32 Geograpbical IRotes on 



The above are the principal mountain peaks of Mexico, the first 

 ten being volcanoes, with their heights according to the most recent 

 measurements : 



HYDROGRAPHY. 



The eastern Mexican coast, washed by the Caribbean Sea and 

 the Gulf of Mexico, is low, flat, and sandy, except near the mouth of 

 the Tabasco River, where at some distance from the coast appear the 

 heights of San Gabriel, extending northeast and southwest for sev- 

 eral miles ; but the majestic mountains of Veracruz, especially the 

 volcano of Orizaba, visible for many leagues to seaward, form a pictur- 

 esque background which relieves the monotony of the shore region of 

 that State. On the Pacific side the coast, although generally low, is 

 here and there roughened by spurs extending from the cordillera to 

 the ocean. 



The principal gulfs are those of Mexico, California, and Tehuante- 

 pec, the first of which ranks among the largest in the world. 



We are not blessed with good harbors on the Gulf coast. Vera- 

 cruz is an open roadstead, and we are now spending large sums of 

 money in trying to make it a good port. Our best harbors are on the 

 Pacific coast, as Acapulco, which is a large one ; Manzanillo, a very 

 fine although a very small one ; and La Paz, on the Gulf of California. 

 By artificial means we expect to improve our harbors considerably. 



The development of the harbor of Tampico is remarkable. A 

 short time ago the depth of the bar roadstead was only eight or nine 

 feet. Now steamships drawing twenty-four feet of water enter the 

 port. The deepening of the entrance to the harbor has been accom- 

 plished by means of jetties, just as the mouth of the Mississippi was 

 deepened by the Eads jetties. A very large part of the imports of 

 Mexico enter now by the port of Tampico. 



The more noteworthy bays are those of Guaymas, Santa Barbara, 

 Topolobampo and Navachiste, in the Gulf of California ; Concepcion, 

 La Paz, and Muleje, on the west coast of the same gulf ; San Quentin, 

 Magdalena, and Amejas, on the Pacific coast of Lower California ; and 

 San Bias and Valle de Banderas, on the coast of Tepic. 



We have no lakes as large as those with which the United States 

 is favored, and the Lake of Chapala, a beautiful spot where country 

 houses are now being built, is the largest lacustrine basin in Mexican 

 territory. The Valley of Mexico has six lakes, two of fresh and six of 

 salt water. The other lakes in Mexico are Catemaco, in the State of 

 Veracruz ; Cairel and Carpintero, in the State of Tamaulipas ; Encan- 

 tada, in Tabasco ; Bacalar, in Yucatan ; Alcuzague, in Colima ; Cuit- 

 zeo, Tacascuaro, and Patzcuaro, in Michoacan ; Yuriria, in Guanaju- 

 ato ; and Meztitlan, in Hidalgo. 



