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is the Barrio of Santa Maria also a separate municipality making a town of several hundred people.  Tehuantepec is situated at the base & partly on the base of a low hill rising in a broad plain
RTH The Tehuantepec Riv. flows along one side of the town with abundant water in the rainy season but with the sandy bed nearly bare during the dry season.  Across the river at the edge of Santa Maria rises another low hill with a high shallow cave opening toward Tehuantepec & in plain view from there.  This cave is visited by indians of Santa Maria who place burning candles in it at night & a tradition says that it has a subterranean connection with another cave (held in superstitious regard by the natives) on an island 15 or 20 miles away in a large coast lagoon where candles are also burned & various ancient ceremonies said to be performed.  The natives are reported to be very jealous of the latter cave & to object to the entrance there of foreigners - In Tehuantepec I was told that the lights are frequently seen burning in the cave above Sta. Maria -  In the center of Tehuantepec is a dismal barren plaza which has been started but left uncompleted and fronted by a half finished public "palacio" also in a state of rest.  Throughout the country I have noted the same thing - both public & private buildings with walls partly or wholly raised & then left unfinished, often for years