148 
MANUFACTURE  OF  BALSAM  OF  PERU. 
catlan,  the  chief  department  of  the  State  (now  S.  Salvador),  and  was 
brought  from  the  coast  in  earthenware  jars  representing  the  pajuil  or 
Mexican  pheasant  (Crax  globicera).  Many  of  these  old  jars  are  now  found 
in  the  mounds  and  excavations  of  the  ancient  pueblos  on  the  coast.  I  send 
you  a  copy  of  a  broken  one  in  the  possession  of  our  worthy  Bishop.  It 
is  one-fourth  the  original  size.  The  pajuil  feeds  on  the  young  nuts;  and 
is  found  in  great  numbers  on  these  trees  during  the  season. 
The  small  pueblos  scattered  over  the  so-called  Balsam  Coast  are  nume- 
rous.   The  principal  ones  are  : — 
Juisnagua,  a  moderate- sized  pueblo,  about  six  leagues  from  Sonsonate, 
formerly  rich  in  cacao,  but  at  present  of  small  account.  It  is  the  first 
town  where  balsam  is  produced  ;  there  are  in  the  vicinity  about  400  bal- 
sam-trees. 
Tepecoyo,  or  Coyo,  (Indian  Mount  of  Wolves'),  on  an  elevated  ridge, 
the  valleys  on  either  side  being  well  watered,  is  situated  twelve  leagues 
S.  E.  of  Sonsonate.  About  a  league  south  of  the  town  their  is  a  gold 
mine,  which  was  opened  in  1832,  and  the  ore  sold  in  Guatemala.  Owing 
to  the  depravity  of  the  Spanish  miners,  the  Indians  rose  against  the  owner 
and  expelled  him,  since  which  they  will  not  allow  any  one  even  to  visit 
it.  The  produce  of  this  pueblo  in  balsam  is  small,  having  been  last  year 
only  sixty  arobas  of  twenty-five  pounds. 
Tamanique,  situated  in  a  circular  valley,  surrounded  by  very  high  and 
heavily  timbered  mountains,  among  which  are  numerous  tigers,  wild  hogs, 
lions  (puma),  and  four-fingered  green  monkeys.  Vanilla  is  plentiful,  but 
not  of  the  finest  quality.  There  are  at  present  worked  1400  balsam-trees, 
producing  about  160  arobas  yearly.  In  the  vicinity  are  1500  cacao-trees 
of  fine  quality  producing  seventy  arobas  of  cacao-beans.  The  Indians 
are  a  drunken  and  superstitious  race. 
Chiltiuapan,  near  the  sea,  on  an  elevated  and  extensive  plateau,  be- 
tween two  rivers,  the  Sonto  and  Sonsapuapa,  running  to  the  sea,  with  fine 
fish,  and  numerous  caymans.  The  dense  forests  surrounding*this  pretty 
pueblo,  contain  2569  balsam-trees,  producing  450  arobas  of  balsam,  value 
about  $3500.  The  next  article  of  value  is  cacao,  of  which  there  are  1700 
trees,  value  of  produce  this  year  $830.  The  Indians  of  this  pueblo  are 
honest  and  very  industrious,  as  besides  the  balsam  and  cacao  they  have 
now  coffee  plantations,  and  grow  much  Indian  corn.  The  dress  of  the 
women  consists  only  of  a  small  petticoat,  crimson,  with  a  black  stripe. 
They  speak  the  Nahuat  idiom. 
Talnique,  at  the  foot  of  the  Cerro  del  Tamagas,  or  Snake-hill,  situated 
on  a  most  extensive  and  fertile  plain,  six  leagues  from  Sonsonate,  S.  E. 
There  are  not  above  500  balsam-trees  about  this  pueblo.  It  is  more  noted 
for  its  fine  qualities  of  timber,  vanilla  and  cacao.  It  is  from  this  vicinity 
that  the  best  mora  (fustic'j  is  obtained,  and  also  the  finest  grained  rose- 
wood (Grenadilla).    The  streams,  of  which  there  are  several,  abound  in 
