ENGINEERING REPORTS. 33 
its summit is elevated from eight hundred to one thousand feet 
above the surrounding plains. 
In order to obtain a better knowledge of the topography of 
the country, we made the ascent of the mountain, and found its 
summit a very favorable point for observation, commanding as 
it did, a view of nearly one-half the breadth of the Isthmus. 
From observation and inquiry, we learned that all the country 
east of Encantada to the Coatzacoalcos was subject to over- 
flow, with the exception of a few isolated points ; also for three or 
four miles both north and south, and westward to the extreme 
end of the mountain. In a southerly direction, all that portion 
of the country included between the Coatzacoalcos, and a line 
bearing S. 40° W. from our point of observation, presented a 
very even surface, for a distance of twenty or thirty miles ; 
beyond which it was much more broken, the view being limit- 
ed by a low range of hills, running in nearly an east and west 
direction. These highlands I have since ascertained to be the 
dividing ridge, separating the Jaltepec and Jumuapa rivers. 
To the west and northwest, the surface of the country becomes 
gradually higher and more broken, but not mountainous. The 
nearest highland seen to the east or southeast, I judged to be 
twenty-five or thirty miles distant. 
There being no roads extending south of Mt. Encantada, we 
did not penetrate further in that direction. 
The natives informed us that about two years since an at- 
tempt was made to cut a road through to Paso de la Puerta, 
under the direction of Sefior Moro. They commenced near the 
Hacienda of Almagro, and after penetrating some distance in a 
southwesterly direction, struck what they supposed to be the 
head-waters of the San Juan Kiver, and concluding they had 
missed their course, abandoned the work. The surface of the 
country in this direction was found to be very rough, being 
traversed by a multitude of ravines and intervening ridges: 
the road has since grown over with small timber, so as to ren- 
der it impassable. 
About eleven miles west from J altipan is the important 
town of Acayucam, containing some five thousand inhabit- 
ants. Three miles east of this place is the small village of So- 
