302 



MINES RIVERS — LAKES. 



The internal provinces of the temperate zone en- 

 joy a climate essentially different from that of the 

 same parallels in the Old Continent. So remarkable 

 an inequality prevails indeed between the tempera- 

 ture of. the seasons, that while the winters resemble 

 those of Germany, the summers are like those of 

 Sicily. A similar difference exists between the 

 other parts of America and the corresponding lati- 

 tudes in Europe ; but it is less perceptible on the 

 western than on the eastern coasts. 



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 work- 

 ing 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 coun- 

 try, the Rio Bravo del Norte and the Rio Colorado 

 being the only ones of any magnitude. The former 

 has a course of 1767 miles, the latter of 863 ; but 

 these streams flow in the least cultivated parts of 

 the country, and can have little influence in a com- 

 mercial 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 mer- 

 chant. 



The numerous lakes, the greater part of which 

 appear to be annually decreasing in size, 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 2067 square 

 miles in extent; those of the valley of Mexico, 



