Page:Mexico in 1827 Vol 2.djvu/163

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MEXICO IN 1827.
149

the Băxīŏ, which is immediately contiguous to Guănăjūātŏ, and comprises a portion of the States of Văllădŏlīd; Guădălajāră, Qŭerētărŏ, and Guanajuato: The Valley of Tŏlūcă, and the Southern parts of the State of Valladolid, which supply both the Capital and the Mining districts of Tlălpŭjāhuă, Ēl Ōrŏ, Tĕmăscāltĕpēc, and Ăngăngēŏ; the plains of Păchūcă and Āpăm, which extend, on either side, to the foot of the mountains, upon which the mines of Real del Monte and Chico are situated; Ītzmĭquīlpăn, which owes its existence to Zĭmăpān; Āgŭascălĭeñtĕs, by which the great Mining town of Zăcătēcăs is supplied; a considerable circle in the vicinity of Sŏmbrĕrētĕ and Frĕsnīllŏ; the valley of the Jaral, and the plains about San Luis Pŏtŏsī, which town, again, derives its name from the mines of the Cerro de San Pedro, (about four leagues from the gates;) the supposed superiority of which to the famous mines of Pŏtŏsī, in Peru, gave rise to the appellation of Pŏtŏsī. A little farther North we find the district of Mătĕhūālă, which is now a thriving town, with seven thousand inhabitants, created by the discovery of Catorce; while about the same time, (the latter part of the last century,) Durango rose into importance from the impulse given to the surrounding country by the labours of Zămbrānŏ, at San Dīmăs and Guārĭsămĕy. Its population increased in twelve years, from eight to twenty thousand; while whole streets and squares were added to its extent by the munificence of that