CITY OF OlilZABA. 65 



quarters at a rasa de huespedcs, or boarding house. Here 

 we were to spend a week in collecting, and studying the 

 fauna, flora, and Geology. 



. Orizaba has over twenty thousand inhabitants, and is 

 one of the oldest and quaintest cities in Mexico. The 

 windo ,vs of the houses are low and iron grated, as is usual 

 with Spanish towns. Most of the dwellings are but one 

 story in height, built with broad, overhanging eaves, and 

 are composed of morter, sun-dried brick, and a variety of 

 other material. Wood, however, does not enter to any 

 great extent in their construction. The pitched roofs are 

 covered with big red tiles, which serve to throw off the heat 

 of the burning sun, as well as the rain. 



There are numerous churches here, several of which 

 are quite imposing structures Gabriel Barranco, a 



native artist, has contributed many oil paintings of consider- 

 able merit to many of these churchs. Earthquakes are 

 frequent here, a fact attested by numerous cracks in the 

 church towers. The steeple of the largest church was 

 thrown down several times by this agency. Several good 

 schools have been established here, and are doing good work. 

 They are supported by the local government. The church 

 party, however, are doing their best to suppress them, but 

 do not seem to succeed. Four schools are for boys, and 

 three for girls. 



A river runs through the town, and affords ample power 

 for six or eight mills, which manufacture sugar, cotton, and 

 flour. The surrounding valley is very fertile, and is mostly 

 devoted to the raising of coffee, sugar-cane, and tobacco. 

 The climate is very fine all the year, the average tempera- 

 ture being 75*^ Fahr. in summer, and very seldom falls be- 

 low 60° at any time. The valley affords an agreeable 

 medium between the hot lands, and the cold and rarified 

 atmosphere of the Mexico plateau. In this vicinity one sees 



