d from
its broad bosom the Santiago river flows upon its two-hundred-mile
journey to the Pacific, near Tepic, of Toltec fame, but first forming
the well-known falls of Juanacatlan. Surrounding this region are great
plains of wheat-growing capacities, and indeed this State has been
termed the "Granary of Mexico." The railway carries us westwardly to
Ameca, a picturesque town, and thence the saddle is our means of
conveyance. Far down towards the Pacific coast, and southwardly, one of
my journeys took me, over vast stretches of plains and among
timber-clad hills: timber-clad, as the devouring wood-burning
locomotive has not yet reached so far, and the stump-studded lands as
along the railway are not encountered. Further on are the abrupt
precipices of the Pacific slope, and above them rises the high volcano
of Colima with its everlasting crest of smoke, breaking in leaden
spirals against the sky by day, and illuminating the night scenery of
_haciendas_ and palm groves with its fitful flames. Colima is the only
active Mexican volcano at present.

In quite a different direction is the city of Puebla, one of the
foremost of the State capitals, lying within a short distance by rail
from the City of Mexico. This city has acquired a considerable
commercial and industrial importance of recent years, largely due to
the local cotton-manufacturing industries and general flourishing
agricultural resources. The city is not, however, spoilt by the
manufacturing element as regards its character and appearance, and the
cleanliness of its streets and general beauty and severity, in their
various fields, of its church and domestic architecture charm the
traveller, and elicit admiration from those who had expected a less
advanced community. The cathedral is one of those handsome colonial
structures for which Mexico is famous. The elevation of the city is
slightly over 7,000 feet above sea-level, with a corresponding
excellence of climatic conditions, whilst the general environment and
azure tropic sky form a whole which remains pleasingly upon the memory.
A busy population of more than 93,000 people is supported in the city,
mainly by the natural products and manufactures of its environment.
Overlooked by the picturesque hills where the struggle for independence
was raged in the historic years of last century, and sentinelled to the
north-west by the two volcanic peaks of snow-crowned altitude,
Popocatepetl and Ixtaccihuatl, the city of P