Chap. X. CLIMATE OF CHIHUAHUA. 345 
only now remark that, for them and for the town of Chi- 
huahua, there is every prospect of a renewed and lasting 
period of wealth and splendour, since, sooner or later, 
there can be no doubt that capital and enterprise will be 
found, to develop the natural resources of the locality into 
permanent activity. 
The town lies at the foot of the Cerro Grande, an iso- 
lated mountain peak of the elevated eastern bank of the 
southward-tending river. From the low level of its bed 
its waters are not available for the benefit of the higher 
ground ; but a stone aqueduct, raised for many miles upon 
magnificent arches, conducts a small mountain stream for 
the irrigation of the higher gardens and fields, and supplies 
the streets of the town with an abundance of excellent 
water. This noble structure, which would do honour to 
the largest town, was built at the sole cost of a private indi- 
vidual. It has an imposing effect in the landscape, and, 
by the fertility it spreads over garden and field, adds 
much to its beauty. For, although wheat and other field- 
produce are sufficiently watered by the summer rains, yet 
the gardens would be bare, without irrigation, and even the 
fields would become green several months later. No rain 
falls here before the end of May, and only plants of pecu- 
liar organization shoot forth before that period. The gene- 
ral characteristics of the climate of Chihuahua are those 
common to all the higher northern regions of Mexico : a 
peculiar transparency and dryness of the atmosphere dur- 
ing the longer half of the year, and a remarkably favour- 
able influence upon bodily health and activity. It is assur- 
edly one of the most healthy climates in the world, for, 
although the people are subject to many illnesses, this may 
be truly attributed to the miserable state of the poorer 
classes, who are neither sufficiently fed nor provided with 
