The latter of those Towns is the Port of _New Spain_, at the Bottom of the Bay or Gulf, in 18 Degrees of _North_ Latitude, Seated in a Sandy Plain, encompass’d with Mountains; beyond which there are Woods and Meadows, well Stock’d with Cattle and wild Fowl: the flesh whereof is stringy and tasteless. The Air is very Hot, and not Healthy, when any Winds blow, except the _North_, which rises commonly once in Eight or Fifteen Days, and holds for the Space of Twenty Four Hours, blowing so hard, that there is no going ashore from the Ships, and then the Cold is very piercing. When the Weather is clear there plainly appear, on the Road to _Mexico_, two Mountains rising above the Clouds, and forty Leagues distant, all cover’d with Snow. The Streets of _Veracruz_ are streight as a Line; the Houses are handsome and regular; the Fortifications next the Land inconsiderable, but the Front of the Town next the Sea forms a Semicircle, with a little Fort at each End. Directly before that Front, a Quarter of a League out at Sea, there stands, on a Spot of Ground, inaccessible, by Reason of the Breaking of the Sea, a strong Citadel, well built and furnished with all Necessaries, a good Garrison and double Batteries of two hundred Pieces of brass Cannon. Ships cannot anchor any where, but between that Citadel and the Town; besides that, it requires several Precautions, because it is difficult coming to an Anchor. Most of the Inhabitants are _Mulattoes_, that is of a tawny dark Colour, who live most upon Chocolate and Sweetmeats, extraordinary sober, and eating little Flesh. The Men are haughty, the Women keep retired above Stairs, not to be seen by Strangers, and seldom going abroad, and then in Coaches or Chairs, and those who cannot reach to it, cover’d with fine silk Veils, which reach from the Crown of their Heads to their Feet, leaving only a small Opening on the Right Side,[127] for them to see their Way. In their own Apartments they wear nothing but a Smock and a silk Petticoat, with gold or silver Laces, without any Thing on their Heads, and their Hair platted with Ribbons, a gold Chain about their Neck, Bracelets of the same and Pendants of Emeralds in their Ears. They could well enough like the Behaviour and Company of the French, but that the jealous Temper of the Men obstructs them. There being a Picture of _Philip_ King of _Spain_, now reigning, aboard the Ship in which my Friend was, who gave me this Account, the People swarm’d aboard to see it, they were never satisfy’d with gazing at it, and there was a most magnificent Festival kept in the Town, on Account of the Birth of the Prince of _Asturias_.