ENGINEERING EEPOETS. 
81 
apa takes its rise between San Martin and Pelon. As we ap- 
proached Jaltipan, the soil changed from sand and gravel to a 
rich sandy loam, sustaining a dense growth of vegetation. 
This village contains about 2800 inhabitants, and is built on 
a gentle rise of ground, the summit of which is occupied by a 
mound of earth built in honor of Malinche, Dona Marina, who 
was a native of this place. It is about forty feet in height, and 
one hundred feet in diameter at the base. From its summit we 
saw both Cosuliacaque and Tesistepec, and also had a fine view 
of the country for a considerable distance on all sides. As seen 
from this mound, the general appearance to the east, south, and 
southwest, is very uniform and level, but in the direction of 
Tesistepec, and more westerly, the surface is considerably broken, 
though at no point much elevated above the general level. This 
latter village is situated about nine miles southwesterly from 
Jaltipan. The route thence, for the first three miles, lies over 
a beautifully rolling country, with a rich soil, covered with a 
most luxuriant growth of vegetation, but presenting no large 
timber ; advancing thence, it traverses, for a distance of two 
miles, a level bottom bordering the Apepeche Creek, and 
which is flooded in times of high water to a depth of five or six 
feet. Immediately on striking these bottom-lands the soil 
changes to a stiff plastic clay, of dark color, and unctuous to 
the touch. At the time of making our reconnaissance the ground 
was so much saturated with water, owing to the recent overflow, 
that we ^ould with difficulty get our horses over it. In the 
rainy season the Apepeche Creek has some nine feet depth of 
water in the channel, and is navigated by the natives with ca- 
noes, but for two or three months in the year it is entirely dry. 
After leaving these bottoms, which are heavily timbered, we 
find no more large growth for a distance of five or six miles, 
but the overwhelming fertility of the soil is indicated by a 
reeking mass of vegetation which covers the whole face of 
the country, almost choking up the narrow mule-roads which 
traverse it. 
As we approach Tesistepec the country becomes gradually 
higher and more rugged. This village is built on a broken sand- 
stone ridge, elevated some two hundred feet above tide-water, 
