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MEXICO. 



I dined to-day with our friend the young Span- 

 iard, and met at his house the minister, as the 

 chief civil authority is called, and three other gen- 

 tlemen ; being very nearly the whole society of 

 Acapulco. I had been desirous of meeting these 

 gentlemen, in order to learn something of the 

 state of the country, but discovered, that they 

 knew extremely little of what was going on, owing 

 to the very confined intercourse kept up between 

 this port and the capital, or indeed any other part 

 of the country. The truth is that with the ex- 

 ception of its splendid harbour, Acapulco is, com- 

 mercially speaking, an insignificant place, and 

 has been so ever since the days of the galleons. 

 It is not well situated for commerce, as the coun- 

 try lying between it and Mexico is difficult to cross, 

 md is not rich either in agricultural produce, or 

 in mines. The town, at present, consists of not 

 more than thirty houses, with a large suburb of 

 Jiuts, built of reeds, wattled in open basket-work 

 to give admission to the air. It is guarded by 

 an extensive and formidable fortress, called the 

 Castle of San Carlos, standing on a height, com- 

 manding the whole harbour. The inhabitants 



