The city of ACAPULCO is the capital of its district and a port in the Pacific in 16° 50´ 29´´ north latitude, and 102° 12´ 12´´ west longitude from Paris. It lies in a bay, 19,700 yards long, from East to West, protected by a ring of granitic hills and rocks, in which ships may easily load. The entrance to the bay is broad; and the anchorage good, but the water is not deep. Acapulco was formerly the seat of Spanish trade between Mexico and the East; but its small population of 3,000 Mulattos, Zambos and a few Mexicans, who are chiefly pearl divers, fishermen and farmers, fully indicates the decline of its commerce and civilization. * * * * * The mountains of the State of Mexico are rich in deposits of precious and base metals. North and north-east of the Valley of Mexico are the mining districts and mines of Real del Monte, Moran, Atotonilco el Chico, Pachuca, El Cardinal, Zimapan, Lomo del Toro, Macroni, Pechuga, and San José del Oro. West and south-west of the Valley, are the districts of Rancho del Oro, Temascaltepec, Real del Cristo, Sultepec, Zacualpan, Tasco, Tepantitlan, Tetéla del Rio, and several others. These were all diligently worked by the Spaniards prior to the revolution, but have not been found as profitable by the foreigners who undertook their management since the Independence of Mexico. In the year 1835, numbers of British subjects and Germans formed companies to work these mines, and although the results have been favorable in some places, the greater part of these luckless enterprises have been altogether abandoned.[58] Such has been the sad issue in most of the speculations in _silver_ mines; but we learn that a native company has explored and worked an _iron_ mine at the foot of the Volcano of Popocatepetl, which promises to repay them for their trouble and expense with a plentiful supply of this useful metal. CHAPTER VI. DESCRIPTION OF THE CITY OF MEXICO--CATHEDRAL--ITS ARCHITECTURE AND RICHES--THE PALACE--UNIVERSITY--MARKET--CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, ETC.--PORTALES--MINERIA--LA MERCED--SAN DOMINGO--CHARACTERS AND COSTUMES--PASEOS--ALAMEDA--AQUEDUCTS--PASSEO NUEVO AND DE LA VIGA--ALAMEDA--DESCRIPTION OF IT--LIFE IN MEXICO--THEATRES--OPERA--DOMESTIC LIFE--GENUINE BUT CAUTIOUS HOSPITALITY--LEGEND OF THE VIRGIN OF GUADALUPE. THE CITY OF MEXICO. [Illustration: A STREET IN THE CITY OF MEXICO.] The city of Mexico has generally been reputed by travellers as the most beautiful on the American Continent. Its picturesque site, in the lap of the lovely valley, bordered by broad meadows and lakes, has doubtless contributed greatly to this opinion, and it is, indeed, necessary for a stranger to reside for a long time within [Illustration: INTERIOR OF CATHEDRAL.]