Spanish America, Vol. 1 (of 2)Bonnycastle, Richard Henry, Sir
History
Spanish America, Vol. 1 (of 2)
Bonnycastle, Richard Henry, Sir
Latin America -- Description and travel; Latin America -- History
in length; the Hiaqui, Mayo, Nasas, Rio Grande de St. Jago, Panuco,
Zacatula, Yopez, Alvarado, Tula, or Moetesuema, with many others of
smaller note, the names of which will be mentioned under the heads
of the several provinces in which they are situated.
LAKES.--The lakes of New Spain are chiefly the lakes of Mexico,
near which the capital is built. Lake Chapala in New Gallicia,
a large sheet of water, the dimensions of which have not been
accurately obtained; it contains several islands, in one of which,
some of the insurgents who had been routed by the Spanish troops,
shut themselves up. Also Lake Cayman in New Biscay, in a desert
country, called the Bolson de Mapimi, not so large as that of
Chapala; and lake Pascuaro near Valladolid. The lakes of this part
of the American continent, are neither large nor very numerous;
the whole country descending rapidly from the central Cordillera,
towards the east and west, throws off the deposits which may
commence from the springs, into the form of rivers.
The bays and coasts, cities, towns, &c. will be described in
following the provincial relations.
The islands of Spanish North America, are described at the end of
the First Part.
TEMPERATURE.--In order to give some notion of different regions
inhabited by man in this extraordinary country, we shall adduce
the temperatures of the coast and of the higher lands.
On the coast and at the foot of the mountains under the tropical
sun, the heat is excessive, and the temperature of the air is as
great as in the hottest of the West India islands. This is called
the hot region; and above it is the temperate region which enjoys a
perpetual spring, and a temperature of from 60° to 70° Fahrenheit,
at an elevation of from 3930 to 4920 feet above the sea; they
are, however subject to thick fogs, as it is the height at which
clouds usually float in the atmosphere. Above this and to the
height of 7200 feet, is the cold region, where the mean heat is 62°
Fahrenheit; beyond which the cold becomes greater and greater till
the region of perpetual snow commences, at the height in the 19°
and 20° of north latitude of nearly 15,050, above the ocean.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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