TEMPESTS OF THE GULF OF MEXICO. 305 



more moderate in September and October. The 

 navigators who have long frequented the port of 

 Vera Cruz are familiar with the symptoms of the 

 coming storm, which is preceded by a great change 

 in the barometer, and a sudden interruption in the 

 regular occurrence of its horary oscillations. At 

 first a gentle land-wind blows from W.N.W., and is 

 succeeded by a breeze rising from the N.E., then 

 from the S. A suffocating heat succeeds, and the 

 water dissolved in the atmosphere is precipitated on 

 the walls and pavements. The summits of Orizaba, 

 of the Cofre de PerOte, and the mountains of Villa 

 Rica are cloudless, while their bases are concealed 

 by vapours. In this state of the air the tempest 

 commences, usually with great impetuosity, and 

 generally continues three or four days. Occasion- 

 ally, even in May, June, July, and August, violent 

 hurricanes are experienced in the Gulf of Mexico. 

 The navigation of the western coasts is very dan- 

 gerous in July and August, when sudden gales burst 

 from the S.W. ; and even in the fine season, from 

 October to May, furious winds sometimes blow from 

 the N.E. and N.N.E. In short, all the coasts of 

 New-Spain are at certain periods dangerous to 

 navigators. 



It is probable that Mexico was formerly better in- 

 habited than it is at present ; but its population was 

 concentrated in a very small space in the neighbour- 

 hood of the capital. At the present day it is more 

 generally distributed than it was before the conquest, 

 and the number of Indians has increased during the 

 last century. According to an imperfect census 

 made in 1794, the return was estimated at 5,200,000. 

 The proportion of births to deaths, during the time 

 between that period and Humboldt's visit, was found, 

 from data furnished by the clergy, to be 170 : 100 ; 

 while that of births to the total amount he considers 

 as 1 in 17, and of the deaths as 1 in 30. The an- 

 nual number at present born he estimates at nearly 



