MINES — RIVERS — LAKES. 



Kivcrs 



CHAP. XXIV. many, the summers are like those of Sicily. A similar 

 g ; difference exists between the other parts of America and 

 the cori-esponding latitudes in Europe ; but it is less 

 perceptible on the western than on the eastern coasts. 

 Si:ver mines. New Spain possesses a peculiar advantage in the 

 circumstances under which the precious metals have 

 been deposited. In Peru the most important silver 

 mines, those of Potosi, Pasco, and Chota, are placed at 

 an immense elevation ; so that, in working them, men, 

 provisions, .and cattle, must be brought from a distance ; 

 but in Mexico, the richest of these, those, namely, of 

 Guanaxuato, Zacatecas, Tasco, and Real del Monte, are 

 at moderate heights, and surrounded by cultivated fields, 

 towns, and villages. 



There are few rivers of consequence in the country, 

 the Rio Bravo del Norte and the Rio Colorado being the 

 only ones of any magnitude. The former has a course 

 of 1768 miles, the latter of 863 ; but these streams flow 

 in the least cultivated parts of the country, and can 

 have little influence in a commercial point of view until 

 colonization shall extend to their shores. In the whole 

 equinoctial part of New Spain there are only small 

 rivulets, of which very few can ever become interesting 

 to the merchant. 



The numerous lakes, the greater part of which appear 

 to be annually decreasing in siiie, are the remains of 

 immense basins of water that formerly existed on the 

 elevated plains. Of these may be mentioned the lake 

 of Chapala, nearly 1910 square miles in extent; those 

 of the valley of Mexico, which comprehend a fourth 

 part of its surface ; that of Patzcuaro in Valladolid ; 

 and, finally, the lakes of Mexitlan and Parras in New 

 Biscay. 



The interior of New Spain, and especially a great 

 part of the elevated table -land of Anahuac, is arid and 

 destitute of vegetation ; which arises from the rapid 

 evaporation in high plains, and the circumstance that 

 few of the mountains enter the region of perpetual 

 snow, which under the equator commences at the 



lakes. 



Interior 

 table hxni. 



