Geographie Character: .Southern Division. 117 
Pacific and Atlantic coast drainage-systems, it is pierced here and there with 
rivers. It enters the Mexican state of Chiapas as the mountains of Istatan. 
The Sierra de Chama strikes eastward from the Sierra Madre towards Belize 
where it is denominated the Cookscomb, and one or two other mountain 
chains follow the same general course. The general relief of the country is 
of the most varied description, the mountains descending in all kinds of terraces. 
No true plateaus are found. The number of volcanic summits, according to 
Bernouilli is 14 or 15, while Foledo makes the number no less than 31. 
Volcan de Fuego is perhaps the most important 12,821 (12,655, 12,578) feet 
(3835 m), while Volcan de Agua 13,108 (12,311) feet (3995 m) is famous for 
the fact, that it destroyed the city of Old Guatemala by a deluge of water. 
The single states. Guatemala has many streams and rivers. The streams 
which drain the Pacific coast are small and rapid, while the eastern drainage 
plain is supplied with a number of-good sized rivers. The Motagua, 250 miles 
(400 km) long, forms a delta on the south of the Gulf of Honduras. The 
Polochice is about 180 miles (290 km) in length, while the Guadalupe, the Rio 
de la Pasion and Chisoy unite to form the Usumacinta, which, passing through 
Mexican territory, empties into the Bay of Campeachy. Lake Peten is an 
irregular basin about 27 miles long with an extreme breadth of ı3 miles. 
Lake Izabal is the head of the Polochic River and Lake Atitlan is a land- 
locked basin in the mountains at an elevation of 5300 feet (1615 m). Thus 
in Guatemala, three orographic regions are distinguishable: ı. A northern 
district which is relatively low comprising the larger part of the department 
‚of Peten. 2. A central district composed of mountain ranges, running generally 
: east to west and divided into chains of Cretaceous and Tertiary formations 
in the north, and chains of Paleozoic and Archaic formations. 3. A southern 
district formed chiefly of eruptive mountain chains which culminate in vol- 
canoes, such as Tacana, Fuego and Agua. 
The main chain of mountains in Honduras does not approach the Pacific 
coast closer than 50 or 60 miles. It makes several turns on itself, thus en- 
closing valleys, or interior basins. These mountains may be said to form a 
continuation of those in Guatemala. The Omoa range with its culminating 
peak, 10,000 (Bates 8,000) feet towers above Amatique Bay, while the Con- 
grehoy and Poyas ranges are near the Atlantic coast their crests rising 6000 
to 8000 feet. The ranges run in the same general direction as in Guatemala, 
but they are interrupted by a great transverse plain, the plain of Comayagua 
having an extreme length of about 40 miles. From this valley extending due 
north to the Atlantic Ocean is found the valley of the Humuya River and 
due south to the Pacific Ocean, the Goascoran River Valley which thus com- 
pletes a depression which extends from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans and 
at one time formed a marine channel connecting the two oceans. The rivers 
of this region are numerous. The Ulua River is the largest, draining nearly 
one-third of Honduras. It discharges a larger amount of water into the sea 
than any other Central American river. Rio Tinto is a. considerable stream, 
