122 
KEVENUE AND INCOME. 
tic States and California. The receipts arising from this source 
alone would amount to a large sum, and justify the commence- 
ment of the Tehuantepec road at the earliest day. Nor is it 
unreasonable to conclude that even the existing trade and emi- 
gration would seek a route so advantageous in point of time and 
distance as this is proven to be. But there is a reason more 
cogent than all this, which will go far to secure to the Tehuan- 
tepec Isthmus the California travel. We allude to climate. In 
forming an estimate of this, personal experience is, beyond 
question, the best criterion. During a residence of eight months, 
exposed to every danger and privation, camping night after night 
in the open air, not a solitary case of malignant fever or dysentery 
occurred among the (more than fifty) members of the surveying 
expedition, who returned in health at the close of their labors, 
delighted with the salubrity of the atmosphere, the purity of 
the water, and the magnificence of the scenery of the Isthmus. 
In judging of climate, however, medical men are perhaps most 
competent to give an opinion ; and the intelligent reader is re- 
ferred to the report of Dr. Kovaleski, appended to the article 
on " Climate," for an exposition of the sanitary condition of Te- 
huantepec* 
Having now shown the great advantages of the Tehuantepec 
route in point of time, distance, and climate, the next consider- 
ation is the harbors on its coast, and their facilities for the recep- 
tion, shelter, and safety of ships ; for without these requisites 
the projected communication would be an idle dream. Fortu- 
nately, the results of the survey show this is not the case ; and 
the relative merits of the points selected are so clearly set forth 
in the reports of Mr. Trastour on Yentosa, and of Mr. Temple 
on the Coatzacoalcos, that a repetition of their numerous ad- 
vantages here would be superfluous. In connection, however, 
with the gratifying results obtained by the Hydrographic 
paeers, the ^practicability of the Isthmus ports has been fully 
demonstrated, as will be seen by the letter of Captain Mott, of the 
steamer " Gold Hunter," and of Captain Foster, of the " Alaba- 
ma," which will be found in another part of this work. Without 
* See " Climate," page 173. 
