Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1846-12-26
From :he Washington Fountain.
A Hsssy sketch or vera Crws.

A Hassy Sketch or vera Crws.
A it is probable that this town sod the pro.
vince or S,sts bearing is ns me viii BE- the next
scene Of military operations by the army Of in
vasion. we propose to throw together few
points Of information respecting this region Ut
country, hastily gathered from Humbold's New
Spain. -.. .-...
The old lntendancy OF Vera Cruz lies under
the burning sun of the TROPICS and extends along
the Mevcan Gulf from, the River Boraderas on
the South to th, gres, river OF Panuco, on the
North. Its length is about 600 miles. and it's
breadth inland from 15 to 80 tnilee The In.
tends ncies Of Osxaca, ,Pueb.a and Mexico skirt
it on The West. The confirmation Of the coun.
try within this province changes almost with
every half dozen miles, while from The sea coast
to i;s Western boundary the most opposite eli
mates ate assembled. In The space oi twenty.
| four hours you may descend from the regions Of
eternal snow on the Cordllcras of Anahuac TO
the plains wiisrc the most sufIocstNg heat pre-.
| walls.
ono sno,he. BY strata a. yon ascend from Vera
Cruz to the table land Of Pero,e. The physi
| cgnomy Of the country, the aspect of the sky.
the form Of the plsn,s, the 6euree Of animals,
| the manners uf tho people and the d fftrenl
kinds Of cultivation change at every step Of the
| progress Of the traveller. In few hours the
na,urniis, in this miraculous province can hs
cend the whole scale Of vegetable creation from
leaves swell out into wonderful dimensions TO
the s,un,ed parenchyma Of the resineus trees
The productions of this State are Of the ri.
chest order. There grows at the footsspf the
Cordiiera IN the ever.green forest. OF the Pa
p.ntla Esn,ia and Tsxtla the epidendrum Va.
nil,s used to perfume chocolate and ice.cresms
Near the Indian villsge of Colipa md Misantia
Is found the beautiful convolvus jsapae whose
tnberous roo, furnishes the jalap of medicine.
The Ta5asco rpice is produced in the forest.
ness the river Baroderss on the South. The
Cocoa of Acayucan can be produced in large
quantities. The Cordoba tobacco grown on
the declivi,ies Of the Pc d. Orizab, yielded q
revenue to the crown Of Spain Of near four mil
lioas OF dolarsa year. You get the similar
whose name is the sslssparilla. in the humid
and outrageous ravines of the Cordilers. The
cotton OF the coast is noted for is fnencss ond
whi,encss, and the sugar cane is even more
fruitful than ,ha, Of San Domingo or Cuba
Passing for tho present the mountains and
pyramids Of the province, we devote few lines
10 the city of Vera cruz. Il is beautifully snd
regularly built. The district in which il is
situated was formerly called Chalchinhcuecsn
This island, on which the fortress OF San Juan
de Uloa is hnilt, wss visited by Juan de Girls
caula in 1913. lie gave it tha name Of Ulus
because he found the rernins of sacrificed
men there. and having inquired Of tho natives
why human sacrihccs wsre offered up on tha
.po,. he mis,ook their reply. ihs, it Was doo,
by the order Of the kings Of acolhua or Mexico
and interpreted il To mran thn, the island VS..
called Uiua. These sacrifices took place on ol
the small islands near Vera Cruz. and one o
them 10 called to this day Isiu de Socrifcios
Tho present city Of Vera Cruz was laid OIL
and built BY the Vicercy Coun, Of Monterey a
,hs end of the 10Th century, on the very spo
where Cor,ez frs, landed the 2lst of Apr!
1910 ], did not receive its privileges ill iht
year 1918. under Philip III. II is situated or
an arid plain. destitute Of running water. Th'
north winds that blow with Gerceness from Oc
tober 10 hrri form hills Of moving sand upof
this plsin--chanring them every yea-. They
are from 26 10 3S fee, high, and contribute bI
the reverbera,ion Of the suns rsys to increas'
the heat of Vera Cruz Between the city an'
:. the Arroyo GavAsn in the midst nj the SAM
downs, ore marshy grounds covered with man
g'rs and other brushwnod. In the vicinity ar
the e,arnant waters ~ the Tembodura an'
the l.akesnf Hor'nija. ilor's',, and Arjona
The ed fees OF Vera CrrE are bnili of madre
pore stone drawn from the bottom Of the ocean
The In,endsncy Of Veru Cfuz has no me.aii
mines ofsny great Importance.
i