GUAXACA, or more properly Onxtion, is the name of a city and intendancy in Mexico, or New Spain. The city, which is the ancient Mexican Huaxyacac, was called Antiqucra at the time of the conquest. It is situated in an extensive and populous valley, about 80 leagues south-cast of Mexico. It carries on a consider arm: trade, and is particu larly celebrated for its excellent chocolate. It is handsomely built, and contains a very fine cathedral, but is open and un fortified. It is a bishop's see, and in 1792 contained 24,000 in habitants. The province of Guaxaca lies in 17° North Lati tude, leaching from sea to sea, extending about 90 leagues along the south coast, 30 along the Mexican Gulf, and from 30 to 70 in breadth. Its climate presents a perpetual spring, and it is one of the most delightful countries in that quar ter of the globe. Its mountainous districts, composed of granite and gneiss, are rich in mines of gold, silver, and lead. Its plains are highly fertile, and yield abundance of sugar, cochineal, fruits, grain, and various useful produc tions. Its relative population is equal to that of European Russia, and it has been long advancing in civilization. Throughout the whole province, vegetation is extremely vigorous, especially half-way down the declivity, in the temperate region, where the rains are very copious from May to October ; and, at a small village, about three leagues from the capital, is an enormous trunk of Cu/ires sus disticha, which measures 118 feet in circumference ; but upon a narrow inspection is evidently composed of three united stems. Many remains of ancient Mexican structures are to be seen in the province, especially at San Antonio de los Cues, a populous place on the road from Orizaba to Guaxaca, and at a village named Mitla. In this last mentioned place, which was formerly called Miguitlan, a word signifying, in the Mexican language, a place of sadness, are the ruins of an extensive palace, con structed over the tombs of the kings, and to which the so vereign used to retire for some time on the death of a son, a wife, or a mother. This palace, or rather sepulchre,
consists of three edifices, placed symmetrically in a very romantic situation. The principal structure, which is in the hest preservation, is nearly 131 feet in length, and the distribution of the apartments bears a strong analogy to what has been remarked by the French savans, in the mo numents of Upper Egypt. A stair, formed in a pit, leads dour) to a subterraneous apartment, which is 88 feet by 26, and which, as well as the exterior walls of the edifice, is covered with those ornaments, generally called grecques, such as meanders, labyrinths, Exc. some of which are in Mosaic, of small porphyry stones. Sevehl curious paint ings have been found in these ruins, representing warlike trophies and sacrifices; but the most striking object is a vast hall, of which the ceiling is supported by six porphyry columns, about 16 feet in height. These columns, the only ones found in the new continent, bear strong marks of the infancy of the art, having neither base nor capital, but simply a contraction of the upper part. Besides the capital, there are several other towns in the province, the principal of which is Tecoantepec, about 40 leagues south of Guaxaca, at the bottom of a bay on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. It is a small town, with a good fishing harbour, and an open road for ships; but the port is imped ed by a dangerous bar. It is likely, however, to become a place of greater importance, by the increase of the in digo trade from Guatimala. The family of Hernan Cor tez bears the title of Marquis of the valley of Oaxaca, a property containing 4 villas, 49 villages, and 17,700 inha bitants. There are 306 secular ecclesiastics in the pro.
wince, and 342 regulars. The revenues of the bishop amount to 18 000 dohble piastres. See Humboldt's Poli tical Essay on the Kingdom of .Acw Spain. (q)