Produced by Ron Swanson THE SOUTH AMERICAN SERIES EDITED BY MARTIN HUME, M.A. [Frontispiece: AN IDYLL OF MEXICO: INDIAN CARRIERS, RUINED CHURCH, AND SNOW-CLAD PEAK OF ORIZABA.] MEXICO ITS ANCIENT AND MODERN CIVILISATION HISTORY AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS TOPOGRAPHY AND NATURAL RESOURCES INDUSTRIES AND GENERAL DEVELOPMENT BY C. REGINALD ENOCK, F.R.G.S. CIVIL AND MINING ENGINEER AUTHOR OF "PERU" AND "THE ANDES AND THE AMAZON" WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY MARTIN HUME, M.A. WITH A MAP AND SEVENTY-FIVE ILLUSTRATIONS NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS _First Edition_ 1909 _Second Impression_ 1910 _Third Impression_ 1912 _Fourth Impression_ 1914 _Fifth Impression_ 1919 _(All rights reserved)_ PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN PREFACE The purpose of this work is to treat of Mexico as a topographical and political entity, based upon a study of the country from travel and observation; a method such as has found favour in my book upon Peru. The method of viewing a country as a whole, with its people, topography, and general conditions in natural relation to each other, is one which commands growing acceptance in a busy age. I have been able to observe much of the actual life and character of Spanish-American countries from considerable travel therein. Both Mexico and Peru ever lured me on as seeming to hold for me some El Dorado, and if I have not reaped gold as the Conquistadores did, there are nevertheless other matters of satisfaction accruing to the traveller from his journeys in those splendid territories of mountain and forest. Mexico, superfluous to say, is not part of South America, although this book appears in this series. But it is part of that vast Spanish-speaking New World whose development holds much of interest; and which may occupy a more important part in coming years than is generally thought of at present. THE AUTHOR. CONTENTS PAGE BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxi INTRODUCTION BY MARTIN HUME. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxv CHAPTER I A FIRST RECONNAISSANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1