NATURAL AREAS AND REGIONS 



599 



which is a riot of tropical vegetation 

 famous for its beauty. 



The plain of Peten has been more 

 thoroughly explored by archaeologists 

 than by botanists, though its uniformity 

 makes relatively simple the matter of 

 studying either its fauna or its flora. 

 In all this region there are forests and 

 savannahs. During four or five months 

 of the year little rain falls, and travel 

 becomes possible; more than half the 

 time it is extremely difficult to penetrate 

 the interior of this Department, due to 

 the condition of the trails, and the lack 

 of settlements where supplies can be 

 obtained. Only a few thousand people 

 live in Peten, and of these the majority 

 are in the one town of Flores. The 

 great Usumacinta River flows along the 

 western boundary of this Department, 

 and drains the larger part of it. 



ROUTES OF TRAVEL 



Guatemala is traversed from the 

 Atlantic to the Pacific by a railroad, 

 which, leaving Puerto Barrios on the 

 Atlantic, passes up the Motagua valley 

 onto the plateau where lies Guatemala 

 City. Thence it descends past Lake 

 Amatitlan and the foot of the Volcan 

 de Agua, to the town of Escuintla, 

 whence it crosses the coastal plain 

 to the port of San Jose. From Santa 

 Maria Junction, between San Jos6 

 and Escuintla, there is a line which 

 extends up the coastal plain to the 

 Mexican border, with a branch to the 

 port of Champerico. 



The railway gives easy access to the 

 humid tropical region of the lower 

 Motagua valley where are located ex- 

 tensive banana plantations; the desert 

 region about Zacapa and El Rancho; 

 the plateau of Guatemala City; and 

 the entire coastal plain along the Paci- 

 fic. It also places one within striking 

 distance of other parts of the country. 



From such towns as Escuintla, Maza- 

 tenango, and Retalhuleu it is easy to 

 reach by horse or mule the rain forest 

 belt on the slopes of the sierra, where 

 are located most of the coffee planta- 



tions. Quezaltenango and the high- 

 land region can also be reached from 

 the railway at Santa Felipe. From 

 Guatemala City there is a stage line to 

 Antigua, which lies in a beautiful and 

 interesting valley, while by horse or 

 mule it is not difficult to visit the entire 

 plateau region (Los Altos) though this 

 requires several days. 



The Vera Paz may be reached either 

 from Guatemala by horse or mule, or 

 from Livingston by boat through Lake 

 Izabal to Panzos on the Polochic River, 

 whence there is a railway 28 mi. in 

 length to Pancajche, from which place 

 Coban may be reached by horse or mule 

 in a day and a half. From Cobdn there 

 are trails to many parts of the Vera 

 Paz, and one may cross the Chixoy 

 and go through the province of Quich6 

 to Los Altos. The trail from Coban to 

 Guatemala City passes through Tactic 

 and Salamd, thence over the Chuaciis 

 range into the Motagua valley and up 

 to Guatemala City. 



The southeastern part of the country 

 may be reached on horseback from 

 Guatemala City. It is not difficult to 

 journey as far as Santa Ana in the 

 neighboring republic of Salvador. 



The Peten region is difficult of access, 

 except through British Honduras. The 

 usual route is from Belize up the river 

 to a point near the border of Guatemala, 

 whence there is a trail to Flores. 



Overland travel in Guatemala is not 

 difficult, providing one is willing to be 

 satisfied with poor accommodations 

 and food. It is best to carry a few 

 supplies to augment the monotonous 

 round of tortillas, arroz and frijoles. 

 Good riding animals are difficult to 

 secure, unless one has friends in the 

 country. 



bibliography' 



*Brigham, William T. Guatemala: the 



land of the Quetzal. New York. 



1887. 

 Pepper, Charles M. Guatemala, the 



country of the future. Washington, 



D. C. 1906. 



• Those considered especially valuable are marked 

 with an asterisk. 



