there are a vast number of towns and villages; but the only particular notice necessary here is of Mexico, the capital; and Acapulco the western, and Vera Cruz the castern port.

MEXICO is situated in 190 24' N. lat. and 220 10' west long. It lies in a delightful valley surrounded by high lands, in the middle of the country between the Gulf of Mexico and Pacific Ocean, and is elevated above each more than 7000 feet. It is regularly laid out, the streets crossing one another at right angles, and they are generally broad and are kept in good order. This is the great mart into which the treasures of Mexico flow, and they are conveyed hence to the other parts of the world by the port of Acapulco on the Pacific, and Vera Cruz on the Atlantic.

The mint is situated here, and is the largest establishment of the kind in the world, 400 workmen being necessary to carry on the business of coining money. The other manufactures have hitherto principally been gold and silver work in all the various branches, and great part of it being vases and church ornaments.

The population is estimated at 140,000.

Acapulco is situated on the Pacific Ocean, in lat. 160 47 and is a fine seaport, but very unhealthy. Being, however, the great western seaport of Mexico, and contiguous to the Pacific Ocean, it has an extensive trade, principally through the medium of the island of Manilla. The exports consist principally of the precious metals, and the imports are muslins, printed calicoes, coarse cottons, silk, and articles of silk, china ware, jewelry, spices, and aro

matics.

Owing to the unhealthiness of the place there is but a thin population, only about 4000, and these chiefly negroes;

but in the season of the arrival of the galleons, a vast many strangers, particularly from Mexico, go to purchase goods, and many of them fall a sacrifice to the climate.

Vera Cruz is situated on the Gulf of Mexico, in N. lat. 198; and is the seat of the greatest commerce in Mexico. It is the eastern port for exporting the precious metals to other parts of the world, and is the great mart for the disposal of manufactured goods, of which the quantity imported here is immense. The trade as calculated by Humboldt was as follows:

Annual exports of gold and silver coin, } $17,000,000

bullion, and plate,

It is presumed that in consequence of the contiguity of

this port to the United States, and the great increase and excellence of the manufactures of that country, that there will eventually be a great trade between the principal seaports of the United States and Vera Cruz, Alvarado and Tampico.

The distances of the principal ports are as follows:

General Abstract of the Extent and Population of Mexico.

It is presumed that the population has increased at least one-third since 1803, and is now above 7,000,000.

THE foregoing general view embraces all the countries contiguous to the United States exhibited on the map,

but having in a supplement exhibited Guatimala, the Isthmus of Darien, and the northern part of South America, we shall give a short description of Guatimala and the principal seaports in the new Republic of Colombia, so as to complete the picture of the contiguous territories to the United States.

GUATIMALA extends from Mexico to the Isthmus of Panama, and from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean. The great Mexican Mountain or Table land, runs through the middle of the country from north-west to south-east, and the country falls on each side of it to the respective oceans, as in Mexico. The soil is represented as being very fertile, producing corn, cotton, cochineal, and dye-woods. The population is estimated at 1,800,000.

The principal towns are GUATIMALA, Vera Paz, Comyagua, Truxillo, and Cartajo.

The United States have very little trade to this country, except to the coast of Honduras for logwood.

VERAGUAS, the south-east province of this country, has lately sent deputies to the congress of Colombia, and will probably be incorporated with that Republic. The chief town in this territory is Santiago.

PANAMA Occupies the isthmus, and will probably soon have an extensive trade. It is now part of the Republic of Colombia. The chief town on the Caribbean Sea is Porto Bello, and the chief town on the Pacific is Panama. The distance between them in a right line is only 35 miles. The congress of the American Republics assembled at this place in 1826.

THE REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA extends across the whole northern part of the continent of South America, and is most favourably situated for the trade of the United States, of which, in all probability, it will soon have a large share. The principal ports are Carthagena, Santa Martha, Maracaybo, Porto Cabello, La Guayra, Barcelona, and Cumana.