The great towns of Guadalaxara, are _Guadalaxara_, where the governor, the bishop, and the officers of the supreme court of the royal audience reside; its population is 19,500 souls. It is placed on the Rio Esquitlan, or Santiago, which flows from Lake Chapala. At the distance of twelve miles from the town, this Great River has a cataract, and is very rapid. The city stands on a plain, in which there are many rivulets, surrounded by mountains, and covered with oaks and pines. Handsome gardens are seen in all directions, which abound with every sort of fruits. There is in estate belonging to the Marquis of Altamira near it, which sends annually to the markets of Mexico, four thousand head of cattle, with numerous flocks of sheep and swine; it also grows great quantities of pimento, maize, &c., of which it has been computed to yield, to the value of 40,000 dollars per annum. The extent of the city is very great, and the population consists of Spaniards, mulattoes and mestizoes; the native Indians inhabit the suburbs and villages adjacent. The people are celebrated for industry, and they have excellent artisans amongst them; they are a good looking and well made race. The streets are unpaved, and mules are used for their carriages; this city is subjected to tempests of a very violent nature, but snow never lodges there. Here there is a manufactory of cigars, and the natives make a sort of jars of a fine scented earth, which are in much request. They have fine aqueduct, many churches, convents, and two colleges, with eight fine squares. The revenues of the bishopric amount to 2,579,100 dollars annually. The jurisdiction of the royal audience has been already mentioned in a former part. The other towns of most importance are-- _Colima_, six miles south of the volcano of the same name. _Aguas Calientes_, near the mines of Asiento de Ibarra. _Compostella_, _Lagos_, and _San Blas_; the latter of which is a noted sea port, where the marine department is stationed. San Blas is at the mouth of the river Santiago; here there are magazines, dock yards for the royal navy, and in the vicinity, all sorts of necessary timber for constructing ships; but it is so unhealthy a place, that the officers usually reside in a village near it, where the air is better. _THE INTENDANCY OF GUANAXUATO._ THIS is one of the small but populous provinces of New Spain, and is situated on the great ridge of the Mexican Cordillera. Its length is fifty-two, and breadth thirty-one leagues. The highest land is the mountain De los Llanitos, 9325 feet above the sea. The value of this province consists chiefly (although great part of it is very fertile) in its mines. They are the richest of North America, and exceed in produce and value that of Potosi in South America, or indeed, any mines in the world. The population of this province consists of 517,300 souls, of which, 180,000 are Indians.