NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE, GENERAL CONDITIONS (continued)
Central and Atlantic States--Chihuahua and the Rio Grande--Mining,
forests, railways--Coahuila and its resources--Nuevo Leon and its
conditions--Iron, coal, railways, textile industries--Durango and its
great plains and mountain peaks--Aguascalientes--Zacatecas and its
mineral wealth--San Luis Potosi and its industries--Guanajuato,
Queretaro and Hidalgo, and their diversified resources--Mexico and its
mountains and plains--Tlaxcala--Morelos and its sugar-cane industry--
The rich State of Puebla--Tamaulipas, a littoral state--The historic
State of Vera Cruz, its resources, towns, and harbour--Campeche and the
peninsula of Yucatan.
The states described in this chapter are those which mainly occupy: (a)
The _mesa central_, or great plateau, and (b) the states which border
upon the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea, forming
the eastern littoral of Mexico, and consequently those nearest to
European influence. Taking first the plateau states, and beginning at
the north, the frontier with the United States, we have the State of
Chihuahua. The area of territory embodied in this state, the largest in
the Republic, is greater than that of Great Britain, having an area of
some 90,000 square miles, with a population of about 330,000. The
northern boundary of this state is the Rio Grande del Norte, the
dividing line between it and Texas, and it occupies much of the
northern portion of the great plateau, and part of the Western Sierra
Madre, whose summits form its boundary. The elevation above sea-level
of the plateau portion slopes from 6,000 to 3,500 feet, and the summits
of the Sierra reach an altitude in some cases of 10,000 feet. The state
contains vast tracts of waterless and timberless regions, forming arid
and monotonous plains, and in some cases appalling deserts, but is
nevertheless rich elsewhere in agricultural, forest, and grazing
resources. Mining, however, is its principal industry. Manufacturing
has developed well of late years, and factories for iron and steel,
clothes, furniture, food-products, &c., are in active operation. In
some of the mountain regions abundant water-power exists, and fine
belts of timber. Agriculture is carried on both with and without
irrigation, and a wide range of sub-tropical and temperate-grown
foodstuffs and fruits are produced. Cattle-raising on the extensive
natural pastures of the uplands is a prominent and increasing industry.
The state is traversed from north to south by the Mexican Central
Railway, and El Paso, on the frontier, is one of the main points of
entry to the Republic from the United States. There are other shorter
lines built or under construction, but further railways are required
for adequate development.
The rapid increase of mining enterprise in this state has brought it
into first place in the Republic. Important gold-mining establishments
are in operation, and copper is being actively produced. The historic
Santa Eulalia mine, elsewhere mentioned, has been again made to
produce, and is a source of great wealth at present to its owners.
Other details of the mines of this state are given in the chapter
devoted to mining.
The capital of the state is the beautiful city of Chihuahua, whose fine
public buildings, institutions, and considerable commercial movement
attest the prosperity of this growing centre of Mexican civilisation. A
fuller description of this capital is given in another chapter.
Coahuila, with an area of 65,000 square miles, and a population of
300,000 inhabitants, is also bounded on the north by the Rio Grande and
Texas. The state consists principally of flat plains intersected by
small mountain ranges. The rainfall is generally scarce, although
abundant at certain seasons in the more mountainous regions, whilst the
climate is very variable, being hot and unhealthy in places, although
in general terms it cannot be pronounced bad. The great plateau of
Mexico, of which it forms part, comes down to a low elevation towards
the Rio Grande, whilst the principal mountain ranges are offshoots of
the Eastern Sierra Madre. Agriculture is carried on mainly under
irrigation from canals fed from the torrential streams which occur
sparsely in the state, and great quantities of cotton are grown. The
cotton belt and industry are most important, and the wines of Parras
are famous in the country. Coahuila, in common with others of its
neighbouring states, possesses some peculiar topographical
conditions--portions of it consisting of plains or valleys with no
hydrographic outlet, as shown in the chapter dealing with the orography
of the Republic. These in some cases form fertile valleys, and, in
others, sun-beat deserts, uncultivated and uninhabited.
Notwithstanding its partly sterile nature this state is a very
prosperous commercial section of the country, due largely to its
excellent railway system, five different lines of which traverse it.
These are the Mexican Central, the International, the Northern, the
National, and other lesser systems. In addition there are some fair
roads, upon which the traveller may journey by _diligencia_ or on
horseback. The capital, Saltillo, with a population of about 25,000, is
a pretty and interesting old Spanish town, and a valuable commercial
centre. Manufacturing industries have increased rapidly of late years
in this state, especially those producing textile fabrics from the
native cotton. Metal and coal mining are both developing in this
region; and new towns, of which Torreon is an example, are springing
up. The state contains one of the principal points of entry to the
Republic from the United States--Eagle Pass, or Ciudad Porfirio Diaz,
on the International Railway, whilst Laredo, on the National, is near
its border.
Nuevo Leon, which also borders upon the Rio Grande and Texas, is much
smaller than its neighbouring states--23,750 square miles in area--but
has a larger population of some 350,000 inhabitants. The state is
traversed by the Eastern Sierra Madre, the highest summits of which are
snow-covered. The region consists topographically of small plains and
well-watered, fertile valleys. Its orography gives rise to the presence
of numerous rivers and streams, all of which are upon the Atlantic
watershed. These productive valleys, copious streams, and the
picturesque scenery of the varied landscape, afford striking contrast
with the appalling deserts which the neighbouring States of Coahuila
and Chihuahua contain, and which are characteristic of the great
plateau of Anahuac in the north. Cold and bracing in the mountains, the
climate is temperate upon the high plains, and very hot in the low
valleys; whilst the rainfall is variable.
The state is well served with railways, which largely account for its
prosperity. The great trunk lines which traverse it unite it with the
railway system of the United States, the ports of the coast of the Gulf
of Mexico, and with the capital of the Republic. These main lines are,
respectively, the International, the Mexican Central, the National, and
the Monterrey and Gulf. There are in addition various smaller systems.
The capital city of the state, Monterrey, is the fourth in point of
commercial importance and population in the Republic. It contains
handsome buildings and numerous hotels, and its proximity to the United
States has had a considerable influence on its development.
[Illustration: GENERAL VIEW OF THE CITY OF MONTERREY, STATE OF NUEVO
LEON, UPON THE GREAT PLATEAU.]
Among the state's main resources are its mineral deposits, in which
coal and iron are important. The smelters and steel works at Monterrey,
elsewhere mentioned in the chapter on mining, are among the most
important in the country. Agriculture comes second; the extensive
forests afford a remarkable variety of timber--pine, ebony, walnut,
cedar, and others; whilst cattle-raising is a growing industry. And the
textile industry is well represented, as is brewing and distilling. In
brief, the state is an example of a prosperous and growing Mexican
community, largely supplying its own wants in raw material and
manufactured articles.
Durango lies upon the great plateau, but an imposing Cordillera--the
Western Sierra Madre--bounds and crosses it on the west, shutting off
the State of Sinaloa and the Pacific Ocean. North and east great barren
sun-beat plains stretch their verdureless wastes, intersected by ranges
of sterile hills, both extending into the neighbouring States of
Chihuahua and Coahuila. Here in former times the savage Indians roamed.
But before entering upon these plains we have traversed the fertile
country upon the eastern slope of the Western Sierra, watered by the
various rivers which descend therefrom--pleasing landscape and fertile
soil.
The area of the state is 43,750 square miles, and its population
380,000. The city of Durango, one of the foremost of the fine
Spanish-built cities of the Mexican tableland, has a population of
somewhat more than 30,000 inhabitants. It stands upon a broad though
barren plain at the elevation of 6,350 feet above sea-level, and its
climate is subject to abrupt changes of heat and cold.
The culminating peaks of the mountain ranges of Durango are in some
cases singular and beautiful. Among these may be cited the splendid
granite uplift of legendary Teyra,[37] which rises to an elevation of
9,240 feet above sea-level. Its colossal crest towers upwards from the
tableland, riveting the attention of the traveller from all points of
the compass by its majesty. From this one gets a magnificent view over
a vast expanse of country. It does not, however, reach the perpetual
snow-line, although this is passed by Tarahumara of the Sierra Madre.
This remarkable peak shows the _flora_ of three zones--the hot, with
bananas and other fruits growing at the base of the mountain; the
temperate, where pines and other _flora_ of this zone flourish; and the
simple cryptogamous plant life of an arctic temperature, cooled by the
almost perpetual snow above it upon the mountain summit.
[Footnote 37: Visited by the Author.]
The plains of Durango, in common with some of those of its native
states, present the curious physical structure described in another
chapter--of having no hydrographic outlet. The rivers which flow
eastwardly from the Sierra, form lakes whose only means of exhaustion
is by evaporation. Of this nature is the great arid tract known as the
Bolson of Mapimi. The Mexican Nile, the River Nazas, the principal
stream of the state traverses this, and affords the means of irrigation
to the numerous cotton plantations of the region. These, which
constitute an important industry, are described in the chapter on
agriculture.
The climate varies much according to the topography of the region,
being temperate or hot according to the elevation. In addition to the
cotton various agricultural products are raised, whilst the mountain
uplands yield pine, oak, cedar, ash, and other classes of timber. The
_fauna_ includes leopards, bears, coyotes, peccaries, deer, eagles,
cranes, pheasants, &c.
The mining industry in Durango is important. Gold and silver are freely
found and worked. The great hill of iron has been described elsewhere
in these pages. Copper is abundant; tin, cinnabar, sulphur, and coal
exist. The numerous mining districts in this state have produced much
wealth in the past, and mines and reduction works are encountered
strewn over the mountain regions. The great Penoles[38] mining and
smelting enterprise at Mapimi is one of the most important in the
country. The historic Avino silver mines are worked by British capital.
Other numerous modern mining establishments are in operation, which
have been brought to much perfection by foreign capital and skill.
[Footnote 38: Visited by the Author.]
Railways are fairly well developed in this state; the International and
the Central being those which traverse it.
Zacatecas owes its fame and prosperity in the first instance to its
mines, which have been worked from the year 1546 to the present day.
The state is situated on the great plateau in the centre of the
Republic, at an average elevation above sea-level of 7,700 feet, but
embodying a diversified topographical character and climate. Cattle,
cereals, and agricultural products generally, are raised to a certain
extent. With an area of 25,300 square miles it has a population of
about 500,000. The famous capital city of Zacatecas, as described
elsewhere, is served by the Mexican Central Railway, which traverses
the state; as does also the National. A large number of mines are being
worked in this state, and new capital is rapidly coming in. Foremost
among British enterprises are the important mines and smelting works of
the Mazapil Copper Company, at Concepcion del Oro. The field of
minerals is a vast one, and offers inducement to foreign capital. Gold,
silver, copper, lead, and quicksilver are all produced, but more
capital is required. Remarkable as it may seem, the high region which
composes this state produces rubber--the _guayule_, a plant which grows
wild in profusion in various parts of the region, and which is in much
demand.
The little state of Aguascalientes lies to the south of the above
region, with an area of somewhat less than 3,000 square miles and a
population of 105,000. Its principal source of life is agricultural,
but the mineral industry is important. The capital city stands at an
elevation above sea-level of 6,100 feet, and the hot-springs of the
region give rise to the name of the state and city; which may be
described as healthy and attractive. It is traversed by the Mexican
Central Railway.
San Luis Potosi is a state of much promise in minerals and agriculture,
but has been kept backward until recently from want of foreign capital
to exploit its natural resources. In former times it was the third
producer of bullion of the Mexican states for Spain, and it shows signs
of regaining its former prestige. The valleys provide numerous
agricultural products; the mountains contain, in certain places,
timber, and the sterile uplands _maguey_. To the east rises the Mesa
range of the Eastern Sierra Madre, and the state generally occupies the
most elevated part of the great plateau, giving rise to the coldest
climate in the country. The area is 25,400 square miles, and of its
population of about 580,000 souls more than 60,000 form the inhabitants
of the handsome capital--San Luis Potosi. This city is connected with
the Port of Tampico on the Gulf of Mexico, by the Mexican Central
Railway, which descends to the coast by an exceedingly picturesque and
interesting route. The Mexican National Railway also traverses the
state, connecting it with the City of Mexico. The important ore
smelting works of the Metalurgica Mexicana Company are situated here,
and have proved a stimulus to the works of the great mineral resources
of the state. The famous Catorce mining district is situated in this
state, and some well-equipped modern installations exist here. The rich
Huasteca district, and other regions, form an alluring field for
capitalists.
Guanajuato, Queretaro, and Hidalgo form a group of smaller states which
have held a prominent place in the earlier history of Mexico, due
principally to the extraordinary production of silver and gold from
their mines, which has made the names of these famous the world over.
These have been touched upon in the chapters devoted to mining, and the
capital cities spoken of elsewhere. Most of the important mines are
again producing mainly under modern methods, and the value of the
output for the State of Guanajuato last year is calculated as fourteen
million dollars.
The diversified character of the topography and consequently of the
climate of this region, forming the southern part of the great plateau,
gives rise to much variety of nature's resources and agricultural
products, from sugar-cane to cereals, and indeed agriculture in some
cases is the staple industry. Numerous streams permit the irrigation of
the fertile valleys which abound in this part of Mexico. In some cases
we may journey in a few hours from the tropical lowlands to the regions
of pine and oak, and the cold and cloudy climate of the high mining
districts. Great plains and plantations of _maguey_ exist upon the
tableland for the making of _pulque_, Hidalgo alone having 129
_haciendas_ devoted to this industry. In some portions of these states
the scenery is wild and picturesque in the extreme, varying from the
soft and undulating to the stupendous. The rivers generally belong to
the Atlantic watershed, flowing through the Eastern Sierra Madre to the
Gulf of Mexico, debouching at Tampico as the great Panuco river.
The State of Guanajuato, with an area of about 11,000 square miles,
supports one of the largest of populations of any state, reaching to
1,065,000 inhabitants, and this is increasing, due to the growing
industries of the region. Queretaro, with an area and population of
4,500 square miles and 235,000 inhabitants, is one of the smallest of
the states. Its capital city, of the same name, is of much interest
historically, for here Maximilian fell. Some important industries are
carried on, among them being the largest textile factory in the
Republic, the great "Hercules" mills. The famous "Doctor" mine, vast
producer in past history, is one of the remarkable features of this
state, whilst in the adjoining state of Hidalgo are the great mines and
ore-treating _haciendas_ near the capital city, Pachuca. Real del Monte
with its remarkable metallurgical achievements is a byeword in the
annals of silver. Cold and cloudy, these high regions--Pachuca is 8,000
feet above the level of the sea--are in marked contrast to the warm
valleys which, below the belt of oak and pines upon the mountain
slopes, are reached in our downward journey. The area of this very
diversified state is 85,900 square miles, and its population some
605,000 souls. The Mexican Central and National Railways serve these
three states.
The State of Mexico comprises a rich and interesting region. It is the
seat of the capital, the famous City of Mexico. With the little
adjoining State of Tlaxcala it was the home of the Aztec and other
republics or oligarchies of prehispanic days. Here is the classic lake
of Texcoco, and on the south of the valley the famous peaks which rise
beyond the perpetual snow-line--Popocatepetl, Ixtaccihuatl, and the
Nevado of Toluca--rear their gleaming crests. In this region Nature has
been profuse with her resources--a rich and varied _flora_ and
astonishing wealth of gold and silver. Here the mines of El Oro give up
a stream of gold to foreign pockets--principally British--the result of
Anglo-Saxon enterprise of recent years.
The state is mountainous, with the great culminating peaks before
mentioned; but extensive plains and fertile valleys occupy much of its
area, with grassy uplands in the higher regions. The Lerma river is the
chief watercourse, born near the snows of Toluca, and after long
winding over several states it traverses the Western Sierra and falls
into the Pacific Ocean. The cold plains and temperate zone produce
abundant supplies of _maguey_ and cereals; oak and pine and cedar grow
freely in the mountain timber belts, whilst the list of agricultural
products and fruits, from sugar-cane and tobacco upwards, almost
exhausts the _flora_ of the country. Water-power is a valuable asset of
the state, the numerous streams furnishing power for the plant of
numerous manufactories--woollen, cotton, electric light, flour mills,
and others. The area of the state is 8,950 square miles, with a
population of nearly a million inhabitants. The fine _haciendas_ which
dot the state, and the important industries and cities, form a rich and
important centre of Mexican civilisation. All the main lines of railway
connect this state with the rest of the Republic.
The little State of Tlaxcala, which bounds that of Mexico on the east,
has an area of 1,700 square miles and population of 173,000--the
smallest of the political divisions of the Republic. Above the clay and
sand plains of this state rises the beautiful Malinche peak to a height
of 14,720 feet above sea-level, crowned generally with snow, which
fancy has pictured in the form of a woman. The principal agricultural
products are _maguey_ and cereals, from which a large revenue is
derived by the _haciendas_ devoted to the industry. The city of
Tlaxcala was the site of memorable scenes of the conquest of Mexico,
and its brave inhabitants were the fierce foes first, and the faithful
allies afterwards, of Cortes and his Spaniards, as has been described
in the historical portion of these pages. The ancient ramparts, built
by the Tlaxcalans, existed up to the seventeenth century.
Morelos is a small state lying south of Mexico, with an area somewhat
less than 2,000 square miles and a population of 160,000. This state
might almost be termed a vast sugar-cane plantation, as the greater
part of its cultivable territory is given over to this branch of
agriculture--grown under irrigation principally from the rivers which
flow from the perpetual snow-caps of Popocatepetl and Ixtaccihuatl.
Correspondingly, the principal industry is that of sugar and
rum-making, for which industry there exist numerous _haciendas_,
equipped in most cases with modern machinery. The historical and
archaeological associations and remains of the state are of much
interest. Cuernavaca, the picturesque capital, which is the centre of
these, is much of a favourite health resort since it became connected
by railway with the City of Mexico. The Franciscan church carries us
back to 1539, and the palace of Cortes and the gardens of Maximilian
bring into recollection episodes of the history of this romantic region
of the Pacific slope. The climate invites to dalliance, and the varied
landscape--canyon, forest, and stream--open out in their pleasurable
variety as we make our way westward. The small, quaint, Spanish-built
towns with their Indian names, such as Tetecala,[39] Tequezquitengo,
and others, seem to carry us back to the Middle Ages. This latter
village was inundated and lost from the waters employed in the
irrigation of the valleys. The various streams which cross the state
have their outlet to the great Balsas river, which drains the eastern
slope of the Sierra Madre, falling thence into the Pacific Ocean. The
Mexican Central and the Interoceanic Railways connect the chief towns
of Morelos with the City of Mexico, traversing the interesting and
rugged routes of this region.
[Footnote 39: Visited by the Author.]
Puebla is one of the most important of the Mexican states--both in
natural resources and in its general flourishing condition. It occupies
the region south of the great tableland, extending beyond this,
however, both to the Atlantic and Pacific watersheds, its central part
forming the _divortia aquarum_ of the continent in this portion, its
rivers on the west running to the Pacific Ocean and those on the east
to the Gulf of Mexico through the State of Vera Cruz. In the northern
part of this region the mountains form a scattered group, unlike the
Cordilleras of the Sierra Madre of other parts of Mexico. The
topography and scenery are rugged and picturesque. The northern
mountains include the Sierra Nevada, which form the boundary of the
valley of Mexico and the great plateau. Here rise the beautiful
snow-capped peaks which are so prominent a feature of this part of
Mexico--Popocatepetl (17,300 feet), Ixtaccihuatl (15,700 feet),
Malintzin (13,462 feet), and others, on the boundary with the States of
Puebla and Mexico. Orizaba (18,250 feet) and the Cofre de Perote
(13,400 feet), on the border of the State of Vera Cruz, descend to
high-spreading tablelands, watered only by the snows of these
mountains, as they are riverless. The beautiful valley wherein the
capital city of Puebla is situated, some short distance to the east of
Popocatepetl and its sister peak, is, however, traversed by the
remarkable river Atoyac which, rising beyond the borders of the state,
forms the headwaters of the great Balsas river, debouching, after a
trajectory of more than four hundred miles, into the Pacific.
[Illustration: TYPICAL SIDE STREET IN MEXICAN VILLAGE: THE TOWN OF
AMECA AND CLOUD-EFFECT ON POPOCATEPETL.]
The area of this state is 12,200 square miles, sustaining more than a
million inhabitants. Agriculture, and industries and manufacture
depending thereon are the source of wealth and property; mining
occupies a relatively small place, although minerals abound, and onyx
and coal are famous among them. The valley of Puebla draws its varied
sources of life largely from the Atoyac river, whose hydrographic basin
forms a fertile region probably superior to any in the Republic. Level
tracts of land and undulating valleys are irrigated freely from this
river, giving huge crops of cereals, and numerous mills producing
textile fabrics are actuated by the water-power it affords. The slopes
of the mountains to the north are covered with forests whose stores of
timber are a little-exploited source of wealth at present. The
southerly region forms a tropical zone where the products corresponding
to its climate abound--as cotton, coffee, sugar-cane, and others. Here
the state extends to the borders of Guerrero and Oaxaca.
The city of Puebla is the second in the Republic and contains nearly
95,000 inhabitants. It is an important seat of Mexican civilisation, of
which the Republic is justly proud and, indeed, its state of prosperity
and consequent advanced civilisation are noteworthy. The productions of
the numerous industries and factories in the district are exported to
all the main centres of the Republic, especially the textile fabrics,
and also to Central and South American countries. The central portion
of the state is traversed by several main lines of railway, as the
International and the Mexico and Vera Cruz, whilst the Mexican Southern
unites it with Oaxaca and the Tehuantepec Railway. The archaeological
remains of Cholula--the prehistoric ruins elsewhere described--lend
much interest to the diversified and beautiful State of Puebla.
* * * * *
We have now to consider the Atlantic, or Mexican Gulf littoral States.
Tamaulipas is one of the frontier states bordering upon the United
States; its northern frontier adjoining Texas, from which it is divided
by the Rio Grande or Bravo. On its eastern side it is washed by the
Gulf of Mexico, its littoral extending along the Gulf for more than 260
miles--from the estuary of the Rio Grande or Bravo, to that of the
Panuco river at Tampico. Topographically, the state consists of the
coast plains, occupying about two-thirds of its area, and the
mountainous or hilly region of the eastern slope of the Eastern Sierra
Madre, of the remainder. The area is 29,340 square miles, and the
population 190,000. The rivers of the state are numerous, notably the
Conchas, the Soto la Marina, and the Tamesi, all falling into the Gulf
of Mexico; and great lagoons--as the Laguna Madre, 125 miles
long--border upon the coast, separated from the sea, in some places
only by a ridge of narrow sand-dunes. The Laguna Madre has become dried
up, however, due to the silting up of its channels.
The climate varies much, the coast being hot and in places unhealthy,
subject to the diseases peculiar to those regions, although it has been
found that drainage and sanitary measures have worked a remarkable
change at the formerly unhealthy port of Tampico. The mountainous
regions of the Sierra Madre bound the state on the west, with a cool
climate and temperate uplands, and the climate as a whole is considered
superior to that of Coahuila.
The development of this state has not kept pace with that of its
neighbours, due to lack of railways, capital, and labour. But it is a
region of rich and varied natural resources, whether in minerals or
agriculture. The beautiful valleys of the temperate region are capable
of a greatly extended agricultural development, and valuable forests
extend over both mountains and plain-land. The vegetation of the region
is very varied. All the tropical and some of the temperate zone fruits
are raised, as well as corn, coffee, and chocolate, whilst india-rubber
is a product of the state. Of timber a great variety exists, including
oak, cedar, mahogany, pine, beech, ebony, &c. An important industry is
the growing of fibre-producing plants, especially the _henequen_ and
_ixtle_, and there are many _haciendas_ engaged in this remunerative
branch of agriculture. Active irrigation work is required in this
state, from the numerous streams which cross it, as agriculture must be
largely dependent upon this, and there is no doubt that this will be
accomplished as more attention is drawn to the resources of the region
and capital attracted thereto. Mining is carried on to some extent,
especially in copper, whilst the petroleum and asphalt deposits are a
source of wealth to their owners. But, so far, mining is little
developed and, although the possibilities for the production of
minerals are generally little known, there is no doubt that they are
extensive. The capital of the state is Victoria, with a population of
some 10,000 inhabitants. It is connected with the seaport of Tampico,
on the Gulf of Mexico--the main seaport of the state and, indeed, the
second in importance upon the coast--by the Monterrey and Mexican Gulf
Railway. Another of the principal gateways of the Republic exists in
this state--that of the frontier town of Laredo, at which point the
Mexican National Railway crosses the Rio Grande into Texas. With its
little-known regions and considerable possibilities, the State of
Tamaulipas, although somewhat off the main routes of travel, is a
region of much interest. It offers some attraction to tourists in its
sea-bathing and Tarpon fishing upon the coast.
Vera Cruz, the famous and historical state of the Gulf of Mexico, the
gateway of the _Conquistadores_ and the principal route of entry of the
European traveller of to-day, lies along the shore of Mexico for a
length of 435 miles. It extends from the Panuco river at Tampico,
curving round the Gulf shore to the south and east, past the Isthmus of
Tehuantepec, to the border of Chiapas and Tabasco. Its area is 29,000
square miles, and its population falls somewhat short of a million
inhabitants.
The topography of the state is that remarkable one typical of the
physical structure of Mexico--of hot coast plains, temperate higher
regions, and the cold uplands of the Sierra Madre mountains and the
great tableland of the interior. The rugged character for which this
region is famous lies beyond the coast plains, which, except in a few
places, are sandy and undulating, but, as elevation is gained, these
give place to a region of tropical vegetation so exuberant as is
encountered in few other regions.
[Illustration: STATE OF VERA CRUZ: THE BARRANCA OR RAVINE OF MITLAC;
VIEW ON THE MEXICAN RAILWAY. (Far below in the valley is seen the
bridge depicted at p. 340.)]
The state is well watered, there being forty or more rivers and streams
of importance, some of them being navigable for a distance of
thirty-five miles from their mouths for deep-draught ships, others
forming means of irrigation and motive power throughout the region,
whilst numerous lakes and lagoons exist. Among the navigable rivers are
those of Coatzacoalcos, San Juan, Tonto, Papaloapam, Tuxpam, Casones.
The scenery is extremely picturesque in places, changing to the
stupendous as the mountains are approached. Profound valleys, covered
with a wealth of tropical vegetation, or crops, are seen lying
thousands of feet below the sheer descent of the abrupt slopes, up
which the railway ascends to the great plateau of Anahuac--views such
as command the admiration of the traveller.
The natural resources of the state are varied and plentiful to a
remarkable degree. Cotton, sugar, tobacco, coffee, rubber are among the
products of this rich region, a source of wealth to the state, for
these articles find ready export, due to their superior quality. The
forest timbers are plentiful and varied--cedar, mahogany, pine, ebony,
walnut, and dyewoods are products of these immense forests. The export
of cattle, both to other states and abroad, is important. Manufactories
for textile goods, tobacco, sugar, and other products, abound. As for
mining, it is entirely overshadowed by the great agricultural wealth,
and minerals are scarcely exploited, so far, although iron, copper,
silver, and gold exist, whilst the petroleum deposits will doubtless
form a source of wealth. The state is traversed by the Tehuantepec
railway, elsewhere described.
The city of Vera Cruz, although it does not occupy the exact site of
the landing of the _Conquistadores_, is nevertheless of historic fame,
since its site was changed In 1599. But it acquired not only fame, but
an evil reputation for its insalubrity, the dreaded yellow fever being
its most persistent scourge. The scientific work undertaken of recent
years, however, in combating this, and in the destruction of mosquito
larvae, show that fever and malaria can be eliminated on this coast,
and to-day the port and city are not unhealthy; and the principal
scavengers are no longer the _zopilotes_, although these birds flap
their wings in the city streets, in the faces of the inhabitants. Vera
Cruz is connected with the City of Mexico by the famous old Mexican
Railway, whose construction was begun half a century ago, and by the
Interoceanic. In sight of the traveller as he ascends from the coast is
Orizaba, one of Mexico's highest snow-crowned peaks, visible indeed
from among the waves of the stormy Gulf. This was the way the Spaniards
came, and is described elsewhere in these pages. The new port works of
Vera Cruz is a solid engineering structure, built at a cost of
4,000,000 pounds sterling, and renders the harbour safe for shipping.
[Illustration: VERA CRUZ: SHIPPING IN THE NEW HARBOUR.]
Still following the littoral of the Mexican Gulf, or rather the Gulf of
Campeche, are the small States of Tabasco and Campeche, forming part of
the frontier with the neighbouring Republic of Guatemala. The area of
the first is 10,100 square miles, and population of about 175,000
inhabitants. This state possesses two of the principal navigable rivers
of Mexico, the Grijalva, named after the first European to set foot in
Mexico, and the Usumacinta, navigable for 180 and 77 miles,
respectively. The flat topographical character of the state gives rise
to various lakes and coast lagoons, but the anchoring grounds for ships
are not generally in the nature of good harbours. The climate is hot,
but often tempered by the winds blowing from the Gulf. Malaria is
prevalent in places, but yellow fever has diminished or disappeared.
The principal articles of export are the dye woods and timber, hides,
coffee, tobacco, and rubber. Cocoa and sugar-cane are among its leading
agricultural products. There is but one railway in this somewhat
isolated state, its means of communication being principally by water
and road. The capital, San Juan Bautista, is situated upon the Grijalva
river.
Campeche has an area of 18,000 square miles and a population of some
87,000 inhabitants, and its capital city of the same name, lying upon
the coast, 18,000. This is also the principal port, and it is united by
a railway to Merida and Progreso, in Yucatan. The principal rivers are
navigable in the rainy season and for small boats generally. The soil
is fertile and agriculture is the main industry, but is kept backward
from lack of sufficient labour and means of communication. Attention is
being turned to the cultivation of _henequen_, which has given
favourable results in the neighbouring state of Yucatan. Irrigation is
necessary for the crops in this region. The principal products,
however, are the dyewoods--famous for their quality--and timber,
including cedar and mahogany; sugar-cane, maize, and rice are produced,
and the inevitable _chicle_--chewing gum--for export to New York,
whilst the numerous fruits of the tropical zone are freely raised. The
great tracts of virgin forests and unutilised resources of the state
call for foreign capital, and the Americans are those who have
responded principally. Chinese and Korean labour are employed to a
certain extent, as well as Jamaica negroes. Some of the plantations
have light railway lines, and several steam railways are projected or
under construction. Shipbuilding is an old-established industry of this
coast, and the first vessel to carry the Mexican flag to Europe was
constructed, it is stated, at Campeche.
The State of Yucatan stretches over the greater part of the area of
this remarkable peninsula, from which it takes its name. With its
eastern part--the region known as the Territory of Quintana Roo--it is
a neighbour of the British Empire, bordering as it does upon British
Honduras, or Belize. To the south it adjoins the Republic of Guatemala.
Its area is 35,200 square miles, with a population of about 300,000
inhabitants. Similar in character to the rest of the peninsula this
state consists of one vast plain, of small elevation above the level of
the sea, its flat topography being relieved only by a low range of
hills towards the centre, running northwards into Campeche, whose
greatest altitude does not reach 3,000 feet.
The capital city, Merida, lies in the north-west part of the state.
This is a vast flat region of dreary aspect, unwatered by rivers or
streams, arid and dry, stretching to the Bay of Campeche on the one
hand, and the great Terminos lagoon. This desolate region,
nevertheless, affords the main source of wealth of the state, and that
for which it has become famous, the _henequen_, or Sisal hemp, the
valuable fibre-producing plant which grows there in millions. In this
region are the curious wells, or natural ground-caves of water, which
excite the notice of the traveller, and which appear to be connected
with underground streams.
Other agricultural products are sugar-cane and cereals, whilst there
are extensive woods of valuable timber, bordering upon Guatemala and
British Honduras, including the famous dye-woods, and other classes for
constructional purposes. In the southern part of the state also, there
is a great zone of fertile land, crossed by various streams and rivers
of small hydrographic importance.
The coast-line of the Peninsula of Yucatan is more than 600 miles in
length, extending round three sides of the peninsula. The climate of
the eastern coast is rendered torrid by the heat of the Gulf Stream,
which sweeps between it and the island of Cuba. The principal port,
Progreso, is an open roadstead where no shelter is obtained, the old
abandoned port of Sisal being superior. Some score of miles off the
north-east coast is the island of Cozumel, where Cortes first landed on
his voyage of the Conquest. Yucatan contains the remarkable ruins of
the Maya civilisation--a field of great research. These splendid
remains of prehispanic architecture are of the utmost interest and
beauty, and have received much attention from famous archaeologists.
The great forests of the state, extending over a large area of
territory, are the _habitat_ of a varied fauna, including the panther,
the tapir, wild boars, boa constrictor, crocodile, and other ferocious
kinds, as well as deer, and a variety of bright-plumaged birds. Yucatan
is without minerals, its geological formation being of the younger
sedimentary rocks.
The Territory of Quintana Roo, before mentioned, was separated from
Yucatan, due to its long possession by the Maya Indian tribes, who,
however, have now been overcome, and are under peaceful control. The
population is only about 3,000. The topographical formation is similar
to that of Yucatan, great calcareous, undulating plains of recent
geological times. The climate is hot, tempered at times by the sea
breezes and the heavy rains. There are no streams, except the Hondo
river, flowing into British Honduras, but the land is watered to a
certain extent by the _cenotes_, as the rain-water deposits in the
calcareous rock are termed, which supposedly are connected with
subterranean streams. This territory is the home of the descendants of
the Mayas, some of the most intelligent of Mexico's aboriginal people
to-day, and they long resisted, and until a few years ago, the control
of the Mexican Government. The territory borders upon British
Honduras--Belize--and the supplying of arms by British traders to the
insurrectionary people a few years ago caused much trouble to the
Mexican Government and became the matter of diplomatic discussion. All
this is now duly settled, and the region is in a tranquil state.
The remarkable variety of natural products and conditions of the states
forming the Federal Republic are thus shown. Each state has its proper
machinery of government, civil control, and education, and each is
working out its own destiny, slowly, but surely, in conjunction with
its neighbours of the Federation.