PACIFIC PORTS. 
105 
together a thick cluster of granitoidal structure, disposed in 
strata, wherein feldspath and amphibole are predominant. It 
is the last link of that chain which, detaching itself at the north- 
west from the Cordillera of Oaxaca, descends by an irregular 
series of decreasing heights, passes to the north of Huamelula, 
turning it at the southeast, and terminates at the Pacific Ocean, 
where it separates the bay of La Yentosa from the bay of Salina 
Cruz. 
The sandy strand of La Yentosa commences at the foot of the 
lateral portion of the Cerro Morro, facing the east, and describes 
from the south to the northeast an arc nearly two miles and a 
half in length; then takes an easterly and almost rectilinear 
direction, but drawing a little towards the south, extends on 
about six miles further, where it runs into the sea : after which 
it turns back again abruptly and inclines towards the north, 
though " trending" all the while in an easterly direction. 
From the summit of the Cerro Morro looking towards the 
east, the beach loses itself in a distant horizon, and unfolds 
to the eye a long belt of white sand from two to three hun- 
dred feet wide, terminating inland by a vast plain, scarcely 
broken upon by the isolated hillocks of Huazontlan. This 
plain, of a slightly undulating nature, is composed of sand, 
clay, and vegetable earth. It is covered with trees of middling 
size, which grow both thinner and smaller, as one advances 
towards the east. But in the direction of the Cordillera which 
separates the Isthmus into two parts, north and south, this 
alluvial country is generally flat, presenting at rare intervals 
detached heights, easily avoided in the planning of a road 
of any character whatever, offering to the view fields of corn, 
indigo, sugar-cane, palm-trees, nopals, bananas, orange-trees, 
cocoanut-trees, and plants of which the vigor and variety bear 
witness to the great fertility of the soil. 
The sandy beach of La Yentosa itself is cut by lagoons ot 
little depth, having several outlets into the sea, and by the bed 
of the Tehuantepec Eiver. At the time of the periodical over- 
flow this current flows over a low country before reaching the 
Pacific Ocean, in which it then empties itself, not only by its 
mouth, situated 16° W 40" north latitude, and 95° 15' 25" west 
