Vera-Paz, the next province to Honduras, in cludes the Gulf Amatique, and the Gulf or Bay of Dolce, within its limits, These inlets are capable of receiving large vessels, and might be made useful channels of commercial intercourse with the South Sea; but it is lees known to us than any other part of Gingival*. Vere-Paa is about I20 mile, in length, and 70 in breadth. It is very thinly peopled, and very slightly cultivated. The climate is unhealthy, and it rains nine months in the year, so that the lower lands are almost perpetually inundated. Its capital is the town of Cuban, or, us it is sometimes called, Vera-Pas. It is built on the banks of a river of the same name, which runs into the sea by the Gulf of Amatique. What little commerce originates in this province is conducted by the gulfs to the neighbouring port of Truxillo, and from thence to their respective destinations. Its exports are mere ly a few dyeing woods, some honey and wax, and a little cocoa.
Chiapa, the next province to Vera-Paz, is wholly inland, as the province of Vera-Cruz, in the vice royalty of Mexico, is interposed between it and the Carribeaa Sea, to the north, whilst the province of Guathonla Proper separates it from the Pacific Oman. It is 250 miles in length from east to west; in ita broadest part it is 300 miles, and in its nar rowest part OD miles. The productions of this pro. since are very valuable, consisting of all kinds of wood, cedar, cypress, oak, and walnut. for building houses nod ships, as well as logwood and other dyes. It produces abundance of corn, maize, cotton, cocoa, and sugar ; and the inferior cochineal, the Gram siluesith, is plentiful. The breed of its horses is highly valued, and the richer inhabitants of the city of Mexico are generally supplied from this district. There are neither mines of gold or silver in the pro viace and the inhabitants, wanting the seductive pursuit of those attractive metals, have generally directed their attention to the more beneficial labours of agricultuna. Although the province of Chiapa does not touch the sea coast, it has an ad vantage more than equivalent in the great river To. base°, or Grijalva, which almost encircles it, and af fords an excellent outlet for its surplus productions. It also enjoys the navigation of the great river Su l:Nano% on its eastern ft ontier, which, after a long coarse, empties itself into the Gulf of Terminus, be tween Campeche and Vera-Crua.
There are two cities in this province, Chiapa de los Isalios, and Chiapa de los Espanioles. The latter, sometimes called Chiapa Real, is•the seat of the go vernment, of the courts of justice, and of the bishop nf the province. The cathedral i,a a magnificent building, and there are several rich menageries. The city was anciently incorporated, and its cipal Cabildo enjoys. extensive privileges and con siderable wealth., Lt it not a place of extensive trade, and, the inhabitants, are more distinguished by their pride and their titles than by their wealth as their knowledge. The other city is about forty miles distant, and much tame populous and flourish. in. As its name Chiapa de los Indies denotes, its population was originally Indian; but the fertility of the soil, and the advantages of the vicinity to the river Tobasco, have drawn to it numbers of the en terprising and industrious ; and he population. is said, to amount to more than 20,000 souls, whilst its ancient rival WI scarcely number 4000.
the coast of the Pacific Ocean, extending from the province of Nicaragua to Oaxaca, the frontier pro vince of Mexico; being in length about 450 miles. Its capital is St Jago de Guatimala,, in 24° 28' north latitude, and 92° 40' west longitude, which is also the capita) of the whole government. It is on the river \recces near the Smolt Sea. The harbour is capable only of admitting vessels of as easy draught of water, and that only at high Wes. The city is on a beautiful siteation, very well built, and remark able for the salubrity of its air. h contains about 24,000 inhabitants, among whom are many ancient Creole families, and many rich capitalists. The greater portion of the wealth of the whole kiiigdein may be said to centre here. It is the residence of the captain-general, who has extensive power and great emoluments. The supreme court of justice, the royal audience, exercises its functions here. It is the seat of an archbishop, has a celebrated university, and those various boards of revenue, police, and commerce, which generally are found io Speoish transatlantic capitals. It was anciently incorporated, and its municipal corporation has extensive power, and enjoys considerable estates. It is in a situation peculiarly exposed to earthquakes, by which it has been considerably distressed. In, 1751 it was theses down, aced whilst in ruins a volcano in its vicinity burst over it, and increased the sufferings of the few servivors. It was, however, rebuilt on the same spot, and is the year 1775 experienced a more dreadful concussion,; the greater part, of the inhabit ants were buried in the ruins of their dwelling% and the whole scene of horror equalled, if it did not exceed, au, that the history of such convulsions has narrated. After this last calamity the capital was removed to its present situation, about twenty-five miles more somberly, and is become more extensive and beautiful than the farmer city. Its inhabitant% are said to be distinguished by sprightliness, intelli gence, and suavity of manners, and the females- to possess uncommon beauty. The difficulty of aeon* to market* for the disposal of valuable prodnete checked the growth of riches in this district for a long period. In the year 1798 a project was enter tained, which has given them a vent, and has aug mented the cultivation -and the wealth of the pro vince in an extraordinary degree. The captain-ge neral, aided by the Cabildo, began a road through the forest of Tarifa, and thus opened a passage by land from the bay of Tecuantepec in the Pacific Ocean to the river del Passo, which runs into the Huasacualco, and thus empties itself into the Gulf of Mexico. By this vent, which was opened in 1800, the productions of Guatimala have been con veyed to Vera-Cruz on their way to Europe. The effects of it have been to double the produce of the cocoa plantations, and to multiply those of the in digo farms in a fivefold degree. The great king dom of Mexico has a demand for cocoa far beyond its growth, and by this new vent it has been amply supplied. Indigo is a production better furnished from Guatimala than from any other part of the western world, and now having a secure passage to the best markets, it will probably go on still rapidly increasing. The present mode of conveyance is by mules front St Miguel on the river Chintalapa to the junction of the rivers Saravia and del Paseo, and it has been contemplated to cut a canal this distance of six or seven leagues, and thus obtain water car riage the whole way from Guatimala to the Gulf of Mexico. In noticing such projects, it is impossible not to remark, that these new modes of intercourse, though, in the first instance, beneficial only to the Spanish dominions, would become so speedily to the whole civilized world.