Men of the stamp of President Estrada Cabrera who are engaged in the material upbuilding and the political progress of the country may prefer to talk of its agriculture and commerce, its opportunities for the energetic and resourceful people of the northern regions rather than to discuss its picturesque ruins audits fascinating history. Yet they would not have these subjects neglected. Hence the traveler and the tourist always are welcome, and whether they be deeply learned scientific investigators or mere birds of passage seeking novelty every provision is made to aid them in their travels.
Nature's Bold Hand.
In the very accurate and complete physiographic description of Guatemala contained in the report of the Intercontinental Railway Survey the following description is given of the great chain of volcanic cones and peaks which add so greatly to the bold picturesqueness of the country.
"The Pacific coast extends generally from the northwest to the southeast. From the sea the ground rises with a very gentle slope inland for almost 25 or 30 miles when the country becomes broken by the lava foothills of the volcanoes which extend from one end of the country to the other and which stand like a giant wall between the coast and the interior. Beginning at the Mexican boundary the line of volcanoes extends nearly parallel to the coast. Back of this is a plateau limited on the other side by the Continental Divide and much broken by spurs which unite the volcanoes with the Divide and the deep valleys between the spurs. The plateau is drained by rivers which run to the sea through the deep canyons between the volcanoes. The Continental Divide begins with the volcano Tacana and making a semicircular bend to the north and east rises again in the volcano Tajumulco. From this point its general direction is easterly as far as the Cerro Tecpam. Tacana and Tajumulco are the highest points on this are being respectively 13,334 and 13,814 feet above sea level. From Tajumulco to near Totonicapam the general altitude of the Divide is about 9,000 feet, the most prominent peaks being the Cerro Cerchil 11,830 feet, and the Cerro Calel 10,813 feet. From Totonicapam to Cerro Tecpam the general elevation of the Divide is about 10,500 feet with one peak, the Cerro Quiche of 11,160 feet. From Cerro Tecpam 10,050 feet, the Divide turns to the southeast and drops to a general elevation of about 7,000 feet, crossing the plateau and rising again in the Cerro Santa Maria Cauqué. Following the hills of Mexico, it crosses the plain near Guatemala City, the suburb of Guarda Viejo, 5,060 feet, being on the Divide."
The heights of other principal volcanoes are given opposite:
| Acatenango | 13,012 |
| Fuego | 12,821 |
| Agua | 12,300 |
| Atitlan | 11,849 |
| Santa Maria | 10,535 |
| Quezaltenango | 9,358 |
| Pacaya | 7,675 |
| Ipala | 6,801 |
| Chingo | 6,019 |
Variety in Geological Structure.
In the geological structure of the country unusual variety of character is shown. The quarternary formation, aluvium and diluvium, covers the greater portion of the Pacific coast from the foot of the mountains to the sea. The same formation is also observed in the neighborhood of Guatemala City, the valley of the Passion River, Puerto Barrios and various other localities on the Atlantic Slope.
The tertiary formation and particularly limestone covers the entire Department of Peten. Furthermore, limestones and dolomites of the upper cretaceous age are noted from La Libertad toward the Usumacinta River and toward British Honduras. In the localities of San Luis and Santa Bárbara there are tertiary limestones and sandstones of Eocene and miocene ages.