Page:Mexico in 1827 Vol 1.djvu/593

Rh : between it and the main land there is a narrow channel of deep water. Guaymas is undoubtedly the best port in the Republic, and is capable of holding two hundred vessels. When we arrived, there were only one brig and some small schooners in the harbour; but the Collector of the Port told me that, in 1824, he had seen there, at one time, twenty-eight vessels of different sizes.

The town of Guaymas is small, and contains about two thousand inhabitants and three hundred houses, chiefly built of mud-bricks, and thatched. They are now building a number of good houses, in a modern style, but only one story high. The trade of this place is carried on in small vessels from Acapulco, San Blas, and Mazatlan: it consists in manufactured goods, brandy, paper, refined-sugar, cocoa, coffee, tea, &c. &c.; the returns are wheat, flour, corn, beef, copper, silver, gold, hides, furs, &c. &c. Guaymas is naturally so strong a position, that it might, with little expense, be rendered impregnable, being completely closed in on all sides by the hills. The heat in summer is insupportable, but not unwholesome: most of the inhabitants have houses about two leagues to the eastward, on an elevated plain. This is called the Rancho of Guaymas; it is larger and better built than the town itself, and has gardens and good water. In the port there is no fresh water; it is supplied from a well three miles off. There are only two Englishmen in Guaymas, and one Spaniard. The Government has a small garrison of about thirty men, commanded by a Captain Commandant. The inhabitants are very hospitable to strangers, very lively in their dispositions, fond of the guitar, dancing, and singing.

At Guaymas we procured horses and mules, and pursued our journey to the Interior, after laying in a stock of provisions and water for two days. The first day we arrived at a small rancho, or farm, called Cieniguilla, fifteen leagues, where we slept, and the next day made the rancho of Santa Cruz, (fifteen leagues;) having passed through a country with little to