Geography

Concerns an entire range of mission activities as described by Sonoran leaders to viceroy. Contains many suggestions for administration of missions, mostly on treatment of Indians. Quotes original purpose of conquest as stated by Alexandro VI. expresses need for schools, the teaching of Castellano, written permission for traveling Indians, static position of priests, appointment of two priests in case of illness and even distribution of Spanish population. Discusses the punishment of Indians, prohibiting them from liquor, gambling and salary advances. Describes Indian life and agriculture, their crops, cattle and weavings. Priests want them to establish in towns accessible to church in homes of stone or Adobe which resist fire. Relates difficulties and distances in reaching jobs and transporting goods. States that each Indian should have a horse to hunt Javali with their zaetas and harpoons. Hiaquis are hardworking but basically very lazy so must be given fruitful labor and compensate accordingly to men, women and children over 10. Spanish should not be permitted to buy Indian homes or land. Suggests jobs which benefit others such as in mines. Concerns Indian obligation to church in terms of tribute, priests salary and community building. Asks tithes from Durango be passed to Sonora. Describes gold and silver adornments and wine supplies of some churches and destruction of others due to Zeris and Pimas. Description of trip made by Ganzes to know and convert Indians. Finally, while Indian foreman should be chosen to give priests more freedom, governors should be appointed not elected by Indians. (M. Dannemiller, October 1987)

Concerns distribution of troops on the frontier. Pacheco answers viceroy's request for an explanation as to why troops have been separated from conquest areas. Pacheco explains that there is not enough money to support many more conquered Indians. Many of frontier lands lack water for crops. Some of frontier areas accepted Spanish settlement without the need for troops while sometimes the troops are separated from the areas where needed due to lack of cooperation between missionaries and capitans. (M. Dannemiller, October 1987)

Contains letters from various priests concerning their ability or inability to apply the new method to their areas. Gonzales relates difficulties in promoting the plan due to the nature of the land and the temperament of the Indians. Concerns the location of missions and needed incentives to keep Indians in missions. Describes the roles of the missionaries as fathers, teachers and employers. Provisions for the sick and elderly. Discusses suspending the synod, expense records and an annual auditor to be sent by virrey. Relates deterioration and depopulation of missions of Chihuahua, condition of other missions and need to have Indians congregated there - not sent to Spanish haciendas. Discusses fact that Indians in Moqui are pacified due to fact that they live with christians, need for more missionaries and military to assure this type of peace and avoid violence such as with the Apaches. Includes a complete list of missions that received the virrey's instructions of July 13, 1772. (M. Dannemiller, October 1987)

Includes two informes in which gobernador describes to virrey chronological unfolding of Series of attacks by Aracates, Mesquites, others, on rancherias and villages of Sierra; number and location of Indians, 'pobladores,' soldiers killed given, as well as numbers of mules, horses stolen; 150 soldiers and 15 Indian auxiliaries to scour Sierra 'hasta no dejar indio en ella'; battles continue; 'piquete' of 15 soldiers captures 4 Indian men, Indian woman, child, who claim to be peaceful, escape after led to Soto la Marina; days earlier 2 unarmed 'vaqueros' killed, horses taken. In second letter, gobernador mountain pass in order to block Indians' retreat; plan somewhat effective, as more Indians killed, 'collera' of 38 taken to San Luis Potosi; supposedly peaceful Mesquites and mulatos apparently responsible for the large and Volatile Indian gathering in Sierra, also for death of pastor and several horse thefts. With Indians run out of Sierra, gobernador feels time right to begin construction of road into area. Argues also that some villages repeatedly attacked by Apaches because residents do not know how to respond or defend selves; solution lies in uniting 'pobladores', teaching them how to protect family and possessions, then fighting 'con Teson.' (L. Kerr, June 1989)

Report of diputacion cabecera de Jurisdiccion de minas; begins with three printed pages of guidelines for reports from each real (mining town). Each real to list 1) number of people, condition of town; 2) names of mines, owners, products; 3) number, names of haciendas supported by mines; 4) quantity of Mineral extracted; 5) quantity of Azoque needed proportional to Actual mine products; 6) list of natural resources in area of mines; 7) drawbacks of area. Report concerns primarily mines of Chihuahua, Santa Eulalia, Cosiguriachi, Parral. Gives total, annual silver production 1703 to 1791 in Santa Eulalia, 1731 to 1791 in Chihuahua. Discusses peso value of silver, distances between mines, other places; history of founding of Santa Eulalia, including names of all duenos with list of assets of each. Mentions some women mine owners; mine disasters; raiding by Apaches; mining supplies. (A. Dean, August 1989)

Correspondence to and from governor Sierragorda and viceroy Branciforte concerning condition and improvement of road between Matehuala and Saltillo. Report of geographic survey of San Carlos area. Chart of distances between points in Nuevo Santander. Mentions tax or toll to pay for improvements. (A. Dean, February 1989)

Ladron de Guevara to viceroy regarding request of reduccion of Indians in Nuevo Leon and Huasteca in order to have cattle production and mining. Removal of families and soldiers from Nuevo Leon. Mention of Indians in Leon not under mission control that could be removed as they are raiding fronteer. Discusses availability of water in different settlements and situation to rivers and quality of land. Ladron de Guevara's project to remove population in Nuevo Santander to save expenses to real hacienda of military protection; lack of irrigation thus abandoning coastal areas to Indians. (L. L. Woodward, October 1988)

Noriega requests rental of Nuevo Santander Salinas for 2 years offering 3,000 pesos per year. Description of locations of salt; salt commerce; price of salt. Llanos to continue renting Salinas; request accepted and money received. (L. L. Woodward, December 1988)

Sketch with key shows area where proposed mission of Horcasitas to be located. Discussion of availability of water, wood, agricultural possibilities, area promises good harvests, free from hostile frontier Indians. Testimonies of inhabitants as to fertility of land and rainfall for corn production. Fray Lopez outlines lands to be included in mission for Palalhueques. Provides numbers of vecinos in surrounding parages and amount of land owned and how exploited. 148,000 pesos for tools and equipment. Need to get soldiers ready to defend and help with work; salaries for the 6 soldiers to be 20 pesos monthly. (L. L. Woodward, November 1988)

Summary of testimonies about Escandon's record in completing orders to pacify and reduce Indians and settle Nuevo Santander by officers and settlers and their charges against him. Funds spent, mistreatment of Indians, assassination of 5 capitans, use of Indians to work Escandon's land, build his Palace, and increase his wealth. Real cedula ordering pacification of Nuevo Santander delayed in its completion. Activities of Escandon include use of military funds, Indians reduction, founding of 14 settlements with population count of number and families and troops in each (f.8); plus 6 more settlements founded which were not in original budget of 115,000p. Complaint of not achieving increased agricultural production in spite of having fertile land, water; availability of minerals and salt. History of Escandon's earlier military record, reopening of missions. Problems resulting from drought. Espenses of military salaries and sinodos to missionaries. Annual costs in pacification process. Cost of settling 15 families from canary islands in Texas (ff.17). Organization of troops and distribution among settlements; distribution of lands. Difficulty of defending property under Indian hostilities. Complaint that Escandon's soldiers instead of gathering Indians together killed them inhumanely when they asked for peace. Murder by capitan trasieria and soldiers of slave and silversmith not punished or investigated by Escandon; Escandon named capitans and paid them salaries of 500p. (ff.33). Alvares' attempts at populating Rio Verde, movement of people, costs, problems with hostile Indians, mosquito plague (ff.56) order not to let Laredo capitan admit Apaches even though they offered peace (ff.57). Escandon prohibited commerce; payed soldiers in goods. Mining of silver without paying royal fifth (ff.63). Escandon has made few or no reducciones since 1746. List of 9 places on coast where Escandon says he has reduced total of 1,258 Indians and gives names of ethnic groups and number baptised in each location (ff.64). Service record of Escandon since he began service in Yucatan, distinguished service in Sierra Gorda as sargento mayor, teniente until 1746 (ff.68). Provides total inventory of livestock in 20 settlements. Movement of Escandon (Villa), Reynosa, and Burgos settlers to new Parajes (nuezes, Tetillas, Encinos). Molina reinstated as capitan; Barbara Resendi's complaints against Escandon (ff.83)(ff125). Charges against fray Garcia as being hipocrite receiving double salary (ff.91) description of reason for failure of mission for Cocos in San Saba due to murder of missionaries (ff.112). Apaches do not want to be reduced, only want peace and commerce with Spanish (ff.113). Even when they offer peace, Escandon gives them motives to be insolent. Murder at Rancheria of smallpox infected and other Indians by capitan went unpunished (ff.120). Massacre of Janambres on road to Horcasitas (ff 121). Paz not punished for murder of Indians (ff.122). Guevarra's murder of reduced Indians of mission of Santander unpunished. Cordova's mistreatment of Indians in Rio Frio (ff.124). Use of Indians Sihui, janambre as work force, Indian death due to hard labor (ff.125). Attempt to reduce Pames threatening to drive them to the coast. Indians paid 4p month plus rations for corn growing and also grew their own crops (ff.131). Escandon allowed people exemption from debts in order to populate settlements. Escandon's appointing as capitans convicted murder. Escandon refused to release Sanches Borriego who was involved in riot of Coahuila to Serma. Two destructions of Pizones' church in Santa Rossa and Taumave missions. Taking of Indian lands to give to Carmelita priests for 10 years. No payment of Diezmos for farmland; Diezmos payments of hollas, Mier, and Revilla. Escandon nor captain Vasques Borrego payed Diezmos for their large cattle haciendas. Gives cost of campaign against Indians of north and Apaches who attacked Taguacanas. Defense of Escandon's choice of capitans and families to populate settlement in that it is difficult to find cultivated people like those from the capital--they must come from the provinces. Description of Tanambre November 1754 destruction of mission Ruvoroso near Escandon; only 4 escaped including missionary. Complaint of Tanambres robbing, Murdering. Escandon captured tamambre rebles and sent them to Querataro prison. Tamambres and Tonases sent to Querataro as labors, servants and for convents. Marcos Molino's case in which he worked for Hidalgo for 15 years without payment. (ff.163) use of hard labor as punishment as well as death sentence. (L. L. Woodward, November 1988)