486 
GUAYMAS TO 
ther approached from the sea, or by land. On the 
north side of the bay or roadstead is a long neck, or 
narrow range of rocky and fantastic looking hills, their 
sides exhibiting projecting crags and deep indenta- 
tions, which the ocean has been lashing for ages. The 
extreme end of this promontory, which it should more 
properly be termed, is higher than the other portion, 
and of a sugar loaf form. Beneath these hills on the 
verge of the sea, the houses are thickly crowded toge- 
ther. But the best portion of the town lies on more 
level ground, and directly facing the roadstead. On 
the south are rocky islands defending the harbor in 
that direction ; but there is no protection from the west 
and south-west. Here the harbor is open to the broad 
Pacific ; and when the wind is from that quarter, the 
sea rolls in with great force, from which ships can find 
no security. Serious disasters have happened here 
during south-westerly gales. 
The town contains from ten to twelve thousand 
inhabitants. Its streets, though narrow, are well laid 
out, and lined with large and well built houses. More 
taste and luxury are looked for in commercial towns 
than in those of the interior, and accordingly we found 
Mazatlan to be considerably in advance of any town 
we had yet seen. The houses are more substantial and 
elegant, though unfortunately, in consequence of its 
narrow streets, they show but to little advantage. The 
style is wholly that of the old Castilian, with short 
columns, Moorish capitals, and ornaments. Many houses 
present long lines of colonnades. There are many fine 
and well filled shops. Those containing drygoods are 
neatly fitted up ; and, in the richness of their goods. 
