MEXICO AND THE UNITED STATES. 329 



cended to the high plains of Chilpanzingo, Tehuilotepec, and 

 Tasco plains which, at an elevation of between 4,000 and 

 5,000 feet, enjoyed a temperate climate favourable to the 

 cultivation of most of the European cereals and the growth of 

 the oak, the cypress, and the fir. At Tasco, he inspected the 

 silver mines, which are some of the oldest and probably the 

 richest in the country, and thence continued his journey through 

 Cuernaraca and the foggy district of Cuchilague to the capital, 

 where he arrived towards the end of April. 



The city of Mexico numbered at that time more than 

 150,000 inhabitants, and was selected by Humboldt as his 

 head-quarters, as from its central position it afforded facilities 

 for making excursions of varying extent in all directions. The 

 time occupied by his sojourn in the kingdom of ]\Je^tco was 

 little short of a year; that is to say, from March 23, 1803, till 

 March 7, 1804. 



4 1 endeavoured to employ the time spent in Mexico not 

 merely in scientific investigation, but in acquiring an acctr* j 

 rate knowledge of the political condition of this extensive 

 remarkable country. The civilisation of New Spain presented 

 a striking contrast to the limited amount of culture, both 

 physical and moral, visible in those countries I had recently 

 visited. I carefully compared all that I had seen upon the 

 banks of the Orinoco, and the Rio Negro, in the province of 

 Caracas, in New Granada, on the slopes of the Andes around 

 Quito, as well as on the coasts of Peru, with the condition of 

 things I found in the kingdom of Mexico. The result of this 

 comparison was to incite me to investigate the causes, as yet 

 but partially developed, which have proved so favourable for 

 the increase of population and of national industry in this 

 country. 



6 The circumstances in which I was placed were highly ad- 

 vantageous for the prosecution of this object, since in the col- 

 lection of materials, in which no published book could be of 

 any avail, various manuscripts were placed at my disposal, and 

 I was allowed free access to the public archives.' l 



1 A. von Humboldt, ' Ueber den politischen Zustand des Konigreiclis 

 Neuspanien ' (Tubingen, 1809). Preface. 



