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From the estate of
Professor William H, Brewer
1911

WWW-s^WWWM^SS^

CAPT. JAMES BOX'S
IN
NEW AND OLD MEXICO.

CAPT. JAMES BOX'S
m
NEW AND OLD MEXICO.

BEING THE RECORD OF

TEN YEARS OF TRAVEL AND RESEARCH,

A GUIDE TO -THE HINEKAL TREASURES OF DURANGO, CHIHUAHUA, THE
SIERRA NEVADA, (EAST SIDE,) SINALOA, AND SONORA, (PACIFIC
SIDE,) AND THE SOUTHERN PART OF ARIZONA.

BY CAPT. MICHAEL JAMES BOX,
Of the Texan Rangers.

Nem-Sork :
JAMES MILLER, PUBLISHER,
647 BROADWAY. 1 869.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869,
By JAMES MILLER,
In the Clerk's office of the District Court of the United States for the
Southern District of New York.

K[e*

PUBLISHERS' NOTICE.

The following work has been put to press in the absence of
the author. It maybe possible, therefore, that some errors of
orthography of proper names may havai occurred. If such have
been made they will be corrected in a new and more complete
edition of. the " Notes," which will doubtless follow this first
edition, in due time. The publishers present the work to the
public, believing that it will prove of unusual interest and value
to the many who are now turning eager eyes toward the vast
regions described in the " Notes."

COL, BENJ. McCULLOUGH,
THE GALLANT SOLDIER AND RANGER,
THIS LITTLE BOOK,
THE RESULT OF
TEARS OP RESEARCH AND PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
IN THE WILDS AND FASTNESSES OF
THE NEW LAND OF PROMISE,
IS DEDICATED,
BT HIS OLD COMPANION IN ARMS,
THE AUTHOR.

€ fftthnta.

THE VALLEY OF THE SONORA  19
Haciendas, 21_Ures, 23_Tapaury, 28— Wayside Towns and Places,
24— Arispe, 26 — Chinipas and Bacnachi, 33— The Head Waters of
the Sonora, 38— Head Water* of the San Pedro, 41— Eight Fork of
the Sonora, 44— The Gold Diggings of Bacuachi, 47.

VALLEY OF THE FRONTERAS AND TAGUT RIVERS.. 49
Ranche of Tahuichopa, 55 — Fronteras, 56 — San Bernardino, 58 —
The Garden of Sonora, 59 — Crossing the Mountains, 62 — Babispe,
63 — Mining Region near Compoa, 64 — Compos, 65 — Road to Opo
sura, 66 — Oposura, 67 — Alabaster Vein of Oposura, 68 — Country be
tween the Oposura and Yagui Rivers, 69 — Country along the Yagui,
72 — North Side of the Mayo, 73 — On the Yagui, south from Hermo
sillo, 75— Curiejo, 76— Bayoreja, 77.
THE MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS  79
Tepahui, 81 — Tespustete, 82 — Alamos, 82— Hacienda of San Anto
nio, 84 — Country Southeast of Alamos, 85 — The Canon of Baneya-
gua, 86— Mountain Fastnesses of the Fuerte, 87 — Mines of the
Fuerte, 90— Over the Sierra Madre, 92 — Urique, 94 — Copper Ores of
Fuerte Valley, 95 — Chois, 99 — Sinaloa, 102— Bayemena, 103 —
Yucorati, 103 — Casa Vieja, 104 — Guadalupe Calvo, 105 — Morelos,
106— Batopolis, 107— The Old Indian of Santa Rita, 113— Traits of
the Fuerte Valley, 116— Masamicuie Copper Mine, 118— Las Planta-
nas and other Mines, 119— Farming Lands, 121— Fuerte, 122— The
Country South of Fuerte, 124— The Town of Sinaloa, 12C.

10 CONTENTS.
THE VALLEY OF THE SINALOA  127
Trees and Plants of the Valley, 130— Gold Placers, 133— Mocorito
and its Valley, 137— Culiacan City, 141— Culiacan Valley, 144—
Cosola, 147— The Mine of Guadalupe, 149— Sierra Madre, 155.
THE VALLEYS OF NORTHWESTERN DURANGO  161
Mine of La Kepublicana, 163 — Road to Mazatlan, 164 — San Ignacio,
166— Benadillo, 168— Port of Mazatlan, 169— Native Trees and Birds,
171 — Old Mazatlan, 173— San Sebastian, 174 — Agua Caliente, 174—
Copala, 176— The Sierra Madre, 179— City of Durango, 185.
DURANGO, CHIHUAHUA, AND THE ROUTES TO THE
PACIFIC  #  191
A Trip to the Sierra Madre, 193 — San Fernando, 195 — San Juan, 195
— Morelos, 196 — San Juan de Sabina, 197 — Monclova, 199 — Parras,
203— Valley of the Cuencame, 206— Cuencame, 208— From Cuen
came to Durango, 209 — Route from Matamoras to Durango, 213 —
Indian Chase Proposed, 216 — Changing our Route, 218 — Pinon
Blanco, 219 — Hacienda de Manoras, 219.
STATE OF SONORA  227
Road from El Fuerte to Alamos, 229 — Road from Alamos to Hermo-
i sillo, 231— Yagui Valley, 235— San Marcial, 238— San Marcial Val
ley, 238— Gandara's Mine, 239 — Hermosillo, 243 — Another Route to
Hermosillo, 244— Guaymas, 247— Road from Alamo to Guaymas by
Santa Cruz, 249— Touron, 250— The Gulf Coast, 257— The Pa-Pagoe
Villages, 262— Guadalupe-Pa-Pagoe, 264— Soni,- 267— Cabona, 267—
Altar, 268— To Hermosillo again, 271— Road East from Altar, 273—
Magdalena, 274— North Fork of San Ignacio, 276— Eastern Prong of
San Ignacio, 277 — Road from Guaymas to Magdalena, 278 — La Jav-
alin, 283— La Maguina, 284— San Miguel de Honasitas, 285— Chupa
Sonora, 287— Tasajera, 292— Mines around Jesus Maria,' 293  Coun
try around Querobabi, 296— Gold Mine of the Ancients, 297 
Description of the Amalgamation Process, 301 — Calcination of Ores,
307 — Separation of Silver from Copper, 309 — Common Smelting
Process of Silver Ores, 312.

CONTENTS. 11

ARIZONA  -_  315
Road to Fort Buchanan, 324 — Fort Buchanan, 329 — Mineral Re
sources of Arizona, 330.

APPENDIX  335
Plan of a National Pacific Railroad, 337— Plan of a Railroad from
Guaymas to Fuerte Valley, 341— Road from Fuerte to Mazatlan, 341
—The Eastern Side of tbe Mountains, 342.

AUTHOR'S PREFACE.
 *- 
I have been prompted to this account of the mine
ral resources of Mexico, by having been, for ten years,
the daily witness ol facts proving the great wealth
hidden in the recesses of the Sierra Madre, and lying
at the bottom of the rivers emptying into the gulf of
California. Jealous to secure to my countrymen a
more intimate knowledge of a country toward which
English capitalists have already begun to direct their
thoughts and endeavors, I resolved to give them the
description, imperfect as it is, which my pretty thor
ough knowledge of Northern Mexico enables me to
communicate. Americans have a sort of pre-emption right to those
countries lying along their boundaries ; especially
when, by treaties, by means of commerce, and by
peaceably settling those provinces and developing
their resources, they bind them to the United States
by the strongest of ties. It will only be when we
shall have thus taken possession of Mexico, that an
end will be put to civil warfare within her borders,
and her degraded population become elevated into
prosperous, intelligent, and peace-loving citizens.
Filibustering, which is the ill-directed effort of the
few to grasp what ought to belong to the nation, will
1

14 author's preface.
then die a natural death, and civil warfare be heard.
of no more. Immense benefits would arise from di
recting American capital into channels so remunera
tive and so near at hand — benefits which, in the ex
citement of the fierce contentions of party spirit, are
being overlooked.
In Mexico lies a vast region of silver, which can
never be made to enrich Mexico as it now exists.
"What she lacks are energy and capital. These great
wants the United States can supply — the first of these
two requisites being her " staple commodity," and
the latter not being " scarce."
Mexico is only known to the world of the last half
of the nineteenth century by its civil wars. Around
it still lingers something of the romance of its early
Spanish history ; and its very name brings to mind
the high daring and indomitable spirit, the cruelty
and avarice, mixed with a singular gallantry, of its
conqueror, Cortez. All the more do those old legends
haunt us, because in the present state of the country
the evident lack of vitality forcibly recalls the first
devastation which the rapacious Spaniards brought
upon it, and we forget that any more prosperous age
has intervened.
In the early part of this century the product of the
mines was twenty-three millions annually, and the
commerce of the country amounted to twenty-six
millions. What a contrast to its present impover
ished condition ! Now only a few of the richest
mines are known by. name ; whereas, according to

author's preface. 15
Baron Humboldt, three thousand mines were at one
time known, a large number of which yielded richly.
A few are still worked by companies powerful enough
to defy the influences of civil commotions. But the
world as yet knows little or nothing of the recesses of
the Northern Sierra Madre, which the Spaniards had
only begun to explore at the commencement of the
revolutionary war, since when nothing has been done.
The mines which they had opened were abandoned,
partly because capital fled with them, and partly be
cause the natives, who had been worked under a rig
orous and unjust system, when the force which
enslaved them was removed, found no bliss like that
of idleness, and were only too happy to live on the
bounties of nature. More latterly a few have tried to
revive industry ; but their Mexican indolence and want
of inventive skill are serious drawbacks to success.
Their only tools are the rough and cumbrous ones
handed down from past generations ; while the partial
prosperity they might achieve with these is continually
frustrated by the tyranny and exactions of their petty
military chieftains. Another and even greater obsta
cle to enterprise are the frequent aggressions of the
Comanches, on the eastern slope of the mountains,
and of the still more bloody Apaches, on the western
side. Thus so long have lain buried rich mines of tin,
silver, gold, and copper. Valuable stone, costly
woods, and a region of country well watered, rich in
bottom lands, and which, at no distant day, I believe

16
will grow cotton, sugar, rice, and coffee, have been
kept in unproductive idleness, by the action of so
many causes of hinderance combined, as I have men
tioned above. Even the grazing lands have been
defrauded of their productiveness by the ceaseless
depredations of the Indians, who will suffer no herd
to roam undisturbed. The inhabitants, victims of
such a state of affairs, are a half-civilized, half-bar
barous people, who, instead of making even such use
as they might of the riches which nature has scat
tered so lavishly on every hand, occupy themselves
with wrangling over the miserable shreds of past
wealth, which, when they have grasped a portion,
they find torn away by others as unscrupulous as
themselves. The few rich and educated are the
oppressors of the poorer and less favored classes, al
lowing them no opportunities of improvement, but,
on the contrary, sinking more and more of them
daily into peons, whose condition is worse than that
of the black slaves of the Southern States. The
examples set them by their superiors, of idleness,
licentiousness, and all manner of profligacy, have their
influence on the peons, who are, in every sense, almost
utterly degraded. That retribution must follow such
reckless ignoring of every moral duty imposed upon
the better classes by their superior intelligence, can
not be doubted. Either they will yet see acted by
the debauched people the old French drama of '93,
or their own insolent necks must bow to the yoke of
universal Yankee dominion. Indeed, it seems likely

IT

enough that " Los Yankees," as they sneeringly term
all Americans, may yet work their mines of gold and
silver, and own their vast ranches and haciendas.
The field of industry which I have endeavored in
this work to show to my countrymen, will not offer
any inducements to the adventurer, or idle man.
Only men of capital, and men of good, hard muscle,
and steady habits of persevering industry, need try
their fortunes in Mexico. Those who foolishly ex
pect to undertake mining without an abundant
" fund " to work with, will find themselves disap
pointed of their object. Neither will capital without
experience suffice.
To advise those who would open trade with Mexi
co would be useless. They must judge for them
selves of the probable results of any particular kind
of commerce. I can only add the caution, that those
who come to pursue agriculture should look carefully
to their land titles, as well as to the advantages of a
good location. Let emigrants go in sufficient num
bers to afford mutual protection ; and if they be the
right sort of men, they cannot fail, in such a country
and climate, to make themselves good homes in a very
few years. M. J. B.

THE V4LLEY OF THE SONORA.

THE
VALLEY OF THE SONORA.

HACIENDAS.

The Sonora river has two forks or prongs,
the right one of which bears the name of the
main stream. The country along both sides of
the Sonora is fertile and well cultivated.
About three leagues from Hermosillo, is the
farming village of El Chino (the curly), where
wheat is raised in large quantities. One league
further up, we come to the hacienda of La
Cabeza del Toro, or Bull's Head. At the
distance of another league up the valley, is
El Molino Viejo (the Old Mill). Passing this
by two leagues more, we come to the very
justly celebrated hacienda, " Topahui," the
property of a gentleman by the name of Gan-
dara, where formerly there were nearly four
leagues of land cultivated. This ranche em
ployed three hundred peons (day laborers), and
twelve hundred harness mules in its cultiva-
1*

22 THE VALLEY OF
tion ; and raised from twenty-five to thirty
thousand fane gas" (about one bushel) of wheat,
and sixty thousand fanegas of corn. Four
hundred yoke of oxen were yearly fattened
on this estate, and five hundred hogs. Such
was " Topahui" in its days of prosperity, until
the fortunes of war compelled its enterprising
owner to abandon it in 1855. The peons were
scattered, the fine herds of horses, mules, and
cattle, driven off by the soldiery, and the
broad fields laid waste. Fortunately for the
future, the same productive soil remains. Be
sides this hacienda, Gandara owned mines and
other ranches, which all shared the fate of
" Topahui ;" three leagues beyond which is
one of rather less note, yet large and valuable.
At this place I saw three sets of fine French
burr-stones, which had been used in his mills.
Gandara usually employed American or for
eign mechanics upon his mills, in making im
provements, and keeping them in order, and
was noted for his hospitality to all Americans.
Notwithstanding his losses, Gandara is still
worth large sums of money in coin.' The
present administrator of his estates is a Ger
man.

THE SONORA. 23

UK.ES.

Proceeding a few leagues farther up the
valley, we come to Ures, the capital of Sonora.
Here are the archives of the state. Here, also,
resides the supreme judge, though the gover
nor is seldom here. The valley is very fertile
at this place, and the town, which has a popu
lation of six or seven thousand, is quite lively.
The lands in the valley, above and below, are
well cultivated. Fine orchards of figs, or
anges, quinces, lemons, and grapes, beautifying
the region about Ures. At this town is print
ed the state newspaper, " La Vox de Sonora."
Its editor and printer is a German, who once
published a history of the expedition of Raous-
set de Boulbon to Sonora. TAPADRY.
Eight leagues from Ures, is a farming and
silver-mining district. Here is the hacienda
of Tapaury, owned by an Englishman. This
Englishman when he arrived in Sonora was,
in expressive Yankee parlance, " dead broke ;"
but happening to be blest with some of this
same Yankee genius, he went to work with a

24 THE VALLEY OF
will, bought a farm on credit, opened a mine
as best he could, cut a ditch for water with his
own hands, constructed a rude wheel to work
an arrastra (a mill for grinding ores), brought
the ore over little by little, and after a while
paid for, and extended his lands. The result
of this energetic and persevering course is
riches, as might have been prophesied. His
mine is now in good order, and his farm
in a good state of cultivation. The ore of
the mine is silver, giving an average of
five marks to the "bulto," or nine hundred
pounds. WAYSIDE TOWN'S AND PLACES.
Eighteen leagues beyond the hacienda of
Tapaury is a place called Molino, " the Mill."
This is a farming community, and considerable
grain is raised. Several flour-mills are in op
eration, and the population numbers one hun
dred. Three leagues beyond Molino is another
small farming town called Babiacora. The
inhabitants also follow gold-washing on the
hillsides to eke out their small means of living.
Beyond this, eight leagues, is Alconchi, or
" Shell," a small and pretty village, on an ele-

THE SONORA. 25
vated spot, overlooking Sonora river. It bears
the traces of past prosperity ; and even now
quite a lively trade is carried on here. Many
old mines, once worked, are discoverable in its
neighborhood. Six leagues farther up brings
us to Huapaca, another small farming vil
lage. At this place, whitening one whole
league of the northern bank of the river, is a
gold and silver mine, once worked to a con'
siderable extent, and showing that it might still
be made to yield large profits. Beyond this
mine, three leagues, is Barnamichi, a place of
three hundred souls. A few years ago a rich
mine of gold was discovered in this neighbor
hood, for' which the owner was offered seventy-
five thousand dollars, which he thought proper
to refuse. At a distance of eleven leagues on,
is a little town called Leguaripe, where both
farming and mining are carried on. The mines
of Leguaripe are small. Only a month ago a
poor man discovered a mine in an old hunting-
ground, which was purchased of him for six
thousand dollars — quite a comfortable fortune
in Sonora. The mine promises to prove a rich
one.

THE VALLEY OF

ARISPE.

Four leagues up the valley from Leguaripe,
is Arispe, the old capital of the state. It is
situated in the most healthy and beautiful dis
trict of Sonora. Its elevated location gives it
a commanding view of the Sonora valley and
of the surrounding country, made picturesque
by the extensive orchards of every variety of
fruit. The central position of Arispe is very
favorable, it being nearly equi-distant from the
principal town in the state. Good roads lead
to Guayamas and to Sta. Cruz, at the source
of the Mayo river, whence the distance is
short to Hermosillo, or Alamos. Around Aris
pe, far and near, are numberless mines of gold
and silver, tin, zinc, copper and lead, and other
metals not so well known. Some mines have
been worked to a great depth ; others have only
been scratched over. The present state of the
country renders mining in the neighborhood of
the Apaches so dangerous, that none venture
to. engage in it. Arispe is like a beleaguered
town, the inhabitants being compelled to keep
in-doors after nightfall, for fear of being shot
down by the " rascally Apaches," who are for
ever prowling about in the neighborhood. The

THE SONORA. 27
country, already half depopulated by civil and
Indian wars, the few remaining inhabitants
are frightened into a state of cowardly submis
sion to these Indian depredations, and no long
er make any resistance, except by that way
known as the " better part of valor," i. e., a
discreet keeping out of their way as much as
possible. This scourge has caused the aban
donment of numerous mines and haciendas,
which were undoubtedly rich properties. The
only manner huwhich the country can be re
lieved of it, will be by keeping a large and
efficient force at Arispe, with skirmishing par
ties to intercept the Indians on their robbing
and murdering expeditions. At present, only
large companies of men could venture to work
the mines ; and they, under very great annoy
ances. A few severe lessons, administered by
American soldiers, might have the effect to
intimidate these powerful and insolent sava
ges -K but the Mexicans are so well under their
control, that now, to defy them, except in full
force, would be a dangerous experiment. Al
ready the Apaches know the difference be
tween our soldiery and that of Mexico, and
are not over-willing to encounter them. Let

28 THE VALLEY OF
them, therefore, understand that we contem
plate a serious exterminating warfare, and let
the government see to it that the design is
carried out. Such a course would open Sono
ra, rich in every mineral product, to American
enterprise, and insure the gratitude of its peo
ple. Then Arispe might hope once more to be
the capital of Sonora. Then her closed mines
and deserted haciendas would echo with the
sounds of industry, and bloom again with
beauty. "While at Arispe, I visited one house
in which lived eight poor widows, all of whom
had lost their husbands by the hands of the
murderous Apaches. Arispe has once been a
well-built town, though now considerably fall
en into neglect and decay. A beautiful Ala
meda (shaded walk), yet remains of its former
beauties, and is now the chief boast of the
city. Southeast, four leagues, is the *' Babicanora"
mine, in a rough, mountainous country. This
is an old mine of the Spanish time. Great
quantities of both gold and silver have been
taken out of it. The silver is a hard ore, of fine
metal, reduced by^quicksilver, or in furnaces
and arrastra. The gold vein is narrow and soft.
An old man, Dr. Jose Salagan, long administra-

THE SONORA. 29
tor of this mine, related to me his experience
with this soft gold-ore. He said his laborers
were generally exceedingly bedaubed with the
mud of the mines on coming out ; (the Mexican
miners work with no other clothing on than a
strip of cotton-cloth around the loins ;) and the
doctor had occasion to remark, that they were
very careful in washing themselves to save the
dirty water in a batea. Being anxious to know
why so much care was used, he, one day, after
watching this process, took out his horn spoon
and dipped up and washed the dirt at the bot
tom of the batea, which was found to contain
an ounce of gold, of fine quality. This in
duced him to place a large batea at the mouth
of the mine, in which this soft mud was saved.
Large quantities of rich ore have been taken
from this mine. It was finally abandoned on
account of the unsafe condition of the works,
a want of water, and the Indian annoyances.
But in 1852, a company of twenty-two French
men took possession of it. They proceeded to
cut a tunnel at the base of the mountain, so
as to strike the river, and open washings on a
safe scale. They worked with energy, but
without any great success, as they only cut
some small threads of ore. Their tunnel is of a

30 THE VALLEY OF
regular or uniform size ; large enough to an
swer all purposes of drainage ; with carriage
way for ores and rubbish, as well as a pas
sage for the operations. It is four Mexican
varras (a varra is 32 inches,) in height, the
same in width, and five hundred and fifty var
ras long. These Frenchmen have worked
several mines in this vicinity, one of which is
called " Grenadita," and yielded seven thou
sand dollars profit to the year. Another,
the " St. Domingo," paid six thousand per
year. Some of the threads, opened by the
tunnel, yielded rich ore, but not in sufficient
quantity to pay well. The main vein, when
struck, is expected to produce richly. Credit
must be bestowed upon this French company
for their seven or eight years of persevering
effort. I have also a tribute to pay, on my
own behalf, for the courtesy with wbich I
was treated by these gentlemen. Indeed, I
was told that all strangers, and especially
Americans, were hospitably entertained by
them ; and I am proud to acknowledge the
indebtedness for myself and friends, to these
sons of " La Belle France."
Four leagues from Arispe, in an eastern di
rection, is the mine of " Sta. Rosalia." This

THE SONORA. 31
is a gold mine. The vein is visible on the
surface for a distance of more than three
leagues. Incredible stories are told of the
richness of this mine. It is said to have pre
sented to the church of Arispe a hundred
thousand dollars in ornaments of gold. This
mine has been unworked for many years, and
it will require capital to reopen it. All the
old works are in a ruinous state, wanting
cleaning and timbering before the ore can be
taken out.
Twelve leagues southeast of Arispe are the
old reals (mining towns) of " San Juan" and
" San Pedro." The mines here have been ex
tensively worked, and are in magnificent
style. The patios (work-yards) are handsome
ly paved with flag-stones closely resembling
marble. The buildings yet standing are in a
good state of preservation ; and the substan
tial elegance of the mining property here
shows that the profits must formerly have been
very great. The nature of the works proves
the mines to have produced amalgamation
metals. Mines situated in a Catholic country
would not fail to be liberal to the church.
Large donations have been made to it by the
benighted miners. In the " Capilla" church

52 THE VALLEY OF
of Arispe are evidences both of the wealth of
the mines and the generous contributions of
the miners. Massive ornaments of gold and
silver, rudely shapen, are there in profusion.
The Sta. Rosalia donated to the church one
varra, or one twenty-fourth part of the mine ;
and in the archives of the church the deed of
donation is still preserved.
In a mountain called " La Catalania," is a
silver mine of great richness. v Some former
discoverer had apparently taken the precaution
to cover it over, where it was visible at the
surface ; but, as the gentlemanly Apaches live
in that neighborhood, it had not been revisit
ed for the purpose of working it. An attack
of five hundred Apaches on the mines of San
Pedro and San Juan was the cause of their
abandonment and ruin.
In front of Arispe, on the west side of the
Sonora river, a small creek of fine water emp
ties itself. Twelve leagues up this creek is
situated the hacienda of Barcanuche, the lar
gest and finest in Sonora. Barcanuche is an
Opata word, which in Spanish is Bonanza,
and in English signifies a fortunate place, or a
windfall of fortune. This hacienda is the
property of Dr. Pancho Perez, of Ures, and

THE SONORA. 33
boasts a very fruitful soil, abundant water,
fine timber, and a beautiful location. Game,
also, abounds in its neighborhood, deer and
turkey being very plenty. The estate is val
ued at a hundred thousand dollars.

CHINIPAS AND BACUACHI.
Following up the Sonora river from Arispe,
north, distant eight leagues, is Chinipas, a
small village of Opata Indians. Along the
road from Arispe to Chinipas, there is very lit
tle farming land, as the country is mountain
ous, and the river runs in a narrow gorge be
tween the hills. The Opates are a tribe of
Indians who live in the lower valleys of the
mountains in this part of Sonora. They are
peaceably disposed, and are stock-raisers and
farmers generally. Some of them have hand
some small farms arid good cattle.
Following up the river, which becomes all
the time narrower, until the traveller is forced
to leave its bed and take to the mountains, one
league's travel brings us to Bacuachi, a place
destined from its situation to become of some
importance, whenever the opening of the coun
try shall give an impulse to its natural ele-

34 THE VALLEY OF
ments of power. It is situate on a small,
elevated plain, on the west side of which runs
the Sonora river, while on the east are numer
ous springs of water spouting out of the ground,
which give the town an appearance of being
surrounded by water. Hence came the Opata
name, which signifies island. Its population,
once amounting to three thousand, has, within
the last fifteen years, been reduced fully two
thirds. In the immediate vicinity of the
town there is little arable land ; but, as the
Sonora forks about one mile above, making
wide tracts of bottom land on either branch,
there is plenty of good farming land to produce
the requisite amount of grains, &c. Along the
left or north fork are fine fields of corn, wheat,
barley, beans, and fine orchards of figs, peach
es, pears, pomegranates, and other fruits.
This land is irrigated by ditches of water, the
water being taken in an aqueduct five leagues
above. Great durability* is displayed by the
cement of this aqueduct, which is undoubtedly
the work of the early Spaniards. At least,
the present race know nothing of its construc
tion, nor have they the knowledge or enter
prise to have constructed such a work.
The population of Bacuachi is continually

THE SONORA. 35
diminishing, owing to the inroads of the Apa
ches, who have left them no stock. At the
time of my visit there were only three milch
cows in the town ; yet this is a fine grazing
country, and herds of horses, mules, and
horned cattle, used to roam at large, covering
with life these grassy plains, now desolate.
Remains of ranches, or stock farms, are every
where seen ; and yet only three horses could
be found in all Bacuachi when I was there.
When the inhabitants go to the fields they go
en masse, and sentinels are posted to give the
warning if any Indians come in sight. Should
such a warning be heard, the whole population
fly instantly to their houses. The Apaches
knowing, however, that they "have nothing
left to steal, go scornfully by to richer places
of plunder. Should they meet a stray Bacua-
chian, they would put an end to his fears by
putting an end to his life, just for the " fun of
the thing." All the water used in the houses
is brought from the river by the women, a dis
tance of one hundred and fifty yards. Should
any woman be so neglectful as to fail to bring
water by day, there can be none in the house
until the following day ; for, to issue out alone
or at night, is not to be thought of. The wo-

36 THE VALLEY OF
men go out in large parties, bearing their
water-jars of baked clay upon their heads, and
escorted by a convoy of armed men, to procure
the day's supply. Nothing could be more mea
gre or uninviting than the diet of these Mex
icans. Having no meat, they are compelled
to live upon grains ; and " panole," or corn
parched and ground, " esquit," parched corn,
and " tortillas," a sort of corn-cake, with beans
and fruits, constitute the Mexican bill of fare.
Frequently not a grain of salt is to be had —
the Apaches having cut off their supply by
attacking and robbing the convoy. At the
time of my visit, one peck of salt brought five
dollars. One hardly, knows whether to feel most pity
for the troubles, or scorn for the cowardice
of the Mexicans. Their badly-paid, badly-
clothed, and miserably-fed soldiery, command
ed by worthless officers, are wholly unable to
engage in warfare with the powerful Apaches.
The garrison which is kept at Bacuachi scarce
ly suffices to protect its one thousand inhabi
tants from slaughter in open daylight. Their
fear of the savages is quite as great as that of
the citizens, and they are as quick to run at
the sight of one, or are careful if they shoot to

THE SONORA. 37
fire into the air, for fear of consequences.
Owing, doubtless, to the poor fare of the peo
ple, they resemble skeletons, with skin dried
to their bones. I was not able to find, among
the citizens of Bacuachi, more than one indi
vidual who had any fat on his person ; and I
will venture to say that he had something
good to eat in his house, how procured I know
not. Where the left prong of the river has been
dammed, for purposes of irrigation, on the
south side, fronting on the bluff, is a silver
mine of a greenish ore, tinctured with copper.
It is reducible by amalgamation, and has been
but slightly worked, though to work it is easy
and profitable, as at this place the stream
forms a pan, being shut in by high and precipi
tous banks.
For about four miles from this place the road
lies in the creek bed ; but, after getting over
this narrow pass, the country opens out into a
fine wide valley, of good soil, mesquit timber,
and good grass land. Up this valley, three
leagues, is a deserted hacienda, with good
buildings and outhouses, and all the appurte
nances of hacienda life. Desolated fields and
orchards show that it has fallen a ruin before
2

38 THE VALLEY OF
the destructiveness of the Apaches. Another
league or so farther on, the valley again nar
rows up, and fine groves of cotton wood and
ash begin to appear.
THE HEAD WATERS OF THE SONORA.
The mountains, which run in a general
course north and south, are covered with tol
erably good pine timber, and scrubby oak
in abundance. This oak bears very sweet
acorns, much esteemed by the natives and In
dians, the latter of whom make bread of the
flour of them mixed with grass seeds. They
are called "Bejote dulce," and are worth three
dollars a peck in Hermosillo. Following the
stream for another five leagues, we pass only
some groves of ash, or " fresno." This tree is
in high repute with the Mexicans, it being
their belief that rheumatism, or any bodily
pains may be healed by simply carrying a
cane of its wood. Whether their experience
confirms their belief, I am quite unprepared to
relate. Faith, which "works miracles," may
accomplish the cure which their beloved fresno
is of itself unable to perform.
At this distance the stream has dwindled to

THE SONORA. 39
a mere spring-branch, and the country now
assumes the character of an elevated, rolling
prairie, of great beauty. The climate here is
delightful. The heats of summer are relieved
by continuous cool breezes from the uplands.
No insects disturbed my repose ; but game,
such as deer, turkeys, and an occasional speci
men of the genus bear, gave employment to
my watchful senses, used to be on the lookout
for all things of a wild nature, whether tur
key or Apache. At this point, the branch,
from heading west, makes a sharp elbow to
ward tbe north. Enclosed in this bend is a
ruined hacienda, the owner of which, I learned
afterward, was driven away by the Indians,
after having occupied it but a short time.
This hacienda was built for the purpose of re
ducing the ores from two mines, situated at the
distance of one league from the reduction
works. The ore of one of the mines is of sil
ver, and the other of galena, very pure. The
lead was used as flux in reducing the silver,
besides paying ten per cent, of silver in its own
reduction. The surplus lead was disposed of
to other mining companies, to be used in
cleansing ores, and found a ready market as
long as the surrounding mines were worked.

40 THE VALLEY OF
I considered the mines at this place as ranking
A No. 1, both for quality and quantity of ore,
and for facility of reduction, as well as be
cause the surrounding country is so well adapt
ed to settlement. The plains extend to the
head waters of the San Pedro, a distance of
twenty or thirty leagues.
On the trail going to Sta. Cruz, distant
twelve leagues, is another mine, called " Ca-
nanca," which was abandoned twelve years
ago on account of Apache depredations, its one
hundred and fifty workmen not being able to
protect themselves against their encroach
ments. This mine was worked by a Dr. Fran
cisco Perez, now residing at Ures, who made
it profitable. Its ore is silver, mixed with cop
per and lead, and like the other mine of a sim
ilar ore, was easily worked on account of the
facility for reduction by a moderate heat, and
the different ores serving as flux for each other.
The smelting furnaces are still standing. Near
this mine are several other unworked mines of
copper. About them is good farming and
grazing land, and abundant timber for fuel.
Indeed the country affords greater induce
ments to settlers than any mining district I
have ever seen, but is overrun by the Apaches.

THE SONORA. 41
A population of foreigners might, and probably
would, soon disperse them, as will undoubtedly
happen in a few years.
HEAD WATERS OF THE SAN PEDRO.
The plain which heads toward the San Pe
dro river, (this river heads out of the Sonora,
but empties into the Gila,) is of a more broken
surface, and bordered by mountains, in which
are known to be gold placers. Here, as every
where else, the Indians prevent their being
mined. Eight leagues from where the waters
rise, and on the old emigrant road to Califor
nia, is a ranche, now deserted, except by a
garrison of fifteen men, who cultivate a small
portion of the land. The soil is fine, and
along the stream is mesquit and cotton- wood
timber : but, as this is on the great trail of the
Apaches, who are always on excursions of rob
bery and murder, to Sonora, very little securi
ty could be had by small isolated parties of
settlers. The San Pedro is a good mineral
country, if not one of the best, and furnishes
deer, turkey, and other wild fowl, for game.
Seven leagues east of this ranche, (which is
called Ranche de Sonora, and belongs to J)r.

42 THE VALLEY OF
Rafael Elias, of Ures, deceased, a brother of
the Supreme Judge of the State,) is the mine
of " Mariquilla," once very successfully work
ed. Two leagues to the east of, and around
this mine, is a complete net- work of silver and
copper mines, which were formerly reduced
there. The houses and furnaces are still stand
ing at the foot of the mountain called " Ron-
quillo." Before the Indians drove away the
miners, these mines were worked by one Sig-
nor Arballa ; but, for eight years, have been
entirely abandoned.
On the east side of the San Pedro, at a
distance of five leagues, is the mountain of
" Huachuco," in which is a mine of argentifer
ous lead, containing a fair per cent, of silver.
This mine was anciently worked to some ex
tent. This same mountain is said to have
some placers of coarse gold ; and thus runs the
legend concerning it: A prisoner, escaped from
the Apaches, was hiding in the Huachuco
mountain, trying to make his way home to
his friends. While exploring its recesses in
this manner, he found and collected quite a
large amount of gold, with which he succeeded
in reaching the settlements. But, not having
a proper fear of the Apaches before his eyes,

THE SONORA. 43
he undertook to return to the same place, was
captured and killed ; and the exact locality of
the placers is not known. Neither will they
ever be, if it depends on Mexican energy and
courage to make the discovery.
Four leagues below the Arizona and Sonora
line, and about half a mile from the river, on
the east, at a place called " los Mojales," (nut
trees,) is a mine that was discovered in 1859,
by a party of surveyors, of the Survey of Sono
ra, second assistant engineer Thompson in com
mand. I examined and assayed the ore, find
ing it to be copper and silver. It is reducible
by amalgamation, like all this class of ores.
There is water enough here to make mining
convenient. Smelting, which would reduce
the ore of this mine readily, would still leave
it in a state requiring one more operation for
separating the copper, and involving the ex
pense of fluxes and fuel. I should judge this
to be a valuable mine ; and it is upon Ameri.
can territory.
There are many more veins of mineral on
the San Pedro. None, however, have yet been
opened, and but few prospected. This mineral
region is distant only thirty miles from Fort
Buchanan, from which a good wagon road

44 THE VALLEY OF
might easily be made. Nine miles from here
is the beautiful ranche of " Babacomeri," de
serted on account of Indians ; and twelve
leagues away is the Overland mail station of
Dragoon Springs, to which a road could be
opened without difficulty. Such is a brief ac
count of the country along the Sonora and the
San Pedro rivers. Let us now retrace our steps
until we come to the
[ RIGHT FORK OF THE SONORA.
One league below Bacuachi, on the south
side of the river, close up to the bed of a dry
creek, is a chain of abrupt mountains, running
right up to the Sonora river. About half a
mile from the spot where this chain intersects
the river, is a mine of silver, of amalgamation
ore, and but slightly worked. I did not assay
it, but saw- it tested, and was convinced it
would pay very well. The ore is massive, of a
dull greenish color.
The right, or south fork of the Sonora, has
a wide valley. About one league up it are
extensive " Sienegas," or meadows, which af
ford fresh pasturage all the year round. Two
leagues farther on, passing through a fine

THE SONORA. 45
farming country, timbered with mesquit, we
come to a deserted ranche, showing signs of
having been an extensive stock and grain
farm, with the buildings still in a fair condi
tion, though totally deserted. Passing this
ranche, we find no water for four leagues ;
yet the country is good. Coming to where
the mountains intercept the river again, we
find water. This chain of mountains runs
east and west, crossing the valley. In the bed
of the stream is a ledge of rock, forty-five feet
in height, at the foot of which is water. As
cending the mountain, here due north, we find
a silver mine, the vein running at sight up
the mountain, in a slightly inclined direction,
for a mile. It has been worked along some
of its length, and at certain places to a consid
erable depth. Fine specimens of wiry, native
silver, have been taken out ; but the hardness
of the rock requires the best of tools to work
it. I succeeded in getting out a little, almost
without tools, assayed it, and found it to pay
fully thirty-two per cent., a very high per
centage considering the weight of the ore.
The vein is from twenty-two to twenty-six
inches wide, and not difficult to work. From
appearances I should judge that the last work
2*

46 THE VALLEY OF
done in it had been done by fire, as the black
ened walls of the works testify. It frequently
happens that when the rock is hard, the mi
ners make a great fire, and when the rock is
sufficently heated, suddenly cool it by throw
ing on water ; which rapid change of temper
ature causes a portion of it to crumble.
A little below the ledge, on the bank of a
dry stream, is the hacienda where the smelting
and reduction of the ore was once carried on,
now deserted, like so many others. Remnants
of fine china-ware, and bones of human beings
scattered about, tell the story of Apache on
slaught. This mine, which I consider one of
the best' in Sonora, is easily found. By follow
ing the South fork of the Sonora until stopped
by the above-mentioned ledge of rocks, and
proceeding a few hundred yards to the left, the
explorer cannot fail to find this rich deposit of
silver, which I hope some capitalist may con
sider it to his interest to work out. The coun
try around it abounds in wild fruit,— delicious
wild cherries, bejote dulce, wild dates, and the
grass seeds used by the Indians to make bread.
Manganilla bushes also cover the side of the
mountain. The timber here is oak and pine,
producing a sweet nut, called pin ores. Above

THE SONORA. 47
this point the country is rough and mountain
ous, and infested with Indians, who make it
their residence.

THE GOLD DIGGINGS OF BACUACHI.
On the south side of the river, some two
miles distant, are placers of gold of consider
able interest. It is found in the edge of the
mountains, in gulches and surface diggings.
It has been but little worked, there being no
water nearer than the river, and the Indians
being troublesome. About three leagues fur
ther southeast is a high table-land, called "Bue
nos Ayres," (strong wind.) From this plain,
an extensive view of the country can be ob
tained, including Bacuachi. A chain of moun
tains bounds this plain on the southeast, in
which is a pass, through which the wind from
the Pacific comes rushing with astonishing
violence, and where all the powers of air
and tempest disport themselves. This Buenos
Ayres is a deep gold mine ; but the water be
ing four leagues away, it can only be worked
in the rainy season ; when the Mexicans with
horn spoons and wooden bateas, wash and dig,
making quite handsome profits. The table,

48 THE VALLEY OF THE SONORA.
land is perforated by holes from sixty to
seventy feet deep. All the dirt is auriferous,
and bears coarse gold. Pieces weighing from
six to seven ounces have been taken out here,
and some lumps weighing one or two pounds ;
but I would not be understood to say that
they occur very frequently. However, that it
is one of the most valuable diggings of Sonora
I have no doubt, and could water be brought
here in sufficient quantity, it would pay better
than any California diggings I ever have seen.
At this place there is very little trouble with
the Indians.

VALLEY OF THE
FRONTERAS AND YAGUI RIVERS.

THE FRONTERAS
BRANCH OF THE YAGUI.

After leaving Bacuachi, on the road to
Fronteras, about seven leagues away, we
reach a high mountain which the road as
cends. This is the dividing ridge between
the Sonora and Fronteras rivers, the latter
being the most northeastern prong of the Ya
gui. Before reaching the summit of the
mountain, on the right hand is a spring of the
purest water that ever weary and thirsty trav
eller hailed with delight — made doubly de
lightful by the grateful and refreshing shade
that hangs above it. That this spot made a
lasting impression on my mind, was partly
owing to its agreeableness, and partly to the
fact that it was here that I and a single com
panion celebrated " our glorious Fourth of
July," 1854. For our dinner we had " pan-
ole" (corn parched and ground) and "panoche"
(the common sugar of the country). Apache
tracks were everywhere about us, suggesting

52 VALLEY OF THE
the possible fate of unwary travellers ; but we
hoped much and feared little, eating our din
ner in quietness. Passing over the summit of
the mountain, a descent of three leagues on
the other side brings us to where the moun
tain's foot is set in a beautiful sienega, or
meadow. Here is the Yagui water, with a
pretty country bordering it, of good farming
land. Following and hugging the mountain
on the right, after three leagues we come to
the mouth of a canon turning to the southwest.
Keeping up it some little distance we find
water, and not far above, a mine of a more re
cent period than any which I had found in
that part of Mexico. I afterward learned of
the Fronteras people that it was discovered
just previous to the California excitement, and
worked for a time by a gentleman with a
legar number of hands; but the California
emigration killed the enterprise, and since that
no one has had the energy to reopen the mine,
though it paid very well. The only imple
ment of mining I had about me was a butcher-
knife, but I succeeded in entering one of the
holes and scratching out a little ore, which was
afterward valued at three dollars. The exca
vations average from four to six feet in depth,

FRONTERAS AND YAGUI RIVERS. 53
and seem to have been opened promiscuously,
here and there, for a mile and a half; but not
reaching the head of the cafion, which is prob
ably four miles in length, and sixty yards in
width. No doubt the whole distance could
be successfully worked. There is the advan
tage of lasting water, and plenty of excellent
pine timber also, at this place. California
miners, I have no doubt, would find gold-
washing here very profitable ; always provided
that they come in numbers strong enough to
keep the scalps upon their heads.
I followed along the spurs of the mountains
about four leagues southwest, without discov
ering water. Sweet acorns and pine nuts
were plenty. At this distance I entered a dry
creek or cafion, where, from the appearance of
the ground, the ancient Mexicans, or the Span
iards, must have worked extensively in the
rainy season. The earth is almost torn open
by the excavations which everywhere abound ;
and that these were profitable diggings seems
evident from the great amount of labor ex
pended here. Taking a northeast course, and
turning into the valleys in search of water, I
proceeded about four miles, when a trail of
wild animals was struck. This trail leading

54 VALLEY OF THE
up a deep canon, I followed with a .watchful
eye, for Indian tracks were not wanting along
it, and it was narrow, dark, and dismal, with
the shadows of the oak trees and bushes which
overhung my head along a distance of two
miles. Here the canon turned south into the
mountain, and at the end of another two miles
a small spring of water was discovered, at
which we slaked our thirst and took some
rest. The bank out of which the water came
was of a reddish dirt mixed with quartz. I
washed out some of this dirt in my tin cup,
and found a sediment of round, yellowish,
grain gold in the bottom. At twenty different
places along the cafion I repeated this washing,
and in some cups forty grains of this fine gold
were left. With plenty of water and a com
mon sluice I should not fear to risk my for
tunes here. A man might easily take out
seventy dollars per day. But one man would
utterly fail for want of provisions and personal
security from Indians. A company large
enough to leave a party in the mines, while
another party went out to convoy the supplies,
could alone do anything.

FRONTERAS AND YAGUI RIVERS. 55
RANCHE OF TAHUICHOPA.
Going east again, one league, we struck a
valley, which, following east for four leagues
more, brought us to the deserted ranche of
Tahuichopa, or " spouts of water," from two
Opata words : Tahui, abundant, and Chopa,
water-spout. The Fronteras river heads here,
the water spouting out of the ground in jets as
large as a man's arm, and in so many places
as to readily form a creek of running water.
The ranche of Tahuichopa is a beautiful farm,
and one of the most extensive and valuable in
Northern Sonora. There is plenty of land here
capable of irrigation, and plenty of water to
irrigate it. The Tahuichopa horses were once
celebrated for beauty of form, speed, and en
durance, and their reputation is still high. In
this part of Sonora large " caballadas" of them
were kept, in which the owners took great
pride. Now, the remnants of these fine cabal
ladas roam the plains and valleys at will, and
so wild that even the Indians cannot catch
them. Of the large herds of horned cattle
which once grazed here, one solitary old bull
was waking the echoes of the valley in notes
which seemed to regret that the Apaches

56 VALLEY OF THE
had not eaten him along with his com
panions. FRONTERAS.
Travelling north from the ranche, and fol
lowing the stream, we see fine land, good
water, quite plenty for irrigation or machinery,
and a fine grazing country. A large mountain
turns the river out of its course, so as to cause
it to make almost a perfect circle upon itself.
Following this bend, we have for eight leagues
excellent grazing land on both sides of the
river, and but little timber. The soil is a rich
black loam, very different from the soil of the
Sonora valley. The stream runs narrow and
swift, unlike the sluggish waters of the Sonora
river. Fronteras has a Mexican garrison, a
fort, and a population of — citizens and soldiers
together — some fifteen hundred. It was for
merly a farming town, but as no farming can
be carried on without a guard of soldiers, very
little is now done. The danger of losing their
cattle makes the people careless about having
any, and they are exceedingly poor, though
they raise some wheat, fruit, and vegetables.
Several years ago, a Mexican commander, of
Spanish descent, Antonio Narbon, acquired

FRONTERAS AND YAGUI RIVERS. 57
considerable renown by his successful forays
against the Indians. While he commanded,
some protection was afforded the inhabitants,
and the Indians were stayed in their depreda
tions for several years. Since his death, deso
lation and ruin have come rapidly upon this
part of the country. His residence, which
was very magnificent, was south from Fronte
ras, on another fork of the Fronteras river ;
and the place is still one of much interest.
The best wheat that ever I saw was raised
here. There is also a very extensive peach-
orchard on the farm. Narbon had adopted an
Apache boy, by whom he was afterward de
coyed to a rendezvous of the tribe, and cruelly
given up to be murdered. His widow and son
now live at Ures.
Fronteras is on a bluff on the west ' side of
the river, where is the fort also. Standing in
the fort, and looking toward the sunrise, at the
line where his rays strike on a mountain, you
may look straight into the mouth of a mine,
distant about one league, the road to it being
circuitous. The hacienda belonging to this
mine is on the river; and from the large
amount of scoria or slags, and from the large
size of the slags, the ore must have been easily

58 VALLEY OF THE
smelted. In the mine, which has been ex
tensively worked inside, I found the tools of
the last laborers there, just as they were left
at the time of their general massacre by the
Indians. Since that event no attempt to work
the mine has been made by the superstitious
inhabitants, who no longer have any spirit to
resist their sure and deadly foes. The Indians
had left the Fronteras people one cow and
calf, which was kept within doors, and a few
horses, carefully guarded ; for, when they can
not be taken, they are killed by some lurking
thief of an Apache. There are plenty of fine
hogs here, which animal the Indians will not
steal. Fronteras raises peaches in abundance,
besides some other fruits; and mesquit and
cotton- wood timber. SAN BERNARDINO.
Following up the course of the river, due
north, for about eight leagues we traverse
well watered and beautiful land, whose sole
owners at present are the Apaches, an ac
quaintance with whom it is desirable to avoid.
Turning east from hence, and travelling ten
leagues, still following the river, which flows

FRONTERAS AND YAGUI RIVERS. 59
through a fertile country, we come to its junc
tion with the San Bernardino, which here inter
sects it. Before arriving at the junction, we
pass the once productive but now abandoned
ranche of Hueparerachi, which still has some
remains of fine peach, and other orchards.
Now keeping in the course of the San Bernar
dino, which cuts the spurs of the mountains
from the north, ten leagues more of travel
brings us to the old town and presidio of San
Bernardino, situate on the, old emigrant road
to California, now totally deserted. Here are
the head waters of- Yagui river ; and the
old town was the trading post of the Indians
in the tirffe of its population. Its trade must
have been considerable at one time. There is
plenty of good farming-land in the neighbor-
hoocl, but the water is rather alkaline. This
place is but a half mile from the American
line of Arizona.

THE GARDEN OF SONORA.
Returning toward the south of Sonora, four
leagues on our way, we find the ranche oiHano-
rerachi at a point of the mountains on the east.
It is still in pretty good repair, the building

60 VALLEY OF THE
standing well, and is a valuable property. Land
and water good. Years ago the fences were
set with cotton-wood sticks, which are now
grown to fine large trees. Once more at the
junction of the Fronteras and San Bernardino,
we remark that the land is arable and pro
ductive. There are also extensive cane-brakes
near the junction, where we cross into the
Yagui valley, the river being quite a bold
stream, though the water sinks again at a
short distance below. The valley of the
Yagui is about three leagues wide, and
twenty in length, and is, as I have called it,
the " Garden of North Sonora," being prefer
able in my eyes to anything I saw in that
State. It affords the richest possible soil, as
well as good grass plains. In some places are
a thousand acres of soil ready for planting,
with no grass or weeds, and not requiring even
a plough ! Here a poor man, with seeds, and a
knife to sharpen a stick, could put in a crop
and be sure of a fine harvest, without the ex
pense of irrigation, or even of farming imple
ments. There is no water visible anywhere,
but wherever I made a hole the length of a
man's arm the water came up plentifully, good
and cool. I found three places, where, at a

FRONTERAS AND YAGUI RIVERS. 61
remote period there had been settlements, but
none recent ; and there was nothing to interest
the eye except the naked beauty of Nature
herself, who has alternated fields, canebrakes,
and grassy plains, in the most admirable order.
The valley is bordered by rough and inacces
sible mountains. It is a garden walled com
pletely about, out of which there is but one
gate to pass. In this little paradise live the
Apaches, and should they choose to keep closed
the gate, in vain would any " outside barba
rian" attempt to gain an entrance.
This valley runs to the southeast, ending
where it meets the main Yagui river, coming
from the mountains on the east, which sepa
rates Chihuahua from Sonora. Should Ame
ricans ever get possession of this charming
valley, every acre will be worth a golden dou
ble eagle, at the very lowest, for purposes of
farming. This land is as superior to the Ohio
and Mississippi valley lands, as they are supe
rior to any common lands. There is no kind of
grain, vegetable, or cane, which it will not
grow ; and the steady young farmer, who
shall come to this valley, will find his fortune
in it. The opening of the mineral regions will
place a high value upon all the products of the
3

62 VALLEY OF THE
fields, as there will then be a large population
who must eat, but cannot grow provisions.
Live stock will be easily raised, and cat
tle flesh will have an additional fine flavor
from eating a shrub which grows in the moun
tains, and which gives an unusually delicious
taste to the flesh of animals.
CROSSING THE MOUNTAINS.
The bed of the main Yagui river, where we
struck it, was about eighty feet wide. It was,
however, in the rainy season, and the water
stood in holes, running merely to clear itself.
We found it full of fish of a very pleasant
flavor, on which we feasted for severaldays,
using sticks to kill them. The country here is
of the most mountainous character — perfectly
iron bound, with the exception of the above
mentioned valley. Mountains are piled on
mountains of every conceivable shape, and ex
ceedingly rough and precipitous, extending to
the very bed of the river. They are also quite
barren, being nothing but rocks above rocks.
Ascending a mountain from here is a trail,
probably Indian, ranging in a southerly direc
tion. Following this, we expected to reach the

FRONTERAS AND YAGUI RIVERS. 63
summit ; but, four miles of climbing brought us
upon an unforeseen difficulty, being nothing
less than a deep, nearly perpendicular cut, in
tercepting our progress. We descended, slid
ing on hands and feet to the bottom, which
was the bed of a dry creek, coming from the
south, and extending to the river which we
had just left. We followed this channel for
two days, climbing ledges, getting over falls,
and many times in danger of losing our lives,
before we came to its head. Being in great
want of water, we turned here in an easterly
direction in the hope of finding it, travelling
through a country too rough and wild for de
scription. On the third day a shower of rain
relieved our thirst, or we must have died of it,
in a few hours more. Another three days'
travel through the same sort of country
(which from the recent rain afforded us water
enough for our wants), and we had arrived
at Babispe, having seen nothing of interest in
the way of minerals, except one copper mine
entirely unworked. BABISPE.
At this place another branch of the Yagui
river forms a junction. Babispe makes some

64 VALLEY OB. THE
pretensions to be a garrisoned town, though
the ground of its pretensions is small enough ;
Frijoles, without salt, was the food I saw the
soldiers eating ; yet there are some small spots
of farming land about it. May I never see
Babispe again ! It is principally remarkable
for the thick necks, " bouches," of its inhabi
tants, owing, some say, to the water of the
country; but, as I believe, to incestuous in
termarriage among the people. The Babis-
peans subsist upon fish and fruit chiefly, and
enjoy the bliss of extremest ignorance. Some
silver mining has been carried on there on a
very small scale, as it must be, by a people
who scarcely ever tasted beef.
MINING REGION NEAR COMPOS.
Leaving Babispe without regret, I travelled
south again across a country without a single
acre of arable land, rough, mountainous, and
poorly timbered with scrubby oak. Seven
leagues away I found large copper mines, cov
ering a considerable tract of country, and having
an ore of almost pure copper. These mines are
near the head waters of the Oposura river, an
other branch of the Yagui, and about four

FRONTERAS AND YAGUI RIVERS. 65
leagues from Compos. A large, travelled road
passes close to them, being the thoroughfare
of the Indians, who go this road every full
moon to drive away large caballadas from the
fine grazing districts of Sonora; for the Sonoren-
ses Rancheros are only raising stock for their
friends, the Apaches. This road looked as
well travelled as the Overland Mail Route, the
green bushes along the roadside being covered
with dust.
Three leagues from here, on the river above
Compos, is a ranche called T Ojo de Agua, or
" Water-eye." The river first forms 'into a
stream at this place, rising out of the ground
here, whence the name. It is a ranche of
some extent, but small population. A portion
of the land is arable ; and there is mesquit
timber in the valley, and pine on the moun
tains. COMPOS.
Following down the stream, we next come
to Compos, a beautiful place, with a very in
significant population, and no business of any
importance. Once this place was more active,
and had five times as many people in it ; but
now houses and churches are alike decayed

66 VALLEY OF THE
and sorry-looking with the inhabitants. It has
some little farming land, but its chief interests
are in the mines. ROAD TO OPOSURA.
Three leagues southwest of Compos, on the
dividing ridge between the Sonora and Oposu
ra waters, and on the bank of the latter, is one
of the most extensively- worked mines in So
nora. Entering at one of the openings, you
may wander inside as long as your inclination
lasts, but cannot explore in several days its
numerous layers, galleries, pits, shafts, and
chambers. It was worked with great system
and regularity, which shows that the ore must
have been abundant and easy of abstraction.
It is a silver and lead ore, easy of reduction,
and there is plenty of it left for future miners
with capital enough to work it thoroughly.
The pillars are yet standing, as well as the
walls and roof. The country about it affords
good facilities in the way of wood and water,
though the former is not abundant. Three
leagues further down the stream is a ranche
where I found very good improvements, and
the first stock I had seen in the country. Even
here it is not regarded altogether safe to raise

FRONTERAS AND YAGUI RIVERS. 67
cattle, which are not permitted to stray away
from the ranche. The valley here is narrow,
and the quantity of farming land small, and
hemmed in by mountains. Two miles farther
down, in a bend of the river, are some small
farms, with a little stock on them, belonging
to tne Opata Indians. From this point the
road leaves the river, which flows south, and
takes you four leagues over the mountains to
Oposura, in an easterly direction. The whole
length of the road is lined with crosses, show
ing how many victims the Indians have
slaughtered along its rugged way.
OPOSURA.
The traveller does not see Oposura until, by
a sole and narrow gap in the mountains just
above, he enters it. The view from this height
is very pretty ; and no one could desire a more
retired spot for a residence. He who lives in
Oposura has, to all intents and purposes, re
nounced the world, even if he cannot get rid
of "the flesh and the devil." The inhabit
ants live by agriculture, and some small trade
among themselves. Yet the town numbers
about three thousand souls, and when the

68 VALLEY OF THE
mines were worked above and around it, was
quite a lively place. Figs are abundant at
Oposura. The silver and gold mines of '" San
Pedro" and " San Juan" spoken of before, are
only five or six leagues distant. The moun
tains abound in valuable rock and stone.
ALABASTER VEIN OF OPOSURA.
Southeast, between two or three leagues, is
a quarry of variegated alabaster, very exten
sive and abundant. Some of this alabaster is
of a deep yellow color, while other portions are
of finely variegated hues. It is very soft
when extracted, but hardens on exposure to
the air, and takes a fine polish. It is useful
in the manufacture of many things, and is
used by the people of Oposura for a hundred
domestic purposes ; though they never con
ceived the idea of exporting any of it, or that
it might become an article of trade. A com
pany could make it extremely profitable ; nor
would it require anything more than a for
mality to get possession. At Oposura is a very
fine ditch, made with hydraulic cement, for the
making of which an Opata Indian gave me
the receipt. It is a secret lost to the present

FRONTERAS AND YAGUI RIVERS. 69
race of Mexicans ; yet there is no doubt but
all the very durable works of the Spaniards
were made with this cement. It is composed
of clay, sand, and lime finely pulverized and
sifted, and mixed with a solution of the gummy
substance which is extracted from a plant
called " Sama." This mortar will dry without
cracking, and take a good polish, as well as
harden in water. Its durability is very great.
The finer the materials are made by pulveri
zation, the better the cement. The Sama is a
parasitic plant of the country, with the bark
of which the natives tie the palm "leaves or
grass upon the roofs of their houses, or make
other fastenings. It is easily obtained, very
abundant, and if a demand for it were created,
might be made quite an article of export. It
is more abundant in Sinaloa than Sonora.
COUNTRY BETWEEN THE OPOSURA AND YAGUI
RIVERS.
Leaving Oposura, I travelled about two
miles at the foot of the mountains, toward the
south, before re-crossing. Four leagues of
scrambling, crossing over ravines and gulleys,
and scaling some very steep rocks, brought me
3*

70 VALLEY OF THE
to the summit. Here I found a beautiful
table-land of three or four leagues in extent,
watered by small streams, and timbered over
with oak and pine. There is good grass, also,
and the soil, is a rich loam. Altogether it is a
most romantic and beautiful spot, and its per
fect seclusion adds greatly to its charm. The
abrupt descent on either side, the distance to
Oposura, the nearest town, and the extensive
views of the surrounding country, produce a
very novel effect upon the beholder. The cli
mate at this elevation is cool and healthy.
The heats of summer are alleviated by the
breezes which blow constantly over it; and
altogether it forms an agreeable contrast to the
uncongenial region around it. A few delight
ful farms might be made here, and doubtless
will be made, when the mines about it are
once more worked, or opened in new places.
Proceeding down the mountain, over a very
rugged country, cut up by gulleys, ravines, and
deep canons, I passed a place of little impor-.
tance, called Matape, around which are several
deserted mines. Continuing westwardly, down
to the foot of the mountains, on one of the
spurs, I came to the mine of " Las Cruces,"
worked by a French company. It is a sijver

FRONTERAS AND YAGUI RIVERS. 71
mine, and the ore reducible by smelting.
Three furnaces were then in operation, yet the
profits, though safe, were not very consider
able. The mine of "Las Cruces" is five
leagues from Topahui, southeast.
Leaving Las Cruces, and keeping the same
direction, hugging the mountain all the way,
I came to an old mission, three leagues dis
tant. The next eight leagues were over a fine
country, of good land, and good mesquit tim
ber, but no water. Some detached mountains
were seen toward the west, before I arrived at
Tecoloti, a stock farm of some extent. Here
was plenty of water, for this is the head of the
San Marcial river. Here, too, is some fine
land for farming. From here I travelled, due
east, to another ranche, very old, and, though
rich and valuable, useless on account of the
Indians. This ranche is ten leagues west of
San Jose de los Pinos, on the same stream ;
and due east from this farm is the " Mazatlan,"
a prominent mountain, celebrated as having
in it a very valuable silver mine. As the
Apaches are always to be found there, it has
not been examined. Only a large party could
venture to make an excursion to it.

CJi VALLEY OF THE
COUNTRY ALONG THE YAGUI.
From the Sierra de Mazatlan, a day's travel
brings us to the Yagui river, which is here a
large, bold stream. In the valley, before
reaching it, are, according to all Mexican
accounts, some rich placers of gold. A few
leagues above, and below the junction of the
Oposura with the Yagui, is the town of Soyope,
a small trading post. The mines there once
gave the place a considerable reputation ; but
they are now abandoned, and there are only a
few inhabitants, of mixed blood, remaining.
Twelve leagues "above, on the south side of
the river, are some small farms of the Opatas
and Nacouris. On this side, also, are several
old mines. The Real of San Xavier is the most
important, on account of its silver mines, which
are still extensively worked. The ore is of sil
ver, reduced by amalgamation. The fact that
they are worked at all in this country, where
communication is almost cut off by the In
dians, is a sufficient proof of their value. It
is here that the farmers of San Marcial and
the Lower Yagui come when they want to
" make a raise."
Farther east, toward Chihuahua, and where

FRONTERAS AND YAGUI RIVERS. 73
the most easterly branch of the Yagui forms a
junction, is a town called La Junta. Its pres
ent population is only a few hundreds, not
withstanding it must formerly have had seve
ral thousands. Its mines are now all under
watei or in a ruinous condition, having been
abandoned since the Spanish evacuation of the
country. This branch of the Yagui has, to
ward its head, in Chihuahua, a rich copper
mine, " Cobre Grande," once worked exten
sively, and still productive. It was worked
by Mexicans only, and must have afforded
great profits, since to find a market the copper
had to be carried, for more than fifty years, as
far as the city of Mexico, and upon pack mules
a portion of that distance. It sold there as
high as fifty dollars a hundred pounds, and
could not satisfy the demand at that price.
NORTH SIDE OF THE MAYO. ¦
The country between the Yagui and Mayo
rivers is high, mountainous, and wooded.
Nearer the Mayo it is covered with impenetra
ble thickets of prickly bushes. The timber
and fruit trees approximate more nearly in
character to those of Sinoloa than Sonora.

74 VALLEY OF THE
Mines abound, some of which have been
worked to a great depth. All of them are
now under water, and are left in this state
for want of the proper machinery to drain
them. The inhabitants are either unable or
unwilling to undertake their restoration ; and,
indeed, generally possess too little knowl
edge of modern inventions to make them
of use. The principal feature of these mines
is, that the deeper into the bowels of the
earth the miners go, the purer and richer ore
they find. In many cases the drifts are left
with the native silver shining through every
part of the vein. The same was remarked of
the few which were re-opened in the Fuerte
valley. The only one of these mines now
worked to any extent, is that of "Los Mula
tos," in a high mountain of Chihuahua, but
still on the head waters of the Mayo. This
has been worked from time immemorial, and
great quantities of silver have found their way
to Alamos, and the city of Chihuahua, which
is reached from here by way of " Jesus Mafia,"
the important mine spoken of in another
place. The Mayo valley, toward its head, has very
little, land worthy of cultivation. There are,

FRONTERAS AND YAGUI RIVERS. J 75
however, a few good farms, and some little
patches cultivated by the Mayo Indians ; but
a little corn and sugar-cane is the only pro
duce. There are plenty of wild fruits of the
kinds found in Fuerte valley. Game also is
abundant, but very difficult to obtain, as
hunting deer up and down steep hills is rather
an arduous exercise.

ON THE YAGUI, SOUTH FROM HERMOSILLO.
From San Jose de las Pinos and San Mar
cial I proceeded to Bonancita. From Bonan-
cita to Coumourissa, is a distance of fifteen
leagues of fine level road, but without settle
ments for the whole distance. Coumourissa is
situated on the Yagui, near the mountains ;
the river running from here in a southwesterly
direction. Its population is about six hun
dred, half of whom are Mexicans, the remain
ing half Yagui Indians. A portion of the
Mexicans are stock-raisers or farmers, and
a few engage in commercial pursuits. The
Indians dig a little gold out Of the banks of
the river for a scanty maintenance.
From this place, I proceeded up the river in
a northeast course. On its western bank I

7.6 VALLEY OF THE
saw several parties of Indians gold- washing.
From their success, I should judge that, with
suitable tools and machinery, it might be a
profitable business. Fifteen leagues farther
up, I crossed the river by the help of an
Indian canoe, at a place where there had been
an encampment. The Indians were friendly
and hospitable, and gave me directions to take
a southeasterly trail, which, however, they
warned me was very dim. As a land -mark
they bade me keep in sight of a remarkable
mountain, and very high, at whose foot I was
to arrive, after travelling eighteen leagues.
This mountain is named "Tousimouri," or
" the man with the hat on." It represents its
name very faithfully, and is a most striking
object. CURIEJO.
From Tousimouri Banche, which is only
an average stock farm, I kept on in the same
direction to Los Ajos, or " Garlic Ranche," and
from there six leagues to Curiejo. There is
another ranche four leagues from Los Ajos, of
the finest land, and with plenty of spring
water, which, in the hands of a different peo
ple, would be a splendid property. The village

FRONTERAS AND YAGUI RIVERS. 77
of Curiejo is a farming community of about
five hundred souls. The silver mines in the
vicinity, also make considerable trade.
BAYOREJA.
Northeast, and about ten leagues distant
from the latter place, is a very handsome vil
lage, of about one thousand inhabitants. The
place is tastefully built, and the country toler
ably good farming country. A portion of the
community are occupied in working its silver
mines and gold placers. The principal draw
back to the gold-digging is the distance of the
mines from water.

THE MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS,

THE
MAYO AND FUERTE YALLEYS.

TEPAHUI.

Sixteen leagues from the last-mentioned
village, took me to Tepahui. This is an old
town, of not many inhabitants— perhaps three
hundred — situated on the Mayo river, and peo
pled by Mayos Indians.
Three leagues from here, is the hacienda of
Ogna Caliente, "Hot Springs," situated on
the southern bank of the river. It is one of
the best houses in Sonora ; grand, and hospita
ble too ; as travellers, Americans especially,
can testify. The grounds are planted with
trees, whose deep shade furnishes coolness in
the midst of summer. As a resort for visitors,
this place, with its springs, might be made
very valuable in different hands. The short
distance from the city of Alamos gives it a very
convenient location. It is also only one league
from Conicari, on a bluff of the Mayo river, a

82 MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS.
village of four hundred inhabitants. A small
creek makes a junction with the river at this
village, whose bottom land is one extensive
corn-field. tespustete.
From Agua Caliente to this place, is five
leagues east. " Tespustete," signifies what in
English would be called the " blossom of ores,"
a black, shining, heavy substance, indicating
the presence of ores. This is a ranche owned
by the Sonora capitalist and usurer, Don Pas-
cuel Gomez, the richest man of Northern Mex
ico ; and whose corpulency of body nearly
equals his vast possessions. His weight is
about three hundred pounds, the heaviest part
of him being in the abdominal region. This
lecherous old millionaire, with that impunity
from natural and decent shame, which money
grants a man, is actually going to marry one
of the loveliest young girls of the Fuerte. It
is said that he is always able to command a
million dollars, besides his vast properties.
ALAMOS.
From Tespustete, I went to the Real of
Alamos, which derives its name from its beau-

MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS, 83
tiful alameda or park of cotton-wood trees.
It is an inland town of some considerable
trade, notwithstanding its distance from the
coast. It has a fine plaza, a good academy,
and some handsome commercial houses. The
private residences are built in good taste ; and
the paved streets have sidewalks of beautifully
cut stone. The lively trade here, is made by
the exchange of silver from the neighboring
mines. In the neighborhood is the remarka
ble mountain of the " Sierra de los Frailes," or
" the mountain of the priests." It may be seen
from a distance of one hundred and fifty miles,
and looks from afar like the white steeples of
a church. Nearer, however, it has the appear
ance which its name indicates, of the statues
of two priests. One of the statues has been
surmounted by a wooden cross, showing the
religious feeling of the people.
The population of Alamos is five thousand ;
and it is known in all Sonora for the aristo
cratic feeling of its inhabitants. It is watered
only by an inconsiderable creek on the south
side of the town, on which are fine residences,
orchards and corn-fields.

84 MAYO AND FUERTE- VALLEYS.
HACIENDA OF SAtf- ANTONIO.
Three leagues east of Alamos, is the mining
hacienda of San Antonio. The ore, which is
quite extensively worked, is of silver, and the
machinery of American manufacture. Three
hundred hands, or often more, are employed
on this hacienda; It is owned by Dr. Jose
Maria Almada, a name that belongs to the most
illustrious families of Alamos. His beautiful
private residence adjoins the hacienda, which
has also a sugar-farm, irrigated by water from
the Alamos creek.
The gentlemanly owner of these possessions
is a man of liberal principles, and of more
energy than any other in this part of the
country. He is very friendly to foreign en
terprise, encouraging and protecting Ameri
cans in all instances. In his own undertak
ings he has been eminently successful. But
the most remarkable fact concerning him, is
his family, which consists of seventy-two
children, all by two wives ; the second of
whom, and forty-two of his children, I had the
pleasure of seeing. On their road to church,
attended by their servants, they looked like the
inhabitants of a young city during an hegira.

MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS. 85
COUNTRY SOUTHEAST OF ALAMOS.
From San Antonio to Labor Grande, is a
distance of five leagues, without settlements.
Three leagues farther on, brings us to the
arroyo, or dry creek of Cuchiac. It is border
ed with a thick growth of cypress, the wood
of which is valuable for building purposes.
Labor Grande, or " Large Farm," is an exten
sive stock and grain farm. The custom in
this country is not to reckon by the acre in
speaking of their planting, but by the bushel.
At this ranche they plant twenty-five bushels
of corn and three of beans. The residence is
large, and neatly built. There are twenty-
four large-sized, commodious rooms, surround
ing a hollow square ; besides a deep verandah
around the whole, for the comfort of coolness.
Three leagues from here is the arroyo Sa
bina, or "Cypress creek," which takes its
name from the abundance of this wood that
borders it. The Sabina ranche is a stock
farm, with some arable land.
Two leagues east of this, is the Bealito, a
small place of about fifty souls, and very lit
tle business. From this place I proceeded to
Bapoli, near the summit of a very high moun-
4

86 MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS.
tain, a small place, where, by irrigation, they
raise some patches of sugar-cane.
THE CANON OF BANEYAGUA.
Three leagues more from here, took me to
the " Canoda of Baneyagua.'' This is a place
of much interest. It is situated on the north
side of a tributary to the Fuerte river, of
about twelve miles in length. This canon of
Baneyagua has been worked to a considerable
extent in the time of the Spaniards ; and it is
my opinion that it is a very valuable placer.
For a distance of twelve miles, the hillsides
have been perforated in many places, and
shafts sunk and drifted. Some of the works
are recent ; but the miners not being acquaint
ed with the modes of getting out the water by
pumps and flumes, have done all their wash
ing in wooden bowls. The tediousness of this
process could only be made to pay where the
diggings were very rich. Having done what
they could in this way, the mine is now aban
doned ; and its riches will probably lie under
water until foreign enterprise has taken hold
of it, when a fortune awaits the one who un
dertakes it. At the head of this canon, drift
ing has been done to a considerable extent.

MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS. 87
The soil is composed of a red clay and decom
posed quartz. It is worked by an arrastra,
constructed of a circular stone bed, twelve to
fifteen feet in diameter, with a rim of stone on
the outer edge of it. In the middle is a post,
which supports a lever on a pivot. To this
lever are attached two large stones, weighing
together five hundred pounds. The dirt is
brought here by mules, and when reduced to
powder in the arrastra, the gold is separated by
amalgamation with quicksilver. The stream
furnishes an abundance of excellent cypress
and cedar wood; but there are no saws or
other implements to work it up.
MOUNTAIN FASTNESSES OF THE FUERTE.
The mountain region of the Fuerte is so ex
ceedingly rough and precipitous-, that no wag
on-road ever has been, or ever will be, made
through it. All carriage is performed on
mules, and a man is better off on foot than
with an animal under him. The people of
this country are what might be called a spe
cific race. They are an admixture of Spanish
and Indian blood, like all the Mexicans, but
the proportion of Indian blood predominates.
Living so remote from civilization, they have

88 MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS.
returned to man's natural estate, and assimi
late to the probable condition of Adam in
Eden. What we believe to be the necessaries
of life, are quite unknown and unnecessary to
them. Comfortable houses, clothing, beds, are
unknown and undesired objects. Nature has
furnished them with fruits of many descrip
tions, which admirably answer their wants ;
and the only kind of agriculture they know
anything about, is the planting of a little
maize, which they effect by making holes in
the ground and covering them with the hand.
The finest corn is often raised with only this
amount of care and labor. They choose the
very steepest hillsides, where an animal could
not stand. Their manner of clearing the
land they wish to use is as singular as their
other habits. First they proceed to cut the
thick and thorny underbrush with the Mexi
can knife, macheta, about two feet long, and
three or four inches wide. (This instrument
is the principal tool as well as weapon of the
country.) Having cut up all the underwood
in this way, they leave it to dry for about
seventy days before the rainy season, which
commences in June. They then set fire to it,
and thus char the bodies of the trees, which
are still left standing.

MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS. 89
Nature has lavished upon them an abun
dance of fruit which more favored countries
might envy. The " pitaya," which ripens in
May, is a delicious fruit, of a blood-red meat.
In the time of harvesting this fruit, the natives
leave everything else to gather and eat pitaya,
which is to them both bread and meat, and
withal very wholesome. In June they have a
kind of sweet bean, called the " guamanche,"
whose vine makes a beautiful shade around
the houses, giving out a very sweet odor, and
furnishing a pleasant article of food. Los
" igualamos" are black berries with small
seeds, which ripen in August and make a
delicious preserve, or are an excellent dish
cooked. The " igualos" is a yellow fruit, of
the size of a pear, which is ripe in October,
and is eaten raw or cooked. The " houpper-
as" is a small fruit resembling a black cherry,
and very sweet, which grows very abundantly,
on low bushes, and is gathered by the natives
for winter use. " Papaches" is another fruit,
cased in a ruffled, prickly bark, and when
peeled is the size of a large apple. It is of a
yellowish black color, sweet, and slightly bit
ter. When first eaten it is very disagreeable,
but by use grows to be much relished. The
woods are often black with the abundance of

90 MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS.
the papaches. They stand the winter frost, and
are not fit to be eaten until March. The
" iguera," or wild fig, grows here to extraordi
nary dimensions. It is a magnificent fruit,
and the twisted roots run on the ground to a
great distance. This fig yields once in June
and again in November, the first crop being
the largest. This fruit is considered very re
freshing. The proprietors of this wild-fruit
region look upon an American as the most
singular of objects, as indeed I suppose they
must upon any one not like themselves,
their want of intercourse with the world
rendering their stock of ideas extremely
limited. MINES OF THE FUERTE.
From Baneyagua, east, to Las Garobas is
three leagues. This is a small place of about
one hundred and fifty souls. Gold and silver
mining is done here to some extent.
Four leagues still farther east is the Real del
Rosario, another mining place, and owned bj
Signor Don Bruno Esquessa. The silver, after
being taken out, is ground in the arrastra and
amalgamated with quicksilver. The mine is
situated on the side of a mountain, on the

MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS. 91
north side of the hacienda, and the diggings
are surface diggings, or, rather, are excavations.
The annual revenue of this mine, in net
profits, is seventy thousand dollars.
Between Del Rosario and Chinipas, about
thirty leagues north, there is nothing of inter
est on the road except the pine timber. Chini
pas is in the highest part of the mountainous
country, and in the state of Chihuahua, the
Sonora line being on the other side of Del
Rosario. It is situated on the northwest prong
of the Fuerte river, and is a small agricultural
place of about six hundred inhabitants. A
large amount of " panoche" is produced in this
village, from the sugar-cane, manufactured in
the simple manner of the country. There are
also some gold placers in the vicinity, and a
portion of the inhabitants are engaged in min
ing, or washing gold.
" Palmarejo" is a silver mine, distant about
six leagues from Chinipas. It is worked by
Don Miguel Uries, of Alamos. This mine is
worked on a more extensive scale than any in
this section of the country. There are twenty
thousand ounces of silver taken out of it
monthly. The ore is taken out by improved
forcing machinery. Four stamps, of great ac
tion, are worked by water-power, which rarely

92 MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS.
fails in these mountains. The ore is not rich,
but the great quantity taken out makes up for
this. Had not improved machinery been in
troduced, the owner could not have realized
yearly what he now makes monthly. After
being ground, the ore is amalgamated, in the
same way as an. other great mines of Central
Mexico. The roughness of the country does
not admit of many labor-saving appliances.
In this case the mine is three leagues from the
hacienda, no place nearer being convenient,
and all the ore has to be carried on pack ani
mals, at a large expenditure for the labor.
OVER THE SIERRA MADRE.
Not being able to give the correct distances
over the mountains, I shall use the terms of
the mountaineers in describing distances.
From Chinipas to Jesus Maria, then, is five
days' journey. The only thing of interest to
the traveller over this monotonous road of
mountain after mountain, is the desire and ex
pectation of arriving at some settlement at
the end of each day's journey. This we are
generally able to do, as the " Tarumaria" In
dians live in the valleys between the moun
tains. They are a peaceable, well-behaved

MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS. 93
tribe, who chiefly inhabit the central part of
the mountain country, and raise some corn
and fruit. Their orchards are well filled with
a good variety of the latter. The mountains
here are often called Tarumaria, from the
Indians who inhabit it.
Jesus Maria is an ancient mining place of
some notoriety, and bears traces of having
been once the seat of considerable trade. The
records, too, of the district of which it is the
capital, give fabulous accounts of the quanti
ties of silver taken out of its mines. These
mines are still worked.
Los Bajios, at a distance of fifteen leagues,
in a southerly direction, is a place where great
quantities of all kinds of grains are raised.
They find a ready market in the mines of the
surrounding country. The population of Los
Bajios is about five hundred souls. The coun
try along the road to this place is well tim
bered, and the valleys, as before mentioned,
inhabited by the Tarumaria Indians, who keep
large flocks of goats and sheep, besides other
stock. The whole country is remarkable for
its mineral deposits, though it is unworked on
account of the apathy of the Indians, who have
not yet learned the value of riches.
4*

94 MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS.
UR1QUE.
From Los Bajios I turned westward, cross
ing back over the Sierra Madre, on its highest
summits. Found nothing remarkable except
the lofty character of the mountain range, and
the forests of fine timber standing useless and
waiting for the axe. On the fifth day I ar
rived at TJrique, situated on the main stream
of the Fuerte river. Urique is already, and
constantly becoming more so, a centre of in
terest for the richest mines of the Sierra Madre.
There are, all about it, mines of gold and sil
ver, abandoned since the Spanish times, and
going to ruin, either because the capital to
work them is not in the country, or because
they are under water, and no system of drain
age and tunnelage is known among them, by
which they can be reclaimed. However, two
companies of foreigners, one American, have
lately gone in there, and reopened two of the
mines, and one of them has been a short time
in operation. But there is room for twenty
companies, with capital, to go to work in this
vicinity. Energy and enterprise are a sort of
" capital" as much needed as money, and ne
cessary to accompany it.

MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS. 95
Urique is much favored by nature with a
most bounteous and healthy climate. Fruits
of every description succeed well : grapes,
granadas, aguacates, plums, figs, and apples,
not to mention the tropical fruits, which pros
per in its genial soil. Its population is four
or five hundred souls, mostly " Gambusinos."
The Gambusinos are miners without capital,
who work wherever they can pick up a living.
Whenever a mine is abandoned*, they flock to
it, and' tear down pillars, or other works, in
search of a little ore, often endangering the
safety of the mine, and making it necessary
to go to a great expense to put it again in
working order. However, when they get regu
lar work, they make very efficient hands,
being active with the crowbar, and go<|d
judges of metal.
COPPER ORES OF FUERTE VALLE Y.
Keeping a westerly course down the Fuerte
river, we come to " San Jose," an abandoned
silver mine. A few people live here, doing a
little mining, and also a little farming.
Six leagues north, again brings us to " Pie
dras Verde," which signifies green stone ; and

96 MAYO AND FUERTE* VALLEYS.
in fact the whole mountain is a mass of cop
per ores. This is an old copper mine, recently
reopened. It must have been worked by the
early Spaniards. Its present occupant and
owner is Don Pedro Desormeau, a practical
miner and smelter. He has sunk a shaft at
the foot of the mountain, and discovered a
vein of forty yards width. The ore is worked
by the English process, that is, first roasted,
and then smelted. The ore is a sulphate of
copper, with antimonial copper pyrites, the
first yielding forty per cent., and the latter
sometimes sixty-five per cent.
Eight leagues further on, is the mine of
" Guasaparas," where silver mining on a small
scale is carried on, in the simplest conceivable
manner. Southeast from here, is the mine of
"Bahuerachi," a copper mine, leased and work
ed by J. B. Glecker & Co. This mine has,
and still does hold out great prospects to its
owners, who have expended some sixty thou
sand dollars on its improvements, in the last
three years. The amount of ore taken out is
two hundred cargoes per week — a cargo being
three hundred pounds. The metal averages
from twelve to twenty per cent. It has a
great variety of ores, comprising all the ores of

MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS. 97
copper, which in the smelting, flux each other.
Seventy furnaces, built of sand-stone, are in
continual operation. Charcoal is used as fuel.
A reverberatory furnace, on the Lyonaise plan,
built of English fire-brick, is used for refining
the metal, which issues from it in a state
nearly malleable, and in beautiful slabs of
golden color, of from one hundred and fifty to
two hundred pounds weight. The produce of
this mine in the year 1857, was above five
thousand quintals of metallic copper. The
house of the administrator is a well-built
stone house, having, what is rare in this coun
try, windows of glass, and chimneys. The
surrounding country furnishes wood in abun
dance, pine as well as oak. About three
hundred hands are employed here, all for
eigners. Two miles from here is the real of Bahue
rachi, with a population of two hundred and
fifty souls. There are gold placers in the vi
cinity of the Chopotillo, and one or two mines
of argentiferous lead at short distances. Go
ing down the arroya in an easterly direction,
we pass the " San Francisco" mines, owned
by Pancho Arrida, a gentleman known to his
friends by his liberality, and generally, as a

98 MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS.
particular genius, who understands the chi
canery of Mexican law.
Four leagues down the same creek, is "La
Reformas," a copper mine, owned by the same
gentleman. It is an inconsiderable settlement.
On the right is the mountain of " San Nico
las," of some celebrity for its caves of salt
petre, and its quarry of red sand-stone. It
furnishes ingredients for the manufacture of
mining powder. San Nicolas is a small farming
village on the bank of the Fuerte. The inhabi
tants, scarcely one hundred in number, devote
a part of their time to washing gold out of the
banks of the river. The gold procured here is
very fine.
Following the bank of the river a distance
of* about four leagues, we come to a place well
known to the natives, by the name of " Cam
po Santo," or Grave-yard. It is immediately
upon the river-bank ; and appears to be the
ruins of what was once quite a settlement.
There is a tradition of a pestilence having
swept away the entire population, whence it
obtained its name. There is a shaft in the
side of the mountain here, showing where it
has been worked for gold to a considerable
extent, and the underground diggings can still

MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS. 99
be traced for several hundred yards. Num
bers of the Mayos and Tarumaria Indians
gain a living, as well as some Mexicans, by
the simple bowl- washing, from these placers.
One league more brings us to the crossing
of the river, where, on the south side, is the
San Thomas farm. It is almost quite shut
in between the hills which close around it,
leaving only two gaps. It has a foreign
owner. As good butter is made here, as the
celebrated "Goshen " butter of New- York. It
is a fine grazing farm, and has upon it, be
sides, a distillery for the manufacture of a
liquor called mascal, of intoxicating powers.
Tobacco is also raised, of an excellent quality,
Some work is done in the neighborhood, in
taking out lead and silver ores.
Three leagues south, is the Mesquit Cai
da, or " Fallen Mesquit" ranche. And four
leagues southwest from here is Tajadera, a
stock and grain raising village of three hun
dred inhabitants. Another four leagues brings
us to the settlement called
CHOIS.
This is the chief town of the district, situa
ted in the valley of the stream of the same

100 MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS.
name, which empties itself into the Fuerte
river. Its position is very beautiful, being on
a fine plain, with a very pretty view. Here
I saw a sign of civilization, which I had not
found in my four years of rambling, viz., a
wagon. It is my conviction that Chois is; in
the future, to become a place of great import
ance. It is the natural outlet for all the
mines of that country for several hundred
miles, and this is one of the richest mineral
districts of Mexico. Its situation at, the base
of the mountains, its easy access by good roads
from the farms and ranches of the lower val
ley, and its facility for communication with
the Gulf, must make it an important place
for trade as well as industry. Its present
population is about fifteen hundred ; and its
people and buildings show more of the char
acteristics of civilized living than any of the
places which I had lately visited. The whole
surrounding country is rich in gold placers,
and even the spot on which Chois stands,
furnishes gold for the washing. All the
streams in the neighborhood show the color,
on washing the loose soil of their* banks. The
town is about four miles from the junction of
the stream with the Fuerte river. I travelled

MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS. 101
up the Chois a distance of four leagues to Los
Iguelas, which derives its name from the fruit
Iguelas, which grows here in the greatest
abundance. There are a few jacals, or huts of
Mayos Indians here ; and I saw appearances
of diggings, as well here, as along the road
over which I had travelled. At Iguelas the
stream makes a bend, enclosing a "mesa," or
table-land of some twenty-five acres, which is
perforated with shafts from fifteen to twenty
feet in depth, where gold has been sought for.
There is plenty of it, and the dirt all pays
alike, but the gold is so fine that the natives
cannot save it. If they could, they would
make good wages even at bowl-washing, which
is their only mode of getting the metal. With
California improvements, I have no doubt a
company could make these diggings profitable.
Continuing up the stream for one league, on
the south side of the river, I struck the " ar-
roya Sabina," or Cypress creek, which runs a
course due north. Following it toward the
south for four leagues, I came to a prong of the
same stream, called Los Pillos. The name is
derived from the fact that the rocky bed of the
stream forms a natural reservoir of waters.
This stream heads in an easterly direction,

102 MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS.
toward a high mountain, of a north and south
range. About a mile above the junction of the
Pillos and Cypress, I was shown, by a Mayos
Indian, a placer in the bed of a creek, where
he had been digging for gold. His tools were
a crow-bar of Brazil-wood and a horn spoon.
With these he had taken the dust out of about
two feet square, in one place, which contained
gold to the amount of five dollars and sixty
cents. It was in six small pieces, which I
weighed. This Indian lived in a cave of the
rocks close by. He was a runaway servant,
in debt to his master, for which cause he was
hiding. SINALOA.
I prospected for several miles toward the
head of Pillos creek, and found that the dirt
would pay from ten to twenty-five cents to the
bucket. It was my intention to have worked
in these diggings, but the rainy season com
pelled me to abandon the idea, and I left, with
the intention, however, of returning after the
rains. But, by the time these were over, I
was far away on my wanderings. I returned
to the Chois stream, and struck it at the junc
tion of the Sabina ; then followed the Chois

MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS. 103
up toward its head for two leagues, which
brought me to a ranche, whose name I have
forgotten, but a large stock farm, where some
grains also were raised. Ten leagues beyond,
on the same course, I came to San Panteleon,
belonging to the Signors Ibarra del Fuerte. It
is a sugar farm, which raises, besides, corn and
stock. From here I turned south, and trav
elled fifteen leagues through a country with
out settlements or any population whatever.
BAYEMENA.
This is a village of Mayos Indians, situated
on the beautiful Bayemena creek. Its popu
lation is about six hundred souls. The occu
pation of the people is farming, raising sugar
cane and corn. In the creek are traces of old
diggings, where gold has been taken out. The
bottoms of the creek are covered with a fine
growth of cedars. From here it is six leagues,
southeast, to VUCORATI,
Which is a village, on a creek of the same
name, in a very mountainous and rugged
country. The population is a mixture of In-

104 MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS.
dians and Mexicans, and numbers not more
than three hundred, altogether. At this place
are old Spanish diggings of much interest, the
ruins of their works showing that here was
once a large population of gold-seekers. The
country adjacent to Yucorati is quite perfora
ted with shafts and drifts, in all directions.
The bed of the creek itself has been tried in
every conceivable manner. Both natives and
foreigners have put their hands to the effort to
extract the gold, but without success, on ac
count of the quicksands which prevent them
getting to the ledge in which it is deposited.
All who have experimented have the same
opinion of the richness of the dirt.
CASA VIEJA.
East of Yucorati, fifteen leagues, is Casa
Vieja, or " Old House." There is an old ranche
here, which appears to have been for the rais
ing of stock and grain on an extensive scale,
though now only a few families live on it. I
here met an Indian of the tribe of " Onavas,"
who invited me to go on a visit to his tribe,
living over a chain of mountains to the south
east. Accepting the invitation, I accompanied

MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS. 105
t
my Indian friend, and found his people living
in a valley, with a beautiful stream of water,
fine land, and plenty of cypress and cedar tim
ber — altogether a charming region for farmers.
These Indians seemed to be quite comfortable,
having an abundance of corn, and pumpkins
of a very sweet and mealy taste, besides vege
tables and fruits, and some stock. They
seemed to be unwilling to have their country
prospected, and I was unable to satisfy my
inquiries among them. I saw, however, rich
specimens of copper and silver ore. I found,
also, a copper mine that had been worked in
the Spanish times, and on the banks of the
streams numerous places where the soil had
been prospected in the search for gold, and in
some places shafts in ruins.
GUADALUPE CALVO.
Leaving the neighborhood of the Onavas, I
continued in a course a little south of east,
and arrived, after five days of arduous travel,
over a very rough country, at " Guadalupe
Calvo." This mine is near the line of Sinaloa
and Chihuahua, and furnishes both gold and
silver. It was formerly a very rich mine, and

106 MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS. *
A
was in " bonanga," or full bloom, about twenty
years ago. An English company then worked
it, who put up extensive machinery, and at
tracted to the mine a large population from all
parts of the country. Produce was carried
there from Sinaloa and Chihuahua, and its
exports of gold and silver bars were at that
time very great. A large capital was required
to work it, and when the revolutions of the
country had frightened capital away, it went
down. It is still worked a little, but not with
its former rich returns, and is waiting the
time when money and energy shall have been
induced to re-enter the country, when it will
again become a centre of business to quite a
population. It is situated in the most rugged
portion of the Sierra Madre, where mountains
on mountains are so piled up that not an ear
of corn is raised. MORELOS.
Travelling north from this mine of Guada
lupe Calvo, I found the country exceeding
rough, but showing appearances of mineral
wealth, yet meeting nothing of interest for
three days ; at the end of which time I came

MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS. 107
to Morelos, a mining village, having a popula
tion of about five hundred. Nearly all the in
habitants live by mining, and only a few
patches of grain are raised.
BATOPOLIS.
Keeping north for two days more, and trav
ersing the same rough country, with no inhab
itants except a few hamlets of Tarumaria In
dians, I arrived, rather footsore, at Batopolis,
in the state of Chihuahua. This town is the
capital of the judicial district of Southwestern
Chihuahua. It has a population of over one
thousand, citizens and miners. It is here that
all the lawsuits concerning mines are decided.
There are numerous mines in the vicinity,
of both gold and silver. I saw pure virgin
silver taken out of some of these placers, and
many of these specimens were real " gems,"
that would grace any museum. The mines
in this region are extensive enough to give
employment to all the surplus capital in the
United States. None of them appear to have
been recently worked, and probably belonged
to the time when this country was called New-
Spain, and governed by viceroys. Their rich-

108 MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS.
ness is self-evident, when Mexicans, with their
proverbial awkwardness and slowness, are
monthly sending mule-loads of silver to the
mint at Chihuahua.
Batopolis is on the Fuerte river. Its mines
are found on either side of the stream. In
the vicinity are some small farms, and some
stock. The mules of that region are remark
able for docility, endurance and sure-footed-
ness. Both pine and oak are abundant, and
the timber is of a good quality.
Turning south again, five leagues, I reached
the Durasno, or Peach farm, situated on a
" mesa," or small table-land. It is owned by
Don Francisco Vinaigree, a large land and
stock owner, and miner. The mine this gen
tleman is working is one of the richest in Bat
opolis, and it was from here that some of the fin
est specimens mentioned above, were brought.
From this ranche, I kept on the same course
four leagues, to the Mission of the Taruma-
rias, on the Fuerte river. The Mission is own
ed by the clergy, and kept for the education of
the Indians in the Catholic faith. There is
quite a large village of Indians at the mission,
who raise grain and fruit, and keep large herds
of cattle, sheep, and goats.

MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS. 109
Three leagues farther south, I came to Beal-
ito, a mining village of about two hundred
people. The mines here are of silver. One
league from the Realitois the famous " Mount
Serat " mine, operated now by Dr. Don Juan
Migloria. Its elevation on a high mountain
makes it a very prominent object, a sort of
sign-post in those mountains of mountains.
Mount Serat has been extensively worked, and
all around it, in the mountains, shafts have
been sunk and drifts worked out. It is still
worked on a small scale, but for want of
means, as in so many cases, the operations are
quite limited, arid the owner is unable to get
at the heart of the hills.
The Realito is filled with a transient popu
lation, of the worst description, being miners
from other places, driven away for bad con
duct ; broken-down gamblers come here to
make a raise, while criminals from every part
of the country congregate here, because there
are so many miners close together, where they
can pick up an easy living by a little occa
sional work. Only two of the citizens pretend
to any respectability ; and, altogether, it is not
just the sort of place for a man with money,
or an honest man any way, to trust himself.
5

110 MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS.
I should advise those who go there with hon
orable intentions, to go in parties large enough
to insure their own safety ; as the Apaches axe
not much more to be dreaded than this sort of
human scum of the Realito. It would be a
great providence if some pestilence could
carry off these pests of good society.
I give here the names of some of the most
prominent mines in this neighborhood : " Totos
Santos," or " All Saints" mine, " San Jose,"
and "Sta. Catherina." I remained in this
vicinity about three weeks. While here; I
witnessed an instance of remarkable luck. A
man from Morelos, who had lost all he had
by drinking and gambling, and was in debt
besides to the amount of five hundred dollars,
came here. He had never worked a day in
his life, but the fear of being made a peon of,
for debt, made him go to work for the first
time. He began at an old shaft that had not,
probably, been worked for forty years, which
I saw with my own eyes. For several days
he was unsuccessful, but at the end of the
eleventh day had taken out five hundred dol
lars in silver ore, of first-class metal. This
was excellent luck. But, not knowing what
to do with it, to secure it from the thieving,

MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS. Ill
hungry hordes about him, and having >no
way of secreting it, he went to the justice,
who promised to take care of it for him. In
the settlement, however, the justice contrived
to swindle him out of the largest portion of it.
And this was Mexican honor. I do not know
whether the man was encouraged by his luck
to persevere ; or discouraged by the justice he
met, from further effort.
From the Realito, down the Fuerte river for
two leagues, I travelled over a road of the
most dangerous description. The mountains
close right down to the river, so as to leave
scarcely a foothold for animals, and the wa
ters being high, I had to pass over smooth,
slippery rocks, with the abrupt mountain wall
on one side and the foaming river on the
other. It is a formidable pass, and not a few
animals are precipitated down its rocky side
into the river.
At the end of the two leagues I came to
some hot springs, close to the bank of the
Fuerte. Another mile below is the mouth of
a small creek called Potrero, where there are
a few families living, and the bottom land is
planted with a few patches of corn.
Following the river again, over the same

112 MAVo AND FUERTE VALLEYS.
kind of rugged road, I reached the arroya of
Los Cueros, which is the dividing line between
Sinaloa and Chihuahua. Turning up the
creek to the Real of Los Cueros, or " village
of hardships," I found the roughness of the
country excuse for this translation, though the
literal one is " The Hides." The small popu
lation is confined mostly to the banks of the
creek. Ruins show that a large population
once dwelt here, and worked extensively in the
silver mines of this neighborhood. The leads
of these mines are mostly small threads of
silver, the threads running in all directions.
The way out of this Real is by climbing a
high mountain, in a zigzag course, and fol
lowing, when you get to the top, the high,
narrow ridges, for three miles, in almost mo
mentary danger of falling, on either side. The
descent is about four miles to the banks of an
arroya, along. the windings of which is cut a
path on the edge of the rocks, which gives the
smallest possible space for a pack animal to
pass. This arroya is called " De los Frances-
cas," which is also the name of a mine upon
its bank, said to have been once worked by a
foreign company, probably French, as the
name seems to signify. There are the remains

MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS. 113
of some decayed or ruined buildings, and traces
of forcing works.
Passing from here, over a mountain as high
and difficult to surmount as the one on the
road from Los Cueros, and reaching the bottom,
I found myself on another creek, the arroya de
Castro. It is a beautiful stream of water,
running southeast, and has a ranche for stock-
raising at this place. A league below is a
saltpetre cave, worked by the Signors Ibarra,
of Fuerte.
Following the stream down, and crossing
and recrossing with great difficulty, at the
distance of another league I came to the ruins
of a village, where there seemed, from the ex
cavations, to have been gold-diggings covering
quite an extent of country. A few Mayos In
dians were packing dirt and washing it in
their primitive fashion.
THE OLD INDIAN OF SANTA RITA.
From this place I followed the stream still
down, another two leagues, sometimes on the
bank, sometimes in the bed of the stream, and
sometimes on the bluffs, to Santa Bita. This
name is a misnomer, and should have been

114 MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS.
Botany Bay, as it is an entirely suitable place
for state prisoners, there being hardly a way in
and nearly none out. There is, however, a
copper and silver mine whitening a mile of its
rough sides. This mine has created some ex
citement in Sinaloa, and also in the United
States, among some individuals. As to its
richness, I can say nothing. It appeared to
me like a great mass of greenish ore, of but
little value.
I remained at Santa Rita four days, fearing
the probable fate which would befall me if I
tried to escape. During my stay I formed an
acquaintance with an old Mayos Indian, who
was probably eighty years of age. He spoke
Spanish sufficiently well to converse under-
standingly, and informed me that he had lived
in that place for. more than sixty years, raising
a large family there. I interrogated him as to
his reasons for choosing such an out-of-the-
way place of abode, so perfectly repulsive and
God-forsaken. He replied that, " believing me
to be a good man, he would confide to me his
secret motive. Although very poor, and hav
ing a large family, he had, he said, a place to
go to raise a little of the needful, when his
circumstances required it. After a little talk,

MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS. 115
he proposed to me to go and look at his bank.
I accompanied him a distance of three miles,
over a way filled with obstructions, having to
make the last three hundred yards by swing
ing ourselves on shrubs and anything within
reach which would sustain our weight. On
reaching the spot which he intended to show
me, I saw the points of some quartz rocks and
small leads of ore. Examining it, I found it
to be gold, which in some places was quite
visible. There had been some slender at
tempts at excavation, made no doubt by him
self, as he told me that himself and wife and
sons sometimes worked here to get a little
gold. I confessed that, although his bank was
not easily broken, I should much prefer taking
my chances where there were no such depos
its, to living here ; whereupon we returned to
Santa Rita. This unfortunate spot is not
blest with sunshine until nine o'clock in the
morning, and is again deprived of it at three
in the afternoon. Neither has it a level place
to walk, unless it be in the bed of the creek ;
all is steep mountain-sides.

116 MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS.
TRAITS OF THE FUERTE VALLEY.
Among the shrubs and plants of that section
of country is the " Yerba de Flecha," a very
poisonous plant, whose name signifies its an
cient use of poisoning arrows. I have seen
from my own experience that it is very deadly
and quick. If known, it would become an
article of commerce. There is, also, the " Ase-
badilla," for which I know no translation, but
it is used in healing the cuts, bruises, or sores
of animals, and as a purgative acts as effectu
ally as calomel. From its abundance, it costs
nothing, though a valuable medicine.
South from Santa Rita, four leagues, keeping
to the southwest of the arroya de Castro, and
one league from this stream, is the hacienda
" de l'Esponjada," or " Spongy mountain."
The mountain from which the hacienda takes
its name, is composed of a loose, spongy dirt,
which, when it rains, washes down in great
quantities, obstructing the roads.
On the same mountain, at one league from
the hacienda, is a mine newly opened, in
which are found veins of gold, silver, and lead.
This mine is in a remarkable place, the mouth
of it being so high up the mountain that, for

MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS. 117
the last three hundred yards, no road for ani
mals could possibly be made, and the ores
have to be carried down on the backs of men.
The shaft is sunk one hundred and fifty feet,
and lies at an angle of forty-five degrees.
While I was at the mine, one poor fellow was
so unfortunate as to slip at the mouth of the
mine, and was precipitated down the banks to
the ravine below, and instantly killed.
Travelling south, and ascending the Espon-
jada mountain, about two leagues of very
rough road brought me to its top. Here I pur
sued the same direction, along a sort of table
land, it being a fine country, beautifully tim
bered, and well watered. Farming might be
followed here, as the soil seems pretty good for
raising grains or fruits. From this elevated
spot, I had, as I descended, a refreshing view
of the several valleys in sight from this promi
nent stand-point. Laid out like a beautiful
picture were the bottom-lands of the Fuerte,
the Chois, and the Portreros, their waters seem
ing to glide like silver veins through the green
valleys. No more did Fuerte, " the strong,"
rush headlong toward the gulf, but only stole
peacefully along from winding to winding. I
lingered on this height before descending,
5*

118 MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS.
chary of losing the sight, so pleasant to me
after my toilsome mountain scrambles. On
my right, coursing southwest, is the Fuerte.
On the left, the Chois and its various tributa
ries. Along the valley of the Chois, and fol
lowing the same direction, is a chain of
mountains ; and where I see the faint smoke
of industry, are the mines of " Plantanas " and
" Masamique." Before me, and as far away as
the eye can reach, is another range of hills, in
which is situated the mine " Salusperde ;" but
it is between them and me that my eyes rest
with most pleasure ; for, after being so many
days wearied with the sight of " Alp on Alp,"
and with ascending and descending, with
nothing in view but pine woods and Indians,
I felt new strength invigorate my frame, and
new lightness enter my feet, at the sight of
ranches and houses, here and there, and corn
fields, patches of sugar-cane, groves of bananas,
orchards of oranges, and all the tokens of a
fruitful soil and prosperity. Nature has given
of her abundance to these beautiful valleys.
MASAMIQUE COPPER MINE.
Descending the valley about ten miles, I
visited the Masamique copper mine. (Masa-

MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS.

119

mique is the Mayos word for deer.) This mine
is under the superintendence of Mr. George
Walker, a seaman by profession ; but, not
withstanding the element to which he is
native, his success here shows ingenuity and
skill in his latter occupation of mining. The
mine is owned by the Signors Ibarra Brothers,
of Fuerte. The superintendent, by his frank
good humor and courtesy, has conciliated the
Mexicans, usually so prejudiced against Amer
icans, and made himself thoroughly popular.
His furnaces are built on the German plan,
and he has introduced some improvements in
them. He employs over one hundred work
men. I take great pleasure in commending a
man who has been able to make much out of
little, and shown himself a good manager of
mines as well as a gentleman.
LAS PLANTANAS AND OTHER MINES.
Two leagues from Masamique is the copper
mine of " Las Plantanas," or " The Bananas."
This mine is owned by the same company,
and under the same superintendent as the
other. Turning west from here, I came to the

120 MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS.
Queleli, or Vulture creek. This creek takes its
rise in the Masamique mountain, and running
in a southwest direction, empties into the
Fuerte river. This is a resort for the " appur-
adors," or all those who are " hard up," as it is
famous for producing a very " coarse" gold, of
fine quality. The country is productive and
healthy, and the people lazy to an unusual
degree even in Mexico. They work only when
their necessities compel them to it. One
thing, however, they do accomplish in a very
creditable manner — they raise the largest aver
age families that I have ever seen. This
occasions many marriages and baptisms. A
baptism costs one dollar and fifty cents, and a
marriage from twelve dollars to two hundred ;
so that some money must be had for these
occasions. But cash is an article rather scarce
among them, though it is clearly their own
fault. The " Queleli," however, is their re
source when money has to be raised, and the
priests have good reason to praise this stream,
which never fails to pay to the demanding
batea the amount required for their fees, and
has for years supplied them with so much
ready money.
This creek has been worked to a considera-

MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS. 121
ble extent, and there are yet some good dig
gings remaining, especially if machinery could
be brought to bear upon them, handled by
some little enterprise. FARMING LANDS.
From Queleli I proceeded to Chois, passing
by the Tajadera, a place of considerable stock-
raising and some farming. The Banchito is
another small farming place, only one league
distant from Chois.
From Chois I took a southwest course, for
seven leagues, to Bacca, passing on this road
various stock farms, among which were the
Bajossa and the Adobes. Sugar-cane and
corn are also raised at the latter. The produce
of these farms finds a ready market at the
mines. The Adobes is only three leagues
from Bacca, which place is a Mayos Indian
village, on the Fuerte river, of more than two
thousand inhabitants. Their occupation is
farming, which they prosecute in very good
style, and raise some1 fine stock.
Going south from Bacca, five leagues, dowm
the river, I came to the Pueblo of Torre, an
other Indian village — " Torre " signifying

122 MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS.
" bull," as " Bacca" does " cow." This is a
stirring village of three or four thousand souls,
and the portion of country surrounding it is a
garden of fertility. The valley is about twelve
miles in length and four in average width. It
is nearly all cultivated to a very high degree,
and produces bountifully. The village is situ
ate on an eminence in the centre of the val
ley, and affords a delightful view of the several
miles of cultivation surrounding it — a rather
unusual sight in this country.
Three leagues southeast of Torre is the
Sienega, or " Marsh land" ranche. This is a
fine tract of land, under a high state of im
provement, producing large crops of grain.
There are over three thousand head of stock on
this farm, and other things in proportion.
Keeping down the river for a little distance,
we come to the large farming establishment of
Pajarro, or "The Bird," belonging to the
Signors Ibarra del Fuerte, and celebrated for
its beans. FUERTE.
Travelling five leagues from here, and
through a farming country of some interest,
we find ourselves at the city of Fuerte, a place

MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS. 123
-of much promise. It is situate on the river,
where the valley opens out into a broader ex
panse of fertile country, and is on the route to
Culiacan and Alamo, being seventy leagues
from the latter, and eighty-two from the for
mer place. It is only seventy-five miles from
the Gulf, where some shipping is done " a la
Bacca." Fuerte is the place of trade for all the
surrounding country, supplying with merchan
dise the mines in the vicinity. Its trade would
be considerably increased if there were a few
more business men to manage affairs. The
city of Fuerte furnishes a contrast to many
Mexican towns, in the fact that it is constantly
increasing in size and population, its present
number of inhabitants being about five thou
sand. Some of its buildings are very hand
somely constructed. It has a fine church, a
plaza, and one or two blocks of houses, which
are quite in a modern style.
Should the country ever become open to
trade, there will be easy access by the river,
which is perfectly navigable to this place, and
makes one of its important features. The
commerce of Fuerte must be doubled whenever
steam navigation can be introduced upon the
river. The present road from this city to the

124 MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS.
port is through a well-settled strip of country,
and communication is made easy by a good
carriage-way. THE COUNTRY SOUTH OF FUERTE.
Taking a southerly direction from the valley
of the Fuerte, at the end of the first league I
found a stock ranche, and at the distance of
three leagues more, another, whose name
I forget, but it makes some pretension to rais
ing corn and beans, as well as stock, and is
situate in the bed of a dry creek.
From this ranche to the village of Montoya
is seven leagues, south. Montoya is on a
pretty, small stream, and has a population of
three hundred, scattered along the bottom
land for three miles. They raise good grain,
and have fine stock. The country around is
good for grazing, and there is some mesquit
timber, but it is generally destitute of water.
Continuing in the same direction for four
leagues, I found the1 country pretty level for
that distance ; after which I emerged from the
pass of a narrow chain of mountains (the pass
is called the " pass of los muertos," or robbers),
upon a stony road, which took me, after three

MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS. 125
leagues more, to the " Igura" camping-ground,
under a large fig tree's shade, where there are
two small streams of water. The country
about this spot is very hilly, and thickly cov
ered with worthless timber. I found plenty
of dew in this place, but the grazing was in
different. Still going south, down the hills, I came,
after eight leagues of uninteresting travel, to
" La Tajadera," a small ranche, where farming
as well as stock-raising was carried on. Taja
dera signifies that it is a narrow strip of land
where it is situate, it being on a small creek
named " Los Estrellas," or " water in pools,"
where the bottoms are small or narrow. This
creek has some gold-diggings in several places.
The population of Tajadera is seventy-five
souls. I followed the bottom of " Los Estrellas" for
about three leagues, and found heavy timber
all along it, and plenty of game — deer and rab
bit. The land would be excellent for cultiva
tion if it were cleared. Leaving the bottom,
I kept on for seven leagues more, over a
mountainous country, with no openings in
the timber except the road, and emerged at
last upon the edge of a clearing, where

126 MAYO AND FUERTE VALLEYS.
stood the town of " Ocorono," on the same
creek of Los Estrellas. Ocorono is an infant
Cincinnati, being the place where hogs are
raised, slaughtered, and packed, for the min
ing regions. I have seen better places than
this ; but it is nevertheless very favorable for
farming, on account of the quality of the soil.
THE TOWN OF SINALOA.
Getting started again, I found, at the end
of two leagues, a ranche, on a branch of the
same creek, where considerable stock and a
little grain were raised. Seventy leagues from
here, of very dreary travel, and affording noth
ing remarkable to the view, unless it was
the great number of rabbits in the woods,
brought me to Sinaloa, on the Sinaloa river.
This is a town of perhaps one thousand inhab
itants, and looks like an old place, with an
old church tower of, it" may be, the time of the
Spaniards. There is very little trade here, ex
cept in corn and cattle, both of which are
abundant enough.

THE VALLEY OF THE SINALOA,

THE YALLEY OF THE SINALOA.

This valley is the garden of the state ; and
I have seen but few valleys in Northern
Mexico to equal it in productiveness. Corn
sells for next to nothing, and the pumpkins
raised with it are the sweetest I ever tasted.
A good many hogs are raised and fattened ;
also many asses, and mules, and horses, are
furnished to buyers at very low prices. The
products of the country, for the present, are
ahead of its needful consumption.
The mouth of the Sinaloa river is widened
into a bay called the Bay of Narachista, and
is a small port, of little importance, at a dis
tance of sixteen leagues from the town of
Sinaloa. Only small vessels can get into the
harbor of Narachista, its difficulty of access
being occasioned by the numerous islands and
rocks in its waters. Its trade is in hides, corn,
panoche, and some timber, which is rafted
down the Sinaloa, for the Mazatlan trade.
From Sinaloa city I went up the valley,

130 THE VALLEY OF
riding for nine leagues amid waving cornfields,
four or five miles in breadth. In the centre
of these immense fields were the farm-houses,
surrounded by little patches of beans, pump
kins, and chile.
After getting through the cornfields, I en
tered the timber to the north, the river being
on my left. After two leagues of travel, I
came to a small creek where I found some
water, and a little farther on a place called
Milpas, where I stopped for the night. It is
half hacienda, half ranche, raising considera
ble sugar-cane and beans, and plenty of stock*
The next day I reached the Pueblo de JJeroh
or " town of the fair-skinned," a Mayos Indian
settlement of three hundred inhabitants. As
in most cases, these Indians are farmers ; but
they also do some gold-washing on the banks
of the Sinaloa, which I here again retouched.
Two leagues beyond is the copper mine of
" Lajos," or " rocks piled on rocks." This
mine is worked by an English company, who
employ about one hundred hands.
TREES AND PLANTS OF THE VALLEY.
A league from this mine is an old " mib
pas," or cornfield, called Chapotilla. Chapote

THE SINALOA. 131
is the name of a very succulent and refreshing
fruit resembling pears, and grows in all the
valley at the foot of the mountains. Here, too,
is a tree which I called the " flower of the for
est," but which bears the name of "palo santa,"
or " holy tree." Its bark, which is smooth and
white, is a remedy for poison, and its branches
are completely covered with white flowers, re
sembling lilacs. It makes a very striking
object in a landscape, its height elevating it
above the surrounding forest. It is common to
all Sinaloa, but grows most abundantly be
tween the Sinaloa and Culiacan rivers. The
" mapo" is another flowering tree of great
beauty, arid is valuable for its wood, which
grows tall and straight, and is of a very fine
grain, suitable for manufacturing purposes.
The " manton" is a fine wood, and excellent
for charcoal. It has a small purple blossom.
The " tepehuaca" is a low, heavy, branchy tree,
resembling in its growth the live oak. It is
used in making " los bollies" for " los molinos
de cana de agucar," or for the rollers of sugar
cane mills.
These rollers stand in a frame, three in each,
the middle one being the highest. There is a
lever on the head of the centre one for a span

132 THE VALLEY OF
of mules to work. These rollers are provided
with teeth, which receive the motion from the
centre one, and the cane thrust between them
is crushed. The tepehuaca is furnished with a beautiful
flower, which grows a beari. The bark is also,
when infused, a powerful emetic, and it should
only be used in extreme cases. A piece of the
wood steeped in drinking water is used for
ague and fever.
The " pochotes," or cotton tree, has a soft
wood, with a thorny bark, resembling the
prickly ash. It bears a small flower, of a
cream red, which produces a cocoon that,
when ripe, opens on the tree, and yields a ball
of the finest cotton. It is used for making
pillows, and for lamp-wicking, candle- wicking,
&c. " Palo nesca" is a tall tree with a green
bark. The wood is used for making cogs, or
anything which requires hardness. The In
dians call it " palo piojo," or lice-wood, using
an infusion of the leaves to cleanse their heads
of troublesome tenantry. It is a fine tonic.
The " gum copal" is a low tree, with an inner
bark, reddish and gummy, which furnishes an
ingredient for making varnish. All these va
rieties of trees are common to Sinaloa. There

THE SINALOA. 133
is besides, the " palo fierro," or iron wood, a
species of lignum vitas.
The Chapotillo is an abandoned farm, and
is situate on a bend of the river, shut in be
tween high hills. It is also an old digging of
some celebrity. I went over a square mile of
land where the soil had been turned upside
down, and thoroughly prospected. I washed
several pans, and always found the color, but
only two specks of coarse gold in the whole of
them. I did not get to the ledge. Water is
convenient and provisions plenty ; also, wood
and timber. GOLD PLACERS.
Two leagues from here is Baconbirito, at the
junction of one of the tributaries of the Sina
loa river. Three creeks come together at this
place, whitening two hundred yards of bank
with placers. Baconbirito is to the Sinaloa
valley what Chois is to the Fuerte valley. Its
old, dilapidated church shows signs of better
days ; and it is, to my belief, a place of future
importance. The soil on which it stands is
full of gold, and I have washed it out of the
dirt in the yards of the houses. A hundred
yards from the village is a " mesa," or table-
6

134 THE VALLEY OF
land. It is formed by a horse-shoe bend of the
river ; and, on the southern side, another
creek runs into the river, making it almost an
island. It is, perhaps, two by five miles in
extent, and partly planted with corn ; but the
interest of the mesa is that it has been worked
for gold, and the whole elevation, which is one
hundred and twenty feet at low water, would
pay for washing out. The gold is coarse, and
pays eighteen dollars to the ounce. I counted
more than two hundred shafts sunk, all of
them so old that trees and shrubs have grown
on the dirt excavated. The paying dirt is in
layers or strata. The oldest inhabitants tell
me that gold has been taken out in large quan
tities, but that the ledge was never reached,
on account of water in the shafts. Water
could easily be brought to bear on the whole
extent of ground, and the abundance of timber
and provisions makes it a good location for
miners. I would counsel them not to come
without saws, as they are an article not to be
had for the money. There are, however, tin
smiths and blacksmiths in Baconbirito. Not
only the mesa, but the whole bottom, far and
near, has been prospected for gold, and has
yielded very well. Some of the natives con-

THE SINALOA. 135
tinue to work, with the pan and batea, and
make on an average seventy-five cents per day,
which, in this country of cheap living, they
consider good wages.
The upper river furnishes abundance of pine
and oak timber, and there are some abandoned
silver mines in the vicinity. Many of the
Mayos Indians have a better knowledge of the
resources of the country than the Mexicans,
and are more favorably disposed toward for
eigners. I started, on my return to Sinaloa, on the
north side of the river, stopping three days at
the new settlement of Buena Vista. It is
situated on a high bluff overlooking the river
and the valley for a distance of five leagues.
The sight is one of rich fertility, seldom
equalled, and not excelled in any part of that
country. Leaving Sinaloa, I kept on south once more,
to Culiacan, distant forty-eight leagues. After
leaving Sinaloa the country is very uninviting,
for three leagues, to the Hacienda de los Sapos,
or " Bullfrog Hacienda." At this farm was a
fine manada, or droves of mules and horses.
The water is supplied by a spring.
Five leagues on my road I came to a desert-

136 THE VALLEY OF
ed ranche, on a small creek flowing north, and
very heavy timbered — the timber being full of
thorny underbrush. The ground, too, was ex
ceedingly rugged and stony. Grass and water
were very scarce. Following up a small creek,
southwest, I came to a high table-land. Three
leagues then brought me to the Coyote, or
" Wolf ranche,'' a poor, miserable farm, but
with a fine manada of horses. Water is kept in
a " represso," or reservoir, a large square pond,
banked about with the excavated dirt, and
surrounded moreover by a wall of stone ma
sonry, with a gate. Travellers must pay their
" medio," or six cents a day, for having their
animals watered here. In some places the
rates are much higher. Southeast of this
place, I came to the Sienega, or marsh farm,
and also to another stock farm with a few in
habitants. Two leagues away is the ranche
of Agua Caliente, or "Hot Springs." The
springs fill a large lake or marsh, where wild
geese abound as well as a most excellently
flavored fish. Drinking water is bad, and
the grass thin and poor. But little corn is
raised at this ranche. Population about one
hundred.

THE -SINALOA. 137
MOCORITO AND ITS VALLEY.
Continuing south from here, through timber
and thick underbrush, for five leagues, I came
to the Pueblo de Mocorito, or " pretty stream."
It is a lively, thriving place, of some seven
hundred inhabitants. The creek has a kind
of port where coasting flat-boats arrive, and
carry away produce. There are a good many
stores, and an old church whose tower is seen
from a great distance, being remarkable for its
height. The creek, as its name implies, is a
most picturesque small water- course, which
empties itself into the gulf. Its banks are
planted with grain crops to a great distance,
especially toward the northeast, and its bottom
land is seven or eight miles wide. Some of
the hills in the vicinity furnish gold fields, but
they are three miles from water.
I travelled up this river about three miles,
in an easterly direction, then left the bottoms
and struck into the woods, which were of the
beautiful flowering tree " palo santa." It was
like being in an enchanted land. Not long
after, I reached a small farm, where I was in
vited to partake of an iguana roasted in the
ashes. The monster looked very disgusting,

138 THE VALLEY OF
but curiosity and hunger, sharpened by a
morning's ride, tempted me to partake. This
animal is a species of overgrown lizard, from
the size of a gray squirrel to that of a young
alligator, whose legs it has, four in number,
and made to climb trees, at whose tops they
build round houses of mud and sticks. They
live on wild fruit and the bark of trees. They
are perfectly harmless, and though very un
prepossessing in appearance, have a good fla
vored meat.
Four leagues from this farm, I came to the
Iguerita, or " small fig-tree." It is quite a pue
blo, or rather village ; and all the country
about is in a fine state of cultivation. It is a
country of low hills, or rolling land. I saw
many desirable " sitios" — a sitio is a square
league of land, the usual size of a farm — with
prominent places for building upon them.
This village is a good market in which to buy
horses, mules, or asses.
Iguera is another village, four leagues to
the west, and of the same character. Leaving
Iguerita, I went southeast, until I came to
the ranche of Poma. This is the name of a
tall, slim tree, whose branches are covered
with leaves, of which animals are very fond.

THE SINALOA. 139
They fatten upon them as well as upon corn
This Poma is a very fine farm. The palmas
are very abundant here, their leaves covering
the ground for leagues. The leaves are in
common use for covering houses, making a
light and convenient roofing. The round
boles of the tree are used in building, and are
invaluable for wharfing or piling. They are
the best timber to put into mines, as they
stand longest without rotting. There is a
small species, called " palma de sierra," or
mountain palm.
Four leagues south of the Poma is the village
of Macoro, of about four hundred inhabitants.
The people are farmers and stock-raisers. This
is where the road forks going to Mocorito.
The road which I have been describing is the
eastern, passing close up the hills. The west
ern road traverses the same kind of farming
country, but better watered than is usual for
this part of Mexico. La Palma is the only
village of any note on that route.
From Mocoro, I crossed the small arroya
which passes to the west, and travelled for two
leagues over a very fine country, unsettled,
but suitable for farming. The road takes a
southwestern direction to go through a range

140 THE VALLEY OF
of hills, cutting it at right angles. The first
stopping-place is El Horcado, or "The Hanged."
There are signs of an old settlement here, and
a gallows is standing, where some robber has
been punished for his misdeeds. It is at the
very opening of the pass, and it might remind
one that even in Mexico there is still some
justice. There is a stretch of twelve leagues
before you come to this pass, which is called a
cafion. It has lately acquired some celebrity
from the battle fought there for the supremacy
of Sonora and Sinaloa, between the troops of
Gandara and Pesquiera. General Borunda,
who commanded for Gandara, was lying in
wait in the narrow road, which did not give
him any chance to use his artillery and caval
ry. General J. M. Morales, commonly called
the " cachoro," or " young pup," who was
posted behind the hills, opened a brisk fire
with his small artillery, and then charging
Gandara's men, put them to flight in confusion,
and completely routed them. General Borunda
was killed, and with him died the hopes of
Gandara. I arrived at the Noria (which
means "well"), where I again had to pay for
water. Seven leagues farther on is the Majole, or

THE SINALOA. 141
Mokole, on the river of the same name. This
Mokole creek empties into the Culiacan river,
toward which I proceeded, following the bank
of the river, studded with farm-houses and
fields under high cultivation. Bananas and
peaches grew in great abundance along my
road ; also the large fig-trees in the bottoms.
I arrived on the bank of the Culiacan river,
which I forthwith crossed, and dismounted
at a comfortable mansion, where I was glad
to take a rest before thinking of examin
ing it. CULIACAN CITY.
Culiacan is the largest inland town of either
Sinaloa or Sonora, having six thousand inhabi
tants. Mazatlan is not much larger, though
the largest of the seaports. It has some man
ufactories of cotton stuffs, under the protection
of the Vega family, the richest and most influ
ential family of Culiacan. The Vegas have
for years played the role of Gandara, and have
kept the government of Sinaloa in their hands ;
nor have they ever hesitated to plunge the
state in wars to retain their power. They
have the ownership of some of the richest sil-
6*

142 THE VALLEY OF
ver mines in Northern Mexico, besides cattle,
caballada, and large landed estates.
Culiacon has a more city-like appearance
than any town before mentioned. Its streets
are laid at right angles with each other, and
the plaza is handsomely shaded with fine
trees, making it a delightful promenade. The
" Meson" is a comfortable place for travellers,
with good stabling for animals, good rooms,
and meals served either at the public table or
in your private apartment, for reasonable
prices. There is also a restaurant, kept by a
Frenchman, where those who have dainty pal
ates may find something to their taste. The
Culiacaneros have a club, after the fashion of
an American town.
The mint buildings are not the least inter
esting objects to a stranger, for in them are
coined all the produce of the mines of Sinaloa
and Sonora. It is a fine and efficient mint,
and was put into its present condition by Eng
lish artists. American gold is here taken at
par, not suffering the usual high per cent, of
this part of Mexico. Several hundred foreign
ers are engaged in business in this city, chiefly
French, English, and Spanish. Culiacan owes
its present state of civilization to the influence

THE SINALOA. 143
of its few foreign residents, who have engaged
in its affairs for fifteen or twenty years, as well
as to the immense wealth poured into it from
the rich silver mines of the country, far and
near. Barras of gold and silver come to be
coined from Guadalupe de los Reyes, from the
mineral country around San Ignacio and Casa-
la, from the great mines of Guadalupe Calvo,
from the mines of Baconbirito, from the region
of the Fuerte valley, from Alamos, and from
all Sonora. This was formerly the nearest
place of coinage for Chihuahua and Durango,
the only other mint being on tbe other side of
the Sierra Madre, and their passes have become
celebrated for the robberies committed in them.
Besides these, the Comanche Indians had to
be encountered. This combination of circum
stances forced all the bullion into the mint of
Culiacan ; but, more recently, a branch mint
has been established at Alamos, where it was
long ago very much needed.
The country around Culiacan is level, and
can be irrigated easily for a considerable dis
tance. Tbe water of the river is abundant,
and the bank very low ; besides which, the
country is not cut up by many streams coming
from the mountains. Few places are better

144 THE VALLEY OF
situated for the arts and manufactures. An
extensive agricultural region insures cheap
ness of raw material, and the soil is well
adapted to grow cotton, sugar-cane, and rice,
as well as other farming products. The pres
ent governor of Sinaloa, Don Placido Vega, is
very friendly to foreigners, and anxious to pro
mote immigration and settlement, and to en
graft their civilization upon the people of the
country, as well as to secure their capital and
commerce. Nothing stands in the way of en
lightening the present race of Mexicans except
their own indolence, and some prejudice, for
they are quite an inoffensive sort of people,
and well disposed toward humanity in gen
eral. CULIACAN VALLEY.
Following the river fifteen leagues west, I
reached the port of Altata. It is on the gulf,
and is the outlet for the trade of Culiacan and
the surrounding mines. Immense are the sums
of money that for the last twenty years have
been shipped from this little port. It is fre
quented by coasting boats, and large vessels
are lying at anchor a short distance away. It
might be here remarked that much of the sii-

THE SINALOA. 145
ver which ought to be exported at this place
is smuggled from some other place not far off
along the coast.
Enclosed between the gulf and the river is
a ranche of twenty leagues square, owned by
an enterprising Scotchman by the name of
Quentin Douglas. A large portion of it is for
grain-raising, being under good cultivation.
There is also a mescal distillery on the place,
and the owner does some exporting in dye-
woods. At a distance of twenty-five or thirty leagues
from Culiacan, on the road to Guadalupe Cal
vo, is another silver mine, called the " Quebrada
Onda," or the " deep ravine." It is a second-
class mine, but is paying very well. It had
recently been plundered and sacked by a band
of robbers, who committed great ravages, and
was just recovering from its ruined condition.
It is about eighty -two leagues, southwest,
from Culiacan to Mazatlan, the great outlet
for all Sinaloa and Durango. We must, how
ever, turn our attention to the silver mines in
this section, which are quite worthy of notice.
Travelling southeast from Culiacan for some
seven or eight leagues of pretty level country,
perfectly well watered, I came to the Los Vegas

146 THE VALLEY OF
river, a fine stream of water that I crossed
twice, as it makes an island at this place.
This is a fine farming country, " los vegas" sig
nifying a plain well supplied with water, or a
ground fit for planting. On the top of a low
hill, overlooking the Vega, is the residence.
From Los< Vegas I proceeded to Los Plantanas,
seven leagues southeast. After travelling
four leagues more, I went through a pass in
a chain of hills, and emerging from this, found
myself at the hacienda De los Vegas. The
residence is a large, plain building, and un
sightly as uncommon in this land of abun
dant timber. The farm is a fine one, having
large quantities of stock to pasture, and fine
caballadas of horses and mules — this being a
mule-raising place. It is the property of Don
Antonio Vega, who is as nearly king in this
country as he could be without the title.
Leaving this hacienda, the country begins to
be hilly again, where the road enters the bot
tom of a creek, which it follows for ten leagues
through a very ugly pass, both for the badness
of the road, and the opportunity it affords of
harboring robbers between its rocky walls, and
in its narrowr gorges. It is called "Bichi" pass,
or " the barren spot ;" though the word is -.by

THE SINALOA. 147
no means good Spanish, but rather a vulgar
term, which sometimes means the female dog
of the Chihuahua breed. At the end of the
pass is a small settlement of the same name.
From this place southeast, over a small range
of hills running from northeast to southwest,
is a small water-course, and some farms.
Keeping up this creek which is dry, the water
being only found in places far apart, I came to
Casa Nueva, or " new house," a small village
on a bluff of the creek, of about two hundred
inhabitants. COSOLA.
Leaving the creek and going to the east
through a hilly country, ten leagues brought
me to Cosola, a town in the midst of a banana
plantation. Seven or eight miles away I could
see the town, or rather a green spot, for, buried
as the houses were, under the shade of bana
nas and orange-trees, not one of them was dis
tinguishable. As I approached more nearly;
I was quite as much prevented from finding
the town by the same kind of trees which line
the road for a long distance ; and it was not
until actually in the midst of the plaza that I

148 THE VALLEY OF
discovered the town. This valley city is a
beautiful place, and the inhabitants might
pride themselves on its picturesqueness, which
must be quite'equal to the villages of the Alps.
Behind it, and lowering down upon its softer
loveliness, is the stern majesty of the Sierra
Madre, 'making an imposing amphitheatre.
Large crops are raised in this vicinity ; and
some valuable silver mines give employment
to a swarm of miners. The banks of the creek
have been at different periods washed for gold,
and have yielded handsomely.
At a place eight leagues down the river is
the hacienda of Santa Gertrudis, an old build
ing where ore from a neighboring mine used
to be ground up and amalgamated. The mine
is now under water, and long abandoned. All
the small rises of ground in the vicinity have
been prospected for gold, and yielded profitably.
Coarse gold of the finest quality is found here
convenient to water, which is unfailing. Pro
visions and timber are also in abundance.
Plank or boards can be had here for less than
ten cents a foot.
From Cosola to Guadalupe de los Beyes is
ten leagues. After the first two leagues going
down the Cosola stream, I began to enter on a

THE SINALOA. 149
very strong and hilly road, very worrying to
the feet of the mules. After crossing some low
ranges of hills, I came to the hacienda De los
Naranjos, or " Ranche of Oranges," a very pretty
farm in a secluded nook, Crossing a high hill
toward the south, I came upon the Bio de la
Habas, two leagues from Naranjos. This is a
hacienda hidden in among the closely-huddled
hills towering loftily over it. It is a depen
dency of Guadalupe de los Reyes. There are
some very good buildings here for the precipi
tation of gold and silver ores. Twenty soldiers
are stationed here for the protection of both
Habas and Guadalupe. The ore is brought on
the backs of mules six miles from the latter
mine, to be crushed with a set of heavy-
stamps moved by water-power. The water is
very plentiful for three quarters of a year.
The modus operandi is just the same at this
place as at the Real of Guadalupe de los Re
yes, or " Town of Guadalupe of the Kings."
THE MINE OF GUADALUPE.
The Guadalupe mine is the richest mine
now in operation, either in Sinaloa, Sonora,
Durango, or Chihuahua. The treasure taken

150 THE VALLEY OF
out of it during the thirty years since it was
opened is absolutely incredible. It was first
worked by the Yriarte family of Cosola, and
with the products of it the family name was
made the first in Sinaloa. But at the death
of the old Yriarte, the mine fell into the hands
of his sons, who did not give it the attention it
required, and its produce consequently fell off.
Gambling, great carelessness of affairs, and
reckless expenditures, brought their credit so
low that, to satisfy their creditors, the mine
was leased to the firm of Don Antonio Vega,
of Culiacan, for seventy years, on condition of
its paying the debt of three hundred thousand
dollars, and the sum of twenty thousand dol
lars annually to the remaining members of the
Yriarte family. Under the management of the
Vega, the mine has for ten years had a run of
great prosperity. The management has been
intrusted altogether to foreign skill. A steam-
engine was placed in it, under the care of a
foreign engineer, who soon was able to " desa-
qua" the mine, or get it dry. The adminis
trador is a small sort of king, the mining stat
utes making him judge in all cases of last re
sort. His pay is seven thousand five hundred
dollars a year. There is below him a director

THE SINALOA.. 151
of the mines, or chief miner, with a pay of
three thousand dollars. The present incum
bent is a very talented German, Baron Leon
de Worrinjer. His plan of the mine is a mas
terpiece of practical mining. Under his orders
is the " miner," with twenty dollars per week,
whose business it is to issue contracts for the
work, and regulate the price of labor. Be
sides, there is the " under miner," who is con
stantly under ground, and gets fifteen dollars
per week. Then comes the "rajador," or
time -keeper, who has eighteen dollars per
week. Then the " captain de patio," who sees
that the ore is properly broken for the stamps,
and weighs it after separating it into first,
second, and third classes, and whose wages are
ten dollars per week. The engineer has thirty-
eight dollars a week ; and the book-keeper
three thousand dollars a year.
The mine employs four hundred miners in
side, working day and night, each making from
five to fifteen dollars per week. The works
inside are very extensive, running some two
miles in a straight line. It is a two-days' task
to explore it. There are a set of men whose
business it is to keep the galleries and shafts
timbered up. A gang of twenty is employed

152 THE VALLEY OF
breaking ore in the big yard outside. They are
called " quebradores." There are some fifty " te
nateros," boys and men, who earn from thirty
to seventy-five cents a day carrying the ore
from the mine to the big yard. They use a
" turroa," or bag of raw hide, narrower at the
bottom than top, and which they carry on the
back with a strap passed round the forehead.
These tenateros require strong nerves and sup
ple bodies, mounting and descending the lad
ders, which are only straight poles with notches
cut in the side. They work naked, except a
piece of raw hide fastened on the sole of the
foot with a string round the ankle.
The crushing and precipitation of the ore
require the labor of about one hundred and
fifty men. The stamps are powerful, and are
urged by water. When the ore is pulverized
to a fine, impalpable dust, it goes into the pa
tio, where a due admixture of salt and quick
silver is put in with it, and it is left to sim
mer in a large basin built of masonry and
containing water. When it is taken out it is
of the consistency of mush. It is then laid on
a " built" floor, and five or six mules set to
tramping it with their feet. This tramping is
carried on for some days, until the mud has

THE SINALOA. 153
the consistency wanted, when it is washed,
and goes to the usual retort process for separa
ting the quicksilver. It is then pressed into
bars and stamped. Forty thousand dollars'
worth of these bars take their monthly road to
Culiacan, escorted by twenty soldiers, com
manded by a foreign officer. The soldiers are
on foot, and travel the distance of forty-eight
leagues in two days. They carry nothing but a
gun and cartridge-box, and, for provisions, a lit
tle panole. Their clothing is a shirt and pair
of drawers, and a pair of " guaraches," or raw.
hide soles, on their feet. At night, while the
mules eat, they stretch themselves on the
ground. Only the best of mules can keep up
with them on the road ; but when they get to
Culiacan they make gambling and debauchery
pay for hard service.
The administradors are, by the laws on
mining, made tyrants ; but the powers with
which they are vested are generally used
mildly, especially by the foreign officers. They
have the right to say who shall remain or carry
on business within the jurisdiction of the ha
cienda, to eject any obnoxious persons, to use
force to make the natives work, or to put a
refractory workman into the " barra." The

154 THE VALLEY OF
barra is a Mexican institution, and consists of
a long bar of iron fastened to a heavy post of
timber. The prisoner has a ring around his
ankle, which ring is provided with two holes
into which the bar is passed. The bar is then
fastened with a padlock, and is so close to the
ground that the prisoner is forced to lie down.
Some of the barras can confine fifteen or
twenty men at once. Another mode of pun
ishment is the "lepa," which is a piece of
timber with iron fastenings that hold the legs
and head in such a position that they cannot
be moved. When it is determined to make
the prisoner work, he is turned loose with a
chain on one leg, to which is fastened a log
which can be dragged about. Hard cases are
sent to work in the mine, in the most danger
ous and damp places. All the mines have
good strong doors, with bolts and locks, and
are guarded by watchmen. The miners are
searched when they come out for fear of their
concealing some rich and choice specimens ;
but they have learned such cunning that they
are rarely caught.
Nothing whatever is cultivated on the ha
cienda of Guadalupe except a patch of bana
nas. Two miles above here the Mexicans

THE STNALOA. 155
raise some corn on the hillsides in the rainy
season ; yet these hills are so steep a goat
could hardly stand ; but that saves the neces
sity of fences. Selecting the steepest places
for the above reason, the Mexican clears off
the brush, and taking a barra makes holes at
proper distances in the soil, drops in the seed,
covers it over, and in about one hundred and
thirty days has a crop of corn.
Climbing the hill on which is the mine, two
miles of a sharp ascent brings one to the Mo
lino, where all the wood for the steam-engine
is cut. It is, as its name implies, an old mill
where sugar cane used to be raised and con
verted into sugar. There is a good spring of
water, and here are raised some good crops of
corn and some " Goyares de Castile," a fruit
which very much resembles the persimmon.
It grows in great abundance, making in some
places small groves. The kind called "De
Castile," is very superior to the wild fruit of
the same species. SIERRA MADRE.
Two miles farther southeast brings us tc
Campo Santo, or the " burial ground," which

156 THE VALLEY OF
is the last place before crossing the Sinaloa
boundary line into Durango. It is on the very
highest mountain of the Sierra Madre, where
half an acre of level ground is hard to find.
At Campo Santo some mescal is made from
the mescal root, which abounds in that vicin
ity. On the right is a bold peak called the "Fres
nillo." It is not one league away to the south
west, but two days at least are necessary to
get to the summit; for the journey must be
performed on foot, and through the densest
kind of forest, canebrake, and underbrush.
But the view from that summit will reward
the hardy adventurer for his toil. On the
east of me is nothing but the lofty mountains,
crowned with dark pine forests; at my feet
are the hills of Guadalupe ; and in the gorges
below me are the mines of " La Republica,"
"Guadalupe," and "Los Habas." Far to the
north is Cosola, still farther Las Vegas and
Culiacan. On the west I descry the outlines
of the gulf of California, a large laguna. To
the southwest, with a good glass, one may, if
the day is clear, see Mazatlan. Nearer is the
Pueblo de San Ignacio. It is close by, but
cannot be reached in less than three days ; for

THE SINALOA. 157
between here and there is a world of hills.
The gorges of " Del Fresnillo" are full of wild
animals — wild goats, deer, lobos, and the Mex
ican lion. The lobos, or mountain wolf, is a
very dangerous enemy to mules or horses turn
ed loose to pasture without a guard, in this
part of Mexico. When pushed by hunger it
is very brave and fierce.
The " chichalaca" is a bird of these moun
tains, which chooses the wildest spot to make
a nest. It is of a dark, sooty color, and as
large as a hen, with longer feathers. Its meat
is very finely flavored. It makes an excellent
cross with other poultry, and is easily tamed.
The noise it makes when hallooing is very
much like its name pronounced with force, and
wide-opened mouth.
Fresno is the term for ash ; but Fresnillo is
a shrub which, as a remedy, has cooling prop
erties, and is used in fevers. It grows on these
hills. Keeping on from Campo Santo, over
twelve leagues of fine pine and oak timber-
lands, but otherwise of no interest, as it is un
settled and uncultivated, I came to La Van-
tana, a window, or opening in the mountains.
It is a fine farm, with pasturage for a large
caballada. Some first-rate mountain mules
7

158 THE VALLEY OF
are raised at this farm. Also a great deal
of fruit, oranges, bananas, and goyaras. La
Vantana is situated on the head waters of the
San Ignacio river.
Following up the stream, I came among
the homes of the " Ollas," or " clay pots" In
dians. The pottery which they make is good,
there being in their valleys the best of " barro,"
or clay, for this purpose. An " olla" is a round
pot made of clay, and generally glazed. All
the cooking of the country is done in them.
An " olla podrida" is a.favorite Mexican dish,
made of a mixture of almost everything in the
way of vegetables or meat that can be got
together. The Olla Indians raise some good, hardy
little horses, and cultivate small farms very
well. They are an inoffensive race. During
my sojourn among the Ollas, I was shown a
piece of gold which was taken from the en
trails of a cow. It was probably swallowed
at some salt lick. It weighed about seventy-
five cents. The river has long been worked
for gold, and the Indians make from thirty-
seven and a half to seventy-five cents per
day with their horn-spoons and bowls. They
showed me one place where they had worked

THE SINALOA. 159
for a year with success, but had never got to
the ledge on account of the water. It is coarse
gold which is taken out of these placers. If
some intelligent foreigner would come and
turn the channel, I have no doubt but many
thousands of dollars' worth might be taken out.

THE VALLEYS OF
NORTHWESTERN DURANGO.

THE VALLEYS OF
NORTHWESTERN DURANGO.

MINE OF LA REPUBLICANA.
I had now reached the extreme northwest
ern portion of Durango. Turning back toward
Guadalupe, I paid a brief visit to the gold mine
of " La Republicana," which is situated in the
side of a high mountain. It is a very valuable
mine, as far as richness is concerned ; but the
vein is narrow, and the rock of the greatest
possible hardness. It is owned by the Yriarte
family, who, unable to work it for lack of
capital, merely keep an Indian there, who
does just enough to hold possession. This In
dian, whom I visited, took out a small piece
of the ore and ground it in my presence on a
rough metate, then by simply washing it in
a horn spoon, showed me quite a quantity of
small particles of gold of that particular shade
known as mine gold. I should think the ore
of this mine would yield seventy per cent.

164 THE VALLEYS OF
Below the mine, in the arroya, is gold dirt,
but it yields only poorly with the pan.
Five leagues southeast by south of Guada
lupe is the old mine of " Espirito Santo," an
other mine of the Spanish times, now under
water. There are several other old mines in
the vicinity of Guadalupe, but they are so filled
up with rubbish it is difficult to speak of their
richness with any certainty, although fabulous
stories are told of some of them, which seem
probable enough, from the fact that Guadalupe
stands in their midst, a proof of mineral wealth
and successful mining.
ROAD TO. MAZATLAN.
Travelling to get to the Mazatlan road, three
leagues of a break-bones road brought me to
the Portrero, a small farm on the same stream
which waters Guadalupe. The borders of this
creek are well timbered, and have some patches
of rich bottom land slightly cultivated. The
wild fruits of the country are here found in
abundance, while the hills furnish excellent
grazing. Two leagues farther on is " Casa Nueva," a
well-built house in a fertile spot, owned by

NORTHWESTERN DURANGO. 165
Don Pedro Nabarro, an honest Mexican gen
tleman, and a well-wisher to strangers. Five
leagues more brings us to the crossing of the
Cosala or Elotus river, which runs west by
south to empty into the gulf of Cortez. After
crossing the Elotus river, the country is high,
hilly, and broken, with scarcely a piece of
level ground for twenty -five miles, after which
its face becomes more even. But, as far as
the eye can reach, it is covered thickly with
timber and fruit trees, only excepting some
small patches of cleared land. The thick and
thorny under-brush renders it impossible to
leave the road, unless you choose to cut a path
as you go ; an undertaking by no means easy,
as every bush and tree is covered with thorns,
down to the very grass and rushes. This is
the character of the country from Sinaloa to
Mazatlan ; from the foot of the mountains to
the coast of the gulf. The wild fruits are
mostly of delicious quality, and the soil, when
cleared, of the utmost fertility.
Two more leagues of very good road for
horsemen brings us again to the Cosala river
at Elotus (an ear of corn), a very pretty place.
The river here forms a small estuary, full of
alligators. Fine crops of corn are raised at this
7#

166 THE VALLEYS OF
place, as well as sugar-cane ; and a beautiful
plantation of bananas occupies one riVer bank,
making quite an article of export ; besides
which, oranges and melons are very abundant.
The river at this point is a considerable stream,
and when swollen by rains is not fordable.
Going south from Elotus, the only interest
ing object on the first part of the journey is a
fence, leagues in length, of tall bisnagas (a
species of the cactus, very strong and thorny,
and without branches). It makes a fence
through which neither horses nor horned cattle
can go, and besides being imperishable from
rot — green and living, and requiring no care —
it bears a fruit which, when accustomed to
jthe use, is very nutritious and refreshing.
SAN IGNACIO.
A distance of fifteen leagues brought me to
the San Ignacio river, a pretty large stream.
A little above where I struck it, is the town
of San Ignacio, once of some importance ; and
just now again beginning to show some signs
of its former prosperity returning. There is a
fine Catholic church in this place, where a
French priest officiates. This Father Martin

NORTHWESTERN DURANGO. 167
came here from California, poor in hopes, and
poorer in purse ; but was so fortunate as to
secure the good will of the Bishop at Mazatlan,
and got one of the richest livings in Sinaloa.
He is a liberal and well-educated priest, cele
brated among foreign visitors for his hospital
ity. There is a good farming country about
San Ignacio, and some largely- worked mines.
I was shown some fine specimens of copper
ores from an unworked vein. Its nearness
to the coast will make it of value to some
future owner or operator. There exist gold
washings in the gullies which run down from
the mountains between the San Ignacio and
Cosala rivers ; but it is fine gold, and very
much scattered.
Continuing south through a dense forest of
Brazil-wood, which is becoming an article of
export, five leagues brought me to El Palmeto
(the palm), a ranche for stock and grain rais
ing. Following the same direction, three
leagues brought me to San Juan, a consider
able village of stock-raisers and farmers. An
other three leagues on the same road I found
"Noria" (the well), a ranche of considerable
extent for the raising of stock.

168 THE VALLEYS OF

BENADILLO.

Four leagues beyond is Benadillo (the for
bidden), in a rich, fertile spot, only nine miles
from Mazatlan. This is the summer resort of
Mazatlan, and will be quite a pretty town in
a few years. The climate is pleasant, being
refreshed by the breezes from the sea. The
forest abounds in Brazil-wood, and the excel
lence of the soil, together with the cheapness
of living, makes it a good point at which to
open trade. It is conveniently situated re
garding the coast, and is more favorable to
economy than Mazatlan.
Sellers of fruit and confectionary abound
here ; and here every evening one may wit
ness the national game of the Bola, with a
large ball of India-rubber, of the size of a
man's head. The skill of the player consists
in receiving the ball which is thrown, on the
hip, and keeping it going without allowing it
to touch the ground. The players are as nearly
naked as possible with any dress at all, and
the game is very exciting, giving great action
to the muscles.
Another of their sports is the " plank dance."
The ball-room is the open air, and a plank all

NORTHWESTERN DURANGO. 169
the necessary preparation. The dancers, one
man and one woman, get upon the plank, the
fiddler strikes up, and they commence their
dance, keeping time to the music to the great
entertainment of the spectators, who each in
turn contribute to the general amusement by
a similar exhibition on this impromptu stage.
Gambling is carried on to a great extent,
as well as drinking ; but I was astonished at
the ease with which the judge controlled the
motley throng, and kept the peace. The one
who was guilty of disorderly conduct, was
quietly secured by his comrades, and ironed in
the open air, where he was left to cool until
the next morning ; when the judge came with
his key, and set him free without any words.
PORT OF MAZATLAN.
Mazatlan has often disputed supremacy with
Culiacan, and several petty wars have been
excited between them. After Acapulco, it is
the first in rank of the Mexican ports of the
Pacific. The business is mostly in the hands
of French and English merchants, and its ex
ports are silver, gold, and logwood. The port
sinot considered as good as that of Guaymas,

170 THE VALLEYS OF
but is rather a roadstead ; and in heavy
storms vessels are obliged to put to sea for
safety. During the three fall months the nav
igation is considered unsafe. Mazatlan has a
population of three thousand. The country
around it is good for agricultural purposes, but
the water at Mazatlan is brackish and bad.
When the resources of the country, both agri
cultural and mineral, shall have been properly
developed, this port cannot fail to have a brisk
trade. For a few years past, new interest has
been awakened concerning the mines in its
vicinity — " Capala," " Oanuco," " El Rosario,"
and others. When communication with the
interior has been made easier, new life will be
infused into the mining interest.
The land around Mazatlan, for a distance of
forty miles, is a rich, "black, loamy soil, nearly
inexhaustible, and capable of producing all
kinds of grain. The wood which covers it
at present will pay richly for the cost of clear
ing, as well as the price of the land itself.
The climate is not so hot as might be supposed,
the sea-breezes greatly relieving the tempera
ture, and making the night gratefully cool and
refreshing. Further back, near the foot of the
mountains, are some very desirable locations,

NORTHWESTERN DURANGO. 171
where water is abundant, and of very good
quality. Toward the south is the small port of San
Pla ; and across the mouth of the gulf are the
different small ports of the coast of California,
which keep up some intercourse, and where
the valuable pearl fisheries are situated. Thus
there are few situations where a new and rich
trade could be more profitably opened, than
that afforded by Mazatlan on the coast. In
estimable wealth is buried up in mines, hidden
in the soil, and sleeping in the forests, of all
this portion of Mexico — wealth which the
present race of inhabitants have not the power,
knowledge, or will, to free from its bondage.
But I look forward to a time when American
enterprise shall bring it into active use. And
now let me proceed with you along the road
to Durango. NATIVE TREES AND BIRDS.
It is thirteen leagues from the port to old
Mazatlan, or the Presidio. The road lies
along and around some small estuaries of the
bay of Mazatlan, and is settled by fishermen.
Along the way are numerous small stores, or

172 THE VALLEYS OF
tiendos. After passing this portion of the
road we go straight east, through a splendid
bottom of ten leagues in extent, following
the Mazatlan river. The bottom is thickly
wooded with tropical trees, and a luxuriant
growth of underwood; and here again the
Brazil or Logwood grows in abundance. It is
a low timber, with a thin, polished bark, and
covered with ridges twisted the whole length
of the tree. The wood being a valuable dye-
wood, its exportation makes a, profitable busi
ness ; native labor being cheap. The banyan
is also abundant in this region. The leaves
are very long, slim, and green; and the
branches grow a great distance horizontally,
when they send shoots down to the ground,
which take root, forming new trees. Some of
them make a shelter and shade for a long dis
tance. It was in the month of March when
I passed through this bottom ; but the trees
were covered with every variety of birds,
beautiful in form and color, from the little,
glinting humming-bird, to the " guacamagor,"
a large kind of parrot. Of the last there were
several species, of every color and all vari
eties of notes, from the startling call to the
mocking cry. I never enjoyed a scene with

NORTHWESTERN DURANGO. 173
more lively pleasure. Nature spoke in the
voices of those feathered chanters, in the rich
vegetation, in the air loaded with perfume,
and in the roaring of the sea which grew every
mile more faint and far off. This bottom land,
now so prodigal of wild vegetation, will some
time become a wealthy agricultural district.
The banana, cocoanut, and native cotton, grow
here uncultivated. OLD MAZATLAN.
I arrived at the river, and crossing it, found
myself at the Presidio. A presidio is the
chief city of an old Spanish district, and the
seat of government when the Spanish kings
used to appoint a supreme judge, who, aided
by the municipal officers, administered justice,
and took care of the revenues. A presidio was
formerly garrisoned. This one is an old, dilap
idated place, situated in a beautiful and fruit
ful country, where every kind of produce
grows with but little cultivation. The popu
lation of old Mazatlan is about twenty-five
hundred.

174 THE VALLEYS OF
SAN SEBASTIAN.
Going east from the presidio nine leagues,
over a fine farming country, I came to La
Villa de San Sebastian, a village amid corn
fields, banana plantations, and orchards of
" circuelas," or wild plums. It is remarkable
of these plums, that the fruit only appears after
the leaves have fallen off, and that the tree
yields two crops annually. There are also large
fig-trees along the creek, a pretty tributary of
the Mazatlan river. This village has a popula
tion of one thousand inhabitants, and consider
able trade. It has the appearance of being a
very old place ; and I doubt not that when the
mines in the surrounding country were work
ed, in the times of the Spanish government,
it was a busy mart of commerce and opulence.
It has at present some very good houses, sev
erai stores, a church of considerable preten
sions, and the streets are paved, with side
walks also in a good condition.
AGUA CALIENTE.
Going east from Sebastian, eight leagues, I
passed through a, country well timbered, with

NORTHWESTERN DURANGO. 175
some small patches of cultivated land, and
came at the end of this distance to the haci
enda of Agua Caliente, where is the hottest
boiling spring I have ever seen. The water is
actually scalding. The natives use it in dress
ing hogs, chickens, &c. There is no mineral
in the water, and when it is cold it is fine
water to drink. On this ranche of Agua Cali
ente is a large plantation of the " maguey de
Castile" — the de Castile distinguishing it from
the wild maguey, which grows so thickly in
some parts of Mexico as to form veritable for
ests. The maguey is the tree of whose root
the mescal liquor is distilled, which is in such
general use in Mexico. From the sap of the
maguey another liquor, called pulque, is made.
The sap is obtained by tapping the tree in the
same manner in which our farmers perform
the tapping of the sugar-maple, by making an
incision in the trunk or stalk in the spring
when the sap is ascending. From the leaves
of the same plant are made a kind of thread
called " pita," used in place of flax thread in
sewing leather, sacks, and bagging.
From Agua Caliente, going south toward
the mountains, I travelled six leagues over a
rolling prairie, or table-land, which brought

176 THE VALLEYS OF J
me to the foot of the Sierra Madre. Just here
is the Banche los Muertos, or " ranche of the
deaths," a very dismal name, given in memory
of some sanguinary strife, the results of which
are marked by the numerous crosses still stand
ing. At this place are plenty of peaches and
bananas : the bananas on the bottoms and the
peaches on the more elevated places.
COPALA.
From Los Muertos I plunged into the passes
of the hills, my road going southeast through
a very rugged country, though the road kept
in the channels of the creeks, now dry. In
this way I reached Copala, travelling a dis
tance of ten leagues.
There are placers in all those water-courses.
In 1856, quite an excitement was created by
the discovery of large "bolsas," where some
money was made. Flocks of diggers rushed
to the placers, the crowd and their improvi
dence being so great that actual starvation
ensued. But the jealousy of the Mexican au
thorities was such that they sent soldiers to
drive away the miners, lest a new California
should be created, and the country filled with

NORTHWESTERN DURANGO. 177
foreigners. Thus, by their ignorance and stu
pid prejudice, they prevented the thorough
exploration of the country.
Copala takes its name from the great amount
of gum-copal taken out of the surrounding
woods. It is a silver mine of a good deal of
importance, worked by an English company,
who make use of the latest improvements in
machinery. A splendid steam-engine is em
ployed to dry the mine and to do the work of
stamping the ore. There are about three hun
dred inhabitants at this place, and it is the last
point of civilization on the road toward Duran
go, still two hundred miles east of the Sierra
Madre. It is one hundred miles from Copala
to Mazatlan.
Crossing a deep canon, and going north two
leagues, I came to another mining place —
" Panuco" — it being one of those mines which.
have for years maintained the reputation of
doing uniformly well. The name signifies
bread-town. The mine is worked by Mexi
cans. Climbing the mountain overtopping Copala,
the ridges of the hills must be followed. The
descent on either side is very precipitous, and
the ravines are filled with stunted oaks, wild

178 THE VALLEYS OF
bananas, and chapotes. Parrots and chichal-
acas fill the air with their rasping cries.
Higher and higher we go, until we reach Santa
Lucia, a little cluster of houses, among corn
fields, and orchards of chapotes, circuelas, and
oranges. A new silver mine has lately been
discovered, not far from here, which is yielding
very handsomely. I saw the ore and some
bars of the metal, which the owner showed
me. He had just begun operations with half
a dozen miners, and was anxious to get a for
eigner to go in with him, as he said to me a
Mexican could not be trusted — a melancholy
opinion to have of one's countrymen.
Leaving Santa Lucia, I entered the fastnes
ses of the Sierra Madre. The mountains are
covered with pine forest. The road is a mere
mule path, where the greatest caution is neces
sary to prevent being precipitated down the
rocks for hundreds of feet. The road lies in a
general easterly direction, but the path changes
alternately from side to side, and to all points
of the compass, sometimes with the sun in
your face and now upon your back in the same
hour, as the difficult way leads winding up
and around the summits.

NORTHWESTERN DURANGO. 179
THE SIERRA MADRE.
The first day after leaving Santa Lucia I
camped. It is not at all difficult to find wood
or water, but much more so to get to a lever
spot for an encampment. It is a dangerous
place for «,nimals, who are invariably found
bloody in the morning about the neck or on
the back, from having been sucked in the night
by vampires, or Mexican bats. They settle
upon the bodies of the poor brutes, who seem
not to feel them, and so suck out their life-
blood. Long streaks of congealed blood mark
the sides of the unconscious sufferers. These
vampires rarely suck human blood, though I
heard of some cases of women, sleeping uncov
ered in warm weather, being found in the
morning insensible and with their neck bloody.
For my own part, I had a great horror of them.
Following the hillsides of several mountains
(the Laderas range), I came to a miserable
hamlet of jacals (houses) on the top of a high
mountain. Half a mile below it, on the road,
is the shrine of some saint — a small square,
enclosed by a stone fence, within which stands
an altar, decorated with the picture of the
saint, and tastefully entwined with garlands

180 THE VALLEYS OF
of wild flowers. Before this shrine stood an
earthen vase containing some copper cents. I
pleased myself with throwing in a white sil
ver quarter to " astonish the natives."
Farther up still among the mountains, I
crossed a stream which, in the rainy season, is
impassable, and came to a small settlement
called Chapote. There grew the last bananas
that I saw upon the road. I had now passed
all the places where provisions could be depend
ed upon. The only safe mode of travel, in any
event, in a country like this, is to pack your
own provisions. On leaving Chapote I ascend
ed a high mountain, which the road follows,
along the top ridge, for eight or ten leagues.
It is called " l'Espinassa del Diabolo," or the
" Devil's Backbone." The road is as narrow
and slippery as a road with such a name
might reasonably be, and on each side are
precipices down which, if you look, you can
hardly see the bottom. Surely no human foot
ever trod those depths, which look quite out
side of this world of ours. No place I ever
saw inspired me with such a dread of being
lost, as this wild and terrible mountain coun
try. Nothing but high, steep, and rugged
mountains around me for hundreds of miles —

NORTHWESTERN DURANGO. 181
the settlements few and far between — no
roads ; nor is the sun of any use to bring one
out of the bewildering labyrinths. Only the
tall pine-trees and the everlasting sky are my
company. I must not hasten ; I must go step-
by step carefully and wearily. Yet here, also,
I see Nature in her most imposing aspect.
Magnificent mountains, dashing torrents, and
the grand loneliness and silence ! — these things
speak God to the heart of man in an awfully
impressive manner. A man who has not seen
such sights as these in the Sierra Madre can
hardly be said to have lived !
A storm among these heights is terrible in
deed. Nowhere can the wind make such mel
ancholy and such fearful sounds as among
these giant pines, and sharp-edged, echoing
rocks. What a sight, when the lightning illu
minates for an instant the ravines below !
What sounds, when an avalanche goes crash
ing and thundering into the depths beneath !
After some leagues of this rugged road, I
descended into a little valley called Chara-
varri, where there are about forty inhabitants,
who live by hunting and raising a few bush
els of corn. Deer are plenty in this valley.
On leaving it I had another weary road to
8

182 THE VALLEYS OF
travel — an ascent of two leagues, very steep.
Making this ascent, I followed a rugged cafion,
which, after some leagues, opened into an
other pretty valley, with a pure stream of
water meandering through it, fine grass, and
fine timber. In this valley I passed the grave
of an American woman, who died on her way
to California to join her husband. Peace to
her ashes !
Some farther on were the ruins of a haci
enda, amid fields fenced with stone. The
buildings were chiefly of brick. Not far away
stood a reverberatory furnace, constructed on
the English plan, rather small, and evidently
designed for smelting copper ores. Why it
was abandoned I could not discover. Except
ing the difficulty of transportation, the situa
tion was a good one. No doubt either but
some improvement of the road could be and
will yet be made, as the necessity for trans
portation increases.
I was now travelling along the eastern slope
of the Sierra Madre. Some of the valleys on
this side are capable of cultivation, and the
pine timber is of the best quality. In one of
these valleys, which has a good bottom, I
passed the night in an old house ruined by

NORTHWESTERN DURANGO. 183
fire ; also passed on the road a natural house,
formed in the rocks, with doors and windows,
a good lodging-place for travellers. The at
mosphere has become much colder, and this is
the land of " Tierra Fria" or " cold land," y
contra of " Tierra Caliente," to which we may
now bid farewell.
After ten leagues travel on an undulating
table-land, I came to the ranche of Cayotes, or
" wolf ranche," eighty miles from Durango. It
is a place of but little interest. There are
some springs bursting out of the hillsides, and
from the appearance of the soil, I should judge
that it would make good farming land, or
corn-fields. At present it is but little culti
vated, and the few inhabitants look squalid
and miserable.
At this place the traveller meets a conducta
(escort), of twenty soldiers from Durango,
which comes out once a fortnight to protect
those who go this road, from robbers and Co-
manches. And from the numerous crosses
which line the way, one may learn something
of the frequency of the murders committed by
the hands of the savage Indians, and the not
less brutal bands of robbers which infest all
Mexico. The crosses are only of wood, stuck

184 THE VALLEYS OF
in a pile of stone. Sometimes several occur
together, showing that a whole party has been
murdered. Another one tells of the death of
some lonely priest, struck down without regard
to his holy calling. The guide, as he points
to them, crosses himself, and mutters a prayer
to the virgin, or his patron saint.
My course is now east, over a country of
undulating surface, half prairie, half wood
land, with numerous patches of " Manganilla."
This is a shrub which bears a berry with the
flavor of an apple ; the wood is of great hard
ness. Twenty-five miles from Durango we
come to the head waters of the Rio de Santiago,
which runs southeast from here, although it
empties at last into the Pacific ocean below
San Pla.
The descent into the valley or channel of
the stream, which we must cross, is very long
and difficult, the river passing through a deep
chasm ; and the ascent on the other side is
equally arduous. After passing it, we have
two leagues more of rolling plains to cross, and
to follow the side of a very steep hill for some
distance, after which we come into a broad,
level road, and may gallop into Durango.

NORTHWESTERN DURANGO. 185

CITY OF DURANGO.

This is a celebrated inland town, of some
pretensions to opulence. The streets are regu
larly laid out, at right angles, and well paved.
The Plaza is a very pretty affair, watered by
a spring which sprouts at the foot of a moun
tain overlooking Durango. This spring is very
large, and forms a lake on the south side of
the town. Its borders are laid out with spaded
walks, and a public garden attached, which is
now in rather a dilapidated condition, though
showing traces of having been one of the finest
of Mexico, which has many fine gardens. The
taste for them seems to have descended from
the aboriginal inhabitants, who had magnifi
cent public grounds at the time of the Con
quest. This one is very much frequented as a
paseo, or promenade.
The Cathedral of Durango is the most cele
brated of any on the continent after Puebla,
for its richness of ornament in gold and silver.
The massive candelabra of gold has a story of
irreverent fraud connected with it, which does
not reflect much credit on the character of a
certain foreign artist. In 1846 the bishop
(" el obispo"), thinking the design too crude

186 THE VALLEYS OF
and heavy, intrusted its improvement to the
artist referred to, who gave it a number of
fantastical embellishments, that relieved it of
some pounds weight, beside filling up the hol
low shape with lead. I subsequently met with
the tricky silversmith, who was much better
pleased with his acuteness, than was the
bishop, who had discovered the fraud. Du
rango is only the wreck of its former grandeur.
In the time of its greatest prosperity, the
wealthy citizens carried luxury to such an ex
tent as to have silver railings to the balconies
of their houses. In the altered condition of
their affairs, they are content to replace them
with more worthless iron. All the changes of
government in Mexico have been most severely
felt here. Families once rich and powerful
are now become extinct, and only adventurers
replace them. The military exactions of the
past few years have broken the spirit and en
terprise of the people. The most fruitful mines
are abandoned, or nearly so. The rich haci
endas have been sold for one fourth of their
value, or are left to the ravages of the Indians,
who of late years have come within forty miles
of the city. During my stay, I saw haciendas
sold by asking one dollar a head for all kinds

NORTHWESTERN DURANGO. 187
of cattle, and the houses and fixtures thrown
in. Such is the inconstancy of the govern
ment that capital dare not risk itself here,
even when property can be purchased at this
rate. The taxes are so enormous that all per
sons alike desire to draw in their money ; and
business men are only anxious to sell out and
get away from the country.
The mountain which overlooks Durango is
a rich mine of different ores, silver, lead, cop
per, and iron, all of which are said to exisi
within it, yet it is unworked. A factory that
was once in operation, is now idle for want of
the raw material. All labor is paralyzed,
yet living is good and cheap. A meson, or
hotel, is kept on the best possible terms. Good,
airy rooms may be had for twenty-five cents a
day, and good safe stabling for animals. Be
side this best meson, there are two others of an
inferior grade.
The climate of Durango is cool, healthy, and
agreeable — the climate of the temperate region
of Mexico. In the valley, watered by the be
fore-mentioned spring, are orchards of all va
rieties of fruit, beside some large and well-
stocked farms. The grazing of the valley is
excellent. Through this valley is the main

188 THE VALLEYS OF
wagon-road going to the southeast part of the
state, along which are some large and fine
stock farms, and a few of those mines which
have once made Durango and San Luis Potosi.
As we come nearer the southeast portion of
the state, we find the country in winter troub
led with cold, piercing winds; at the same time
wood is rather scarce.
Durango has some fine state buildings. The
mint is an old established institution ; but
every day adds to its losses while the present
state of revolution lasts in the country. Nor
can a different condition of affairs become pos
sible until a foreign colony has settled in the
northern part of the state, sufficient to protect
it from the inroads of the Comanches ; or until
foreign influence makes a change in the polit-
cal feeling of the government. Could grants
be obtained of large tracts of land in the min
eral regions, or near them, a great advantage
would result to the Mexican as well as the
settlers. These foreign settlements would be
come centres of trade, and would gather about
them the industry of the country, and give a
direction to its industrial capacities, which are
for the most part unemployed at present.
Men of some means should be the ones to

NORTHWESTERN DURANGO. 189
undertake or direct the enterprise ; and men,
too, of steady, exemplary character, and not
adventurers. The good will of the Mexicans
is to be conciliated by an example of upright
dealing ; and their ambition awakened by an
exhibition of superior intelligence. In this
manner, by farming, mining, opening roads,
and improving the country, the foreign influ
ence would soon be able to control the intelli
gence and capital of Mexico; nor is such a
consummation very distant.
Although feeling my inability to do the sub
ject justice, I have endeavored to place simple
facts in such a light that my readers could not
but draw plain inferences. I shall now pro
ceed to give them in the same manner a par
tial survey of the northern part of the state
of Durango, and of the southern portion of
Chihuahua. After which I shall cross to the
Pacific side again, and describe to the best of
my ability the mode of travelling, the road,
and as before, the agricultural and mining
wealth of the country, although in a slight
and fragmentary sort of manner, rather by
notes than by full descriptions. 8*

DURANGO, CHfflUAHUA,
AND THE EOUTES TO THE PACIFIC.

ROUTES TO THE PACIFIC.

A TRIP TO THE SIERRA MADRE.
I have often remarked that our American
travellers who every year seek the excitement
of mountain scenery in Europe, and among
the Alps, would find themselves wejl repaid,
if not greatly surprised at the grandeur nearer
home. The Sierra Madre of Mexico would
amply recompense the exertion necessary to
behold the most magnificent scenes, and most
rugged passes imaginable. Nowhere can the
possibilities of Nature be better realized ; no
where the spirit of the sublime impress us
more forcibly ; nor anywhere can such sudden
changes of climate be encountered, from the
heart of the tropics to the cool breezes of the
" tierra templada," or temperate zone.
From the States, several routes are available,
from the mouth of the Rio Grande four hun
dred miles north. From San Antonio, Texas,
the road is to the Rio Grande, at the Eagle

194 DURANGO, CHIHUAHUA, AND
Pass Crossing, where is situated a small vil
lage, Piedras Negras, of some four hundred
inhabitants. Here has lately been opened a
custom-house ; and it has become the principal
business point for the larger inland towns of
Chihuahua, Durango, San Luis Potosi, Parras,
Monclova, and Saltillo. A hope is entertained
of a railroad communication from San Antonio
to Chihuahua, by a newly-discovered route or
trail through the Indian country. A mine of
coal has lately been found to exist, about eight
miles above Piedras Negras ("black stones"), on
the American side ; and still more recently a
fine seam of excellent coal was discovered four
miles from the same village, on the bank of
the Rio Escondido, a tributary of the Rio
Grande. I saw this coal proven at a black
smith's shop, where it gave the best results.
The mine is situated in rather a level table
land, amid groves of mesquit.
Along the bank of the Rio Grande are some
fine fields : and the plain back of the village
would make good farming land, if it could be
irrigated. Four miles west of Piedras Negras,
we cross the Rio Escondido, or " hidden
river." It is a cool, pleasant stream, well
shaded by fine timber, but deep and treacher-

THE ROUTES TO THE PACIFIC. 195
ous. At the time of Capt. Henry's expedition
in 1852, many Americans were drowned in at
tempting to cross it. No lovelier locations for
farm-houses could be found than those along
the banks of this stream. It empties into the
Rio Grande five miles below Eagle Pass ; hav
ing taken its rise in the mountains between
Chihuahua and that river.

SAN FERNANDO.
Following this route west thirty miles, over
a high rolling prairie, you come to the town of
San Fernando, where the Bishop resides. It
is a town of about eight hundred inhabitants ;
and a good deal of trade is carried on with the
American forts of Duncan, Las Morus, and the
post at La Leona, in corn and provisions.
Southeast of San Fernando, eight miles, is
Nava, an old mission, where the Indians are
all farmers, and raise great quantities of grain,
corn, wheat, and beans, and fruit in abun
dance. SAN JUAN.
To the southwest is situated the village of
San Juan, which is an entire orchard of mul-

196 DURANGO, CHIHUAHUA, AND
berries, oranges, peaches, figs, and granadas.
This village has a population of three hundred.
Here is the home of the Mexican sugar-cane ;
and here, too, they make the "pelonico," or
funnel-shaped cakes of sugar. Large lots of
cattle and hogs also are fattened.
MORELOS.
Five miles east-northeast of San Fernando
is the town of Morelos, a place of considerable
pretensions, and apparently the creme de la
creme of the three last-mentioned places. Here
is a school established by a foreigner, where
Latin, English, French, and Spanish, are taught.
Pupils are sent from a distance of seven hun
dred miles in the interior. The inhabitants
are chiefly farmers and stock -raisers, hav
ing large herds of cattle. They are also the
bravest people in this region, and have vol
unteered strongly against the Indians. They
fought very courageously against the far-
famed Lispans, who have, since the heavy losses
then sustained, been powerless.
Six miles to the west of San Fernando is the
Molino, a flour-mill, worked by water-power.
Here I noticed an arch dated 1780 ; and the

THE EOUTES TO THE PACDJIO. 197
old miller told me stories of Indian battles
fought there during the last fifty years. From
this place the road goes west-southwest over
a higher country. Twenty-five miles will
bring you over a low ridge, to some dirty
water in a thick grove of chapparal (mesquit).
This is a regular halting-place, it being thirty-
five miles to the next, at the crossing of the
Alamo — a stretch of country very dangerous
on account of Indians.
The Alamo has a fine valley for settlement ;
the bottoms being rich, with an extensive
grazing country to flank it. The timber is
fine, while it is not far to good markets.
SAN JUAN DE SABINA.
Eight miles south of the crossing is San
Juan de Sabina, a very prominent little place,
situated on an eminence, at the foot of which
runs the Sabine river. Here, also, are the rich
est of bottom-lands, with a belt of excellent
timber on both sides. At a short distance
are the Santa Rosa mountains. Santa Bosa,
twelve miles from San Juan, is quite a thriv
ing place. A lead and silver mine, worked
by a German, is said to pay well. The Semi-

198 DURANGO, CHIHUAHUA, AND
nole Indians are settled not far from Santa
Rosa. I here saw one of the sons of " Wild
Cat," of Florida notoriety. They have always
preserved peace with the Mexicans, helping
them to fight the other Indians. San Juan
de Sabina has lately been colonized by a gen
tleman from Danemara, Sweden, with a small
society of his countrymen. A bridge over the
river at this place showed signs of improvement.
Thirty miles beyond San Juan is the haci
enda of Agua Caliente, a large stock-raising
farm. Some distance on, over a broken coun
try, is the stock farm of San Antonio. From
this farm the road goes south forty miles, to
Lambessa creek. Passing along this road, I
saw thousands of heads of sheep. The grass
is plenty, but timber and water are scarce.
The water of Lambessa creek is very brackish.
Its bottoms are large, and well wooded with
mesquit. Twenty miles southwest from this creek
brings you to the hacienda Los Hermanos,
another large stock and grain-growing estab
lishment. Here is a very celebrated hot spring ;
the water being hot enough to cook eggs, and
so abundant as to furnish the means of irriga
tion to its neighborhood.

THE ROUTES TO THE PACIFIC. 199
MONCLOVA.
Thirty miles through a dry country brings
you to Monclova, without having passed any
thing more interesting on the road than an old
ranche where I saw a few sheep in a brush
corral, some grass, and some mesquit timber.
Monclova was formerly the capital of the state
of Chihuahua, in which it is situated. All the
business of the state is still carried on here.
Its population is about four thousand ; and it
has several churches, a plazo, and an alameda.
Crossing a small ridge beyond Monclova,
you come down upon a thriving village of four
hundred souls, where an abundance of fat
poultry and fat hogs, as well as large crops of
grain, give evidence of the fertility of the soil.
Indeed, it is the garden of the surrounding
country, which is very hilly and stony. Here
are the head waters of the Sabine, which first
flows north, and then east until it receives the
waters of the Alamo, and then empties itself
into the Rio Saltillo (or salted river), which
runs into the Rio Grande.
Eight leagues north of Monclova is Sienega,
on the edge of a large marsh communicating
with the Massimi lake. Large quantities of

200

wheat are raised here. Sugar-cane and corn
are also staple products.
Leaving the head waters of the Sabine river,
the road lies through ten miles of a mesquit
country, when you arrive on the border of a
large plain, where is a well at which water is
sold. There is also an old enclosed corral
where animals are kept over night for paying
a quartillo, or two cents a head. At this place
separate three roads — the easternmost one
going to Monterey, the middle one to Saltillo,
and the northern one to Parr as. This last
we take, though the most dangerous on ac
count of the Comanches. It takes us south
west, through a mesquit country, where the
ground is covered with every species of cactus
from the broad, round leaves you may find at
the druggists', to the tree-like "visnasgas,"
with branches like deers' horns. Riding ten
miles, we come to a water -hole, where is
plenty of grass. After leaving this place, the
country is undulating, and the road takes you
between ranges of hills ; all the time gently
ascending, and dry and dusty. There is no
grass to be seen, while the mesquit is full of
thorns. Twenty miles of this unpleasant road
brings you to a hacienda, walled in, and hav-

THE EOUTES TO THE PACIFIC. 201
ing four towers furnished with port holes.
Here are two large ponds of water, but its
use must be purchased. I noticed at this place
some fine specimens of shepherd dogs.
Going hence south, on the top of the
ridge, you reach some water holes and grass,
after nine miles travel. Twenty miles farther,
in a westerly direction, over a rolling plain
with some patches of good grass, brings you
to a piece of fenced land, several miles in ex
tent, where cornfields mingle with verdant
pastures and fruitful orchards. It is a real
oasis in the desert of dry land about it. At
this place is a population of about four hun
dred, but miserable and squalid in their ap
pearance. Myself and party when I travelled
this road were well entertained here — they
would willingly have kept us longer if they
could — a foreign company being considered
good protection against the Indians.
The road takes us hence twenty miles
across the plain, to a small and pretty village,
on a little creek. It is the last village on the
way, until within twenty-five miles of Parras ;
and, between the two, lie about sixty miles of
very dangerous country. Twenty miles will
bring you to a1 cool creek, Los Alamos, where

202 DURANGO, CHIHUAHUA, AND
refreshment may be taken both internally and
externally. The next twenty miles are over a
rolling, barren plain, shining in some places
like glass, where an old, deserted ranche af
fords a camping-place. Beyond this is another
abandoned ranche, where not a drop of water
can be obtained, and the only resort is to burn
some cactus for the thirsty animals. Still
farther on is another deserted farm where, at
the foot of a hill, is a fine spring of water.
At this place I saw a fresh trail of the Co-
manches, who had passed, not two hours be
fore, with a large drove of animals. They were
returning, probably, from a plundering expedi
tion into San Luis and Zacatecas.
From here the road goes west, entering a
mountain gorge, which leads, by a steep as
cent, to a narrow and dangerous cafion. The
darkness is so great that the light of mid
day scarcely penetrates it ; but, at the end, is
a little glen, enclosing a fine spring and a
patch of fresh grass. The heart of the weary
traveller leaps at the sight of this little bower
of repose after the toil and danger of the way.
Getting over the ridge, scattered farm
houses begin to appear, with fields enclosed by
stone fences. But the road is dotted with

THE ROUTES TO THE PACIFIC. 203
crosses, and the inhabitants have a cowred
look, as if they knew they held a lease of life
which the Comanches might at any moment
terminate. Passing on to the Hacienda de
Abouja, excellent management immediately
strikes the eye. The owner has fine gar
dens, a fine house, and an extensive ware
house or cellar, where casks of wine and
brandy are ranged side by side, according to
the ages of the liquors. The brandy is well
known in that portion of Mexico as " aguar-
diante de Parras." A good distillery and
flour-mills are attached to the establishment.
Orange groves, monster cactus, vineyards,
everything show careful cultivation.
PARRAS.
One league southeast from this hacienda is
the town of Parras, with a population of two
thousand, and some considerable trade. It
exports brandies and wines to the extent of a
small commerce, and raises plenty of provis
ions, being situate in a fertile valley. Parras
is garrisoned by a force of military, who
are occasionally sent out to scout after In.
dians. I once travelled in company with

204 DURANGO, CHIHUAHUA, AND
about two hundred of these soldiers, some
twenty miles. They were on this occasion
commanded by a . stalwart negro, sometimes
called Juan Caballo (John Horse), or more
commonly Juan Vidaurri, on account of the
confidence placed in him by the then "Candil-
lo del Nord," or " Chief of the North," as the
all-powerful Vidaurri has been called. The
company I speak of falling in with was com
posed of not soldiers only, but twenty Semi-
noles and eight negroes, the latter probably
runaways. Twenty miles northwest of the hacienda of
Abouja, in a pass, are some fine groves of
mesquit, and some large water holes. All the
rest of the surrounding country is covered with
the worst kind of thorny mesquit, without
anywhere a blade of grass.
Twenty miles south is the hacienda De la
Pena, situated on the ridge encircling a large,
marshy plain, or lake, of twenty leagues in ex
tent. You arrive at the hacienda just as you
get a view of the valley where the lake is sit
uate. It is built in the only place where the
ridge is passable, and you must go through its
gates to descend into the valley. It is a
square-built place, with solid masonry for the

THE ROUTES TO THE PACIFIC. 205
walls, and surmounted by a high watch-tower.
The water and the dwellings are within the
enclosure. I had the curiosity to ascend to the
tower, and found there a singular guard. At
each corner of the parapet surrounding the
tower was a post dressed up in the clothes of
some foreigner who had been butchered by the
Indians — coat, hat, cravat, and all. In the
hands of these scarecrows were sticks, with
which they were sighting as if to shoot. I de
scended, to get a look at these sentinels from
below, and found that they had all the appear
ance of a watch from a little distance. No
doubt they have had the effect to keep away
many a prowling Comanche.
This ranche raises no crops whatever, being
only a stock-farm. The water is supplied by
a spring ; but, in riding fifteen miles along
the edge of that moist valley, I was convinced
that here might be raised splendid crops of
rice, cotton, and sugar-cane.
Going from the Pena, an<l leaving the lake
on the right, you must travel twenty-eight
miles before reaching the town of Alamo de
Parras. This place is situated on the south
of the lake, which is ealled " Laguna de
Parras." It is a large firming town, and con-
9

206 DURANGO, CHIHCTAHUA, AND
tain's about eight hundred inhabitants. Here
the road which goes to Durango separates
itself from that going to Chihuahua, the for
mer going north and the latter west-southwest.
The farming lands are irrigated by the water
of a creek, called Rio de Parras, which comes
from the south, and loses itself in the lagoon.
The road to Durango goes through a long,
winding pass, of some forty miles in length,
and during the whole ride no water is to be
found. Grass, also, is very scarce, but wood
is plenty. Along the latter part of the road
the mescal tree is so abundant as to make a
thicket impenetrable as a caneb'rake. At the
end of the pass is the hacienda of Don Juan
Perez, where water is raised to the surface by
machinery worked by mules, and sold to trav
ellers. At this farm large herds of mules and
asses are kept, as the grazing is fine. The
making of mescal is also carried on exten
sively, though in the simplest manner possible,
and with the commonest contrivances.

VALLEY OF THE CUENCAME.
Twenty miles west of this hacienda is the
Bio de Cuencame, a fine creek ; but there is

THE ROUTES TO THE PACIFIC. 207
no grass in all the surrounding country, and
the soil is so rent in holes and gullies as to
make travelling dangerous.
Two leagues west, behind a mountain, is the
shrine of " El Santa Nino de Atocha" or the
" Holy Babe of Atocha," at which place mira
cles are said to be performed, for the benefit of
those who have faith to make the pilgrimage.
It is surrounded by fine orange-trees, watered
by the same river.
Thirty miles west from the hacienda, over a
good wagon-road, though mountainous and
without water, is the valley of the Cuencame.
As you descend the mountain, the valley looks
like an amphitheatre, shining white under the
sun's rays, with a line of dark green verdure
through the middle. This verdure is the foli
age of cotton-wood trees, in the midst of a
grove of which is a town. Beyond it are the
bold, naked mountains of the temperate land,
called the " Miembras," beyond which lies
Durango. Those mountains are a prolongation
of the New-Mexico mountains which unite
with the Sierra Madre, south of Durango, and
make the upper table-lands of Durango and
Chihuahua.

208 DURANGO, CHIHUAHUA, AND
CUENCAME.
Cuencame is a busy little place, whose in
dustry makes it flourishing. Large smelting
furnaces are here in operation, for the smelt
ing of the ores of silver which abound in the
surrounding mountains. The furnaces are
well built, of brick, on the English plan. The
inhabitants are engaged at their different occu
pations in the most assiduous manner, quite
different from most Mexican villagers. I took
up my quarters while there at the meson, a
nice little place, where I was the only guest.
But during my stay I wras invited to his house
by the " Debitado de las Rentas,'' or " Collec
tor of Taxes." I found him anxious to get in
formation concerning the American States,
about which he asked many questions. In
European affairs he was apparently well-
versed. Among other curiosities which he
showed me was a coat-of-mail of fine steel
wire, which must have been worth as much
as five hundred dollars. He put it on, and di
rected me to try the point of my bowie on it,
which I did, blunting it by the blow without
making any impression on the coat. I was so
fortunate as to witness the celebration of San

THE ROUTES TO THE PACIFIC. 209
Juan, or St. John's day, while at this pretty
village. The little plaza was decorated with
flowers and pictures, and around it were
placed altars beautifully hung with silks and
muslins, and tended by the fairest senoritas of
the place. At midday a grand procession
took place, and afterward a display of fire
works. In the evening, among other dances, I was
struck with the " Mata China," a kind of
tragedy, acted masked and dumb. The whole
proceeded with dancing and gestures, not a
word being pronounced, while the feeling of
the scene was well enacted by this panto
mime. It was with a feeling of regret that I took
leave of Cuencame, and the kindness and
courtesy of its people will long be remembered
by me with pleasure as well as gratitude.
FROM CUENCAME TO DURANGO.
It is still fifty leagues to Durango from
Cuencame, in a west-southwest direction. The
first portion of the road is over a range of vol
canic hills, and the latter is along an elevated
table-land. It is easy for the traveller to come

210 DURANGO, CHIHUAHUA, AND
over the road, already described, in a carriage ;
but, from Cuencame to Durango or Mazatlan,
a good riding mule or sure-footed horse is much
better, and, for the conveyance of his baggage,
pack animals will be necessary. Animals can
be purchased cheaply at Cuencame, and those
that are used to strong, rocky ground, as the
country there is very gravelly.
The first twenty miles, after leaving Cuen
came, are pretty rough travelling, and bring
us to a stock-raising ranche, where plenty of
mules are bred, of a fine quality. Here water
is elevated to the surface by a drum propelled
by mule-power. Twenty miles north of this
place is a valley where cotton is raised, and
where there are some factories at work manu
facturing the " Manta," an unbleached cotton
cloth much used by the Mexicans. It is a
flourishing little place. From here the road
leads over a valley covered with a growth of
the vinasgas, whose fruit is so much relished
by the people of the country. The valley also
affords fine grazing, but water and timber are
very scarce. Thirty-five miles take us to a
fine prairie, at the lowest part of which is a
deserted ranche called El Saucito, or " The
Willow." A large willow-tree, shading a

THE ROUTES TO THE PACIFIC. 211
spring of cool, refreshing water, gives the
place its name. Cantering off on the prairie
from this spring, I beheld the first drove of
wild horses that I ever saw. No sooner did
they discover us than they fled en masse and
at lightning speed.
From El Saucito to El Sanz is twelve
miles, over a high country, slightly timbered.
El Sanz is in sight for ten miles before reach
ing it. The people of that place did us the
compliment to mistake us for Indians, and sent
out several scouts to intercept us. Their
scouts cautiously peered on us from the woods,
and seeing their evident hesitation, I mali
ciously gave chase to one of them, and ran
him quite out of sight. The fellow was an
expert at running, and got a good fright ; but
my party were, nevertheless, well received at
the village, and supplied with plenty of pro
visions of every kind. They would gladly
have detained us much longer, for our com
pany appeared to them like a protection. El
Sanz is a stock and grain ranche, as is, also,
Laguna, twelve miles on the road, where is a
lake, or lagoon, near which wre shot several
wild pigeons. The population of each of these
ranches was about four hundred.

212 DURANGO, CHIHUAHUA, AND
The next forty miles of road are over an un
dulating country, where is nothing of more in
terest than two rather poor ranches. There
are four miles of this road in one place so
stony that you are forced to dismount and lead
your mule. It is as if a hail-storm of stones
had fallen on those four miles. Beyond this
bad road are some water holes, but the water
is brackish. A little farther on is the haci
enda of Los Chouos, or the "Water-spout,"
where water flows abundantly out of the
ground. This is really a fine place, built of
solid masonry, whitewashed. It was once
taken by the Comanches and burnt, which is
the reason of its being rebuilt in modern style.
There are large droves of sheep and mules on
this farm. The residence of the " amo," or
owner, is a pretty piece of architecture, the
colonnades being in the Corinthian style ; and
all else about it showing unusual refinement.
The country around Los Chouos is thickly
wooded with mesquit, and the soil rich. One
or two farms may be discovered in the clear
ings. From this place to Durango is thirty
miles. Three leagues from Durango is the crossing
of the Bio de Huatmipi, near which is situate

THE ROUTES TO TnE PACIFIC. 213
a fine hacienda ; but it is not visible from
the road. Between this one and Durango is
a large hacienda, said to be one of the richest
in the state. From here a fine road leads into
Durango, which is seen at a distance from the
plain. The stranger entering Durango will make
one of his first visits to the mountain which
overlooks the city. On its summit is built a
church, and hidden in its bowels are rich leads
of silver ore, as well as iron and other metals.
Having gone over one of the routes by which
the traveller may reach the mountain country
of Mexico from the United States boundary,
I will now, in the same manner, furnish my
readers with the notes of a different route.
ROUTE FROM MATAMORAS TO DURANGO.
Matamoras situated on the west bank of the
Rio Bravo, is too well known to need descrip
tion. It is in the state of Tamaulipas, and is
one hundred and fifty miles from Monterey,
capital of Nueva Leon.
From Matamoras, fifteen leagues of dry
country and level road bring the traveller to
Lorro, a small stock ranche, with a popula-
9*

214

tion of one hundred souls. It is on a stream
of the same name, which runs into the Rio
Grande. From Touro it is fifteen leagues to
Las Chinipas, the " curly." The country along
the road is level and dry. A " represso" is the
only feature of the whole road worth noticing.
Chinipas is a busy little place, with a farm
ing community ; and is watered by the head
waters of the San Juan.
Ten leagues from this village will bring us
to Cadeireita, situated on the Monterey river.
Here there are fine groves of oranges, and or
chards of other fruit, also fields of sugar-cane.
The population is about five hundred. Along
the banks of the river are some fine haciendas.
Ten leagues more takes the traveller to Mon
terey, the capital of the incorporated states of
Nueva Leon and Coahuila. Another route
from the Rio Grande to Monterey, is from Ca-
margo over a rough and uninviting country.
Ceralbo, the first place on this road, is in the
midst of chapparal thickets. Marin, a small
village of three hundred inhabitants, is situate
on a small creek on a high, broken plain. Be
tween Ceralbo and Marin is Papagallo, an old
deserted ranche ; and two leagues distant is
Bamos, another ranche. It was between Ra-

THE ROUTES TO 'THE PACIFIC. 215
mos and Marin that the United States govern
ment trains were lost in the " Urias" massacre.
Doubtless the public and my friends will
recollect that I was the only one of that party
who escaped the general slaughter. From
Marin to Monterey there is a passable wagon
road. Two leagues beyond Monterey is Los Molinos-,
the mill, a place of no particular importance.
Twelve leagues farther on is Rinconada, or
" elbow," a stock ranche. The country is poor,
dry, hilly, and thorny, made up of valleys and
mountain passes. Twelve leagues more of the
same road brings us to Saltillo. This was
once the capital of the district of Saltillo, now
a part of Coahuila, of which this is one of the
most important towns. Its population is about
two thousand.
Two leagues west from Saltillo is Buena
Vista, the scene of General Taylor's victory ;
and ten leagues beyond is the stock ranche of
San Juan de Panama ; while eight leagues
more bring us to the large stock-raising farm
of De las Muchachas, or " The Girls." The
country in this region is mountainous and
brushy. In some parts chapparal prevails,
while in others the varieties of cactus predorh-

216 DURANGO, CHIHUAHUA, AND
inate. Some palo fiero, or iron- wood, is also
met with ; also mesquit, and huisacha, a new
variety of mesquit, bearing small beans of
which animals are very fond.
INDIAN CHASE' PROPOSED.
On my arrival in Durango, from travelling
this route with a company of men, I was wait
ed on by the secretary of state with a sum
mons to attend his excellency Governor Her
nandez. I immediately complied, thinking he
wished to examine my carta de securida, and
the passports of my company, which I took
along with, my own, for examination. On
presenting myself to Governor Hernandez, he
said to me, " I do not wish to see your pass
ports, but I wish to know if you would like to
fight the Indians with your men." I answer
ed that I was unable to speak for my com
panions, as they were American freemen ; that
I was merely spokesman for the party on the
present occasion, and not master of the com
pany. " Return to your companions. I offer
you  thousand dollars for twenty days'
service of your party; and will furnish you
with provisions and horses. If they agree, be

THE ROUTES TO THE PACIFIC. 217
in your saddles in one hour." I returned to
the meson, called out my men, and told them
of the proposal of the governor, which they
unanimously accepted. I took back their an
swer. Calling an officer, the governor said to
him, after giving him orders concerning our
comfort, " Remember, if on your return I hear
the least complaint against you, I shall make
you an inmate of that prison," — pointing to
the stateprison, — " and I want these men fed
on the best that the state affords." I returned
to get in readiness to depart. As I entered the
meson, good horses, ready saddled, were brought
into the yard by Mexican attendants. A guide
was furnished me, and I was authorized to
summon the troops of the state, if they should
be needed. At the appointed time we were
cantering along our road after Indians.
At first we followed our road back for a
course of ten miles, when we turned off to
the northeast one league, where we arrived at
the fine hacienda of Saueda (willows), where
there is a large tank or reservoir of water.
There are a great many animals, and large
quantities of grain raised here. Five leagues
from this place is the hacienda of Saucito or
"small willow," owned by a priest of Durango.

218 DURANGO, CHIHUAHUA, AND
Over three hundred hundred peons are employ
ed upon it, and the houses and grounds are in
excellent style. This hacienda is situate in
the valley of the Guatemepe, which runs south,
and waters several haciendas of the state of
Durango. Following a northwest course, we left the
valley, and, crossing a spur of the mountains,
entered into the pine regions. Ten leagues
from Saucito we came to the hacienda de los
Pinos, or Pine hacienda, where much stock
and some grain is raised. Again crossing some
spurs of the mountains, we once more entered
the valley of the Guatemepe.
CHANGING OUR ROUTE.
As in mentioning our Indian adventure, I had
no design of inflicting my personal experiences
upon the reader, further than to show where
it led me into the country, I shall again change
my course, and describe another portion of
the country lying between Cuencame and the
northern portions of Cineloa; crossing the Sierra
Madre by a route which will take us through
southern Chihuahua, and a rich mineral dis
trict, and leaving Durango for a future excur-

THE ROUTES TO THE PACIFIC. 21,9
sion. Starting from Cuencame, we will take
a west-southwest course over a rather hilly
country. PINON BLANCO.
Twenty leagues will bring us to the hand
some village of Pinon Blanco, or " white pine
nut," a place of some two thousand inhabi
tants, situate in a very fertile valley. Farm
ing is carried on to a considerable extent, and
several dry-goods stores do a thriving business.
There appears to be a better class of Mexicans
at this place than it is usual to meet with ;
both more intelligent and more industrious.
They are also very courteous and kind to
strangers. HACIENDA DE MANORAS.
Leaving Pinon Blanco, the roa.d crosses some
hills, after which the country opens into plains,
dry, barren, and nearly destitute of timber ; a
little scrubby mesquit being the extent of
wood ; neither is there much water. Eigh
teen leagues of this road bring us to the haci
enda of Manoras, the second in size of all in
the state of Durango. Here are kept twenty-
one thousand brood mares, thirty thousand

220

DURANGO, CHIHUAHUA, AND

head of horned cattle, and one hundred thou
sand sheep and goats. The proprietor has for
sale, yearly, ten thousand mules, which bring
in no mean revenue. All this stock is grazed
in the owner's enclosure, the whole great farm
being walled in. The proprietor is Don Jose
Fierro, a descendant of one of the old Spanish
invaders, the property having descended from
father to son since that time. Eight hundred
men are employed on the hacienda. Besides
this immense farm, Don Jose Fierro is the own
er of two large sugar estates in the state of
Vera Cruz, and an entire block in the capital
of Mexico. His wife is a Spanish lady, edu
cated in all the refinements of Paris. Her or
dinary appearance is sufficiently brilliant to
dazzle republican eyes, the jewels which she
habitually wears being worth ten thousand
dollars. Yet to all these riches they have no
heir, the marriage having proved unfruitful.
Although this place is so far from the sea
ports, the decorations of the house, and the
luxurious living, might deceive one into be
lieving himself in some great port of the world,
rather than on a remote hacienda of Durango.
It is a capital place for travellers to recruit,
there being everything here to furnish him for

THE ROUTES TO THE PACD7IC. 221
a continued journey, and a paradise of rest to
the horseman, after hundreds of miles over a
barren or mostly barren country.
Continuing on this route for ten leagues
over a rough and broken country, we arrive at
San Juan del Bio, the ancient capital of the
state of Durango. Its population is between
two and three thousand. Its situation is upon
a river, which has fine bottom land for culti
vation. From this place we cross some valleys of good
land, and come to, at the end of five leagues,
the hacienda of Santa Guia, or the " Holy
Guide." It fronts a large lake of fresh water,
where plenty offish abound, and several species
of wild game. It is an extensive grain haci
enda, in a fine situation ; and takes its name
from its difficulty of access, as in high water
this road is the only one by which it is possi
ble to approach the lake. The Rio San Juan
flows out of this lake, which is itself formed
by a spring in a cypress swamp.
The owners of Santa Guia are four maiden
ladies, who have expressed a determination to
have none but American husbands. They
each have a portion of five hundred thousand
dollars in cash, deposited in the treasury at

222 DURANGO, CHIHUAHUA, AND
the capital of the state. The ladies are not
bad looking, and appeared to be in good mar
riageable condition !
From Santa Guia it is four leagues to the
hacienda de Guatempe, from which place we
shall follow our old route to Santiago Pescar.
From Guatempe we follow the valley ten
leagues, which bring us to Madeline, or Santa
Magdalena, a large hacienda where extensive
orchards of pears, peaches, oranges, pome
granates, and quinces, are cultivated. From
here we keep on over a high and dry country
for six leagues which bring us to Chinicates.
From Chinicates the road is over a high moun
tain, and descending into a valley, after four
leagues you have arrived at Santiago Pescar,
named after the Disciple, James, the fisherman.
To follow our route we must here turn down
the valley to the hacienda Pescarda, from there
entering the southern pass for Guadalupe Ca-
bro, and finding no inhabited country before
reaching this last-named place. The nature
of the country renders a guide necessary ; and
the scarcity of grass makes it very hard upon
the animals you must use. The only vegeta
tion for animals is the potato top, this being
the native home of the potato, where every

THE ROUTES TO THE PACIFIC. 223
green thing is sure to be the potato vine. A
colony of Irishmen might flourish here, where
their favorite root is indigenous to the soil.
Water is plenty on this part of the route, and
the road very bad, and, as you go west, exceed
ingly rough.
Following valleys and plains, and alternate
ly crossing some small ranges of hills, we keep
getting higher and higher, until about fifty
leagues from Santiago Pescar, we have reached
the top of the mountain range. Here bounti
ful Nature has provided travellers with a house
to order, in forming a cave of large dimensions,
with an entrance fifty feet in height, opening
toward the south. The inside is dome-shaped,
and arches over to meet the rocky floor, mak
ing a very smooth and polished canopy of solid
rock. I should judge this cave to be the re
sult of volcanic action. One of its beauties is
a waterfall of about six inches in diameter,
descending from the summit, and giving the
atmosphere of the cave a most delicious cool
ness. This would be a delectable summer re
sort, were it a little more accessible.
Turning down the mountain, toward Guada
lupe Calvo, the grass and water are both bet
ter and more abundant; but the road is of the

224 DURANGO, CHIHUAHUA,. AND
worst possible character. Riding is in many
places very dangerous, and to dismount and
get over them on foot the only proper alterna
tive. No road can ever be made here better
than a path for pack mules ; or, at all events,
it will be -safe to say that no amount of busi
ness or travel can ever force a railroad through
these mountains. From the cave to Guada
lupe is about fifty leagues.
From Guadalupe Calvo to Casas Viejoes, or
Old Houses, is thirty leagues, or five days'
travel over a bad road, or mule-path ; and from
Casas Viejoes to El Fuerte, twenty-five leagues
more, over a road a little better, although the
whole distance must be performed on pack-
animals, as no wagon-road exists for this jour
ney. But should the traveller desire to go to
some farther north into Chihuahua, he must
take the wagon or state road at Alamo de Par
ras for El Parral, a business place for traders,
and from there to Bajios, a distance from
Alamo of one hundred and twenty miles, and
as far as there is any road. From there north,
only the eagle can go, or the sure-footed moun
tain-mule. But from Bajios one may return
across the mountains again to Batopilas, by a
pass somewhat better than the pass of Guada-

THE EOUTES TO THE PACIFIC. 225
lupe Calvo, yet not sufficiently good to make
a railroad through here ever a possibility.
The road from Batopilas to El Fuerte has
already been described in speaking of the
mines of Sinaloa. I shall now only name the
places on the route from Batopilas to Guay
mas, Sonora : which are Los Tarumarias mis
sion, El Realito, Los Cueros, Couleura, Tasaga-
dera, Chois, Larro, Real de Alamo ; and thence
from Alamo to Guaymas.

STATE OF SONORA.

STATE OF SONORA

ROAD FROM EL FUERTE TO ALAMOS.
Crossing the Fuerte, which is here a tolera
bly deep river, on the north side is La Galera,
or the " Corn-thrasher," a small village. From
hence the road is over a plain covered with mes
quit and fine grass, and without any water for
five leagues, until we come to Casanole, a small
creek, where the bottoms are full of fine cy
press trees. Two leagues farther on is Mesquit,
a farming village or hacienda, where a great
deal of corn is raised on the river bottoms.
This hacienda belongs to the Sonora capitalist,
Gomez, who has here a very fine stock of
horses and other animals.
Following the bottom for five leagues, we
come to Tapezulas, a considerable village.
The bottom has a great many new clearings,
but is generally covered with fine timber.
Five leagues more bring us to Tangua, on
the same bottom, which is, near this place, a
10

230 STATE OF SONORA.
long belt of cornfields, and destined sometime
to raise an immense amount of grain, as it lies
between two good markets — Fuerte and Ala
mos. From Tangua the road goes to St. Vincent,
where the principal object of the traveller's
attention is a handsome little church, built on
an eminence. Two leagues from this village
is a ranche ; and two leagues farther on is an
other farm, which has no resident, though the
cornfields were teeming with yellow grain.
Here is the last crossing of the Rio Casanole on
our road, as we must now follow the course of
the Fraile or Priest mountains, described in
another place.
Keeping at the foot of the mountain, two
leagues of rather stony road bring us to the
crossing of the arroya De los Ladrones (" Rob
ber's creek"), in a very wild spot. As this is
the last water before reaching Alamos, and as
here is some fine grass and a good shade, it is a
very convenient place for repose, notwithstand
ing the bad reputation of this spot. It was
formerly the surprising-place of a band of rob
bers, who hid in the Sierra de los Frailes and
pounced upon the convoys of money and silver
going to or from the mint of Culiacan, be-

STATE OF SONORA. 231
fore the branch mint was established at Ala
mos. From this place to Alamos is a distance of
three leagues, over a very stony road ; and the
whole distance from Fuerte to Alamos is
twenty-eight leagues. There is a carriage-
road from Tangua to Alamos, but it is very
long, and through a very bushy and thickly-
timbered country.
ROAD FROM ALAMOS TO HERMOSILLO.
From Alamos we proceed to Agua Caliente,
already described, crossing the Mayo river and
the creek Bio Cedro, or Cedar creek, whose
bottoms are covered with cornfields, to Coni
cari. From Conicari we go north to Sobia, a
village at the foot of a very high mountain,
which you must go round to arrive at the vil
lage. Some corn and very fine stock are
raised at this place, but water is scarce. At a
little distance is a gold mine which was once
worked but is now under water. From Sobia
it is five leagues to Mesquit, a stock ranche, in
a large plain between the mountains. Water
is kept here by means of a dam in the small
arroya which passes the place.

232 STATE OF SONORA.
Leaving the Mesquit ranche, we pass over
into a valley, where water is to be found, hid
den under a large rock, in an out-of-the-way
place, where its presence would not be sus
pected. Here was, also, the remnant of a house
and corral, a part of the wall of masonry being
still left standing. This country is a fine one
for grazing and stock-raising, and lightly tim
bered ; but water is only to be got by wells.
One league from the hidden water-hole is a
stock farm, upon which there is only water
enough for house use, and the cattle are driven
some two leagues north, to the well of Buena
Vista, situated on the same road in a thickly-
timbered pass of volcanic hills. The water is
here raised by a rude piece of machinery
worked by mules, and the well is in a very
wild and rather romantic place.
Following our north course, the road opens
upon a large plain, at the lowest point of
which runs a small stream, 1' Alamos (or Pop
lar, in good Spanish). On this stream is the
ranche of the same name, having a rich soil
and genial climate, also plenty of timber and
excellent grass. Good grain and stock are
raised there.
It is proper here to remark, that all the

STATE OF SONORA. 233
country between the Mayos and Yagui rivers
is fitted for stock-raising on a grand scale.
The whole country is a pasture, even the mes
quit furnishing its share in fattening cattle.
On the other hand, however, only some por
tions of it are capable of being irrigated, on
account of the scarcity of water. Where water
is to be obtained the fruitful soil richly repays
the labors of the husbandman.
From the ranche Alamo the road enters the
gorges of the Bayouja mountains. After cross
ing a well-timbered ridge, we descend into a
valley, also quite heavily timbered, and having
some large cornfields ; but there is water in
the arroya only a short time after the rainy
season. This arroya has been slightly pros
pected for gold, which exists here ; but, as
there is no water to wash it nine months in
the year, very little has been done.
Following up this creek, we come to the ha
cienda of St. Augustine, owned by a very
clever Mexican, quite friendly to foreigners.
This place is two leagues from Bayouja, which
is behind the mountain in front of St. Augus
tine. Going up the creek, we make the cir
cuit of the foot of the mountain, coursing first
west, then east, to reach Bayouja. Half way

234 STATE OF SONORA.
up the mountain is a mine of gold and silver,
which has been worked for fifty years with
different results. It yielded handsomely to
those who worked it with energy. The proof
of its past richness is that it was this mine
which built Bayouja. Since the civil dis
sensions in Sonora it has been abandoned, in
consequence of which Bayouja is now in ruins,
and a mere wreck of its old days. All the
houses are decayed, and the population dwin
dled down to a mere remnant. The mine is
now in operation anew, and, with quiet times,
it will prosper again. The present population
is not over three hundred. The Sierra de Ba
youja is a very high mountain, and is seen
from the gulf.
From Bayouja to Buena Vista on the Yagui
is about sixteen leagues, over which distance
are scattered only three settlements. The first
ranche is in a valley, where there are placers
of gold. The second, two leagues distant, is a
fine farm, with plenty of corn and fruit, and
large droves of horses and mules. It was here
that I first met with any of the Yagui Indians.
The last of the three placers on this road is
hidden in a nook between the spurs of the
mountains, where water in holes is plenty, and

STATE OF SONORA. 235
where the Yaguis hide large herds of cattle
and sheep, the sight of which astonished me
not a little. YAGUI VALLE ST.
Approaching the Yagui river the country is
barren, except in the immediate vicinity of the
bottom, and that is heavily timbered. The
Yagui is the largest river of Sonora (not speak
ing of the Colorado, which hardly belongs to
it), as the Fuerte is of Sinaloa. The Fuerte, I
believe, carries the most water. To ford the
Yagui is dangerous, as the bottom of its bed is
full of quicksands, and the channel changes so
often that a guide is necessary even in the
lowest stages of water.
Buena Vista is on a rise of ground, on the
north bank of the river. It has recently be
come celebrated as the battle-field where the
troops of Gandara were routed by those of Pes-
quira. The place has not yet recovered from
the destruction which came upon it at that
time. Not a house but shows that the " for
tunes of war" have visited it — H,he doors, roofs,
&c, being blackened or destroyed entirely by
the flames. At the time of my visit all the

236 STATE OF SONORA.
inhabitants had left it but a few Yagui In
dians, who had formerly made this one of their
strongholds. A portion of the cornfields were
standing. Irrigation only is needed to make
this soil yield splendid results in grain or other
products. From Buena Vista two roads offer themselves
to go to Hermosillo, the eastern one by Cau-
maripa, quite a farming and trading place,
and San Jose de Pinos, already described.
The western route is the shortest, but not much
used on account of its being through a coun
try abandoned since the late insurrections of
the Yaguis. However, we will go over it.
It is two leagues northwest from Buena-
Vista to some water holes over a ridge ; then
the road enters a pass among hills which show
abundance of gold and copper ; there is a light
growth of timber on the hills, and plenty of
grass. Two leagues more bring us to the edge
of a large plain where there is water by the
roadside ; near which are the ruins of build
ings, a well, and other domestic fixtures ; the
road crosses this plain in the centre, going
north. All around are mineral mountains ;
some in chains, some in blocks wildly thrown
together, and some standing alone, like lofty

STATE OF SONORA 237
columns. On the right is a copper-mine, work
ed for years with profit, but now abandoned
on account of the hostilities of the Yaguis.
The road which we tread, once a thorough
fare, is now nearly obliterated. It looks as if
years might have passed since any one trod it,
and is so dim that a Yagui guide is necessary
to conduct us from mountain to mountain, for
these are the only road-marks and mile-stones
That this plain is of the utmost fertility, may
be seen by the size of the mesquit timber and
the height of the grass.
Nine leagues from Buena Vista brings us to
Agua Caliente, on a small knoll, from either
side of which flow springs of hot water, which
naturally irrigate several thousand acres of
black soil of the richest quality. Ths land, if
cultivated, would produce any crop, such as
corn, wheat, cotton, or sugar-cane ; but, here it
lies waste, and there is one fine farm the less
in Sonora for that fact. This plain extends
eight or ten leagues, on each side, to the moun
tains ; and is, beside its fertility, apparently a
rich gold field. 10*

238 STATE OF SONORA.

SAN MARCIAL.

Leaving Agua Caliente, it is eight leagues
to Punta de Agua, or " water-sink," an aban
doned ranche on the San Marcial river. The
bottoms of this river are rich, and pretty thick
ly settled. Going up the bottom about three
leagues, we come to San Marcial, the centre
of several silver mines. The justice, or alcade,
is a descendent of a foreign family, and speaks
good English, as well as being very courteous
to strangers. The silver mines of San Marcial
are very productive, and give employment to
many miners. San Marcial is also a good
market for the produce of the valley. Both
market and produce must rapidly increase in
this valley as soon as a better class of settlers
shall come in to keep out Apaches, who yearly
drive away the stock, and keep down the
farming.

SAN MARCIAL VALLEY.

Up the valley of the river, going east fifteen
leagues, is the Hay game, a ranche owned by a
Chileno. One league farther on is San Jose de
Pimas. From here we go north eight leagues

STATE OF SONORA. 239
to the Represso, or Reservoir, a stock ranche,
owned by one of the Monteverde, a family
friendly to Pesquiera. Six leagues northeast
of this place is El Real de Subiate, in a broken,
mountainous region, without running water or
timber. But here is a most celebrated silver
mine, owned by the Monteverdes, and which
has raised the family to an important position
in Sonora. Five hundred miners have been
employed in this mine. The ore, like all that
in this portion of Sonora, is beneficiated, or
worked in furnaces. But little is now done in
the mine, the greater part of the work being
under water, and a steam engine necessary to
dry it.
One league from Subiate is the ranche of
Laguna, where the water stands in the rainy
season ; but during the dry season a well must
be used to procure drink. A new mine has
just been discovered in a neighboring hill,
which promises to yield a fair percentage.
From Laguna to Hermosillo is eighteen leagues,
half that distance being a good level road.
GANDARA' S MINE.
On the left is situate the mountain of Sta.
Rosalia, bold and prominent, in which is the

240 STATE OF SONORA.
mine of Santa Teresa, the property of ex-Gov
ernor Gandara, who took out in four years six
hundred thousand dollars. The principal " la
bor" paid as high as eight marks of silver to
the cargo of three hundred pounds of ore. The
second " labor" yielded sixteen ounces of silver
to the cargo; and the remaining labors a poorer
percentage. Three hundred peons were em
ployed, but the cost of their wages was trifling,
they being all the time in debt to Gandara,
who paid them in advance in goods on which
he realized a high profit. His large droves of
fat cattle, and his ranches only at a little dis
tance, furnished the operatives with rations ;
and all the carrying was done by his own an
imals. Paying out so little money, the silver
taken out of the mine was nearly clear gain.
Yet the thievish nature inherent in the Mexi
can and Indian, contrived to cheat the propri
etor out of large specimens of the richest ore— -
a sort of tax which no vigilance can prevent.
It is not wonderful that Gandara, so many
years governor of a flourishing state, owning
mines, and rich in haciendas, should have
amassed the colossal fortune that he did. But,
as he has many friends, so he has many bitter
enemies. To foreigners he has wisely shown

STATE OF SONORA. 241
himself liberal and encouraging in a degree :
also he was a good master among his own
people, giving away some things in profusion ;
but sparing of money, even to parsimony.
His parsimony has, perhaps, cost him Sonora,
and only untying his purse-strings will ever
again set him in his native state. Moreover,
Gandara lacks the grand requisites of a chief
tain — courage and confidence. To the greatest
ambition he unites the meanest cowardice ;
and such will be the record of him in the his
tories of Sonora and Sinaloa, should they ever
be written. In the different military opera
tions against Gandara in 1848, he, with troops
and abundant resources of every kind, showed
himself unable to cope with Pesquiera, who
was destitute of both. In the siege of Hermo
sillo, in the blockading of Ures, and at the bat
tle of Buena Vista, the last scene of the inglo
rious campaign, he shook the confidence of his
followers, who while they admired his good
ness of heart, despised him for his want of
valor ; — it being his custom to keep horses
ready saddled for his own flight in case of de
feat, stationed some miles from the scene of
conflict. In justice to himself, he ought to
have chosen from among his friends some one

242 STATE OF SONORA.
more daring to assume the responsibility of
command. Pesquiera, on the contrary, may boast of the
chivalry of Sonora. Himself a brave man, and
with such friends as " El Cachario" (Don Jose
Maria Morales), he is the terror of the Yaguis,
who have said to me, " We never had such a
terrible governor." The Monteverde name is
also a bright one in Sonora, and also the Elias,
any of them were superior to Gandara. The
fact that Gandara called to his aid the Yaguis,
and allowed them to plunder and burn ha
ciendas and ranches, made him many enemies
among the land-owners of Sonora, and alien
ated the commercial interest, which Pesquiera
was clever enough to secure by large loans of
money made to his government, which they
are bound to support to secure the payment of
their loans.
The mine of Santa Teresa, since the flight of
Gandara, has been left to the tender mercies of
the " Gambusinos," who have worked out the
pillars and brought it to ruins.
Half way to Hermosillo, on the north, is
Llano Blanco, or " White Plain," a stock
farm. From Llano Blanco it is ten leagues to
the Bealito, a village at the junction of the

STATE OF SONORA. 243
San Miguel and Sonora rivers. From here the
road is through well- watered fields, until we
come to Hermosillo. HERMOSILLO.
Hermosillo is the ancient " Pitic" of the
Ceres Indians, who once made this Valley their
home. These Indians were formerly a power
ful nation, but are now dwindled in number
to a few hundreds ; and these are every day
diminishing. The only memento of them
which ere long will remain will be their name
given to a suburb of Hermosillo — El Pueblo
de Ceres. Hermosillo is built around a small,
bell-shaped hill, called the " Campana" from
its form, and because the basaltic rock of
which it is composed gives out a clear, ringing
sound, when pieces of it are struck together.
It is a city of about fourteen thousand inhabi
tants, and the metropolis of Sonora both in
size and importance of position. The produce
of the whole valley centres here, making it
a place of considerable trade — the fruit and
flour produced taking its way, by the San
Miguel, to Mazatlan, and thence to all Sinaloa.
The Sonora river sinks itself, six miles below

244 STATE OF SONORA.
the city, in a large plain, extending thence
to the gulf. This plain, which is a magnifi
cent pasture-land, is dotted over with isolated
mountains, barren and naked, and so near and
so like each other as to make it very difficult
to distinguish them. The unavoidable confu
sion which gets possession of the traveller's
mind, preventing his keeping a straight course,
is often the occasion of almost fatal bewilder
ment to even experienced vagueros, who have
lost themselves among them, and suffered the
pangs of hunger and thirst in consequence.
Water is to be found only at great distances,
and game only near the water. On this plain,
also, is a tree of remarkable quality, which
can be found at certain distances from the
gulf. In the hottest days of summer its shade
is cold — so cold as to give one a chill after en
during it for a short time. Its name is itos.
ANOTHER ROUTE TO HERMOSILLO.
From Punta de I Agua is a road going west
to Hermosillo, passing by El Chibato, or " the
goat," a stock ranche. A valuable lead of
copper ore extends from the Chibato to a re
presso crossing the Subiate creek, which runs
into the Punta de I' Agua stream.

STATE OF SONORA. 245
Beyond a pass in the hills is TAguague, a
small village of " gambusinos," or miners, who
each and all have one or two mines at which
they work. Along this range of hills a hun
dred mines could be named ; but they are
worked with very poor results, the miners hav
ing no means to open them properly, and being
content after taking out a few dollars to waste
it in gambling ; after which they can pawn
their animals or tools to enable them to begin
work anew, and buy a little supply of provis
ions for their new effort. Some of the ores
pay well. They are beneficiated either by fire
or quicksilver. Those which are beneficiated
by the patio process (patio means yard) are
very rich ; for the people work only a very
small quantity of ore, which pays immediately.
The ore is brought on the backs of asses to the
settlement, where it is broken and ground in
the arrastra, then mixed with quicksilver and
boiled in a vaso or large copper kettle, stirred,
and then retorted. The produce is then melted
into the bar. The loss by quicksilver is very
small, and the whole process is performed with
the rudest imaginable contrivances.
The ore to be smelted is broken fine and
mixed with certain quantities of either lead

246 STATE OF SONORA.
ore or any other ore at hand which may serve
as a flux. The furnaces are of the commonest
description, and being made of adobe rarely
last over four or five days, though some, in the
larger mines, stand fire for a week. In these
worthless fixtures the smelting is done, of ores
which, if worked on a larger scale, would pay
very handsomely.
West from TAguague stands a bold hill,
nine hundred feet in height, alone in a plain,
and called the " Pillar." It is known as a
landmark to the country around. On the
south side of this hill is a plain which fur
nishes a sort of stone that is not affected by
fire, but the people are ignorant what use to
put it to. About three miles to the north of
the Pillar is a ridge of small hills in which
three different copper leads have been opened
and worked. These hills are at the foot of a
high chain of mountains extending west to
Guaymas. In those mountains, which are
broken, and covered with mesquit and thorny
underbrush, is a mine called Taraja (a blue
bird with a long tail), of extraordinary rich
ness. It \tas worked in the time of the
Spaniards. Incalculable riches are supposed
to have been taken out of it. During the revo-

STATE OF SONORA. 247
lutionary war it was lost, as the country was
but thinly settled about it, and it could not be
defended. While I was in the neighborhood
inquiries were making upon a plan of the mine
which was sent from the city of Mexico. A
large party was organized with the purpose of
prospecting not only the mine but the moun
tains around. The project was a failure, how
ever, as the time allowed was insufficient. It
would require a month at least to make a
thorough investigation of the prospects here.
However, several leads of silver and copper
were discovered. In these mountains the
mescal root abounds, and red deer and wild
cats are plenty.
Two leagues northeast of l'Aguague, is La
Villa, a stock farm, in a rich mesquit bottom ;
but *the forays of the Apaches have left it in a
nearly ruined condition. On the same course,
five leagues farther, is a represso and stock-
farm, about four leagues from Hermosillo,
as we enter by the Pueblo de Ceres.
GUAYMAS.
Returning to Punta de l'Agua, we will go
west down the stream, which forms a fine val-

248 STATE OF SONORA.
ley, but wants water to irrigate it. Here the
mesqnit timber is very large. Ten leagues
bring us to Noria, where considerable wheat is
raised and fine stock is grazing on the plains.
At the mouth of the river is " old Guaymas,"
four leagues south of the present port of
Guaymas, now considered the best harbor of
the Gulf of California, being safer than Mazat
lan. It is a strong military position, and, if
fortified and properly defended, would with
stand a great force. It is strong by water as
well as by land. The population is. not half
that of Hermosillo, which is connected with it
and Alamos and El Fuerte by a good wagon-
road. Its trade every day becomes more
important, as the resources of the country be
come developed ; and it is confidently predict
ed that an Atlantic railroad will reach it*in a
few years, and that the rails will also traverse
all the western coast of Sonora and Sinaloa.
Guaymas must become the largest city of
the coast, and especially when the Yagui
valley shall have been opened to agricul
ture.

STATE OF SONORA. 249
ROAD FROM ALAMO TO GUAYMAS BY SANTA CRUZ.
Five leagues south of Alamos is Minas Nu-
eras, silver mines of great richness, but now in
the hands of the Gambusinos, who work them
in their shiftless and thriftless manner. North
from these mines is Navojoa, with a popula
tion of five thousand inhabitants. The town
is situate on the Mayo bottom, which large
and fertile field is yearly sown with more than
one hundred fanegas of wheat. Its people are
Mayos and Mexicans, who carry on some little
trade in grain. Following down the river sixty
miles, we come to Santa Cruz, or " Gintivis."
The whole length of the valley is a valuable
tract of land for raising either fruit, wheat, or
corn. Santa Cruz is a port of the gulf of Califor
nia, a small harbor of the second class, sur
rounded, however, by a fine farming country.
Several foreigners have opened sugar farms in
the valley, but the hostility of the Indians did
not permit them to enjoy their possession.
Whenever foreigners shall settle in numbers
sufficient for self-defence, many productive
farms and comfortable homes will be made
along the Mayo and Yagui valleys.

250 STATE OF SONORA.
From the Mayo we cross over a high table
land, dotted with mountains toward the east,
passing several stock-farms where both horses
and sheep are raised, reaching the Yagui after
a stretch of seventy-five miles. El Cocori (the
rooster), is situated on the Yagui, forty miles
below Buena Vista. It is a military post, kept
by government to awe the Yagui Indians.
The troops, two hundred in number, are com
manded by a German officer in the pay of
Pesquiera. El Cocori is a large farming place ;
extensive " sequias," or ditches, carrying water
for irrigation, extend all over this portion of
the valley.
Three leagues down the river from here is
Baccan. This is one of the four principal towns
of the Yagui nation, where they meet to trans
act business in a general assembly. It is situ
ate on the south side of the river. There is a
church here, and considerable trade.
TOURON.
Crossing to the north side of the river, seven
leagues of travel brings us to Touron. The
road lies among thick timber, where the mes
quit grows taller and larger than usual, the

STATE OF SONORA. 251
branches so linked and interwoven as to form
a continuous natural bower of shade, under
which yoa may travel all day, secure from the
sun's rays, that in this region are very power
ful. At Touron the river makes a bend in the
form of a horseshoe, and in the half-enclosed
space stands the town, built on a small flat
elevation of about forty feet. All the surround
ing country is level, and for a hundred miles
not a rock is to be seen, which fact makes this
little knob the more curious, it being composed
of flat stones. In the midst of the little town
is an old church, built by the Spaniards, in a
good state of preservation. Standing on the
elevation on which Touron is situate, the
river — east and west — is visible for a long dis
tance, bordered two or three miles deep with
thick canebrakes, back of which is the heavy
mesquit bottom, of immense fertility. It is
one of the richest soils I have ever seen. The
town is nearly locked up from the surrounding
country by a lagoon, that crosses the open
ing in the horseshoe, leaving only a narrow
mule-path for egress or ingress.
It was at this place that I witnessed a feast
of the Yaguis — partly of a religious and part
ly of a political character — being performed

252 STATE OF SONORA.
while mass was celebrating, from which
strangers were carefully excluded. At some
personal risk, however, I was enabled to see
the celebration of the rite. The old church
standing so prominent on the hill appeared
venerable enough ; and the spectacle, absurd
as it looked to me, was one that worked up
the feelings of the Indians to the highest pitch.
In front of the church was a track, worn like
a race-cOurse, up and down which paced two
milk-white horses with riders. Between the
two horses, which walked side by side, was a
man in a mask, with a long beard like a goat's,
horns on his forehead, and a long tail behind.
He was making the most frantic gestures, and
uttering terrible and horror-exciting cries, vain •
ly endeavoring to loosen his hands, one of
which was bound to the pommel of each
horse's saddle. The horses were wild with
excitement, frothing, stamping, and pawing
the dust, yet all the time keeping the same
distance from each other, as if acting a part.
In front of the church was another figure,
with a masked face, dressed in white gar
ments, striped with red ; he had a pair of
wings attached to his shoulders, and, in his
hands, bow and arrows. As the first figure

STATE OF SONORA. 253
personated the devil chained, so this last one
represented a guardian angel, protecting the
entrance to the church from the devil, who
was vainly essaying to enter whenever he
came in front of the door, and shouting in
the Yagui tongue, " Tahamihenemica bah-
min !" (Give me water !) while the angel re
pulsing him cried, "Kaita bahmin" (There is
no water). The scene was repeated all through
the night ; while a whole set of Yagui instru
ments made of canes, drums, violins, harps,
and numerous infernal-sounding instruments
besides, kept up a most diabolical noise. While
one portion of the Yaguis sung, another portion
was on their knees praying and kissing the
ground. The whole meaning and intent, as
well as I could understand it, was to keep the
devil from getting into the church ; and absurd
as was the spectacle, it excited in me a lively
interest. I enjoyed the fine view of the valley which
is had from Touro — of the river, the lagoon, and
on the north a chain of high, rugged, volcanic-
looking mountains. A Yagui chief confided
to me the fact that his people owned in those
mountains a valuable silver mine, whence
they obtained the metal for their little orna-
11

254 STATE OF SONORA.
ments of crosses, rings, ear-rings, &c. ; but that
they were all bound to secrecy concerning its
location. Even could it be discovered, the
hostility of the Indians would prevent its being
worked, except by a large force, unless some
way of obtaining their sanction could be de
vised. There are many mines of lead, copper,
and silver, in those mountains, waiting the
needful energy and means to bring out their
wealth. From Touro, ten leagues of road, through
heavily-timbered lands, where canebrakes al
ternate with large mesquit, and past some
small Yagui villages, where you may see
herds of sheep and cattle, and houses made of
cane, in the midst of little orchards of fruit,
bring us to Bekan. This is a village of pure
Yagui population, if we except a few Mexican
traders. It is located one league from the
river, and is furnished with water by wells.
From this place I took a northwest course to
Belen, another Yagui town, standing on the
old bed of the Yagui river, which now runs
twelve leagues farther south than it once did.
Belen was built when the river ran beside it,
and it is consequently an old town. It is a
place of no present importance, its population

STATE OF SONORA. 255
having left it with the river. Some stock is
kept here, and some grain raised, but not in
any large quantity. The pueblos, or towns of
the Yagui nation, four in number, are Baccan,
Tauro, Bekan, and Belen ; but the whole num
ber of the Yagui people scattered over the
country is probably thirty thousand. The
country they inhabit is capable of extensive
cultivation, in grains, sugar-cane, rice, or cot
ton. Two crops of corn are raised annually,
this being the most productive land in Mexico.
It is my opinion that the valleys, not only of
the Yagui, but of the Mayo and Fuerte, will
compete advantageously with the Mississippi
valley or Texas lands, in raising cotton, rice,
and sugar-cane. The climate is healthy and
delicious, the heat moderated by the gulf
breezes. The air is dry, preventing malignant
fevers. All the Southern fruits will grow welL
Fish of excellent quality inhabit the river, and
the oyster-beds at its mouth are justly celebra
ted for producing large quantities of excellent
oysters, which will eventually be a source of
trade. The opening of the mineral regions
will, in the course of a few years, furnish a
good and secure market for all the productions
of this fruitful country. The planter will

256 STATE OF SONORA.
have, besides, all the facilities of river and gulf
transportation to enable him to dispose of his
produce, and for all the necessities of trade of
every kind.
Los Fluaximas (named from a kind of wood
resembling hickory) is situated fifteen leagues
northwest from Belen, one mile from the coast,
and only thirty from Guaymas by water. It
carries on a small trade with the latter place,
furnishing it with fruit and vegetables, wood,
fish, and oysters. It has some fine orchards
of oranges and other varieties of fruit. This
place is owned principally by the " Manzanas"
family of Guaymas. One member of this
family was executed in California, for nothing
good, probably ; but the family have, in conse
quence, a decided dislike to foreigners, and to
Americans especially.
s Five leagues northwest from this village is
Chiltipin (Cayenne pepper), a stock farm, not
far from the coast, and of very good land.
From here to Los Milpas (field gardens) is
a very fine country, raising vegetables in great
quantities, also a large amount of wheat.
Four leagues more bring us to the " ranche of
old Guaymas," where are still visible the
traces of a much larger town than now exists

STATE OF SONORA. 257
in that place. From Los Milpas the road
passes many large houses in ruins, broken and
burnt by the Yaguis and Gandarist party, in
political revenge. Three leagues more bring
us to the present port of Guaymas.
About one league northeast of Guaymas is
Bachucobampe, in an indenture between the
hills. Nothing is to be seen here worth men
tioning — only some oranges and vegetables
being raised here. In general the land just
around Guaymas is dry and barren, and of a
volcanic appearance. At the same time, how
ever, where there is water the soil yields boun
tifully. THE GULF COAST.
Next to Guaymas and the port of Santa
Cruz, the port of Lobos (wolf ) is the most im
portant. It is about one hundred and fifty
miles north of Guaymas on the coast, in lati
tude 31° north. In reaching it by water
nothing of interest is to be met with except
Tiburn island, which is but a dry and moun
tainous spot, furnishing nothing but a little
guano of inferior quality. The Ceres and Pa-
Pagoe Indians frequent it for fishing.
But, taking the land route to Lobos, passing

258 STATE OF SONORA.
by Bachucobampe, one league from Guaymas,
to the ranche of Cavello, a distance of five
leagues, we will follow this course three
leagues farther, to Nocha Buena (" Christmas
night") ranche. From Nocha Buena we turn,
northwest, through a range of small hills of a
volcanic appearance, and, nine leagues upon
this course, come to the stock-farm of Taskiot,
a Ceres word for the root of the mescal shrub.
The residence on this ranche is a large square
building, with towers at each corner furnished
with port-holes. This show of defence was not
intended for the Apaches, but for the Ceres,
who for years pursued a war of extermination
against the Mexican settlers. Fire and poison
were used unsparingly in their work of de
struction, and with a vengeance fairly demo
niac. The poison which they used upon their
arrows was extracted from a native shrub with
a slender stalk and crimson blossom, the dead-
liness of which is certain and awful. Not
withstanding their animosity, they were beaten
in*many hard-fought battles, and finally suc
cumbed to the Indians' manifest destiny of
extermination. Only a few miserable rem
nants remain, in the desert tracts that border
on the gulf below Hermosillo. I saw a few

STATE OF SONORA. 259
of them at Taskiot and Port Lobos. They
were tall, slim, and well-formed, but had a
pinched and starved look, which told of suffer
ing from the insufficient resources of that part
of the country they are now forced to occupy.
But very little game comes in their way ; the
wild fruits of the country, with fish, form their
principal subsistence. They carry on a sort of
exchange with the ranches, offering dried fish
and baked mescal heads for a little corn. The
Ceres women, as usual with Indian tribes, are
stout, fat, and plump. They perform all the
labor, and are by no means prepossessing in
their personal appearance. The Ceres houses
are miserable cane-huts, on the sea-shore.
Taskiot is in a large plain, surrounded by
hills timbered with small mesquit and a few
itos trees. Ten leagues from this place, in an
easterly direction, is the Gargouss, a ranche
situated on the Sonora river bottom, but with
out water, except in wells, as the river sinks
several miles above it. In this direction is
some fine timbered bottom-land, the soil being
very rich.
One league west of Taskiot is El Bancho
del Carissal, in a canebrake, as the name im
plies. Excellent crops of corn and wheat are

260 STATE OF SONORA.
raised here ; also oranges and figs. But a
short distance from it is the land-locked bay of
Boukana, so called from a class of small coast
ing boats, named boukan, which boats are
alone able to enter it from the gulf, the high,
reddish hills nearly closing together at the en
trance, on the north side. Near this entrance,
and where fresh water springs come out at the
foot of a great hill, is a village of Ceres In
dians. The road to Port Lobos from here lies direct
ly north, over a level country covered with
mesquit and itos, and where the gulf breeze
is always at play. This plain is dotted on all
sides with some isolated hills and mountains.
Water is scarce and hard to find, as in all these
plains ; but gold is said to be everywhere over
the whole surface of the country of a very fine
quality. Port Lobos hardly exists as yet as a place
of trade ; but its situation so far north, and in
a direct line with the point in the Sierra Ma
dre, where the mountains may be crossed by a
railroad from east to west, makes it a place of
considerable importance in our contemplation
of the future. This is also on the available
and direct route for the exports of the San

STATE OF SONORA. 261
Ignacio valley, and the northern parts of the
valleys of the Sonora and San Miguel. When
opened as a road, all the exports of Arizona
must find an outlet here, besides. This port is
the only one between Guaymas and the mouth
of the Colorado.
Going north from Port Lobos toward the
mouth of the Colorado, our road lies over a
barren country, where choyal is the predomi
nant shrub, or vegetation of any kind. This
choyal is a kind of cactus, with long sharp
needles ; it grows a fruit reddish or white, ac
cording to the variety, on which Indians and
rabbits love to feed ; the latter especially are
found wherever the choyal grows. Mesquit
abounds in all the valleys. Water is scarce,
as all the streams which take their rise in the
mountains dry up before reaching the gulf;
and the traveller can only find a supply of
water in the lagoons between the mountains
on the coast. Several places may be noticed
where gold has been washed along these hills.
This country is principally settled by "Pa-
Pagoes," who are hunters, and have their vil
lages wherever there is water. They are brave,
and good shots : are tall, strong, and warlike
in appearance. Recently the Mexican gov-
11*

262 STATE OF SONORA.
ernment has employed them to hunt down the
Apaches, those terrors to all Mexicans.
As we approach the Colorado, the country
has a poor, low appearance ; higher up the
river are some fine valleys of mesquit, where
the land is rich ; but near the mouth of the
river, and bordering on the gulf, is a desert
tract of a hundred miles in length.
Going southeast once more, fifty miles bring
us to Sonorita, the northernmost settlement
of Mexicans in northwest Sonora ; it is a ranche
on a fine stream of water, in a hilly country
covered with mesquit timber. Gold- washing
is carried on here in the valley, and on the
plain, in the primitive manner of the pan, or
wooden batea : some of the dirt is carried to
the stream to be washed, and some is taken
out by blowing away the fine sand ; the dirt
must be dried and pounded, the process being
very tedious, besides wasting all the fine gold,
the heavier particles alone being retained.
THE PA-PAGOE VILLAGES.
After leaving Sonorita, I went south to Ar-
eitorae, a village of Pa-Pagoes. The journey
is ten leagues, over broken plains of gravelly

STATE OF SONORA.

quartz, mixed with clay the whole distance.
It is an extensive gold-field, and would be
found to pay well, could water be obtained ;
but no running water exists here ; yet the nu
merous excavations show that work has been
done even here.
South of Areitorae, about three leagues, a
chain of mountains runs from east to west.
Entering a cafion which opens near the vil
lage, and following it south ascending the
mountain, when you are at the very crest, over
looking the valley north and south, you are
right upon a quartz vein which follows the di
rection of the chain. This ledge has been
worked down to some depth. The front of the
mine opens toward the east, and there are vis
ible the ores as they were taken out and aban
doned. It is a gold-bearing quartz, and the
extent of the works shows that the mine must
have been one of some richness.
Areitorae is watered by a spring, which
seems to be the only water in its vicinity.
The Indians seemed to be in good circum
stances, were well dressed, and had good
houses. As they have no means of farming,
they must draw all their support from gold-
washings. They probably number one thou^

264 STATE OF SONORA.
sand, this being one of the most considerable
Pa-Pagoe settlements. GUADALUPE-PA-PAGOE.
From Areitorae I travelled ten leagues south
east ; the first five leagues being over a large
plain of fine grazing land, timbered with mes
quit. At this distance the plain was crossed
by a mountain coming from the east. I there
fore turned to the right, and going round it,
followed its south base until I came to the
Pa-Pagoe village of Guadalupe. Here I found
about five hundred Indians — men, women, and
children — all occupied in digging, pounding
and blowing dirt, to extract the gold from it.
Here, also, were a number of Mexican traders,
with bread-stuffs, sugar, and other necessaries,
with which an exchange of gold-dust for their
provisions was every afternoon made. Each
day's work was bartered off as it was earned,
which gave me an opportunity of knowing
just how much a day's work amounted to. I
thought them doing very well, considering the
fact that their tools consisted of pieces of broken
hoops, old knives, and sometimes a sharp-point
ed stick. Their wages amounted to from one to

STATE OF SONORA. 265
five dollars per day, and the gold was of the
coarse kind. In the evening, dancing and frol
icking were the order of things, and all seemed
to enjoy careless happiness. I conversed with
the principal chief, who spoke Spanish, and
was passably intelligent. I asked him, where
the diggings were so general, which were
best — those in the hills, the valleys, or the
plains ? He assured me that his people found
no particular difference, but succeeded about
efually well everywhere, the country appear
ing to be universally furnished with the pre
cious metal in about the same proportion.
This chief treated me with great kindness and
liberality, taking pains to gratify my curiosity
in all ways. I witnessed a burial of one of
his people, which was very peculiar, to me at
least. The dead are placed on the surface of
the ground, which has previously been scraped
smooth, with the face toward the north-star ;
twenty days' provisions of food and water are
placed beside it; after which the whole is
covered with a great pile of choyas, which are
said to keep off wolves and other wild animals.
The last deposit in the burial-ground had been
of a gifted Pa-Pagoe, who was executed on a
charge of sorcery and commerce with evil

266 STATE OF SONORA.
spirits : so much credit do all barbarians give
to this sort of witchcraft. The chief's name
was "Ochoa." He stood six feet and two inches
in height ; good- featured, and about thirty-five
years of age ; and seemed to be aware of the
ignorance of himself and people. He desired
to show me a novel mode of hunting, which is
as follows : For finding deer, his people use a
preparation of red earth, which they call La
flor de tierra, or " the flower of earth," which
resembles red precipitate. It is kept in a bit-
tie, and possesses a particularly strong odor, pe
culiar to the female deer when in heat. On
arriving at the hunting ground, they unstop
the bottle — having previously concealed them
selves. If any deer are present or near, the
smell is sure to attract them to the spot, when
the hunters shoot them, a practice at which
they are very expert.
I saw no water on the surface in the vicin
ity of Guadalupe ; but water was taken out of
an arroya, from three different holes about ten
feet in depth each. The timber here is worth
less either for mining purposes or for ma
chinery.

STATE OF SONORA. 267

SONI.

After leaving Guadalupe, I travelled up the
bed of the arroya about four leagues, the whole
distance showing signs of a gold-bearing coun
try. Going through a pass of the mountain,
I came to the valley of Soni. Three leagues
from the pass stands an old gold-mining place
of the same name. Soni has once been a large
village, with a considerable population and
trade. Ruins are standing which show that
mining was once carried on extensively at this
place. The only water I found here was a
well, which supplied the whole population of
about eighty Indians and Mexicans, who lived
by gold- washing. The mines in the vicinity
were under water in their lowest works.
CABONA.
From Soni I proceeded southeast to C abona,'
over a chain of mountains, the road being very
rough. This is another Pa-Pagoe village, in a
high state of cultivation, and situate on a
fine stream of water ; its population is about
five hundred. It was at this place that the
unfortunate expedition of Crabb and his con-

268 STATE OF SONORA.
federates was overpowered by the inhabitants
of this valley, the expedition having entered
it by the same road I have so lightly sketched.
Cabona is on the Altar, or San Ignacio river,
which loses itself some seventy-five leagues
eastward ; and also on the road from Arizona
to Port Lobos, from which it is distant only
forty or fifty miles. South of Cabona some
good copper-mines have lately been discovered,
the nearness of which to the coast will make
them valuable.

ALTAR.
Going east I followed the San Ignacio,
which has some good land not much improved,
having only a few unimportant ranches on
the south side. At the end of four leagues I
arrived at Altar, on the river, a town of more
than two thousand inhabitants. This is the
first Mexican town one encounters coming from
the north. It is a good resting and recruiting
place for the traveller, as the living here is
both inexpensive and good. Fruits are plenty,
and a large amount of grain is raised. This is a
presidio, and a garrison is stationed here, quite
as much to keep the people in subjection as to

STATE OF SONORA. 269
resist filibuster invasions from California or
Arizona, the latter being the ostensible pur
pose. I was informed that there were gold-
placers in the neighborhood ; but of this I did
not personally assure myself.
Five leagues south of Altar is Sienega, a
stock ranche, better known as an Indian " Mis
sion," and where there is a church of passable
appearance. The interest of the place, how
ever, is in its placers, which must have been
considerable ; and many persons are still em
ployed in washing the gold, which is of the
coarse kind.
Two leagues southeast of Sienega is Los Fla-
nos, a plain, which is a gold placer of great
value. The difficulty has been to get out the
water, as the gold, which is very coarse, is found
in quicksands. Machinery and timber are ne
cessary to work it to advantage ; the miserable
means employed by the Mexicans and Indians
cannot make it very profitable. Timber could
not be got, probably, except from Guaymas, or
the head- waters of the Altar river. When
Port Lobos shall be really opened to naviga
tion and trade, these placers, which extend
over a hundred miles, will create an excite
ment productive of worthy results. The horn,

270

STATE OF SONORA.

spoon and batea process will then be abolish
ed, or resorted to only by the poor and igno
rant of the inhabitants, who can do no better.
These placers have evidently been worked a
good deal ; but only in this tedious, insufficient
manner, which produces but slow results.
Up the Altar river, six miles from the last-
mentioned place, is Alquitoa, a small village
of farmers and stock-raisers. Still farther up
the valley are the placers Atil, Tubutama,
Sarie, Busona, and Agua Caliente. The two
last-named are surrounded by a mountainous
region, heading toward the " Arrivaca" mines
of Arizona. These towns are in a pretty good
agricultural country. Sarie is the place for
which Raousel de Boulbon had contracted with
the Mexican government. It is in a fine farm
ing country, and every way fitted for a colony.
In the Spanish times it was cultivated by
missionaries. -
Tubutama is in a very fertile situation, and
raises great herds of cattle, and large quanti
ties of grain and vegetables, which find mar
ket in the mines of Arizona. Both sides of
the San Ignacio are mountainous, and tim
bered with woods useful for the builder and
miner. Veins of silver and lead are to be found

STATE OF SONORA. 271
all through these mountains, destined one day
to greatly enrich this valley ; but never will
they be rich until they are free from the tyr
anny under which they now suffer. In the
mountains are the evidences of ancient min
ing, but of the richness of these mines I can
not speak. TO HERMOSILLO AGAIN.
From Altar, to go to Hermosillo in a straight
line, we must pass through a very dry and
nearly level country. The distance to Las
Cruces is twenty-five leagues, passing by the
Alameda, a small stock-ranche on an arroya
of the San Ignacio. Water is here procured
by holes sunk in the bed of the stream.
Las Cruces, which takes its name from four
mountains so disposed as to form a cross, is
fifteen leagues from Alameda, and likewise in
a dry situation. A represso furnishes water
for the stock, and a well is used by the people
of the place. This must have been an exten
sive ranche formerly, and still has on it three
thousand head of cattle. But the horses are
few, the Indians every year running off a drove
of horses and mules. Much trouble is had

272 STATE OF SONORA.
with the Indians in this region, the caballa-
dos being numerous, and the ranches far apart.
There is, besides, very little travel ; and the
facilities for escaping into Arizona and New-
Mexico are so great, that, knowing they will
not be followed over the frontier by the Mexi
cans, they are perfectly audacious in their
proceedings. Taking a southern course for fifteen leagues
more, I travelled over a dry, barren, sandy,
God-forsaken country, to La Poza, a stock
farm, where water is procured by wells, as the
name implies, the labor being performed by
mules, who draw the water up into troughs
for the cattle. Not far from this place a party
of Americans were attacked by Apaches, and
one of their number killed.
Three leagues south of La Posa is La Noria
Verde, or Green Well, where the well is shel
tered by beautiful green trees, which gives the
place its name. This is a ranche, owned by
Don Manuel Inigo, formerly the rich capitalist
of Sonora, but ruined by the revolution.
Three more leagues of road bring us to
Toireon, on the San Miguel, or rather a branch
of that river ; and from here three leagues to
Labor, whence we descend the river to Her
mosillo.

STATE OF SONORA. 273

ROAD EAST FROM ALTAR.
From Altar, going east, striking the San
Ignacio river, and following it, after passing.
the Alameda spoken of before, the road takes
us forty miles to the Pueblo Santa Ana —
passing by several ruined or deserted ranches,
and a few inhabited ones, showing the rava
ges of the dreaded Apaches, who combine with
what a bad government can do to desolate the
country. Santa Ana is a village of six hundred in
habitants, who live chiefly by agriculture. A
large extent of bottom-land is irrigated, and
yields fine crops of both corn and wheat. The
fruits common to this part of Sonora are culti
vated here in abundance. Only a short dis
tance below Santa Ana the San Ignacio loses
itself in the sand.
Continuing along the valley, over a luxu
riant and well-timbered bottom-land, where
the mesquit is of an extremely fine quality,
we pass a small new settlement called Santa
Martha. Some clearings and other improve
ments are going on. Here the soil is admira
ble, water plenty, and irrigation easy and
cheap.

274 STATE OF SONORA.

MAGDALENA.

Four leagues from Santa Ana is Magdalena,
where the Virgin has a shrine held in great
veneration. Magdalena is a large place, and
must formerly have been much larger than it
now is. The same dilapidated look of other
Mexican towns is noticeable here. Houses in
ruins, fences badly kept, a church that threat
ens to fall down every time mass is said in it,
dirty streets, and a general appearance of de
cay and despair, show the dearth of all energy
or ambition in Mexico. It needs regenerating
with new blood. The population of Magda
lena is rather transient in its character, as it is
a place of holy pilgrimages from all parts of
Northern Mexico — from Sinaloa, all Sonora,
and from Messilla and Chihuahua. From all
parts pilgrims gather — some for the remission
of terrible sins that make the conscience sick,
others to be cured of wearing or painful dis
eases of the body. At the time of the feast of
the Virgin the roads leading into Magdalena
are crowded with men, women, and children,
on foot, on horses, and on donkeys. The cun
ning Apaches gather in these days a bloody
and rich harvest of murdered Mexicans ; and

STATE OF SONORA. 275
it not seldom . happens that some sinner, going
to be relieved of a burdened conscience, meets
a fate as sudden as it is dreaded by the faithful
Catholic who dares not die unshriven.
Those who come to Magdalena, no matter
what their errand, bring money and trade
along with them, and it is a brisk business
place, not wanting in amusements. Dancing
is a principal ingredient in a Mexican's reli
gion, as it is in a Shaker's, though the Mexi
can's dancing is somewhat the more cheerful.
The prefect of all this portion of country resides
at Magdalena ; but the place, notwithstanding
this fact and its holy character, is the worst a
stranger can fall into, being full of gamblers
and horsethieves. The people are not at all
friendly to Americans, and delight in insulting
or taking advantage of one in any way they
can. The population of Magdalena is over one
thousand. There is much farming in this neighborhood.
Wheat, corn, and fruits are abundant. Grapes
are largely cultivated, and yield well ; also figs,
oranges, and pomegranates, which grow to a
fine size.
Following up the river five miles, we come
to San Ignacio, on the river of that name. It

276

STATE OF SONORA.

has a population of about five hundred, is an
old town, rather neat, and in a fine situation.
The inhabitants, moreover, are very polite to
strangers. Their subsistence is gained by
agriculture, having very good land about them,
and plenty of water with it.
NORTH FORK OF SAN IGNACIO.
From San Ignacio, two miles up the stream
bring us to Terrenati, with a population of
five hundred, mostly farmers. Two miles
above this place two small streams unite, to
form the San Ignacio river. Following the
northwestern fork of the river, the road lies
along the creek bottoms. As we advance the
mountains are getting higher, and the valley
in some places is confined to the bed of the
stream. Eighteen miles up we arrive at La
Casita, a ranche, and the place where lumber
is taken out of the mountains for the Hermo
sillo market. The timber, which is here con
verted into lumber, is white and black oak,
pine, and cedar; and it is carried the whole
distance to Hermosillo on wagons. The creek
bottom at this place furnishes fine grazing,
and the soil would raise good grain. Popula
tion is small.

STATE OF SONORA. 277
Keeping up the stream to its head, we come
to Agua Sarca, or " spring water." There is
no settlement here; but on the west, where
the stream heads up in the mountains, and
where, also, the Altar river heads, there is a cel
ebrated silver mine called Planchas. It is an
old mine, in a rich mineral district, but, on ac
count of the hostility of the Apaches, is aban
doned, and awaiting for better days.
Passing right over the mountains from
Agua Sarca, it is thirteen miles to the monu
ment which marks the Arizona and Sonora
line. The monument is close by the Nojales
Ranche (nojales signifying walnut). Ten
miles from here is Calabazas, in the valley of
Santa Cruz. It is the property of Gandara,
and is now the residence of an American cus
tom officer. EASTERN PRONG OF SAN IGNACIO.
This fork of the river is better settled than
the other. Two miles above the junction is
the town of lmoris, with a population of eight
hundred, though now greatly inferior to its
former size, on account of the ravages of the
Apaches. Every town in this part of Sonora
12

278

STATE OF 80NORA.

shows their devastating traces. lmoris is a
fine agricultural town, exporting much grain
to the mines of Arizona.
Eight miles above this place is Babesagui, a
ruined village, with an insignificant popula
tion. Still higher up the stream is Corespera,
which was once of some little commercial im
portance, made so by the working of the
neighboring mines. Following the stream to
its rise, the road takes us on to Santa Cruz,
an old presidio, on a stream of the same
name, whence we will turn back toward
Guaymas. ROAD FROM GUAYMAS TO MAGDALENA.
The distance from Guaymas to Magdalena
is two hundred and fifty miles. One league
from the port we pass Bachuchibampa, which
supplies it with fruit and vegetables. From
here the road goes over a very uninviting coun
try — dry, barren, and covered with the thorny
bushes of the cactus in every variety — to El
Cabello, a ranche distant seven; leagues from
Guaymas. The country here is also very dry,
and the water for the stock has to be raised
out of a well. Some grains, in small quantity,

STATE OF SONORA. 279
are raised in this ranche in the rainy season.
Keeping on over the same uninteresting coun
try for three leagues more, we come to Noche
Buena, a place of no importance, except as the
relayo for stages. The water here is scarce
and brackish. From this place the pasturage
is good to La Sieneguita, a large stock-farm
owned by Don Francisco Aguilar. The large
flocks of sheep are tended by Yagui Indians.
There are some fine cabelladas of horses and
mules, and large numbers of horned cattle.
The country is covered with mesquit — being a
large plain like a valley. On the south side is
a chain of mountains, dry and barren, but hav
ing rich leads of copper in them, besides silver
and lead.
From La Sieneguita the road goes north over
this plain, crossing an arroya called El Taj on
de Bota, or " boot-heel creek." After crossing
this dry creek-bed, we surmount a small rise
of hills ; and three leagues farther, reach the
ranche Del Tessal, owned by a Frenchman.
Besides the stock raised here, some grain
is grown; but not so much as there might
be, for the soil is well adapted for planting.
The farm is managed by a major-domo, who
has an interest in the cattle. This major-domo

280 STATE OF SONORA.
is an old man of Indian descent, a strong Gan-
darista, and fond of telling of the Indian fights
of his younger days. I passed several very
pleasant days at his house, and the fare, sim
ple, yet excellent, was made far more so by
the good humor of mine host.
Crossing some ranges of low hills from La
Sieneguita, and finding the country similar,
only with improved grazing as we advance,
eight leagues of travel bring us to the ranche
of La Palma. In front of this ranche rises a
curiously-shaped mountain, which serves as a
guide to it from a great distance around. Be
yond this mountain, toward the northeast, is
a fine mesquit bottom, in the midst of which
are some noble fields of corn and wheat. This
bottom is called the Gargouss, and the water
is only a foot from the surface. The " Palma"
is the property of Don Juan Buelna, who has
several large haciendas and ranches in this
part of the country. The water for the cabal-
lada is kept in a reservoir, and several wells
are dug over the place for watering the cattle.
One hundred peons perform the labor of the
place, which is quite an important stock-
farm. The location is valuable, besides, for
the leads of copper in its vicinity, from one

STATE OF SONORA. 281
of which great quantities of ore have been
taken. Two leagues south is Lavisadera, or the
" sign-post," a mine of tesputete, a flux of the
silver ores which are found in the vicinity,
and valuable to future operators in the min
erals of this region.
From La Palma to El Poso, or " hole," is
six leagues. This is a well-enclosed hacienda,
owned by a priest, who keeps large numbers
of horses and mules. The grass of this place
is not always sufficient for the animals, and
then mesquit has to be felled for their subsist
ence. Four miles south, among some hills, is
a represso, where the cattle are kept to be
watered in the dry season, when everything is
scorched up at El Paso.
From El Paso to El Posito, a small ranche,
is three leagues over a very dusty country.
Four leagues more bring us to El Pueblo de
Ceres, a suburb of Hermosillo, on the south
west side of the Sonora river. The green fields
at this point form a beautiful and refreshing
eontrast to the barren country we have just
traversed. Past Hermosillo, and following the
left bank of the river, the road lies among the
most delightful verdure. Fruit-trees and wa-

282 STATE OF SONORA.
ving grain are on every side, showing the rich
ness of the soil, which is indeed unequalled in
the world. Nothing is wanting to make it
produce more than any other but irrigation,
as the well-irrigated fields attest.
The first place of interest is San Juanique,
at six miles distance from Hermosillo. Just
before coming to it, the Sonora river parts to
ward the southeast, and the San Miguel to the
northeast. It is the latter river which waters
San Juanique. The population of this village
is about four hundred, and the neatness of the
farms shows its prosperous condition, which is
everywhere evident.
Eight miles from here is L'Alamita, the
road to which is over a beautiful country, with
a fine soil well cultivated. Here is a flouring-
mill, which manufactures the best flour in So
nora, both for excellence and fineness. It is
the property of Don Manuel Inigo, spoken of
before. L'Alamita has a population of three
hundred, and is a lively, thriving little place,
in a good situation for future growth. The
country adjacent produces more grain than
will supply the mills, and large quantites of
wheat are exported.

STATE OF SONORA. 283

LA JAVALIN.

Eight miles up the San Miguel brings us to
La Javalin (wild hog), a fine little place, de
pending on the Labor three miles away. The
Labor, which signifies a place well laid out, or
nicely worked, is a hacienda for mining ; the
largest, perhaps, in Sonora. The population,
including La Javalin, is over six hundred.
The estate is watered by the San Miguel
stream, the water being taken everywhere
that human exertion can take it. Trees, both
for fruit and ornament, are planted with much
taste. Good substantial fences of stone or
wood enclose the grounds. The houses are
well built, being so placed as to form a hollow
square, which square is planted with cotton-
wood trees, making a fine shade. On one side
of this plaza is the mansion of the owner, with
a magnificent garden attached. American
machinery of every kind is used on this haci
enda. The property has lately changed hands,
and now belongs to the judge of the supreme
court of Sonora ; while La Javalin has become
the property of Signor Cuvillo, a friend of Pes-
quiera's. It is said that the wheat crop alone
markets thirty thousand dollars — this, besides

284 STATE OF SONORA.
a second crop of corn reserved for the peons.
It is one of the living places of Sonora, and
does one good to dwell upon, as it proves
what the spirit of enterprise could accomplish,
and furnishes an example of both good taste
and thrift worthy of being followed, by the So-
norenos. As in other instances of a still living
spirit among the people, it must be stated that
most of the improvements are due to foreign
ers and Americans, some of whom now super
intend the estate.
One league distant from El Labor, up the
stream, is the farming village of El Torreon,
with a population of three hundred. From
Torreon a road goes, in a northwest course, to
Magdalena, but the usual route is up the San
Miguel, which course we will follow.
LA MAGUINA.
The first four miles bring us to La Maguina
(the machine), a small manufacturing village.
Rather, it was a manufacturing village, of
which this is the history : Don Manuel Inigo,
at a cost of four hundred thousand dollars,
employed American mechanics to put up a
cotton factory at this place. The mill was a

STATE OF SONORA. 285
success for four years, during which time
American operatives were kept at work in it ;
but the Don thinking native labor would do
as well, made the change, dismissing all the
foreign employes. This proved, however, a
fatal mistake — the Mexicans proving unable,
either by mental quickness, or physical activ
ity, to keep up with the requirements of the
manufacture by modern machinery. Conse
quently the mill went down, and four hundred
thousand dollars were lost, besides teaching a
good lesson to other Mexicans, desirous, like
the Don, of showing what Mexican enterprise
could do. The people of Mexico are lacking
in the intelligence necessary to make machin
ery useful. Hand labor must be practiced
wherever the common people have never been
trained to understand mechanical principles,
and especially where their natural indolence
forbids their making the effort to understand.
The village of Maguina has a population of
three hundred, engaged chiefly in farming,
which pays well, as the soil is rich.
SAN MIGUEL DE ITONASFTAS.
Three miles above Maguina, on the San
Miguel, is situated San Miguel de Honasitas,
12*

286 STATE OF SONORA.
and half way between these places is a mine,
known to the people of the country as Solda
dos, or " soldier's mine," from having been
opened and worked by soldiers of the old Span
ish times. It is reported that great riches
were extracted from its depths, though now it
lies silent and desolate. An air of superstition
surrounds it, so terrible to the people that no
one now attempts to work it. It is said that
some attempts have been made from time to
time, but the miners were always frightened
away by hearing noises as of soldiers in dire
conflict, issuing from its subterranean depths.
The story was told me in the most perfect
seriousness, and I have no doubt was implicit
ly believed by the narrators. It is not unlikely
that the story at first originated with some
interested person or persons, who wished to
reserve the mine's riches for him or themselves.
However that may be, I do not think Ameri
can go-ahead-ativeness would be long deterred
from exploring it by fear of fighting soldier
ghosts. The mine is full of rubbish, and will
have to be cleared, before anything certain can
be discovered of its comparative richness. It
is situate on the south branch of the San
Miguel, in a chain of rough mountains, which

STATE OF SONORA. 287
extend, over a long stretch of country, to the
Yagui. San Miguel has some fifteen hundred
inhabitants, a very respectable church, two or
three flouring mills, and is a town of consider
able importance for the country. The mills,
however, do not have the credit of producing
flour equal to that made at Maguina by a
Frenchman, who operates the mills "at that
place. The country above San Miguel is well set
tled, and produces an abundance of wheat.
The flour makes its way into Arizona, by way
of Magdalena, and the remainder, or the larger
part of it rather, goes back to Hermosillo,
Guaymas, or Alamo, or to Sinaloa and Lower
California. CHUPA SONORA.
Three leagues above San Miguel is Chupa
Sonora. " Chupa" is a Yagui word for small.
It is a ranche, on the north side of the river,
owned by one Signor Campia, of Guaymas.
The same gentleman has another ranche three
leagues from Chupa Sonora, called Tabique.
This last place has the advantage of constant
water, a number of springs coming out of
the ground, forming a pool which is never

288 STATE OF SONORA.
quite empty. There are three things of inter
est in Chupa Sonora ; one is the Corrdl de
Piedra, or " Stone corral," a small ranche,
where reside the heirs of a Spanish physician,
whose name and fame are both held in grate
ful remembrance — Don Juan Fuerte. The
" Stone corral" has plenty of permanent water,
and raises sugar cane and corn. It is a good
little ranche.
The second interesting object in this neigh
borhood is a mine, about four hundred yards
distant from the ranche. It is of copper, and
has never been worked. I only prospected it,
and found it to be a regular vein of three feet
in width, that can be traced for three quarters
of a mile. I took out some of the ore, which
was bright blue and green, and upon assaying
it, found it to yield thirty per cent, of copper
and ten per cent, of silver. This must be con
sidered a very good mine, and in an excellent
situation for working — not too far from the
coast, and in a well-provisioned country, where
labor need not be too high. A good wagon-
road leads to Hermosillo and Guaymas, and,
last but not least, there is plenty of water here
for mining purposes, which cannot be said of
many places in Sonora.

STATE OF SONORA. 289
A mile and a half distant is the third won
der of Chupa Sonora, being an old mine, called
the Bat mine. After a careful examination,
I found it to be a gold and silver mine. I
made an attempt to explore it with light, but
without much success, though I penetrated
more than six hundred yards into the bowels
of the mountain. The mining had been done
after the most approved method. Fine galler
ies, chambers, shafts, and pillars, denoting
that the place had once yielded handsomely
and been systematically worked. I was ar
rested in my explorations by the immense
swarms of bats which continually put out my
lights, and was finally compelled to abandon
the idea of penetrating to its last extent and
finding its plan. I should not think it had
been entered since the Spanish rule, under
which it was worked. It will no doubt re
main as it is until some adventurous foreign
company comes, with means to take possession
of it in the right way — at least, better provided
with appliances than I was in my exploring
expedition. The Corral de Piedra is on a small creek,
which we follow down to get to the last-de
scribed mine, situate as it is in a. ravine.

290 STATE OF SONORA.
Keeping on down this same creek, through a
valley of excellent land, for two leagues from
Corral de Piedra, we come to a lone mountain
toward the south, which stretches its base
down to the creek. On the ridge of this
mountain is a lead of silver and lead, which
must have been opened at a very remote pe
riod. The ore is abundant, and a man could
take out a ton per day with ease, the vein is
so soft. I took out three hundred pounds,
which I sent to a smelting furnace. I found
the ore to be very rich, giving one third of its
weight in lead, and twelve per cent, of silver.
It is a highly fusible ore, requiring no flux
whatever, but is very poisonous also. It must
contain large quantities of either arsenic, anti
mony, or mercury. Three of my Mexicans
paid for it with their lives, and I barely es
caped myself. As it was, I abandoned it. It
will require furnaces built on a plan that does
not expose the smelter to the poisonous fumes.
A furnace, provided with a conductor, to eject
these fumes into the atmosphere at a proper
height or distance, under the management of
a properly-instructed company, would not fail
to bring forth very profitable results. The
capital thus invested would make large returns
without doubt.

STATE OF SONORA. 291
One league south of the Corral de las Pie
dras, and about one mile south of the road to
San Miguel, is a silver mine called Los Llanos.
I went into it to the bottom, about two hun
dred yards, at an inclination of forty-five de
grees, and took out some ores that were lying
about, but did not succeed in assaying them.
The ore appeared to be, and was, old and de
cayed. The miners about here give the mine
the reputation of great richness, but for myself
I was unable to determine.
One mile north, up the San Piedras stream,
are the ruins of an old hacienda. The two
principal buildings are of hewn stone, very
well built, and enclosed by a strong wall of
the same material (granite floz), together with
about two acres of ground. The strength of
the place makes it look as if it had been in
tended for a fortification. Several furnaces
are still standing at this place, where the
" gambusinos" from time to time do a little
smelting of ores they plunder from the sur
rounding mines. The furnaces are of the most
simple construction, and really not capable of
reducing the ores brought in,- as the large
piles of half-smelted slags lying all around
testify. Their quantity, too, shows that this

292 STATE OF SONORA.
must have been the head-quarters of the sur
rounding country. The strength of the wall
and of the houses was to prevent robbery, no
doubt, as the Mexican miners and peons are
very apt at appropriating whatever they can
conveniently lay hands on. The "gambusi
nos" are at. present busily engaged in break
ing up the slags, which are very rich, and re-
smelting them with fluxes. Sometimes the
process pays quite well ; and I came to the
conclusion that the original ore must have
been rich to have left a fair per cent, still in
the slags. TASAJERA.
Almost in front of this hacienda a small
valley opens toward the north. At the dis
tance of a mile and a half is a place called
Tasajera, where the water springs up out of
the ground. This seems to be an old village,
and must have had at one time a considerable
population. It was probably a town of miners
who were employed in the neighboring mines.
This city is now silent and in ruins. At a
little distance is the grave-yard, covering three
acres of land, and quite filled up with grass ;
some of the graves are marked by head-stones,

STATE OF SONORA. 293
and some with only wooden crosses. All look
old and decayed, as if a century might have
passed since life stirred among those moulder
ing relics. A single house in the village has a
modern look, yet must be quite twenty years old
from its appearance. This is the way in which
towns have flourished and passed away again
in this still new country of Mexico. The val
ley here seems to be excellent farming land.
I followed it up about two leagues, and found
it wider in this direction, although heading
toward the mountains.

MINES AROUND JESUS MARIA.
At the end of two leagues I came to Jesus
Maria, a stock-farm, ruined by the Apaches,
and completely broken up fourteen years ago.
It was owned by Don Juan Sandovassa, who
kept here large herds of cattle of the finest
stock. It is now entirely unoccupied. The
grazing is good, but water was raised from
wells by horse-power. The same is true of the
whole valley in this region, where no water
comes to the surface. This is at the head of
the valley, and the mountains are seen from
Jesus Maria. The timber of this valley is

294

STATE OF SONORA.

mesquit and iron-wood, both of which are
abundant. A mile and a half west from Jesus Maria is
an old mine called Mina de la Biboros, or
" snakes' mine." It has been worked a good
deal, but only superficially, that is to say, on
the surface. The ore is what the Mexicans
denominate " Beseco," or very dry ; though it
must have paid, judging from the extent to
which it has been worked, the diggings ex
tending over several hundred yards, and going
from twenty to fifty feet deep. The name
which it bears at present is altogether appro
priate — snakes having undisputed possession
of it: nor should I ever wish to contend with
them for the ownership. A single stone thrown
into the mine is enough to arouse the hiss and
rattle of fifteen or twenty of the monsters.
Southwest from Jesus Maria — about one
league — is another mine, called the Antimonice.
It is an ore of antimonial lead and silver, very
easily taken out, and very abundant. I smelt
ed some of it, and found it very fusible with
out any flux, paying about eight per cent, of
silver. It is not a rich ore, but this is made
up by its abundance and ease of extraction.
A company wishing to invest in a Sonora

STATE OF SONORA. 295
mine, would do well not to overlook this ore.
It would be a good speculation. The present
owner, Don Juan Sandovassa, is desirous of
working it, and will receive communications
concerning it at San Miguel de Horcasista.
North from Jesus Maria, two leagues, is a
place named Los Palmas Quatos, or the " twin
palm trees," a ranche once prosperous and well
stocked, but now deserted, having been broken
up by Apaches. Here, as in most parts of this
region, the only water was in wells. Three
leagues north of this is Sanbabi, a stock-ranche
once, but now in ruins, as are nearly every
one in the northern part of the country. Were
water here on the surface, the land would be
excellent for farming. The ranche is in the
midst of a plain, very fertile, furnishing fine
grazing, and mesquit of a good quality. The
wells at the farm are yet in good repair, and
make a convenient halting-place for the ras
cally Indians.
Three leagues farther north is another stock-
ranche, Querbabi, which keeps about two
thousand head of cattle, that are watered at a
" represso." Querbabi is on the main road
from Magdalena to Hermosillo. It would be
a good point for a small business, if ever the

296 STATE OF SONORA.
country is opened to trade. Should a railroad
be built in this portion of Sonora, it must pass
Querbabi, and from there to Jesus Maria and
Chupa Sonora, opening a very rich mineral
country to the light and benefit of modern
civilization. The route given is very direct
and available. Not a hill is in the way. In
case of such a road, this portion of it will sus
tain a very heavy population. The country
will then once more be swarming with cabal-
ladas, and furnaces will be in full blast on
every hand. COUNTRY AROUND QUEROBABI.
From Querobabi another road to El Torreon,
now generally travelled, brings us, after ten
leagues, to Tabique, a ranche for stock ; and
from there to El Torreon, on the San Miguel
river, is about six leagues, over a good wagon-
road. From Querobabi, north, ten leagues, is Bar-
rajita, or " clayish," a mining place, on the
west side of the road. Gold is here taken out
of the mountains, ground in arrastras, and
washed out. It pays very well even by this
simple process, and I am sure that, with labor.

STATE OF SONORA. 297
saving machinery, it could be worked with
great profit. Gold -washing is practised in all
this neighborhood, but, as water is scarce, the
operation can only be carried on in the rainy
season. From Barrajita to Santa Ana, already
mentioned, on the San Ignacio river, is a dis
tance of eight leagues, without water. Santa
Ana having been spoken of in describing the
road from Altar to Magdalena,, we will turn
back to the San Miguel, and start up the val
ley from that place.
Going up the river, in a northeast course, for
five leagues, over fine farming lands, and pass
ing two flouring mills in active operation, we
come to a gap between the mountains, which
we must surmount. Two leagues from the en
trance of the gap is a copper mine, once worked
by water-power with success. Wood and wa
ter are plenty here, as well as ores ; but this
being a natural road for the Apaches, the
mines are all abandoned.
GOLD MINE OF THE ANCIENTS.
Three leagues farther north, at an angle
from the river, is a gold mine very remotely
worked, which the inhabitants of San Miguel

298 STATE OF SONORA.
qpmmonly name La Mina de oro de los An
tiguos, " The gold mine of the ancients." It
was represented to me as de oro puro, or " pure
gold." I succeeded, in company with a friend,
in finding it, though at great risk, as Indian
tracks were plenty. We ascended the moun
tain gradually, until, for the last three miles,
the rise became very abrupt and difficult.
'When we had succeeded in gaining the en
trance, we found it full of water up to within
forty feet of the surface. I tumbled down
large pieces of rock, but could hear none of
them strike the bottom. It must have been
immensely worked, for the dirt taken out of it
almost filled a ravine eighty yards deep.
From the position of the mine, it could be
easily drained by a tunnel cut in the side of
the mountain. From piles of the gross ores
lying scattered around, I selected some which,
when broken in pieces, showed me gold in a
virgin state. I was fifteen days in the neigh
borhood of this mine, but had no means of
working its ores. A company with capital
enough to erect arrastras, after first draining
it, could make this a splendid property. The
poor ores outside the mine would probably pay
for the tunnelling necessary to dry it. But the .

STATE OF SONORA. 299
Indians would make it impossible to work
without a large company, or a constant guard
of soldiers.
About a mile and a half from this mine,
passing along the summit of the mountain,
our progress was arrested by a deep canon.
The country here is indeed very rugged. De
scending this cafion we discovered a silver
mine. I use the term discovered, because the
oldest Mexican, on our description of it, de
clared entire ignorance of its existence. This
was a special mine,. and worked in a particular
manner. The lead was perpendicular, opening
at the canon. The ore has been all taken out
for more than three hundred yards into the
mountain, from top to bottom, giving the exca
vation the appearance of a rent in the moun
tain. In some places the lead was very
narrow, not wider than a man's shoulders.
How the miners had ever got out the ore,
quarrying and removing it, I could not dis
cover. A mile away I found the old arrastra
still standing. There was plenty of water
here, and piles of ores already broken up
ready to be ground. I did not test the ore,
which looked good. It must have been aban
doned many years ago, and very suddenly, as

300 STATE OF SONORA.
every appearance warrants such a conclu
sion. Three leagues up the San Miguel is a village,
with some fields of sugar-cane, corn, and
wheat. Three leagues to the south of it is the
Beal de Alameda, situate on a creek of run
ning water. L'Alameda is an old real de mino,
or mining settlement, the mines of Alameda
being prominent enough to make it a corpora
tion. They are of silver, and very numerous,
which once made this a flourishing place.
They are still worked to some extent ; but the
Indians do so much mischief, not allowing the
people to keep any cattle or to go abroad, that
not much can be done for them. The most re
nowned of the mines now worked, is one called
Del Bajio (" low, flat mine"), under the ope
rations of Don Francisco Campia & Co. The
most inferior ore pays " dos marcos cada buttos,"
or two marks to the butto of nine hundred
pounds. " El metal de primera da de diez
ochos a viente dos marcos el butto;" or "the
first-class metal, pays eighteen to twenty-two
marks to the butto." Del Bajio is about two
hundred feet deep, and though the ore is so
rich, the cost of taking out the water is a great
drawback. It is carried out in leather bags,

STATE OF SONORA. 301
on the backs of peons, and considering that the
mine is very deep, and that they are not pro
vided with ladders, but only escaleras, or
notched poles, and that these poles are slippery
with water, it is rather wonderful that the feat
of emptying a mine of water is accomplished
at all. Yet such is the disadvantage of labor
in these Mexican mines. Several other mines
are worked in the neighborhood ; some of
which are amalgamated, and others reduced
by fire. By far the largest number are aban
doned, for lack of energy and means to keep
them open. But a large community in future
will, no doubt, live upon the produce of these
neglected deposits of wealth.
DESCRIPTION OF THE AMALGAMATION PROCESS.
The process of amalgamation is called here
" el fondo" and I shall now proceed to describe
it with minuteness. The ore, after having
been cleansed from impurities, is carefully
broken up into pieces of about the size of wal
nuts. Sometimes the ores are separated into
classes of first, second, and third qualities.
The ore, after being broken, is put into the
arrastra, and ground very fine. After this pul-

302 STATE OF SONORA.
verization it is mixed with salt, in this wise :
fer ordinary ore, one pound of salt to fifteen of
ore, and for first-class ores, one pound of salt
to every five of ore. The mixture is then put
into a large copper kettle, and boiled over a
slow fire, stirring it continually. The boiling
is kept up for eight hours, when quicksilver is
added in the following proportions : Say, if
fifty pounds of ores are boiling in the kettle,
one pound of quicksilver is added at first, let
ting it still boil, and stirring it as before. As
fast as the quicksilver is taken up, ad'd more,
always in small quantities, so as to test the
richness of the ore, and at the same time to
avoid using more than is necessary. Continue
boiling and stirring as long as the amalgama
tion (this term is applied to the mixture in the
kettle) is of the natural color — this being a
sign that the process is not complete. This
varies, however, according to the class to
which the ore belongs ; but, generally, from
twenty to twenty-four hours is all that is
necessary. When the amalgamation changes
to a yellow or cream color, it is proof that the
process is complete. At this stage quicksilver
enough is to be added to liquidate all the
small, detached particles of amalgam. The

STATE OF SONORA. 303
amalgamation is then taken out to be washed
free from all particles of sand or any foreign
matter. This washing is performed in a kind
of half-barrel tub, called " tina," standing on
poles. When washed, the amalgam is ready
for the retort. The retort is commonly a flask
with a hole bored in the bottom. It is filled
with amalgam, and the top carefully stopped
with fire-clay. A tube is fixed to the orifice
which has been made in one end of the retort,
and the quicksilver conducted through this
into a reservoir of cold water. The loss of
quicksilver by this process is from ten to twelve
per cent. This is considered the shortest
method of beneficiating the ores of silver, but
requires great care and practice in the operator,
to avoid being poisoned by the fumes.
(This word beneficiating is not an English
word, though use will soon make it so. It is
derived from a Latin word signifying " to real
ize," and is extensively used both in Spanish
and French. In speaking of ores, it is a com
mon term, signifying their separation from
their fluxes or amalgams.)
Next I shall describe the patio process. The
patio is a large level area, paved with stones
cemented together by lime, and surrounded by

304 STATE OF SONORA.
a wall of masonry. On one side there is gene
rally a reservoir, to receive the ground ore as
it comes from the stamps, or the arrastra, as
the case may be. This reservoir is well ce
mented, and is called " pila," or a vat, which
it really is. In this the ground ore is left to
simmer, and evaporate the water it may con
tain. When the ore is first taken out of the mine
it is in a state of mud or mortar, and is put
into the patio in tortas, or mounds, several of
which are worked at the same time, either by
mules or oxen, the cloven hoof of the latter
being most effective in stirring and mixing the
mud. The cattle are fastened in a row to a
horizontal pole, and kept going around and
around a stake which stands in the middle of
the torta or mound of ore, until it is reduced
to a perfectly smooth paste. The dirt is then
mixed with salt in the proportion of two " ar
robas," or fifty pounds, to each " butto" of nine
hundred pounds. It is then generally left at
rest for twenty-four hours, before the quicksil
ver is added. After mixing it again, in the
same way as before, the quicksilver is put in,
in. the proportion of fifteen pounds to the whole
torta, and it is stirred and mixed afresh. If

STATE OF SONORA. 305
the ore is of the class called "frio" or cold
ores, the amalgam will show a dark, heavy
color, and an addition of " magistral" becomes
necessary. Magistral is a poor, coarse, copper
ore, ground to a powder, and one quarter of its
weight in salt added, besides its equal bulk of
horse-dung, the whole thoroughly mixed and
pulverized. To prepare it, the mixture must
be put into a kettle, over a small fire, and well
stirred meanwhile. To test it, a little is
dropped in cold water, which will assume the
color of urine. Care and experience are neces
sary to learn its preparation successfully.
This magistral is added to the amalgam of
" cold ores/'" a little at a time, until the amal
gam assumes the natural color of the quick
silver. If the ore is " caliente," or hot, the
amalgam will present a bright, foaming, spark
ling appearance. It is then necessary to add
lime, in small quantities, until the amalgam
assumes its proper color.
On the same patio several such " tortas" are
worked at the same time — often as many as
twenty, sometimes more, each worked by from
ten to sixteen mules or oxen. The patio is
understood to be uncovered, as the heat of the
sun's rays is one of the principal agents in the

306 STATE OF SONORA.
good amalgamation of the ores of silver. In
large mines, sometimes, several patios stand
side by side, all protected from the outside by
a strong, high, stone wall, as well to keep in
the na/tural heat as to secure it from robbers.
The length of time which the amalgam must
remain in the patio varies according to the
quality of the ore and the temperature of the
weather. Of course, as in the " fondo" pro
cess, the quicksilver is added in small quanti
ties from time to time, until the amalgam
begins to get sluggish, heavy, and foaming —
a sign that it is sufficiently mixed. It is
proved by washing a sma] 1 quantity. If read y,
quicksilver is again added, to well collect all
the amalgam, after which the whole under
goes a washing. For this purpose a basin of
well-built masonry, rather funnel-shaped, has
been erected, with a small aperture at the bot
tom, the amalgam being put in at the top,
which is subsequently stopped. In this basin
the mixture is sometimes stirred by a peon,
who goes in nearly naked. Others are fitted
with a small frame-work inside, to which are
fastened revolving arms, the arms carried
around by horse-power. The washing, when
done by human labor, is very dangerous, and

STATE OF SONORA. 307
would not be allowed anywhere but in Mexi
co. After the washing the amalgam is retort
ed, the same as in the first process. It is then
cast into bars, stamped on one side with the
value, and sent off to the mint.
In the last-described process the amalgam is
commonly put into conical bags, with an open
ing at the base, made of three or more thick
nesses of canvas, or sometimes of buckskin,
and the quicksilver squeezed out as much as
it can be, before retorting.
CALCINATION OF ORES.
Some of the ores, of both silver and copper,
require calcination before being either smelted
or amalgamated. Calcination, or, in Mexican
dialect, " quemar," is applied to those ores
which are ." rebeldes," or refractory to treat.
Ores highly sulphurous or arsenicous are, par
ticularly, treated in this way. Some ores, in
fact, cannot be reduced without first being
calcined three or four times successively. To
do this, a square or round kiln, three or four
feet high, is walled with loose stones, and a
small opening left as a draught and at which
to light the fire in the " omo," or pit. The

308 STATE OF SONORA.
bottom of the pit is then covered with wood
to the depth of one foot, green wood being pre
ferred. On top of the wood is placed coarse
charcoal, and fine charcoal over that. The
ores, either broken or ground, as required, are
then spread over the whole, and the fuel be
neath ignited. The top of the kiln has been
previously rendered air-tight by a plaster made
of the fine ore, the porousness of the umnor-
tared stones allowing a sufficient draft for the
fire. If the " orno" is properly built and ar
ranged, the first calcination will last through
a week. When the operation is complete it is
known by the cessation of the smoke and gases
which have been escaping from the pit. The
ore is then taken out and examine'd, and the
largest lumps are broken up again for a second
calcination. That part of the ore which is
considered sufficiently reduced is then put
apart to be amalgamated; or, if it is to be
smelted, is mixed with two thirds its own
quantity of more reducible ores for smelting.
Sometimes, when the ore is very " rebelde,"
three or four calcinations are necessary to expel
the chemical agents which it contains. Calci
nation is sometimes performed in a reverbera-
tory furnace, when from eighteen to twenty-

STATE OF SONORA. 309
four hours of a moderate heat is sufficient to
calcine the ores. Sometimes, also, a square
cavity is made in the side of a hill, which, by
enclosing on one side, makes an inexpensive
kiln or furnace.

SEPARATION OF SILVER FROM COPPER.
Many of the mines of Sinaloa, Chihuahua,
and Sonora, are leads of copper-bearing silver,
these ores oftentimes containing lead. Where
this is the case, it is obvious that they must be
reduced by smelting for copper, or lead,>which-
ever is most abundant. After the cakes are
smelted, then the reduction for silver com
mences. In my description of the Bachuera-
chi mine, I gave some account of the way in
which copper ore is commonly smelted. I now
suppose the slabs or cakes of copper to contain
silver, a certain quantity of lead having been
added to the cake, making an amalgam of
copper, lead, and silver. A common adobe
furnace is built, with a fire-place and ash-pit,
as required. A platform is placed over the
furnace, on which a number of the cakes are
placed side by side. Fire is then gradually
applied to the furnace. The lead soon begins
13*

310 STATE OF SONORA.
to run, carrying with it the silver, rendered
very fusible by its affinity for lead. After
some hours of moderate heat the silver and
lead will all have been reduced to a liquid
state, while the copper, harder to melt, remains
like the skeletons of the former cakes, in large,
spongy-looking masses. The lead is then run
into moulds, and the silver extracted by an
other process, which I will describe hereafter.
If, instead of the copper being the predomi
nant metal in the mixed ore, the principal one
is silver, which has only enough copper to
alter its market value, then the following pro
cess is employed to separate them, or, more
properly, to cleanse the silver from its impuri
ties, let them be either copper or iron. In
refining silver, when it is nearly at the point
where it should be run off, the presence of cop
per is made evident by the (jrimson color of
the bath. It is then necessary to add metallic
lead in quantities sufficient to run off from the
surface the foreign ore, whatever it may be.
To determine the quantity of lead, the color of
the bath must be observed, and lead must be
added until it assumes its natural hue, when
the silver has been quite purified, the copper
having been carried off by the lead. The sii-

STATE OF SONORA. 311
ver is then run into bars, as usual in other
cases. There are great quantities of copper ore in
the country which have never been worked for
transportation — enough to make, at some not
distant day, a great revenue, and to stimulate
trade and industry to a very high degree of
activity. In the. present condition of the
country, the reduction of copper ores has been
but little thought, of or attended to. This
metal is worth only eleven dollars a hundred
pounds in Mexico, and consequently it has not
been thought worth while to work any but the
very richest leads, such as yielded a hundred
per cent. It is only of late years that the
owners of the Bachuerachi mine, on the Fuerte
river, have commenced the exportation of cop
per to England. I predict the day when the
Gulf of California will export twenty million
pounds of refined copper per annum. This
will bring a yearly revenue of four millions of
dollars, leaving out entirely the per cent, of
gold the copper has contained, which, in nearly
all cases, will have been something.

312 STATE OF SONORA.
COMMON SMELTING PROCESS OF SILVER ORES.
In the smaller mines of Sonora smelting is
carried on in furnaces, or " fundiciones," built
of adobe, or sun-dried bricks. These are made
of common clay, with a mixture of fire-clay,
and are a cheap substitute for real brick. If
the fire-clay is good, a furnace may stand for
three or four weeks, but in most cases they
last only five or six days, and a new lining
has to be fitted as soon as the old one is
melted. These furnaces are worked by a bellows
kept going by man-power, in the shape of a fat
Indian — a very expensive and irregular way of
keeping up a blast. The wind of these bellows
is introduced into the furnace by means of
badly-shaped " alcrevices," or tubes, cast in this
country, in common clay moulds, by native
artists, who are, besides, often quite expert in
casting bells and "fondos," or kettles. The
bottom of the furnace is composed of fine,
siftetl clay, well stamped and pounded. Char
coal is the fuel used. The ore, after first being
taken out of the mine, is crushed or broken up,
as elsewhere described in other processes.
When reduced to the required size, it is taken

STATE OF SONORA. 313
out to the " rebottura." This is a box over
which the ore is laid in successive layers, this
wise : one third of ore to two thirds of " sco
ria," this last being chosen from the richest
and most fluxible ores. To these is added
" greta," a crude metal of lead mixed with a
small portion of iron. This being very fusible,
acts as a flux, and helps the ore to smelt and
liquidize. If the ore is very refractory, " tes-
putete" is sometimes added. This is a black,
shining, heavy substance, an excellent flux,
running like water. When at, hand, it will
cause the hardest ores to smelt. Another flux
for silver ores is " arrenilla." ' This is a kind
of spongy ore, easily reduced to a powder, and
very liquifying, being an excellent flux. An
other one still, is the " bronce," only used in
extreme cases, when the ores have resisted all
other fluxes. It is a bright, shining substance,
found in deep silver mines. All these fluxes
cost nothing but their extraction and carriage.
They are used in such quantities as seem
necessary upon trial. A little experience will
enable the operator to decide upon the propor
tion. The ores thus mixed are cast into the fur
nace by measure or weight — one batea of ore

314 STATE OF SONORA.
alternating with one of charcoal, though, if
any difference is made, it is by lessening the
quantity of charcoal. The operators necessary
to work a furnace are a " smelter" and a
" charger." Sometimes one hand does the
work of the other, or does both at the same
time, the smelter being his own charger.
If the ore is rich in lead, as many as eight
to twelve " planchas," or slaTbs of metal are
taken out daily, the slabs or cakes being yet to
be refined, " affianada." This refining is car
ried on in a kind of reverberating furnace, also
built of adobe, with wood for fuel. The fur
nace has a fire-place, from which the blaze
and heat pour over the bath at an inclination
of thirty -five degrees. The bellows, which is
put in sideways, plays right over the bath, the
current of air driving the lead on the sur
face toward the opening where it is taken
out by the "affiandor." The consumption of
the atmospheric air has chemically caused the
separation of the silver and lead, the silver re
maining at the bottom of the " vaso," or smelt
ing chamber. This process requires from three
to four hours, and requires experience to con
duct it with success.

ARIZONA.

ARIZONA AND ITS MINES.

While I write this sketch of Arizona, the
subject of its organization as a territory is
being agitated, looking forward to a future
when it shall be a state. It lies north of the
states of Chihuahua and Sonora, and first came
under notice as the Gadsden Purchase. It is
also erroneously called, in the public prints,
the Messilla Valley. This Messilla, it is true,
is a very important portion of Arizona, but is
only a narrow strip of the territory lying on
the west side of the Rio Grande. It comprises
some good farming lands, and has been until
now the best populated portion of Arizona. It
is settled by Mexicans chiefly. West of the
Rio Grande is a chain of mountains, running
north and south, called " Los Miembres,"
which have a very marked appearance, indi
cating the presence of gold and silver in their
rugged, cavernous depths. South of this chain
is the mountain known as Santa Bita del
Cabre, out of which large quantities of copper

318

ARIZONA.

have been taken, even before the purchase.
This copper found a market in Chihuahua,
where it sold readily ; and, as Chihuahua used
to furnish the city of Mexico with this metal,
no doubt some of the Arizona copper found its
way thither. The ore of Santa Rita was rich
and very abundant, and reputed to contain a
fair per cent, of gold. However, this is what
is said of all Copper ; and, though I never suc
ceeded in extracting any, it is but right I
should hold my peace when others say they
can. West of the Rio Grande the country is made
up of high plains, sandy and grassy alternately.
Timber is scarce. On the plains there is none,
unless the ground mesquit, whose roots make
a very good fire, can be called such. Follow
ing the boundary line of Chihuahua, no settle
ments are met with until we strike the Santa
Cruz and Sonorita rivers. The overland mail
has a pretty continuous line of stations, in the
best situations. Wells are dug at most of
these, as water in streams is seldom found in
any portion of the territory. The stations will
be found named in the table of distances in
the Appendix.
North, toward the line of New-Mexico,

ARIZONA. 319
where we encounter the head waters of the
Gila and its tributaries, is a high, rugged, and
mountainous region, furnished in some places
with fine oak and pine timber, and in others
with an abundant growth of mescal. These
mountains are the hiding-places of the thiev
ing Apaches, who, from these mountain fast
nesses, pounce down upon the settlements of
Arizona and Sonora, and out of which it will
be hard to drive them. Nothing, however, but
extermination will ever change their thieving
and murderous propensities. The settlers of
Arizona are loud in their denunciations of gov
ernment, in taking so little care for their pro
tection. Making all due allowance for exag
geration in their complaints, the force now in
the territory is really quite inadequate to their
secure possession of life or property. At the
same time, the humanity of the government,
in using every justifiable means to save the
Indians from their really inevitable doom,
ought not rashly to be condemned. It is, how
ever, my conviction, knowing the indolence of
the Indians, and the poverty of the country
which they inhabit, that the government will
soon discover the powerlessness of any other
means than a heavy chastisement, to stop

320 ARIZONA.
their inroads upon the settlements, and cure
them of their disposition to cowardly and cold
blooded murder.
Apache pass, so called from its being the
point at' which they issue from the mountains
to make their incursions into Sonora, is situate
about half way between Tueson and El Paso,
east, of the San Pedro.
Crossing over a chain of mountains to the
southeast, I came to a tributary of the Gila,
called the San Simona, along which is some
fine farming land. The tract is not extensive,
but is well watered, and has an abundant
growth of mescal. It is, however, a camping-
ground of the Apaches, some of the tribes
always being found here ; and no matter
whether they be Miembres, Mescaluros, Co
yotes, or Pinals, they are equally ready to
commit a treacherous murder or to steal the
animals of the unsuspecting traveller, who,
seeing nothing of them, believes them far
away. From the San Simona, going northwest, I
went round a high-peaked mountain, and
came upon an extensive sienega abounding in
rattlesnakes. This being the dryest season of
the year, they had probably come here for

ARIZONA. 321
water. Forty or fifty miles northwest of this
marsh I struck the bend of the Gila river. At
this bend a ditch had been cut for irrigation,
and there were fine groves of oak and ash on
both sides of the river. The channel at this
place is forty or fifty yards wide, and is forda-
ble at many places. The water had a brack
ish taste to me ; but I am an epicure in this
particular, enjoying pure, fresh water more
than most persons, and accepting it as a good
gift of God.
The ditch spoken of had irrigated many
fields, and the country all around showed
traces of a past cultivation. I met with the
ruins of several stone houses of a very good
construction, some of them looking like fortifi
cations. Going down the river, I observed
that there were only here and there narrow
strips of fertile land, the rest being all unfit
for agriculture. The San Pedro river, whose
mouth I crossed, rises in Sonora, out of that
chain of mountains which divide Sonora from
Arizona ; and near its source are considerable
mineral resources, of which I shall speak
hereafter. The valley of the San Pedro is
mostly a grazing country, though a few grain-
fields might be made in some portions of it.

322 ARIZONA.
The Babacomero, a deserted ranche, on the
western prong of this river, has*water in abun
dance for machinery or irrigation, and is a
valuable property, or would be if the Indians,
who prevent its being occupied, could be
driven away from its neighborhood.
The San Pedro is a considerable stream, the
largest of Arizona, except the Rio Grande and
Gila. Below the junction of the San Pedro
and Gila, the latter comes out of the moun
tains, and enters the plains. On the south
side are the ruins of a large white house,
called " Casas Grandes," or big houses. It is
some three miles from the river, and of very
antique appearance. It is one of the monu
ments of the country ; yet very little do these
monuments afford of its history. The only
thing in them which the antiquarian can find
to aid his researches, are some broken pieces of
that kind of pottery used by the Indians and
Mexicans. The Indians pretend to believe
that these houses were built by the Aztecs, in
the time of Montezuma. I am inclined to
think, however, that this idea has been im
parted to them by some curious travellers, or,
perhaps, by the Jesuit missionaries, who once
held sway over all the Mexican Indians, wild
Apaches with the rest.

ARIZONA. 323
All the land around " Casas Grandes" must
have been irrigated, as there is no water short
of a mile, and it is improbable that water was
carried this distance by hand. Besides, the
country evidently was under cultivation, as it
is at the Pimos villages, twenty miles lower
down the Gila. These villages, which cover
the whole of fifteen thousand acres, are exten
sive farms, in a high state of cultivation, and
are irrigated from the Gila. The Pimos and
Maricopas Indians are in quite an advanced
stage of civilization, own these villages, and
raise stock, wheat, corn, beans, pumpkins, and
some very fine-flavored watermelons. These
Indians have been useful in furnishing grain
to the United States troops and overland"mail
company, and deserve praise for their services
to the California emigrants, whom they have
met on the road with provisions, in many
cases. They are very friendly tribes, giving
their protection when needed against the war
like Apaches.
Between the Pimos villages and the junc
tion of the Gila and Colerado, there are some
fine valleys, where good settlements might be
made. Even Indian culture produces good
crops on this soil, and with irrigation and the

324 ARIZONA.
superior tillage of the whites, the products
would be almost marvellous. A few thousand
farmers would find desirable locations here.
South of the Gila, the soil, when irrigated,
yields all kinds of crops in luxuriant abun
dance. At the junction, on the south side, is
located Arizona city. This is the head of pres
ent navigation on the Colerado river. If ever
the mines of Arizona realize the anticipations
of its friends, this place cannot fail of being
an important point for trade.
ROAD TO FORT BUCHANAN.
Arizona city is two hundred miles below the
Pimos and Maricopas villages. Opposite Ari
zona city, on the north side of the Colerado,
and in Upper California, is Fort Yuma. These
places are seventy-five miles distant from the
mouth of the Colerado, though by the. river
route it is twice as far. The lines of Arizona
and Sonora meet about twelve miles below
Arizona city. Below this point, to it,s mouth,
the Colerado is the boundary line of Lower Cal
ifornia and Sonora. The overland mail route
to California goes by Arizona city and the
Pimos villages, following the irrigable valley

ARIZONA. 325
land of the river Gila. There are no other
settlements on the road, except the mail sta
tions. From the Pimos villages southward, ninety
miles, to Tueson, there are no settlements ex
cept the mail stations. The names of the sta
tions are Saketon, Soldier's Grave, Bluewater,
Picachee, and Point-of- Mountain. This last
is eighteen miles from Tueson in the Santa
Cruz valley, one of the most fertile in Arizona.
The Santa Cruz stream does not flow into the
Gila, but sinks a short distance below Tueson.
Tueson is an old Mexican town, with many
Americans settled in it, and is the centre of a
little trade, made by the overland mail route.
From Tueson to the mission of San Xavier is
eight miles, southeast, following the valley of
the Santa Cruz. The mission is on a small
eminence, which gives a beautiful view down
the valley. It is under the entire control of
the Papagoes Indians, who own and farm it.
The church is a building of fine architectural
finish, as I esteemed it, and my judgment was
confirmed by that of a Catholic priest from the
Rio Grande, who was on a tour. He pro
nounced it the finest building on the Pacific
slope of Northern Mexico. It is furnished
1

326 ARIZONA.
with handsome and costly ornaments, and the
Papagpes keep it in good repair. No priest
resides here, but occasionally one comes
to preach. It is reported that the Papagoes
have great treasure buried and hidden, belong
ing to the mission.
Four miles below the mission, past small
but rich valley farms, we come to Punta de
I' Agua, where the waters of the Santa Cruz
river rise again ; for it is above this place that
they lose themselves in the sand the first
time, after which they rise at Punta de l'Agua,
run to below Tueson, and sink again forever.
Punta de l'Agua is owned by an enterprising
German, who has a comfortable residence in a
desirable situation, and, most of all, a truly
amiable lady for his wife. This is one of the
few places in Arizona where a traveller may
find a good, old-fashioned meal of ham and
eggs, butter and milk.
Pursuing the same direction for ten leagues
up the same stream, we come to Canoa
Banche, a place owned by Mr. Richard Dorse,
an old pioneer, known to many of his country
men. He has a good stock of horses, cattle,
and hogs, a good house, and plenty of grain
for the accommodation of travellers. The only

ARIZONA. 327
want about his establishment is the presence
of a female companion as amiable as himself.
As yet ladies are very scarce in Arizona.
Five leagues farther up the valley is the
ranche of Beventon, owned by Mr. Brevoort,
who has a fine residence on good land ; good
water, too, but not enough for irrigation.
There are six hundred head of cattle on this
place, which is in a good state of improvement,
and bids fair to become one of the finest in the
territory of Arizona. Three leagues from here,
up the river, is Tubac, the largest farming vil
lage in this territory. A good deal of grain
and fruit are raised here. The place looks old
and by no means inviting. Of its two hun
dred inhabitants, a large proportion belong to
the class known as " hard cases."
Up the stream from Tubac is Calabazas, a
stock-farm, with good buildings and a good
corral. This is another piece of property be
longing to Gandara, who has the credit of
making the first settlement in Arizona. When
Calabazas was built, in 1850 or '52, the In
dians were doubly hostile to what they now
are, since the American garrisons at Fort Yuma
and Fort Buchanan overawe them. The corral
at Calabazas, which encloses four acres, is

328

ARIZONA.

walled with adobe, about four feet in height,
and is strong and well made. At one time
Gandara had here five thousand head of sheep,
and cattle in large numbers. This ranche is
situate on the main Arizona road to Hermo
sillo and Guaymas, and is only six miles from
the line of New-Mexico. On the line is an
other stock-farm, called Nojales, in a fine little
valley very well adapted to farming and stock-
raising. Nojales is on the road that goes
through Casita, San Ignacio, and Magdalena.
Farther up the valley are some farms in agree
able situations, and still more places where
comfortable homes might be made.
It is eight leagues from Nojales to Santa
Cruz in Sonora, in the same valley. Santa
Cruz has a population of six hundred people,
principally farmers, who raise corn, potatoes,
and vegetables. There is one flouring mill in
the place. The grazing in the valley is very
fine ; but the Apaches have cleared out the
stock pretty effectually. The stream here
heads into Arizona again, its rise being only a
few miles away.
Taking the old emigrant route toward the
east, we come to the ranche of San Pedro,
also in Sonora. About San Pedro is some good

ARIZONA. 329
land, and excellent grazing. The state of
Sonora keeps a garrison of twenty men at this
place to keep the Indians in check, but little
enough is the good they do. Santa Cruz once
had a garrison, when it was a presidio ; and
there was more land formerly cultivated than
now, at this place. An old ruined church,
broken and falling, reminds us that we are in
a broken and ruined country. Going from
Santa Cruz to Fort Buchanan, our road takes
us north, over a spur of the Santa Cruz moun
tains. Fifteen miles away is Camp Jecker, in
a very pleasant spot, the present headquarters
of the survey of Sonora. In the mountains,
half a mile away, and seven thousand feet
above the level of the gulf water, is the Pata
gonia mine. Twenty miles beyond Camp
Jecker is Fort Buchanan, where two hundred
United States troops are garrisoned.
FORT BUCHANAN.
Fort Buchanan is situated on the head
waters of the Sonorita. The valley is a fine
location in some respects, but unhealthy. The
fort, however, has a pleasant look, being sur
rounded by oak groves and the verdure of the

330 ARIZONA.
valley. From here the Sienegas station of the
overland mail is about thirty-five miles distant.
Four miles down the valley is the United
States and Boundary Hotel, or, as it is some
times called, the White House ; and five miles
farther down is the residence of Mr. Words
worth, the largest business man of Sonorita.
Another two miles away, down the valley, is
the little farm of Mr. Ashes ; while two more
miles bring us to Mr. Ward's ranche for stock
and grain raising. Beyond this, four miles, is
the Marshall farm, a property that was first
owned by Mr. Wm. Thompson, of Texas, an
old pioneer. This farm is a good piece of land,
with something like an orchard on it. Two
miles below is the residence of Mr. Penning
ton, formerly of Texas ; and four miles farther
is the home of Captain Sharp, of the Mexican
war, with a good farm. Not far below this
point the Sonorita loses itself in th© Santa
Cruz valley. MINERAL RESOURCES OF ARIZONA.
I would be glad to pass over this part of my
task, were it not that I might be accused of
intentionally omitting to mention what little

ARIZONA. 331
I know upon the subject. As it is, I will give
what information I can for the benefit of the
curious or interested reader.
In a small chain of mountains west of La
Masilla, is the old Stephenson mine, said to
have yielded handsomely. It is in a favorable
situation, being near to the settlements. Its
owner I am not acquainted with. Next is the
Santa Bita copper mine, said to contain a per
cent, of gold. The ore of this mine has the
advantage of smelting easily, which is a desid
eratum, as copper ores are usually very hard
to smelt.
There are numerous mines on the head
waters of the San Pedro, but as- yet unworked.
By far the most valuable of them head in So
nora, and are already treated of in my chapter
on that state. They are of copper, silver, and
lead, all frequently in the same vein ; but the
Apaches render it dangerous to work them at
present. In the Santa Cruz mountains are several
mines, some of which have been worked for
many years. Among these is the Empire mine,
not one of the first class. The Montezuma is
one whose ore is copper, with some. lead and a
little silver, These two are only a few miles

332 ARIZONA.
from Santa Cruz in Sonora. With the mine of
the St. Louis company I am unacquainted.
The Patagonia mine is situate about half a
mile from the camp of Capt. C. P. Stone's com
mission. The ore is lead and silver, but the
mine is in the hands of those who have very
little practical knowledge of mining, and is
very badly managed. It is in a good situa
tion, and smelts easily. The furnaces, how
ever, are badly put up, and of poor materials.
The Santa Rita mine furnishes some speci
mens of ore worth mentioning, from some
small veins not yet worked. In the Santa
Rita mountains are some old mines, which
have been partially worked. In the valley of
the Santa Cruz is the Sophori mine, in opera
tion, but of its richness I am uninformed.
The " Sonora Mining Company of Arizona"
own several old Spanish mines, and several
new ones, and carry on mining on a larger
scale than any company in the territory. They
practise the barrel amalgamation process ; but
I prefer the patio, which is more tedious, but
gives a better return, and saves a large ex
pense in machinery, which is a good thing in
a country where Mexicans are chiefly em
ployed, and where white labor is high.

ARIZONA. 333
All the southwestern part of Arizona shows
signs of volcanic action. I may be holding a
mistaken opinion, but I doubt the existence of
any rich silver deposits at a great depth. All
the characteristics of the country forbid such
a belief, and none of the mines have yet sunk
a shaft deep enough to contradict such an
opinion as I have of the mineral resources of
the country. Capitalists wishing to invest
should leave no means untried of finding the
true worth of ores, and the per cent, contained
in them of gold, silver, or copper ; recollecting
that the crucible assay will always give a
greater return than the same ore yields when
reduced in larger quantities. The poorer and
richer ores should be proven by assaying them
well in rather large masses, and a deduction
made for the slags, which always contain some
proportion of metal. The width of a vein
should be ascertained, as well as its hardness,
or the metal may chance to be not worth the
extraction. In short, the cost of extraction
must be compared with the per cent, yielded.'
As a general rule, I should prefer a mine with
abundant poor ores to a rich one with a nar
row vein. Mines of the former class are to be
found, but are not very common. Only those

334 ARIZONA.
who have practical knowledge should under
take silver mining. Machinery should never
be employed except where it is necessary, and
where fuel can be obtained readily ; otherwise,
in the remote mining regions, it will prove
very expensive. Intelligent white labor is
hard to secure, and demands high wages ;
therefore, where American genius can be
brought to bear with Mexican plans and labor,
the results are often of the best kind. For in
stance, the ancient furnaces, or " fundiciones,"
centuries old in plan, when a little altered and
improved, are capable of rendering the most
satisfactory returns. Merely scientific men
should not be employed by companies wishing
to mine, but those persons who from experience
have become eminently practical. A great
many failures have come from neglecting to
observe this common-sense rule.

APPENDIX.

APPENDIX

PLAN OF A NATIONAL PACIFIC RAILROAD.
I choose the most southern route possible,
for reasons which will appear as I proceed. I
shall not express any preference for either of
the two routes east of El Paso — either that one
coming from Memphis direct, or one coming
by way of Austin and San Antonio, Texas, may
be selected. But on the route west of El Paso
I must dwell at more length, being convinced
that I do know the most favorable route to the
Pacific, as well as the shortest and best pay
ing one.
West of El Paso the country offers no obsta
cle to a railroad for two hundred miles, when
it reaches the San Simona Pass. The road
here should turn southeast, over a large plain.
(Colonel Greg's route turns at Apache Pass,
some forty miles farther west, and keeps on
the side of the American line to San Diego,
California.) From San Simona Pass, there are

338 APPENDIX.
forty or fifty miles of gradual descent, over the
plain, until the road reaches. San Bernardino
Springs, the head waters of the Yagui river.
At this point all the trade and produce of the
Yagui branches, and the mineral wealth of
this region would naturally centre. From San
Bernardino the road would go a little south
west, around a high mountain, which here is
the divide between the Sonora and San Pedro
waters, coming from the southeast and stop
ping abruptly on the plain, leaving the San
Pedro on the right and itself on the left, with
a pass for the road between. Beyond the
mountain the road will keep on over this
plain, until it strikes, with a gentle decline,
the head waters of the northwest prong of the
Sonora river, which it will follow down, taking
in all the rich mineral and agricultural regions
of that river.
Arriving at the junction, it will go on to
Banerachi, Chinipas, Arispe, Senoguipe, Bana-
michi, Huepaca, Guadalupe, Ures, Topahui,
Hermosillo, and thence to Guaymas, either by
the present stage route, or taking in the mining
and farming country of Santa Rosalia, Subiate,
San Jose de Pimos, and San Marcial. From
San Marcial it might follow down the stream

APPENDIX. 339
to Guaymas, or, with a slight variation from a
straight line, take in its course the mining and
agricultural regions of the Lower Yagui val
ley. Guaymas being the chief port of the
Gulf of California, it will gather business from
all the smaller intermediate ports ; also from
Lower California, Mazatlan, Culiacan, Sinaloa,
Fuerte, and the Mayo valley. From all these
points business will flow toward the port
where the railroad terminates, and new life
and vigor be infused into these rich but now
lifeless countries. A steam communication
from California would be easy, and of great
importance to trade as well as to travel, which
would find this route equally good in summer
and winter.
I do not claim accuracy in my estimate of
distances ; but, having travelled over the
whole route, I know it to be feasible. That
it would pay better than a more northern
route through a country miserably poor in
mineral resources, and entirely devoid of agri
cultural lands, cannot be, for a moment,
doubted. The vast deserts on both sides of the Cole
rado offer no inducement to any outlay in that
direction ; and the possibility of a yet more

340 APPENDIX.
southern route is not to be contemplated.
South of San Bernardino the mountains are
continuous, close together, steep, and with no
passes where they can be avoided. It is
true that there are several routes of travel now
in use, but they are only trails for pack-mules,
and hardly practicable at that. I may safely
say that Durango and Chihuahua will never
be connected with Mazatlan and Fuerte by
railroad. They are separated by two hundred
miles of high, impassable mountains. The
great Sierra Madre mountains rise here in all
their majesty in opposition to the enterprises
of men. Or, were a road through these moun
tains possible, the expense of building it would
not be repaid by a hundred years of travel and
exchange. Should a road be built on either
side, as it might be, there would still be one
hundred and fifty miles which would require
the services of pack-mules.
From the Rio Grande to Chihuahua or Du
rango no obstacle exists, as the country is
mostly formed in plains and table lands, with
small ranges of hills, easily overcome.

APPENDIX. 341
PLAN OF A RAILROAD FROM GUAYMAS TO FUERTE
VALLEY.
This road to the mineral regions of the
Fuerte valley, would leave Guaymas and go to
Old Guaymas, to Belen, and Toron on the
Yagui, crossing the river to Bakan, Cocori,
Navajoa on the Mayo, and thence to Alamos.
From Alamos to San Antonio, and crossing
the Cuchiagua creek to a chain of mountains,
which would be passed through a cafion of
gradual ascent, after which a small ridge must
be passed, and the descent made through an
other cafion to the Fuerte river. Crossing the
Fuerte to Toro, and thence to Chois, the centre
of a wealthy mineral and agricultural district,
the road might terminate here, or send a
branch to the city of Fuerte, and from there to
the mouth of the river, where it might connect,
by steamers on the gulf, with the other ports
of Mexico and Lower California.
ROAD FROM FUERTE TO MAZATLAN.
There is no difficulty in the way of a road
from Fuerte city to Ocoroni, a town of Sinaloa.
Thence, crossing the Sinaloa river, to Culiacan

342 . APPENDIX.
on the Culiacan river, and passing over a rich
country, coming to the Cosala river, which
must also be crossed, and thence to the San
Ignacio. The country is generally undulating,
with some small hills, which may be either
levelled or avoided by turns in the road.
From Mazatlan, a road may connect with
the Durango trade by running a road to old
Mazatlan, thence to San Sebastian, thence to
the loot of the mountains of Copala and Pan-
neo, as these connect with the pack trains over
the mountains, to a place where they intercept
another road from Durango westward.
From Culiacan, a branch might converge
toward the mines, and another to Atlanta, on
the gulf. All these routes pass through agri
cultural countries unsurpassed by any in the
world, which, at the same time, are rich in
minerals. THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE MOUNTAINS.
Taking the Rio Grande as a starting-point on
the eastern side, the road might leave San An
tonio, Texas, going to old Fort Duncan, on the
Rio Grande, thence to Piedras Negras, thence
to Neva, thence to San Juan, thence to the

APPENDIX. 343
junction of the Sabine and Alamo streams,
thence to Santa Rosa, thence to Monclova,
thence to Parras, thence to Alamo de Parras,
thence to Cuencame, and thence to the city of
Durango. From Durango, a road may be
made, for about eighty miles west, to the Co-
jote station, to connect with the pack trains
over the mountains to the Mazatlan line, be
low Copola and Panneo.
Or, starting from San Antonio, southwest,
to the Presidio de Rio Grande, thence to Santa
Rosa, being only a slight deviation from the
former route.
From Mier, on the Rio Grande (two hun
dred and fifty miles above the mouth of the
river), to Ceralvo, there is a good wagon-road
even now ; also from Ceralvo to Marin, and
thence to the city of Monterey, the capital of
both Nueva Leon and Coahuila. From Mon
terey the road goes to Rinconad, thence to
Saltillo, thence to Buena Vista, thence to San
Juan de Vaccaria, thence to Ranchos de los
Murchachos, and thence to Parras. This route
is an available one for a railroad.
Or, there might be chosen the route from
Matamoras, twenty-five miles above the mouth
of the Rio Grande, to Los Torros, thence to Los

344 APPENDIX.
Chinos, thence to Cadeireta, 1 hence to Monte
rey, thence to Saltillo, thence to Parras,
thence to Cuencame, and thence to Durango,
as above.
From Parras to the city of Chihuahua is a
fine wagon-road, well travelled. From Du
rango to Santiago Pescar, and on to Chihua
hua, is also a road, but of very little utility.
From Chihuahua a branch road may go to
Concepcion, thence to Los Bajos, and connect
there with pack trains either to Guadalupe
Calvo, and thence westward to Culiacan, or to
Los Bajos, and thence to Jesus Maria, whence
pack trains go over the mountains to Chois, in
the Fuerte valley.
The road from Chihuahua to Jesus Maria,
thence to Chinipas, and thence to Alamos, is
only fit for pack animals. From Chihuahua, a
road may connect with El Paso on the Rio
Grande, without difficulty, as the country here
is high table-land. The road from Chihuahua
to Cobre Grande, and thence to Arispe, is only
fit for pack animals. Chihuahua is the centre
of an agricultural country of some extent, and
has a valuable mining region to the west of it.

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