town is beautifully situated at the foot of the Macuiltepete Mountain, The well-known Cofre de Perote, 13,553 feet high, according to Humboldt, is within a day's Journey. There are no buildings in Jalapa of special interest to the tourist except the old convent of San Francisco. Many of the merchants of Vera Cruz have their country-houses at Jalapa. The climate is cool, although damp, for the greater part of the year. The soil is very fertile, and coffee, tobacco, vanilla, cotton, maize, and jalap are cultivated extensively. The town derives its name from the latter plant.
Travelers may visit the ruins of Papantla, which lie about fifty miles north of Jalapa. Diligences run as far as Tusintlan ; thence one must go on horseback. The teocalli lies about six miles from the town of Papantla, which contains a small hotel. Dr. Autrey, an American physician, can give the tourist information about the country. Horses, blankets, and provisions should be procured for this journey. (See chapter on ruins for description.)
There is another teocalli at Tusapan, 45 miles west of Papantla.
The village of Misantla, which is situated 30 miles northeast of Jalapa, contains a small pyramid.
An Aztec temple may also be found at Mapilca, on the Rio Tecolutla.
If the tourist has reached Vera Cruz by the northern route, he may make an excursion to the famous ruins of Palenque, by taking a steamer down the coast to Minatitlan on the Goatzacoalcos River, and thence proceed by road via San Cristobal; or he may go directly to the mouth of the Rio Grijalva, ascend the river to San Juan Bautista, and then travel by horseback to Palenque via Macuspan. This trip is somewhat difficult, but the traveler will be well repaid by visiting the ruins, which lie about eight
