55 
tributaries of the Coatzacoalcos ; its course is wide, spreading 
through an uninhabited country ; and although its sources are 
unknown, they are generally supposed to come from a range 
of mountains, which is often visible to the S.E. from the upper 
part of the Coatzacoalcos, This range has the reputation of 
being rich in gold and silver minerals^ and has been explored 
by several expeditions, which ascended the river in canoes 
for sixteen to eighteen days, and some of them are said to 
have done this even for twenty-six days. On the banks of 
this river, at 23h miles from its mouth, Mr Baldwin of Mina- 
titlan built a schooner a few years since. 
Below the Uspanapan, near a spot named Paso Nuevo, 
through which runs the high road leading to Tabasco, the 
rivulet of San Antonio joins the Coatzacoalcos, proceeding 
from some marshes 15| miles above its mouth. 
Fmally, at 10^ miles below Uspanapan, and 5j from the 
bar, is found on the left the confluence with the river Tierra 
Nueva, or the Calzadas, this being the channel by which the 
Coatzacoalcos unites with the river Huasuntan, which empties 
itself into the sea by the mouth of the Barrilla, not practicable 
for large vessels. 
The banks of the river here are very low, and frequently 
flooded, and there are many creeks ; the most remarkable of 
which are, that of Tacoteno on the left bank, below Paso 
Nuevo, which reaches back to near Mina-titlan, and that of 
Coatajapa on the right hand, which flows near the village of 
Yshuatlan. 
The depth of the Coatzacoalcos, from the separation of 
the branches which form the island of Tacamichapa to the 
mouth of the Coachapa, is 26h feet, and from this to the 
bar not less than 33 to 40 feet. Its breadth, where 
narrowest, is from 130 to 170 j-ards ; and in some places 
below the mouth of Tierra Nueva it is nearly 770 yards. It 
will therefore be seen that as far as the island of Tacamichapa, 
a distance of 3A<1 miles (13 Mexicans leagues nearly), or at 
least up to the confluence of the Coachapa, the Coatzacoalcos 
is navigable in all seasons and for every class of ships, forming 
a convenient as well as most secure harbour. Scliooners might 
