GENEEAL SURVEY. 



11 



Antilles, all the southern part of North America. But they are divided by the 

 region of the isthmuses into two distinct geographical areas. 



In her almost isolated position, Mexico serves as an advanced bulwark for the 

 whole of Spanish America against the Anglo-Saxon world. Wars and diplomacy 

 have deprived her of all her northern territor}^ her outer ramjiarts, so to say ; 

 but she still retains nearly in its entirety the domain where the Spanish-speaking 

 populations are chiefly concentrated. 



Characteristic of the Mexican nation as a whole is the incessant struggle it is 

 compelled to make against the growing influence of the United States. Doubtless, 



Fig. 5. — PEEDoirTNANT Races in Centeal America. 

 Scale 1 : G0,nO0.00O. 



Full -blood Indians. 



of Indians 

 over whites. 



of Indians 

 over whites 

 and blacks. 



Predominance — 



of whites 

 over blacks. 



of whites 

 over Indians. 



SI 



of blacks 

 over whites. 



1,240 Miles. 



of blacks 

 over whites 

 and Indians. 



the powerful northern confederacy has a large share in the changes which are 

 continually going on in Mexico. Nevertheless, the Mexicans seek their allies in 

 the rest of Spanish America, and especially in Europe, and even in France, which 

 not so long ago sent an expedition to destroy their political autonomy. They call 

 themselves and feel themselves "Latins," and the very term laclino has become syno- 

 nymous with "enlightened," or "civilised" throughout Central America. 



Should the emancipated nations of the earth ever group themselves according 

 to their natural affinities and regardless of distances, the Mexicans and the 

 other Latinised peoples of America will inevitably become associated with the 

 kindred Latin peoples of Europe. As in England and the British Colonies a 



