HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



11 



terminates, and the river Antigua fgj, where the pro- 

 vince of the Totonacas began. On that part of the 

 coafl which the Mexicans called Chalchicuecan, lie at 

 prefent the city and port of Vera Cruz, the moft re- 

 nowned of all New Spain. 



All the country of Anahuac, generally fpeaking, was 

 well peopled. In the hiflory and in the dilTertations 

 we fhall have occalion to mention feveral particular cities, 

 and to give fome idea of the multitude of their inhabit- 

 ants. Almoft all the inhabited fettlements with their 

 ancient names^ are nov^ flill cxifting, though much al- 

 tered ; but all the ancient cities excepting thofe of 

 Mexico or Orizaba and fome others, appear fo reduced, 

 they hardly contain the fourth part of the number of 

 buildings and inhabitants which they formerly polTelTed ; 

 there are many which have preferved but a tenth part, 

 and others hardly the twentieth part of their ancient 

 greatnefs. 



To fpeak in general of the Indians, and comparing 

 the ftate of their population, reported by the firfl Span- 

 i£h hiflorians, and their native writers, with what we 

 have feen ourfelves, we can affirm that at prefent there 

 hardly remains one-tenth part of the ancient inhabit- 

 ants ; the miferable confequence of the calamities they 

 have undergone. 



The land is in great part abrupt and mountainous, 

 covered with thick woods, and watered by large rivers ; 

 though not to be compared with thofe of South Ame- 

 rica : fome of thefe run into the Gulf of Mexico, and 

 others into the Pacific Ocean. Amongft the iirll, thofe 

 of Papaloapan^ Coatzacualco^ and Chiapan are the great- 

 eft 



fg) We give this river the Spanifli name by which it is known at prefent ; 

 as we are ignorant of its Mexican name. 



