188 GEOGRAPHY. 



retains their language, with the Roman Catholic religion. The 

 governments are now republican; but these countries are in an unset- 

 tled state; and education is not generally diffused, though much 

 needed, for their improvement. 



Mexico, formerly called New Spain, includes the peninsulas of 

 Yucatan, in the south-east, and California, in the west. It is tra- 

 versed by the great American chain of mountains, here called the 

 Cordilleras; and its chief rivers, are the Del Norte, and Western 

 Colorado ; the latter flowing into the Gulf of California. The Great 

 American Desert, lies east of the Rocky Mountains, partly in Mexi- 

 co, and partly in the United States ; and the Great Sandy Desert, 

 is in the north-western part of Mexico. The chief cities of this 

 country, are Mexico, the capital; Puebla, south-east of it; Gua- 

 naxuato, and Guadalaxara, north-west of it ; San Luis Potosi, 

 and Oaxaca, south of Puebla : and the principal sea-ports, are Vera 

 Cruz, and Tampico. Mexico is celebrated for its gold and silver 

 mines ; many of which are now neglected. The antiquities of this 

 country, and particularly the pyramid of Cholula, and the ruins 

 of the ancient city Calhuacan, near Palenque, attest the power and 

 civilization of its former inhabitants. The government of Mexico, 

 is nominally republican ; but controlled for the most part by mi- 

 litary force. Yucatan has recently become a separate and inde- 

 pendent republic, of which Merida is the capital. The settlement of 

 Balize, on the Bay of Honduras, belongs to the British. 



Guatimala, now called Central America, extends southward to the 

 isthmus of Darien; and contains the Lake Nicaragua; with some 

 volcanoes, in the Cordillerian range of mountains. Its chief cities, 

 are St. Salvador, the capital ; Guatimala, and Leon. The climate 

 is hot, and less healthy than on the table lands of Mexico. Its most 

 valued productions are logwood, mahogany, indigo, and cochineal ; 

 but here, as in Mexico, the country is not highly cultivated. 



4. The West Indies, are a numerous group of islands, so named 

 from the supposition of Columbus, that they were a part of the 

 Indies known in preceding times. They are all, excepting Hay- 

 ti, subject to different European powers ; and their commerce is 

 of much value. The four largest islands, Cuba, Hayti, Jamaica, 

 and Porto Rico, are known as the Great Antilles. The names 

 Lesser Antilles, and Caribbee Islands, are variously applied to the 

 islands south and east of these ; but we prefer to call them all Carib- 

 bee Islands, including the Windward, or more eastern, and the 

 Leeward, or more western. 



Hayti, Hispaniola, or St. Domingo, is now occupied by Africans, 

 having a distinct and independent government, under a president, 

 chosen for life. Its chief towns, are Port au Prince, and Cape 

 Haytien; the latter being the capital. Cuba, and Porto Rico, are 

 still subject to Spain. Their chief towns, are, in Cuba, Havana, 

 and Puerto Principe ; and in Porto Rico, St. Johns. The interior 

 of Cuba, being mountainous, has a cool and healthy climate, though 

 within the torrid zone. 



The British possessions in the West Indies, are Jamaica; and 

 Trinidad, Tobago, Grenada, Barbadoes, St. Lucia, Dominica, An- 

 tigua, the Bahamas, and Bermudas, with several smaller islands. 



