170 CHIAPAS, ROUNDARIES, PRODUCTS, DEPARTMENTS, ETC. 



THE STATE OF CHIAPAS. 



This state has been very inadequately examined. It is bounded 

 north by Tabasco ; south and south-west by the Republic of Central 

 America, or Guatemala ; west by the state of Vera Cruz and by a 

 small part of Oajaca ; and on the east partly by Yucatan and partly 

 by Guatemala. Until the year 1833 the territory comprised in this 

 division belonged to Guatemala, when it joined the Mexican con- 

 federacy. Comprehending the northern declivities of the Cordil- 

 leras and table lands of Central America, Chiapas is, throughout a 

 considerable part of its territory, cut up into successions of ridges 

 and valleys, which are rich in many of the finest tropical productions. 

 Corn, cacao, sugar and garden vegetables are produced readily. To- 

 bacco of good quality grows in the district of Sandoval, and in the 

 neighborhood of Oajaca. In the district of Tonala, a small quan- 

 tity of indigo of an extraordinarily fine quality is cultivated ; and 

 here, also, pepper and the maguey plant are yielded plentifully. 

 Ananas, sapotes, bananas, figs, apricots and various similar fruits 

 abound in Chiapas, while in its forests, oaks, cedar, mahogany, 

 ebony, and other valuable woods are found in considerable quanti- 

 ties. But the greater part of this fruitful state is still an unknown 

 waste, which the labors of other races must fully explore and develop. 



Chiapas is divided into four departments and nine districts, 

 which, together, possess 92 parishes. 



1st : The Department of the Centre, with 12 parishes, besides 

 the capital of Ciudad-Real, or San Cristoval de los Llanos and the 

 the town of Chamula. 



2nd : The Department of the South, with 10 parishes, in the dis- 

 trict of Llanos, 1 1 in Ocozingo, and 17 in Tuxtla. 



3rd : The Department of the West, with the district of Ystoco- 

 mitan, containing 17 parishes ; Tonala, 3 parishes ; and Palenque, 

 4 parishes. 



4th : The Department of the North, with the districts of Tila, 

 containing 6 parishes, and Simojoval, 12 parishes. 



The chief towns are, Ciudad-Real, or San Cristoval de los 

 Llanos ; a fine town w T ith about 6,000 inhabitants, possessing a 

 cathedral church, four convents for monks, and one for nuns, two 

 chapels, and a hospital. The first bishop of Chiapas, who erected 

 the see of that name in 1538, was the renowned Bartolomeo de las 

 Casas, whose fame is so intimately connected with the early history 

 of the, country, by his constant and merciful interference in behalf 

 of the Indians. 



