130 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I02 



tant sugar mills, and wide pastures ; as far as the Rio de Alvarado 

 and Nueva Almeria there are countless herds of cattle, which pro- 

 duce quantities of hides which are shipped to Spain. On that quarter 

 of the Rio de Alvarado it is bounded by the Diocese of Oaxaca. In 

 this hot country is produced much sarsaparilla, and other roots, gums, 

 and medicinal extracts and fruits; all kinds of native fruit bear 

 abundantly. 



Chapter VI 



Continuing the Description of the Country and of the New Dio- 

 cese Which Orders Were Given To Create in the City of Vera Cruz 

 or Town of Jalapa, because It Is a Healthier Spot. 



367. There are in the hot country district some Indian settle- 

 ments with many ranches and farms established by Spaniards, as 

 well as cattle ranches and sugar mills, together with other enterprises 

 and plantations of corn, tobacco, and other crops; on the coast 72 

 leagues N. of Vera Cruz lie the village and harbor of Tamiagua, 

 with Indian and Spanish residents, and with an important fishing 

 and shrimp industry because of the quantities obtained there. The 

 Viceroy appoints for this village and its province an Alcalde Mayor 

 for its satisfactory administration and the dispensing of justice. Here 

 is the boundary toward the village of Panuco, which lies some 30 

 leagues to the N. in the Archdiocese of Mexico. 



368. Inland 30 leagues from the city of Vera Cruz lies the town 

 of Jalapa, where it is proposed to build the new Cathedral for the 

 section formed from the Diocese of Tlaxcala. Since this has a very 

 wide jurisdiction over thickly settled country and the Bishop is not 

 equal to visiting and confirming over its whole extent, and since it is 

 very rich in large revenues. His Majesty favored Licentiate Gutierre 

 Bernardo de Quiros with the commission to divide it. This new 

 Diocese is to be enlarged by another small tract taken from the juris- 

 diction of the Diocese of Oaxaca along the coast up to Tabasco, from 

 its district in Yucatan. Thus all will be better accommodated, and it 

 will be possible to make better provision for pastoral visits and con- 

 firmations and for the satisfying of other emergencies which need 

 prompt handling in those new regions, as well as to aid in converting 

 the Indians and in their receiving sound doctrine and instruction. 



369. The town of Jalapa is located on a marvelous site with a 

 delightful outlook, a springlike climate, bright skies, and wholesome 

 air; the fields are fertile and prolific, yielding excellent crops of 

 corn, wheat, and all Spanish and native fruit. The town will con- 

 tain 200 Spanish residents ; it has a good parish church, a Franciscan 



