Mining

Describes geographical range Pimeria Alta missions. Speaks of continuing Apache menace. Notes depopulation of area due to diseases, Apache attacks. Discusses temporal affairs of missions, including livestock raising, planting communal fields maize, wheat, and vegetables, which feeds widows, sick, military escorts, mission Indians during lean months of April, May, and June, thereby inducing Indians to remain in pueblos instead of wild-food gathering. Notes sale of surplus to mines/presidios to purchase church supplies, barter goods. Notes decline of mission agriculture last 8 years due to lack of seeds, decline of Cieneguilla mines, and increased number of farmers. States mission business is conducted by Indian governors under missionaries' guidance. Describes architecture of Indian houses; agriculture, including cultivation of pomegranates, quinces, cotton, and sugar cane as well as shrubs of gomilla, jojoba, both of which used medicinally. Describes herbs used, including indigo (anil), gediondilla, zimarron, contra yerba. Claims 2 harvests pithaya per year in west. Notes presence gypsum, lime, piedra bezal found in deer, especially those killed near coast. Says province is covered with grama grass, thereby providing forage for much livestock. Describes climate, mineral wealth, including real of Cieneguilla, only settlement of Spaniards in Pimeria Alta. Describes settlements. Tiburones described as Seri groups. Describes excellent salt fields along coast. Describes port of Tepoca/pearl beds nearby. Notes presence of subterranean water. Says Papagos come to missions to sell young boys captured in slave raids carried out by interior nations; these slaves called Vijoras (Nixoras). No active commerce carried on by Indians. Describes uses of cotton. Says Pimas are good farmers, growing wheat, maize, squash, cotton. During harvests, many traders arrive to barter cloth, etc. for produce. Says Pimas stay in pueblos, not like Yaquis and many Opatas who wander (probably to work in mines). Discusses reasons why missions should not be secularized. Estimates Gila Pima population at 2,000. Compares Pimas favorably to Opatas, who no longer respect missionaries. Describes temporary nature of Spanish settlement of Sonora, Pimeria Alta. Says 8 leagues from Aconchi, the San Juan mine, full of water, is abandoned now. Discusses precautions necessary for populating Sonora. Encourages development of Tepoca, Guaymas to give Sonora easy access to sea, Tiburon Island as way station for transportation of livestock. Discusses need to develop educational facilities, including primary schools at Indian settlements. Notes belief among Opatas at Aconchi in Montezuma, who they claimed was their king and had risen and appeared in mountains. Describes his school, which taught girls as well as boys to read, write. (T. Sheridan) (1976)

Describes situation with Indians: murders of and by; religious education of; military strategies used to subdue, and control; agricultural labor of, and transporting to prisons. Tobacco, gunpowder, and land finances listed along with expenditures and troop payments, appointments made in civil offices of governor and justicia. Activities at missions described: crop production, establishment of new orders, rebuilding of destroyed mission, failure of priests to report profits and subsequent conflicts with royal officials, and distribution of mission supplies. Case of presidial captain of Laredo falsifying location of town. Travel conditions at Tetillas poor. (L. Deatherage, July 1987)

Concerns extraction and selling of salt from mines in Nuevo Santander. (L. Deatherage, July 1987)

Missions established in Mier, Hoyos, Santillana. Post established in Aguayo. Mines at Tamualipas Vieja scouted. Troops increased at Escandon and Horcasitas. Mining extracts to be sent to San Luis Potosi. (L. Deatherage, July 1987)

Concerns mining operations, gunpowder trade and distribution, tobacco trading policies. Devis appointed administrator of gunpowder; Palacio as Mariscal del Campo. Gunpowder dispatched to 123 Plazas of the squadrons of Nuevo Santander. (L. Deatherage, July 1987)

Concerns trade regulations and expenditures for tobacco, salt, gunpowder, and playing cards. (L. Deatherage, July 1987)

Concerns initiation of mine work at Nueva Tamualipa. Indians prohibited from visiting mine. Request for establishment of presidio to protect area from Indians. (L. Deatherage, June 1987)

Letter concerning Indian criminals accused of murder, treaties made with tribes, establishment of missions in various locations. Troops sent to protect mine at Tamualipa Vieja.

Refusal to send soldiers to protect silver mine and town from attacks. Attacks of presidio del Sacramento by Apaches, Tobosos y Pelones. Fine imposed on captains of presidios, accused of rebellion by fiscal mayor. (A. Dell'acqua, March 1987)

Pertaining to discovery silver mine, request license to exploit. Indian unrest in mission Vizarron due to settlement of town on Indian lands. Includes map of area of dispute. Request soldiers to protect land, mine and town from Indian attacks. Rebellion, refusal to send soldiers by presidio's captains, fined by fiscal mayor. Dismisal of missionary for criticizing king. (A. Dell'acqua, March 1987)