Note IV'-12 — Chapter IV · OBSERVATIONS ON NEW SPAIN.[IV'-1]

Nuevo Santander, whose history is something of a political curiosity, was originally a division of colonial New Spain, and continued to be known as a colony until 1786. The extent was about that of the present State of Tamaulipas, bounded substantially as Pike says, though it once overreached the Rio Grande into what is now Texas. Tamaulipas has Texas on the N., separated by the Rio Grande; the Gulf of Mexico on the E.; Nuevo Leon and Coahuila on the W.; San Luis Potosí on the S. W. and S.; with a small extent of Vera Cruz on the extreme S.; area, 29,350 sq. m.; pop. about 173,000; capital, Ciudad Victoria. The river, on one of whose headwaters this city is situated, falls into the Gulf near the Barra de Santander, as it is still called, about 60 Mexican leagues S. of the mouth of the Rio Grande, and rather less than 40 such leagues N. of Tampico; its length is supposed to be about 150 m.