NEW LEON
Is bounded on the north by Coaguila, on the west by Coaguila and New Biscay, on the east by New Santander, on the south by Zacatecas and St. Luis Potosi, or Guasteca. It is a very mountainous country, thinly inhabited and possessing few other mines than those of lead.
The chief town is Monterey, the see of a bishop; there are also several villages and small stations; but although it has been sometimes designated by the high sounding title of the New Kingdom of Leon, it is only a small tract, of which scarcely any thing is known.
NEW SANTANDER AND TEXAS, AND PANUCO, OR POTOSI.
These provinces extend for an immense length along the shores of the Mexican gulf, and commencing at the estuary of the river Mexicano follow the course of that river; Coaguila then bounds them on the north, New Leon on the east, Mexico on the south, and the gulf of Mexico on the west. The Rio Bravo del Norte flows through the centre of these provinces.
Numerous herds of cattle feed in this country, which abounds in fruit, corn, &c. A chain of mountains, from the main ridge, runs through New Santander, and is called the Sierra Gorda; from which the district has sometimes been named; this chain abounds in mines. It was not till 1748, that this district or province was wholly subdued, in which year the capital was built. There is a fine harbour attached to it, which was first observed in 1739.
The richest mines are in Panuco or Potosi, and the chief of these is Catorce, or La Purissima Conception; it was discovered in 1773, and is said to yield annually to the amount of from seven to 800,000l. sterling of silver. Charcas is the next mining station of note, and is in the north of Panuco or Potosi.
The remaining towns of most importance in the intendancy of San Luis Potosi, are New Santander, the capital of the province of that name, with its port of Soto la Marina, which however does not admit vessels that draw more water than six feet.
Linares, in New Leon, between the Rio del Norte, and the Tigre, and—
San Antonio de Bejar, capital of Texas, between the two rivers Nogales and St. Antonio.