TOWNS, PRODUCTIVE INDUSTRY, ETC. 
245 
Piedra Parada, is surrounded by an amphitheatre of hills, and 
contains a population of sixty inhabitants, who are the employees 
of the estate. Its elevation is 800 feet above the Pacific, and 
the Wine-palm grows in great abundance all throughout its 
vicinity. 
Tarifa, built on the plains of that name, derives some in- 
terest from its being the point selected by Senor Moro for the 
western termination of his ship-canal feeder, which was to con- 
duct the waters of the Chicapa and Ostuta rivers along the 
southern slope of the Albricia range to the summit-level of these 
plains. It is possible that the waters of the Rio del Corte might 
be brought to Tarifa on a shorter distance, at a much less cost, 
and a more abundant supply obtained. But little doubt, how- 
ever, exists that from either of these sources a sufficiency of wa- 
ter for the summit-level of a ship-canal, with capacity to pass 
100 ships per day, might be brought. The item of cost would, 
therefore, determine the source and the route of the feeder. The 
hacienda contains 18 houses and 100 inhabitants, who are occu- 
pied in taking care of the cattle of the estate, which number, 
including those of Santiago and La Chivela, upwards of 15,000 
head. 
The Raneho of Agua Escondida, four miles from the Portillo 
of Tarifa, and immediately at the eastern base of the Cerro 
Rincon Chapa, forms one of the numerous settlements belonging 
to the immense estates of the Marquesanas. This point contains 
about a half dozen houses, and some twenty inhabitants : its 
elevation is 300 feet above the Pacific. In this neighborhood is 
a number of indigo vats, located on the Arroyo de Agua Escon- 
dida, which takes its name from the fact that the stream loses 
itself in the sands of the plains — hence the term of " concealed 
water." 
San Miguel Chimalapa is built in the valley of the Chicapa 
River at its confluence with the Monetza, five miles easterly 
from the plains of Las Tablas. This town, which is inhabited 
exclusively by Indians of the Zoque tribe (of whom only about 
three-fourths speak Spanish), has a population of 460, who are 
chiefly occupied in raising ixtle, from the manufactures of which 
considerable trade is carried on with Juchitan and Tehuantepec. 
