140 A NATURALIST IN MEXICO, 



rough fortifications — these make up the picture of the flat 

 shore. There are no suburbs, the dreary, sandy desert 

 creeping up elose to the city. In the background, how- 

 ever, the monotonous scene is reheved by the Sierra Madre 

 range of mountains, culminating in the peak of Orizaba. 



The long, straight, narrow streets are laid out with 

 great uniformity, and cross each other at right angles, the 

 monotony being broken by green blinds opening on the lit- 

 tle balconies, which are shaded by awnings. The area of 

 the city is not over sixty acres, the town being built in a 

 very compact manner. The streets are crowded in busi- 

 ness hours; mule carts, porters, half-naked water-carriers, 

 natives, negroes, and active civilians, besides a few military 

 officers, are seen jostling each other. In the plaza pretty 

 flower-girls mingle with fruit venders, lottery-ticket sellers, 

 and here and there a half-tipsy seamen on shore-leave 

 from the shipping in the roadstead. 



The Plaza de la Constitucion is small in extent, about 

 two hundred feet square, but it is very attractive, having a 

 bronze fountain in its center, the gift of Carlotta, the un- 

 fortunate wife of Maximilian. In the evening the plaza is 

 lighted by electricity. The plaza is ornamented with 

 many lovely tropical flowers, cocoanut palms, and fragrant 

 roses. On a pleasant evening it is amusing to watch the 

 young people in shady corners making love, not, however, 

 the legitimate Romeo and Juliet sort observed in Jalapa. 



There are but few places of interest in Veracruz after 

 visiting the governor's palace, the plaza, the alameda, 

 with its fine array of cocoa-palms, the custom house, the 

 public library, and the large church fronting the plaza. 

 This latter, while an imposing structure, will not compare 

 well with the cathedrals in the other cities visited. One 

 street, called the Street of Christ, leads to the Campo 

 Santo, or burial ground, where nature has adorned the 



