232 
TOWNS, PRODUCTIVE INDUSTRY, ETC. 
700 inhabitants, who are remarkably reserved in character, and 
who speak almost exclusively the old Mexican language. Dur- 
ing the war of the Independencia, the commerce of Sanapa was 
very considerable ; its products being carried in small vessels to 
Yera Cruz. Timber of all kinds is very plentiful, especially the 
guapaque, which, from its abundance, gives name to the neigh- 
boring Hacienda of Guapacal. All throughout this locality 
there are evidences of a population at one time numerically 
great ; and the number of obsidian relics, as knives, razors, 
arrow-heads, beads, vessels, &c, with which the face of the coun- 
try is literally covered, seem to indicate a degree of mechanical 
skill and an approach to civilization not usually exhibited among 
the remains of a barbarous people. 
On the western bank of the Rio Tancochapa — the southern 
arm of the Tonala — thirteen miles above its confluence with that 
stream, is the magnificent Hacienda of San Jose del Carmen, the 
property of the late Don Juan Urgell, whose titles bear date 
of 1771. This embraces three sitios, or sites, and consists of pas- 
ture-lands and forests, which stretch on the north to the cerro 
of St. Yincente, and on the south to within a short distance of 
the spurs of the Cordillera. The location of this estate is most 
advantageous, lying between and bordering two navigable riv- 
ers, the TJspanapa and the Tancochapa, in the tributary streams 
of which (those irrigating the lands of the hacienda) are found 
fine pulverulent particles of gold ; but to what extent these wash- 
ings might prove lucrative further exploration must demonstrate. 
It seems important, however, to state, in connection with the 
finding of precious metal in these streams, that among the many 
remains of the indigenous people who formerly occupied this 
locality, there are a number of artificial wells on the west bank 
of the Tancochapa, which seem to be rather huge jars of earthen- 
ware, four or five feet high and three in diameter, buried in the 
ground, and which correspond precisely with those now existing 
in Sonora and other gold districts of Mexico. The peculiar con- 
struction and location of these receptacles, and the abundance 
of drinking-water in close proximity, justify the conclusion that 
they were formerly used for washing gold. This subject has 
been alluded to in the section on the Geology of the Isthmus. 
