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LXXXIII.

The lakes with which Mexico abounds, and the greater BOOK part of which seem annually to diminish in size, are merely the remains of those immense basins that appear once Lakes. to have existed on the lofty and extensive plains of the Cordillera. We may notice the great lake of Shapala, in New Gallicia, which covers nearly one hundred and sixty square leagues of country; the lakes of the valley of Mexico, that occupy one-fourth of the surface of this valley; the lake of Pazcuaso, in the intendency of Valladolid, one of the most picturesque spots on the globe; and the lake of Mextitlan, with that of Parras, in New Biscay.

of Nicara

gua.

The Lake of Nicaragua merits very particular attention The lake in consequence of its tides, and its position between the two oceans. It is probable that its position is very elevated,* a circumstance that would render it extremely difficult, or even useless, to carry into execution the vague project of a canal of communication, which every one has been able to dream of, but which it was reserved for M. Martin de la Bastide to publish, under the triple form of a pamphlet, a fan, and a snuff-box! M. de la Bastide, however, has only forgotten three things: He does not give us the level of the country between the lake and the gulph of Papagayo on the west coast; he does not point out the manner of rendering navigable the river St. John from the east, interrupted as it is by numerous falls of water; and he is not aware that, during the autumn, a pestilential atmosphere interdicts all approach to the mouth of this river. Generally speaking, all the various projects for opening a communication between Communithe Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean are attended with this cation beinconvenience, that the canal would not admit vessels of two the size that are required for the navigation of the open sea. It would become necessary, therefore, to unload and reload their cargoes, by which the benefit arising from a canal would be reduced almost to a level with the advantages which would result from a good road, communicating

* From its tides, and our author's own statements, (see Nicaragua, in B. XXXV. following,) it cannot be very elevated. Ed.-Pol. Ess. I. p. 25.— Engl. Tr.

tween the

oceans.

BOOK with two ports on their respective seas. In fact, a road LXXXII. would not have the same effect as a canal, in drawing the

Sea coasts.

jealous attention, and exciting the hostile encroachments of foreign powers; a danger which already appears to have determined Spain to forbid, on pain of death, the renewal of any plan whatever for establishing such a communication.* It appears, nevertheless, that, very recently, new researches have been made respecting the most favourable points for constructing a canal of communication. The isthmus of Tehuantepec, to the south of Oaxaca, presents the two rivers of Huasacualco and of Chimilapa, which, united together by means of a canal of seven or eight leagues in length, would make the two oceans communicate. The river Atrato, which falls into the Gulf of Darien, to the south-east of the Isthmus of Panama, is already united by a little canal, navigable for boats in the rainy season, to the Rio San Juan, a brook which empties itself into the Pacific Ocean. This, perhaps, is the very spot at which the chain of the Andes is the most completely interrupted, for the canal does not appear to be considerably elevated above the level of the two seas.t

To complete the description of the Mexican territory, we must again cast a glance over the coasts and the seas by which they are washed. The whole of the eastern or Atlantic coast of New Spain ought to be looked upon as an immense dike or wall, against which the trade-winds, and the perpetual movement of the waters from east to west, heave up the sand which the agitated ocean holds suspended. The revolving current, arriving from the Southern Atlantic Ocean, first rolls past Brazil and Guiana, and then coasts the Caraccas, from Cumana to Darien. It returns toward Cape Catoche in Yucatan, and after long whirling in eddies in the Gulf of Mexico, it issues by the Bahama Channel or Gulf of Florida, and directs its course towards the Bank of Newfoundland.

*Alcedo, Diccionario Geografico de las Indias, at the words Isthmus and Atrato.

A. de Humboldt, Mexico, liv. I. chap. II.

BOOK

LXXXIII.

tion and

winds.

The sand accumulated by the eddying whirl of the water from the Peninsula of Yucatan to the mouth of the Rio del Norte, insensibly contracts the basin of the Gulf of Mexico, by adding to the breadth of the continent. The rivers that descend from the Sierra Madre to empty themselves into the Sea of the Antilles, contribute not a little to fill up and elevate the bottom. The whole of the eastern coast of New Spain, from 18° to 26° of latitude, is obstructed by bars. Only vessels drawing little water can Bars. cross one of these bars without running the risk of touching. Nevertheless these obstacles, so formidable to commerce, facilitate, at the same time, the defence of the country against the ambitious projects of a European conqueror. Another very serious inconvenience is common both to Navigathe eastern and western coasts of the Isthmus. Violent storms render it almost impossible, during several months, to effect a landing, and thus prevent almost all navigation along these shores. The north-west winds, denominated los nortes, blow in the Gulf of Mexico from the autumnal equinox to the spring. In September and October they are generally mild, and are at their greatest height in the month of March. On the east coast the navigation is very dangerous in the months of July and August, dreadful tornadoes blowing at that time from the south-west. At this season, and even till September and October, the anchorage of San Blas. Acapulco, and all the ports of the kingdom of Guatimala, are exceedingly unsafe. During the fine part of the year, from October till May, the tranquillity of the ocean is again interrupted in these roadsteads by the furious winds from the north-east and northwest, known by the names of Papagayo and Tehuantepec.

After this sketch of the general distribution of the land, Climate. we perceive that the coasts of New Spain are almost the only part of it that enjoys a warm climate, so as to be proper for supplying those productions which are the object of commerce with the Antilles. The intendency of VeraCruz, with the exception of the plateau which extends from Perote to the Peak of Orizaba, Yucatan, the coasts of

BOOK Oaxaca, the maritime provinces of New St. Andero and LXXXIII. Texas, the new kingdom of Leon, the province of Coha

tries.

huila, the uncultivated country called Bolson de Mapimi, the coasts of California, the west part of Sonora, Cinaloa, and New Gallicia, the southern borders of the intendencies of Valladolid, Mexico, and la Puebla, are tracts of country which are low, and only interrupted by inconsiderable eminencies. The mean annual temperature of these plains, as well as of the ravines that are situated under the tropics, and the elevation of which above the ocean does not exceed 9676 feet, is from 77° to 79° of Fahrenheit's thermometer; that is to say, from 17° to 19° F. greater than the Hot coun- mean temperature of Naples.* These fertile regions, denominated by the natives Tierras Calientes, that is to say, hot countries, produce sugar, indigo, cotton, and bananas, in abundance. When, however, Europeans, not accustomed to the climate, reside there for a long time, and when they assemble together in populous towns, these countries become subject to the yellow fever, known under the name of the black vomit, or vomito prieto. The port of Acapulco, and the valleys of Papagayo and Peregrino, may be classed among those portions of the globe where the air is constantly the hottest and most unhealthy. On the eastern coast of New Spain the great heats are tempered for some time, when the north wind brings strata of cold air from Hudson's Bay, towards the parallel of the Havannah and Vera-Cruz. These impetuous winds blow from the month of October to that of March. Very often they cool the air to such a degree that, near the Havannah, the thermometer descends to 32° F. and, at Vera-Cruz, to 61°, a very remarkable depression of the mercury for countries situated under the torrid zone.

Temperate

On the declivity of the cordillera, at the height of from countries. 4000 to 5000 feet, there constantly reigns the genial temperature of spring, which does not vary more than eight or nine degrees. Intense heat, and excessive cold, are equally

A. de Humboldt, Mexico, t. I. p. 285.

unknown. This region is called by the natives Tierras Tem- BOOK pladas, or, Temperate Countries, in which the mean heat LXXXIII. of the whole year is from 68° to 70° F. This is the delicious climate of Xalapa, Tasco, and Chilpaningo, three towns celebrated for the extreme salubrity of their climate, and for the abundance of the fruit trees that are cultivated in their environs. Unfortunately this medium elevation of 4200 feet is almost the same as that at which the clouds float above the plains adjacent to the sea, for, in consequence of this circumstance, these temperate regions, although situated upon elevated ground, are often enveloped in dense fogs.

countries.

The third zone, designated by the appellation of Tierras Cold Frias, or, Cold Countries, comprehends the plateaus that are higher than 7200 feet above the level of the ocean, and of which the medium temperature is 63° F. and under. In the capital of Mexico, the centigrade thermometer has been seen some degrees below the freezing point; but this phenomenon is very rare. More commonly the winters are as mild there as at Naples. In the coldest season the medium heat of the day is from 55° to 58° F. In summer the thermometer in the shade does not rise above 76° F. The most ordinary mean temperature that prevails over the whole of the great plateau of Mexico is 63° F. which is equal to the temperature of the air at Rome; and the olive-tree is cultivated with success. This same plateau, however, according to the classification of the natives, belongs to the Tierras Frias. Thus, with them, the expressions cold and hot have no absolute signification. But those plateaus that are higher than the valley of Mexico, those, for example, whose actual height exceeds 8200 feet, although situated under the Tropics, have a climate which, even to an inhabitant of the north, appears rude and disagreeable. Of this description are the plains of Talma, and the heights of Guchilaqua, where, during a great part of the day, the air never becomes hotter than from 43° to 46° F. The olive here bears no fruit.

All the regions denominated cold enjoy a mean tempera

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