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Rh to Mr. Robert Phillips, whom I found in charge of the machinery at the time of my visit. Of the hardships endured, and the perseverance and activity displayed by him in the execution of this task, I can give no better idea than by publishing an account of his journey, as drawn up by himself, which will be found in the Appendix, (Letter A.) The engine did not reach Catorce until the 11th November, 1822; the caravan having found it necessary to proceed as far North as Monterey, in order to reach the Puerto de los Muertos, the only spot north of Jălāpă at which it is possible for a wheel-carriage to ascend from the coast to the Table-land. They afterwards proceeded by Saltillo to Catorce, and deposited the boilers, and all the larger pieces of machinery at the Potrero, from whence they were drawn up to the summit of the mountain by means of pulleys, and a six-inch rope, an operation which it required four whole days to effect.

Unfortunately a fatal error had been committed in not sending out iron-pipes for the pumps. Wood was not to be procured at Catorce, and was brought at a vast expence from La Huasteca, (the Tierra Caliente below;) but when bored, the timber proved unable to sustain the weight of the column of water, raised from the depth of 300 varas; and, after a great loss of time, Mr. Phillips was sent to Cincinnati, (on the Missisippi,) where he succeeded in procuring cast-iron pipes. With these he returned to Catorce, in September 1825, and on the 1st of June, 1826,