the warmth for which he is famed, and nothing was omitted to do honour to our visit. Since my last visit Mr. Forbes, aided by Baron, Forbes, Junr. and Co., has constructed a cotton factory, superintended by Americans, which returns them at present more than ten per cent. A theatre has been built, very magnificent for this country, and the performances are far beyond anything one could expect. The people have also commenced laying out the suburbs in paseos, gardens, &c., and it is to be hoped that this place will in a few years, when events which have thrown a gloom over all have been forgotten, once more emerge from its present lethargy.
During our visit the temperature ranged from 56° to 76°, which answered all my expectations for magnetic purposes. The city and suburbs of Tepic are situated on a flat, formed by a shower of volcanic tufa, resembling half burned pipe-clay, and generally termed by the residents "pumice." "Pumice" is porous, fibrous, &c.; but this substance, in addition to my preceding remarks on it, at times proceeds to vitreous masses like porcelain. Wherever the rocks protrude, they appear to be generally a bluish close-grained basalt, free from crystals of olivine, and plentifully studded with minute crystals of feldspar.
The last mails from England having merely brought me copies of former letters, I inferred that it was expected I would not lose time in these regions, and therefore, taking leave of our kind friends, we returned to San Blas, and having completed the rating of our chronometers, prepared for sea.
