herds of cattle pasture on the plains. The population, which is very small, consists chiefly of whites. Monterey, the capital, with 15,000, is the seat of a Bishop, and derives its im- portance from the neighbourhood of the mines. XIX. — Tamauhpas. The State of Tamaulipas extends along the coast of the gulf of Mexico from the Rio Panuco t) the Rio d.l Norte, which separates it from Texas. The coast, whi-h is above 350 miles in length, is lined with long lagunes from four to eighteen miles wide, which are separated from the sea by long narrow bands of sand. This circumstance, added to the small depth of the sea along the whole extent of coast, and the bars which occur at the mouths of the rivers, renders the navigation along the shore of this State very difficult even for small vessels, and quite impracticable for large ones. The width of the country averages about 70 miles, except along the banks of the Rio Grande del Norte, where it may be from 150 to ISO miles wide. The surface is mostly level, and little elevated above the sea. The soil along the beach is sandy, but more inland it is of considera- ble fertility, and partly covered with forests. Other portions are prairie land without trees. Tampico de Tamaulipas is situated on a peninsula or neck of land about four hundred yards wide, formed by the river Panuco on one side, and the Laguna del Barpintero on the other. It is about six miles from the sea. At the mouth of this river there is an insiffnificant fortification of three or four old guns, ni^Me likely to injure those who discharge them, than those against whom they are directed. The bar at the mouth of the river admits of vessels drawing from seven to nine feet water, according to the winds and season of the year. Tampico is susceptible of being made a very strong military position, at a very moderate expense, by simply cutting a ditch and running a breast-work across the neck of land above and below the town, and strengthening the breast-work by bastions at either extremity of the line, at the river and at the lake. On the south-eastern side, or nearest the sea, the land is low, and across the neck a canal has been cut, which unites the river with the lake. This canal could readily be made to form the basis of the fortifications on that side. On the upper side or entrance from Altamira, the land is high and ofTers some remarkably fine sites lor defence of that approach, the only approach that could be used by an enemy not having command of the river. Tampico is not absolutely commanded by any height near enough to throw an effective point blank shot, thounfh from the hills below the town, on the oppo- site side of the river, shot and shells can be thrown into the south-eastern part of the town. Immediately opposite the town, an extensive salt-marsh and lake prevent any approach of an enemy's force. aZ CIVIL DIVISIONS, CITIES, TOWNS, ETC. In its present state of defence, Tampico could make little or no resistance against a force of two thousand men, whilst the same number as a garrison could — when the defensive works above mentioned were completed — by having the command of the river, hold it against any force that could be brought against it. Nuevo Santander, with a population of 3,000, is situated on the banks of the Rio Santander, about thirty miles from the sea. The harbour is at Soto la Ma- rina, further down the river, which has only from six to seven feet water on the bar at its mouth. Matamoras, on the Rio Grande del Norte, has a harbour for small vessels, and is a new and thriving commercial town. Population, 10,000. XX. — Cohahuila. The State of Cohahuila is between Nuevo Leon and Chihuahua, entirely on the plain of Chihuahua. The southern districts have a level surface, interrupted by a few hills of moderate elevation, which occur at great distance from each other. The soil is very arid, and the vegetation scanty. These southern dis- tricts serve only as a pasture-ground for sheep, and are nowhere cultivated to any extent. The northern districts surrounding the river Sabinos, an affluent of the Rio del Norte, have a hilly and broken surface ; the hills seem to form ranges, running parallel to the Rio del Norte, and connecting the Bolson de Mapitni with the mountains north of Monterey. This tract appears to contain a large portion of fertile and colli vatable land. There are some silver mines near Santa Rosa. Texas, or the country between the Rio del Norte and the Sabine river, formerly belonged to this State. Horses, mules, and wool are exported to the United States. Saltlllo, the late capital, is situated at the southern extremity of the State, on an arid plain. The only carriage-road by which the plain of Chihuahua can be reached from the shores of the gulf of Mexico, passes through this place. It contains about 12,000 inhabitants, and has several good streets communicating at right angles with the Plaza, in the centre of which is a large reservoir, which supplies the town with w-ater. Monclova, the present capital, with 3,600 inhabitants, has some trade with the adjacent countries. M^ XXI. — Chihuahua. The State of Chihuahua comprehends a large portion of the plain of Chihua- hua, and likewise the mountain-ridge of the Sierra Madre, between 26 d. N, lat. and its northern extremity. The plain is not fertile, but it affords spacious sheep-walks, and wool is the staple article of the State. The pastures are cov- ered with coarse grass ; wheat, Indian corn, and cotton are raised on the lands along the rivers which are irrigated. The Sierra Madre abounds in silver, and contains many rich mines, such as Parral, Batopilas, Cosiquiriachi. Other mines, also said to be rich, have lately been opened in the mountainous tract which IS called the Bolson of Mapimi, and which occupies the eastern districls contiguous to the State of Cohahuila. The northern district of the State and part of the Bolson de Mapimi also are still occupied by Indians, among whom the Camanches are excellent horsemen, and much dreaded by the white settlers. Chihuahua, the capital, stands in an arid pin in, on tha banks of a small rivulet which falls into the Rio Conchos, about 700 miles from the city of Mexico. The houses are well built, and the streets regular. The cathedral is a very large edifice. A good aqueduct brings the water of a river, which is about eight miles distant, to the town, and is so judiciously contrived that even the highest parts of the city are supplied. The ore procured from the mines to the west, in the CIVIL DIVISIONS, CITIES, TOWNS, ETC. 23 Sierra Madre, is brought to Chihuahua, where the metal is extracted. The populaiion amounts to 25,000 inhabitants. XXIL— New Mexico. The province of New Mexico, of which Santa Fe is the cnpital, was one of the first establishments of the Spaniards in the Mexican portion of America. By some tradition, it is related that a small band of adventurers proceeded thus far north shortly after the capture of the city of Mexico. One of the early Spanish historians, writing of the events of 1550, mentions New iMexico as a known province, though as yet only inhabited by aborigines. But the only paper found in the archives of Santa Fe, which jjives any clue to Hs first settlement, bears date September 21, 1595. This is a petition to estab- lish a colony on the liio del Norte, which we infer was carried into effect during the following spring. The territory of New Mexico, or of Santa Fe, is situated in the north, bound- ing on the unsettled territory of the United States. It comprehends only the valley of the Rio del Norte, from 32 d. N. lat. to its source. It contains only two fertile tracts along the banks of the river, and these are separated by a des- ert, which spreads out 170 or ISO miles between 32 d. 30 m. and 35 d. N. lat. The northern and larger of these extends above 150 miles to the north of 35 d. N. lat., and the climate is very cold : it produces wheat and corn and the fruits of northern Europe ; it affords a great abundance of pasture for cattle and horses. This portion is the district of Santa Fe. The soutliern tract of fertile land is of very moderate extent, lying between 32 d. and 32 d. 30 in. N. lat.: it is called the district of the Paso del Norte. It abounds in excellent fruit, especially grapes, which, as well as the wine made of them, are in high repute all over Mexico. Wheat and maize also are grown extensively. The inhabitants are whites, but on the mountains and deserts, which extend on both sides of the valley, there are several independent Indian tribes, which are at enmity with the settlers. Santa Fe, the capital, is a small town, with 3,600 inhabitants. This is the first place that the caravans from Si. Louis, in Missouri, come to after travers- ing the plains on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains. It has of late years become a great mart of trade, which is carried on by the caravans of mules and horse wa