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About the outside of the fortress on landward faces are fixed huge copper rings to which the vessels used to tie-up in the early history of the country.  The fortress is made wholly of coral rock mined on the inlet. 

March 30 - Vera Cruz
 
Early in the morning I made [[strikethrough]] an  early [[/strikethrough]] a trip out to the fortress of San Juan de Ulua.  This venerable relic of the days of the Conquistadors is now a convict prison.  The blank embrasures for numerous cannon caused me to look about for these & I found that the entire armament had been dismounted & the cannons lie rusting in piles on the stone landings outside the fortress walls.  This dismantling was accomplished - I was told - by the present gov't some years ago soon after an abortive movement at the city had then made