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162 of flowers and trailing vines grow luxuriantly. The matted forest extends to the summits of the neighboring hills. Perhaps no other part of Mexico possesses a richer vegetation than this portion of the route. It forms a striking contrast to the dreary plains which the traveler will soon reach.

The train now arrives at Atoyac (53½ miles); elevation, 1,512 feet. The line crosses a bridge over the Rio de Atoyac. This, like the other bridges along the route, is built of iron, with stone piers. Proceeding farther, several tunnels are passed, and both tobacco and sugar-cane are seen growing in the vicinity.

The next station is Cordoba (65¾ miles), which lies at the altitude of 2,713 feet above the level of the Gulf. This town has about five thousand inhabitants, and is one mile distant from the railway. It is reached by horse-cars, and it has a small hotel. Cordoba is famous for its coffee-plantations, and the stranger will have no better opportunity in Mexico for visiting one of them.

A day may be spent to advantage at Cordoba. Various kinds of fruit grow plentifully, and are sold at a very low price. A basket of two dozen oranges costs twenty-five cents, whereas the usual price on the table-land is three oranges for a medio (six and a quarter cents). Mexicans en route to the capital often lay in a large stock of pineapples, bananas, and oranges at Cordoba, and take them to their homes, as the extortionate rates of freight on this railway render fruit very expensive in the City of Mexico.