252 MEXICO, CENTRAL AMERICA, WEST INDIES. 



tlie north side of Lake Guija, abounds in productive iron, copper, silver, and 

 zinc mines. 



Acajutla, the outlet of this western division of Salvador, lies on the west side 

 of a spacious bay, open to the western and southern winds. Despite its exposed 

 position, Acajutla has become the largest seaport in the state, shipping coffee and 

 other produce in exchange for foreign manufactured wares. It is the seaward 

 terminus of the first railway built in Salvador, which runs north to Sonsonate and 

 Armenia, the ancient Guaymoco, and which is ultimately to effect a junction with 

 the projected trunk line from Mexico to Panama. A branch in course of con- 

 struction runs through the Guanimnl towards the flourishing coffee plantations of 

 Santa Ana, whence the main highway leads to San Salvador, capital of the 

 republic. 



This pLice was originally founded in 152-5 in the Suchitoto valley, much 

 farther north than its present position in the fertile plain, 2,300 feet above the 

 sea, at the east foot of the San Salvador volcano. The district, covered with coffee 

 and other plantations, is watered by the Aselguate, a southern affluent of the Rio 

 Lempa, while immediately to the south other streams flow in parallel channels 

 down to the Pacific. The city thus stands on the waterparting, and has the 

 further advantage of occupying a strong central position, defended by wùde and 

 deep barrancas of extremely difficult access. But the district is exposed to 

 frequent and violent earthquakes, by which San Salvador has been twice destroyed 

 during the present century. On these occasions, many of the inhabitants sought 

 refuge elsewhere, and especiall}^ at Santa Tecia, nine miles to the north-west. 



Santa Tecla thus became the temporary capital, and even received the name of 

 Nuevo San Salvador, but being equally exposed to underground disturbances, as 

 well as to volcanic eruptions, it scarcely offered much more security than the first 

 place, Avhich has been rebuilt of wood, on a principle of elastic frames calculated 

 to resist sudden shocks. San Salvador has now resumed its position as seat of 

 the administration, but has not yet recovered the population of 30,000 which it 

 possessed about the middle of the century. It communicates by a well-kept road 

 with its seajwrt o£ La Libertad, an exposed roadstead, where the shipping rides at 

 anchor in the surf over half a mile from the shore. 



East of the capital the main route passes north of Lake Ilopango to Coju- 

 tepeque, an Indian town, followed successively by Jihoa and San Vicente, the 

 latter founded in 1638 on a western affluent of the lower Lempa on the site of the 

 ancient Aztec city of Tehiiacan. The ruins of this place, known by the name of 

 Ojnco, stand on a lateral terrace of the San Vicente volcano. The route leads 

 thence through Sacatccohica to the port of Concordia, at the mouth of the Eio 

 Jiboa. 



In the marshy and insalubrious valley of the Lempa there are no centres of 

 population, the nearest towns being Suchitoto, Ilobasco, and Sensiintepeqtte, which 

 stand on breezy headlands, where the temperature is lower than in the low-h'ing 

 fluvial basin. Chalatenanejo, the only town in the northern district between the 

 Lempa and the Sumpul, lies also at some distance fi-om the mainstream. 



