The capital town of TLASCALA is situated between two mountains, in 19° 16´ of north latitude, and 58´ east longitude from Mexico, near the only stream of importance in the territory, known as the Rio Atoyac or Papagallo, under which name it passes through the State of Puebla on its way to the Pacific. The ancient numerous population of Tlascala is no longer found within its limits, and perhaps not more than four or five thousand individuals now inhabit it. But the town is nevertheless handsome;--its streets are regular; its private houses, town hall, bishop's palace and principal church are built in a style of tasteful architecture, while on the remains of the chief Teocalli of the ancient Tlascalans, a Franciscan convent has been built, which is perhaps one of the earliest ecclesiastical edifices in the republic. In the town itself and in its vicinity many relics and ruins of the past glory of Tlascala are still found by antiquarians, but they have hitherto been undisturbed by foreign visiters and remain unnoticed by the natives. Huamantla and Tlaxco are the chief towns or villages in the _partidos_ which bear their names. CHAPTER V. STATE OF MEXICO--AREA--DIVISIONS--POPULATION--FEDERAL DISTRICT--VALLEY--HIGHWAYS--LAKES--ZUMPANGO, CRISTOVAL, CHALCO, XOCHIMILCO, TEZCOCO--SALT-WORKS--CITIES--SAN AUGUSTIN--FESTIVAL--TEZCOCO--TACUBA--TOLUCA--CASCADE OF REGLA--TOWNS--VALLEY OF CUERNAVACA--ACAPANTZINGO--ITS INDIAN ISOLATION--MINES IN THE STATE. THE STATE OF MEXICO. This State, which includes the national capital and the federal district, lies between 16° 34´ and 21° 7´ of north latitude and 100°, 17, 30´´ and 105°, 7´, 30´´ W. longitude from Paris. It is bounded, west by the States of Guanajuato and Michoacan; south-west by the shores of the Pacific for 87 leagues; north by Queretaro; east by Puebla; and north-east by Vera Cruz. Its greatest breadth from east to west, from Chilapa on the boundaries of Puebla, to the haven of Zacatula, is, 104 leagues, and its extreme length from north to south, from Berdosas on the confines of Vera Cruz, to the west coast in the neighborhood of Acapulco and the boundary of Puebla in that direction, is, 124 leagues. The area of the State is 5,842 square leagues, more than two-thirds of which are covered with mountains and spurs of mountains, interspersed with vallies lying between 6,500 and 7,500 feet above the level of the sea. The _Nevada de Toluca_ is the only mountain of extraordinary elevation in the State of Mexico, which breaks the uniformity of its lofty table lands. Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl, on the eastern limit of the Valley of Mexico, belong, it will be recollected, to the State of Puebla. The political divisions consist of eight districts, with 38 partidos, or cantons, and 183 ayuntimientos or municipalities, subdivided into about 450 cities, towns and villages, as well as into a great number of _haciendas_, and minor dependencies.