ENGINEERING EEPOETS. 37 
not cost in the United States more than ten or twelve thousand 
dollars per mile ; to this estimate would have to be added from 
fifty to seventy-five per cent, to obtain the cost of doing the 
same work on the Isthmus. 
Though the line described was not actually traced on the 
ground (our instrumental surveys being confined to the mule- 
roads), I am satisfied that the above is a liberal estimate for 
the cost of the work. A profile of the mule-road leading from 
Mina-titlan to Tesistepec (which may be considered the worst 
route that could be found through that part of the country), 
shows lighter work than is encountered on many roads in the 
United States, with a maximum grade of fifty feet per mile. 
The entire country embraced in our reconnaissance, with the 
exception of a portion of the distance between Mina-titlan and. 
Jaltipan, is remarkably fertile, producing an excellent quality of 
tobacco, cotton, rice, sugar-cane, maize, coffee, cacao, &c, &c. 
That part lying back from the river bottoms is beautifully 
rolling and well watered ; the streams generally coursing over 
sandy or gravelly beds, and having a fair current. The bottom- 
lands lying to the west of the Coatzacoalcos, and subject to 
overflow, are of considerable extent and but partially wooded ; 
those portions destitute of timber being called by the natives 
potreros ; these are clothed with perpetual verdure, and furnish 
rich pasturage for immense herds of cattle, horses, and mules. 
Bordering the potreros we generally find abundance of ex- 
cellent timber. But in the vicinity of the road leading from 
Mina-titlan to Tesistepec, there is comparatively little, a fact 
which would seem to indicate that at some period, not very 
remote, a much larger portion of this country was under cultiva- 
tion than at present. To the south of Tesistepec, the timber is 
generally of a large size and good quality ; between the Haci- 
enda of Almagro and Mt. Encantada, we met with considerable 
mahogany, as well as other valuable woods. 
The inhabitants of this part of the Isthmus number about 
twenty-five thousand, and mostly live in compact villages, inva- 
riably located on the most elevated sections of the country. They 
are principally devoted to agriculture and the raising of cattle, 
horses, and mules, and though naturally indolent, are not more 
