It is impossible to land at Vera Cruz during a norther, which blows at intervals from October to March. Tourists may be compelled to remain several days on the steamship waiting for the waves to subside. Neither sailing-vessels nor steamers can enter this port while the norther lasts. Vera Cruz has really no harbor at all, although the two islands already mentioned afford some protection to the shipping during a storm. Vessels at anchor generally put to sea during a severe norther. It has often been said that Cortes should have founded the city of Vera Cruz at Anton Lizardo, a point about fifteen miles to the south-ward, which is the only good harbor on the Gulf of Mexico. The latter place is the terminus of a branch line of the Mexican Southern Railroad, and is evidently destined to surpass Vera Cruz in commercial importance at an early day. (Compare Section VII. )
A French company has recently entered into a contract with the Mexican Government to build an extensive breakwater in the harbor of Vera Cruz, which will cost about $10,000,000.
VERA CRUZ.
Population, 20,000.
Hotels (Diligencias, Vera Cruzano, and de Mejico. )
Cafés on the Calle de la Yndependencia.
Telegraph-Office on the same street.
Post-Office on the Calle de Cinco de Mayo, about a quarter of a mile southwest of the main plaza.
Places of Interest.—1. Plaza de la Constitucion. 2. Plaza del Mercado. 3. The parochial church, the tower of which should be ascended for a view of the city. 4. The Alameda.
None of the buildings of Vera Cruz are worthy of a visit. The climate is usually hot and very unhealthy, the vomito, or yellow fever, being prevalent in the summer season, and even breaking out occasionally in the winter mouths. Tourists are advised to spend as little time in
