scott's advance — description of cerro gordo. 373 



nearly at a right angle, in a gap among the sand-hills towards the 

 west. For many miles it winds slowly and heavily through the 

 deep and shifting soil, until, as the traveller approaches the river 

 Antigua, the country begins to rise and fall by gentle elevations like 

 the first heavy swells of the ocean. Passing this river at Puente 

 Nacional over the noble and renowned bridge of that name, the as- 

 pect of the territory becomes suddenly changed. The nearer eleva- 

 tions are steeper and more frequent, the road firmer and more rocky, 

 while, in the western distance, the tall slopes of the Sierras rise 

 rapidly in bold and wooded masses. All the features of nature are 

 still strictly tropical, and wherever a scant and thriftless cultivation 

 has displaced the thick vines, the rich flowers, and the dense foliage 

 of the forest, indolent natives may be seen idling about their cane- 

 built huts, or lazily performing only the most necessary duties of 

 life. Further on, at Plan del Rio the geological features of the 

 coast assume another aspect. Here the fbad again crosses a small 

 streamlet, and then suddenly strikes boldly into the side of the 

 mountain which is to be ascended. About seven leagues from Ja- 

 lapa the edge of one of the table lands of the Cordillera sweeps down 

 from the west abruptly into this pass of the river Plan. On both 

 sides of this precipitous elevation the mountains tower majestically. 

 The road winds slowly and roughly along the scant sides which 

 have been notched to receive it. When the summit of the pass is 

 attained one side of the road is found to be overlooked by the Hill 

 of the Telegraph, while on the other side the streamlet runs in an 

 immensely deep and rugged ravine, several hundred feet below the 

 level of the table land. Between the road and the river many ridges 

 of the neighboring hills unite and plunge downwards into the im- 

 passable abyss. At the foot of the Hill of the Telegraph, rises 

 another eminence known as that of Atalaya, which is hemmed in by 

 other wooded heights rising from below, and forming, in front of 

 the position a boundary of rocks and forests beyond which the sight 

 cannot penetrate. 



When Don Manuel Robles left Vera Cruz, after its fall, he was 

 desired by General Canalizo to examine the site of Cerro Gordo. 

 After a full reconnoissance it was his opinion that it afforded a fa- 

 vorable spot in which the invaders might be at least injured or 

 checked, but that was not the proper point to dispute their passage 

 to the capital by a decisive victory. The most favorable position 

 for resistance he believed to be at Corral Falso. 



These views, however, did not accord with the opinions of the 

 commander-in-chief, who when the ground was explored under his 



48 



