CHAPTER I.—Absence of accuracy—Humboldt—Superficial extent of Mexican Territory—Physical structure of Mexico—Volcanic mountains—Climates—Tierras Templadas, Calientes, Frias—Political divisions and boundaries of Mexico—Old Spanish divisions—Provinces—Intendencies—States—Departments—North boundary—Present States and Territories—Rivers of Mexico—Rivers and Lakes of Mexico,

Page 9

CHAPTER II.—Division of population—Whites—Indians—Africans—Leperos—Rancheros—Characteristics, Indifference, Procrastination—Females—Better Classes—Their social habits—Entertainments—Leperos—Their habits—Evangelistas—Thieving—The Ranchero—His character and habits—The Indian race—Agriculturists—Traditionary habits adhered to—Improvidence—Superstition—Drunkenness—Indian women—Servile condition—Local adhesiveness—Peonage—Whipping—Planter-life—Its solitude and results—MÜlenpfordt's character of the Indians—Indian tribes and races in Mexico—Table of castes in Mexico,

22

CHAPTER III.—Population—Census—Tables of population—Relative division of races—Relative intellectual cultivation—Relative population in hot and cold districts,

41

CHAPTER IV.—Agriculture—Dry and rainy seasons—Irrigation—Yield of corn lands—Colonial restrictions—Colonial dependence—Bad intercommunication—Arrieros—Corn lands—Different kinds of corn in Mexico—Mode of cultivation—Production—various uses of corn—Banana—Mainoc—Rice—The olive—Vine—Chile pepper—tomato—Frijol—Maguey—Maguey estates—Making Pulque—Aloes—Cacti,

48

CHAPTER V.—Estates in the valleys of Cuernavaca and Cuautla—Mexican haciendas—Sugar regions—Coffee—Its yield—Tobacco—Orizaba—Chiapas, etc.—Indigo—Cotton—Manufactures encouraged in Mexico—No new agricultural population—New manufacturing population—Production of cotton—Vainilla—Jalap—Cacao—Cochineal—Its production and quantity—Silk—Fruits—Agricultural prospects—Grazing, and not an agricultural country,

62

CHAPTER VI.—Reflections on emigration—Advantages of America—Land and labor—Mines wrought by Aztecs—Mining districts and extent in Mexico—Errors as to early supply of metals from America—True period of abundance—Mines not exhausted—Condition—Families enriched—Effect of mining on Agriculture—Relative product of silver for ten years—Table of product—Yield of the mines since the Conquest—Coinage in 1844—Total coinage 1535 to 1850,

76

CHAPTER VII.—Income of New Spain 1809—Expenses of New Spain 1809—Mineral productions—Military force—Agriculture—Manufactures—Commerce—Exports—Imports—Present commerce—Imports—Exports—Nineteen years trade between the United States and Mexico—Character of imports—Character of exports—Silver exported—Fairs in Mexico—The future prospects and position of Mexico—Not a commercial country—Railway from Vera Cruz to the city of Mexico,

93

CHAPTER VIII.—Disorder of Mexican finances—Enormous usury—Character of financial operations—Expenses of administrations—Analysis of Mexican debt—Comparison of income and outlay—Deficit,

107

CHAPTER IX.—Table of cotton factories in Mexico—Consumption—Production—Increase of factories—Day and night work—Deficit of material—Water and steam power—Mexican manufactures generally,

112

CHAPTER X.—The military in Mexico before and after the revolution—Confirmation of army—Its political use—Character of Mexican soldiers—Recruiting—Tactics—Officers—Dramatic character of army—Recriminations—Condition of the army at the peace—Army on the northern frontier—Military colonies—Character of the tribes—Fortresses—Perote—Acapulco—San Juan de Ulua—Re-organization of the army—Tabular view of men and Materiel—Navy—Extent of coast on both seas—Naval establishment—Vessels and officers—Expenses of war and navy,

116

CHAPTER XI.—Relations between the Mexican church and the Pope—Clergy—Monks—Nuns—Monasteries—Convents—Wealth of the church—Ratio of clergy and people—High and low clergy—their history—vices—Monks—Rural clergy—Their character—Conduct of clergy, public and private—Missions in California—Mode of conversion—Monks in Mexico—Zavala's strictures—Pazo's strictures on South American clergy—Church in the United States and in Mexico—Constitutional protection of Catholicism—Duty of the church—Bulls—Paper money,

130

CHAPTER XII.—Various changes of the Mexican constitution—Present organization of the national and state governments—Constitution of 1847—Legislative and judiciary—National and state—Judiciary—Administration of justice—Civil and criminal process—Mal-administration of justice—Prisons—Crime—Accordada—Condition of prisons—Statistics of crime in the capital—Garrotte—Mexican opinions,

144

CHAPTER XIII.—What Mexico has done—Review of her conduct and character—Mexican opinions—Classes—Indians—Mestizos—Whites—Army—Church—Divisions of whites—want of Homogeneousness—Want of nationality and of a people—Remedies—Emigration—Religious liberty—political order—Labor,

155

CHAPTER I.—Division of Mexico into States—Eastern, western, interior—Yucatan—Boundaries, departments, population, districts, towns, parishes, productions, principal towns, islands, harbors—Chiapas—Boundaries, products, departments, towns, rivers, population—Remains in Yucatan and Chiapas—Discoveries of Stephens, Catherwood, Norman, etc.—Palenque—Uxmal—Yucatan calendar—Yucatan, Chiapan, Mechoacan, Nicaragua and Mexican months—Yucatese and Chiapan cycle—Yucatese and Mexican solar year—Differences—Yucatese months—Tabasco—Boundaries, rivers, lagune, inhabitants, productions, towns and villages,

165

CHAPTER II.—Boundaries of Vera Cruz—Rivers, lagunes, mineral springs, population, political divisions, productions, cattle, cities, towns—Vera Cruz—Its diseases—Meteorological observations at—Water fallen at Vera Cruz—Orizaba—Ascent of the mountain—Magnificent views—Difficulties—The crater extinct—Elevation of the mountain—Descent—Antiquities in the state of Vera Cruz—Ruins at Panuco, Chacuaco, San Nicolas, La Trinidad—Small figures—Papantla—Description of the pyramid—Ruins at Mapilca—Pyramid and temple at Tusapan—Isle of Sacrificios—Misantla—Remains near Puente Nacional—Tamaulipas—Boundaries, rivers, lagunes, climate, population, productions, towns—Antiquities of Tamaulipas—Topila—Rancho de las piedras—Sculpture—Remains, etc., etc.

183

CHAPTER III.—Oajaca—Extent, Boundaries, Geology, Valley, Indians, Departments, Population, Mines, Ports, Productions, Cattle, Towns, Ancient remains—Mitla—The palace—Tombs—Antiquarian speculations—connection of Mexican remains—Quiotepec, or Cerro de las Juntas,

210

CHAPTER IV.—Puebla—Divisions, productions, factories—River—Streams—Puebla de los Angeles—Cathedral—Towns—Mines—Quarries—Mountains—Popocatepetl—Atlixco—Olivares—Ascent of the mountain—The crater—Elevation—Pyramid of Cholula—Visit to the pyramid—Correct dimensions—Territory of Tlascala—History—Position—Size—Productions—Towns,

220

CHAPTER V.—State of Mexico—Area, Divisions, Population, Federal district, Valley, Highways, Lakes—Zumpango—Cristovol—Chalco—Xochimilco—Tezcoco—Salt-works—Cities—San Augustin—Festival—Tezcoco, Tacuba, Toluca—Cascade of Regla—Towns—Valley of Cuernavaca—Acapantzingo—Its Indian isolation—Mines in the state,

233

CHAPTER VI.—Description of the city of Mexico—Cathedral—Its architecture and riches—The Palace, University, Market, Chamber of Deputies, etc.—Portales—Mineria—La Merced—San Domingo—Characters and costumes—Paseos—Alameda—Aqueducts—Passeo Nuevo and de la Viga—Alameda—Description of it—Life in Mexico—Theatres—Opera—Domestic life—Genuine but cautious hospitality—Legend of the virgin of Guadalupe,

244

CHAPTER VII.—Antiquities in the museum—Statue of Charles IV.—Condition of the museum—Feathered serpents—Viceroy's portraits—CortÉz—Portrait—Armor—Pedro de Alvarado—Images—Vases—Tezcoco—Palace—Trough—Massive mounds—Tescocingo—Hill—Its ancient adornments—Ancient bellevue and reservoir—Tezcocan splendor—Bosque del Contador—Ponds—Lakes—Arbors—Pyramids of Teotihuacan—Houses of sun and moon—Path of the dead—Carved pillar—Pillar at Otumba—Pyramid of Xochicalco—Hill of Xochicalco—Its structures,

266

CHAPTER VIII.—State of Mechoacan—Boundaries—Elevations—Volcano of Jorullo—Theories of Humboldt and Lyell—Present condition—Rivers of Mechoacan—Climate, Health, Indians, Departments, Agriculture, Towns, Mines—Jalisco—Boundaries, Population, Rivers, Lakes, Divisions, Manufactures, Agriculture, Factories—Guadalajara—Towns—San Juan de los Lagos—Tepic—San Blas—Mines, Islands, Mining region, Indians, Character and Habits, Church and School, Education, Bishopric—Territory of Colima—Extent, Climate, Productions, Towns,

286

CHAPTER IX.—Sinaloa—Boundaries, Climate, Divisions, Indians, Products, Towns, Mines—Sonora—Boundaries, Divisions, Rivers, Climate, Indians, Trade, Towns, Mines—Territory of Lower California—Boundaries, Character, Population, Products, Pearls, Salt, Mines, Seals, Whales, Climate, Ports, towns, Population—State of Guerrero,

298

CHAPTER X.—State of QuerÉtaro—Boundaries, Divisions, Characteristics, Rivers, Population and climate, Districts, etc., Agricultural products, Forests, Factories, Cities, Mines—State of Guanajuato—Boundaries, Extent, Soil—Lake Yurirapundaro—Climate, Effect of maladies—Productions, Vine, Olive—Divisions—Population—City of Guanajuato—Towns in the state—Hacienda of Jaral—Mines—Silver, Copper, Lead, Cinnabar—ZacatÉcas—Boundaries, Extent, Agriculture, Divisions, Population, Towns—ZacatÉcas—Aguas Calientes, etc.—Product and value of ZacatÉcan mines—Ruins of Quemada in ZacatÉcas,

306

CHAPTER XI.—State of San Luis Potosi—Boundaries, Lakes, Rivers, Climate, Departments, Products—San Luis—Towns—Mining region—New Leon—Boundaries, Character, Rivers, Climate, Departments—Agriculture—Grazing, etc.—Monterey—Coahuila—Boundary, Position, Climate, Productions, Towns—State of Durango—Boundary, Character, Divisions, Streams, Productions—City of Durango—Towns, Mines, Iron, Silver—Indian necrology—Cave burial,

324

CHAPTER XII.—State of Chihuahua—Position, Boundaries, Extent, Characteristics, Rivers, Lakes, Indians, Divisions, Climate, Productions—Cattle estates—Mint—Mines—Principal towns—Chihuahua—El Paso del Norte—Military importance—El Paso wine, etc.—Antiquities—Indian ravages—The Bolson de Mapimi—Mexican modes of travelling and transportation—Litera—Mules—Arrieros—Conducta—Coaches—Freight wagons—Mexican habit of Home-staying—want of exploration—Modern advancement,

334

Appendix No. 1—Profile of the Plateau—Mexico to Santa FÉ—Santa FÉ to the Gulf,

346

Appendix No. 2—Mexican Coins, Weights and Measures,

347

TERRITORY OF NEW MEXICO.—Exploration of the far west—Long, Nicollet, FrÉmont—Santa FÉ trade—First adventurers—Caravans—New Mexico erected by Congress into a territory—Geological structure of New Mexico—The Rio Grande—Its value—Soil—Products—Irrigation—Cattle—Indians—Mines—Gold—Silver—Copper—Iron—Gypsum—Salt—Climate—Pueblo Indians—Wild Indians enumerated—Number of Pueblo Indians—Census—Proximate present population—Character of people and government—Santa FÉ—Alburquerque—Valley of Toas—Statistics of Santa FÉ trade, etc.—Itinerary from Fort Leavenworth to Santa FÉ and El Paso,

351

STATE OF CALIFORNIA.—Title to the region—Missionary settlement, its purposes—Character of California—Secularization of missions—Population in missions—Agricultural statistics—Cattle—Hides—Tallow—Herdsmen—Trade—The war—Condition of California at its close—Progress of settlement and law—Constitution adopted—Admission as a state—Former boundaries—The great Basin—Utah—Great Salt Lake—Pyramid lake—Rivers—Present state boundaries—Area—Geography—Sacramento—San Joaquin—Shastl peak,

367

STATE OF CALIFORNIA CONTINUED.—Configuration of the state—Bay of San Francisco and city—Rivers of California—Character of soil, etc.—Relative sterility and productiveness—Climate—Dry and wet seasons—Causes of change—Climate in San Francisco, coast range valleys and interior valley—Area of arable and grazing land—Productions—Discovery of gold—Its position—The placeres—Washing—Digging—The Mines—Calculations as to the yield of the mines—Gold yielded by California—Its quality—Quicksilver mines—Commerce—Population—Growth of cities—Old presidios—Towns—Land titles—Mission lands—Conclusion,

378

Appendix.—Meteorological Observations in California,

398