Guailmak. • M E X I C O, o r N E W S P A I N. 53- 



come hither in July or Aiigufl, with wheat and other goods from Spam^ and 

 take on board the produce of the country about Guathnahy of which great 

 quantities are lodged here in the months of July^ Augufi and September. 



GUATIMALA, 



THE ancient city of this name, one of the fineilirl Ar£"Z£; aS/^/;7, was 

 entirely deftroyed. in the year 1541, by a dreadful hurricane and 

 earthquake, whereby one hundred and twenty thoufand Spaniards loft their 

 lives. It was built at the bottom of a volcano with two heads, from one 

 of which iffued fire, from the other water. 



St. Jago de Guatimahi the prefent city, which is not only the capital of this 

 province, but alfo of the audience of Guatimalay a place where the prefident 

 and the royal courts relide, the feat of a rich bi£hop, and the centre of com- 

 merce in thefe parts, fhands on a fine plain, about three leagues diftance from 

 the volcano, which was fatal to the old city: however it is far from being alto- 

 gether out of danger from earthquakes, which are ftill frequent in thofe parts. 

 It is, notwithftanding this, well built, and well inhabited, the citizens carrying 

 on a great trade, not only through all the provinces of Mexico^ but even into 

 Peru, whereby fome become extraordinary rich, who then, generally (peak- 

 ing, leave this place, and go to refide at Mexico. The chief commodities in 

 which they deal are hides, indigo, anatta, filvefler, cochineal, cocoa, &c. and 

 indeed no city can be feated more conveniently for an extenfive trade than 

 this, and at the fame time enjoy fo great a fecurity from the inroads of 

 pyrates and privateers, for it ftands eight leagues from the South Sea, which 

 is too far for the buccaneers to march without halting, and about forty 

 leagues from the Golfo Dolce in the bay of Honduras, by which it alio drives 

 a great trade. . 



The 



