Cattle

Concerns reports by Escandon and others concerning conditions in Altamira and feasibility of official establishment as Villa. Contains review of mission, Fabricas, Indians, land, climate and distances from Altamira to other Villas along frontera. Contains complete lists of families, Escuadra and all property. Mentions conditions established for residents and their obligation to stay in Altamira. Mentions financial support for Villa. says peaceful relations with Indians who receive corn rations from Altamira. Cyprian says location is perfect, good land, easy transportation on rivers, abundant fish and other reasons. Recommends uniting with Panuco and Tampico to secure the coast. says temperate with few Mosquitos. Also mentions cultivation of Calabazas. Instructions by Escandon for future activity such as building of homes, treatment of Indians and church construction. Contains city plan including rivers surrounding Villa. (M. Dannemiller, March 1989)

Contains autos and reports by Escandon and others discussing possible difficulties of establishing Sotolamarina. says original purpose was to establish new Paraje for growing population and to pacify Indians. Were given two Religiosos and 10,000 pesos but after one year in a location without having planted any crops, lack of food, water, cattle and horses has resulted in several deaths. Describes several reasons why they were unable to sustain themselves. Documents discuss whether they should continue to bedova or establish in closer location along River. Gives geographic location of several possible Villas along Nueces. Ciprian says they should avoid impending problems at Bedoya and locate elsewhere since difficulty and cost of north River unreasonable. Escandon stops group in Santander where they report conditions. Decided that 50 families and Escuadra will establish Sotolamarina. Description of area including climate, pastures, fertile lands and abundancy of salt and fish. Escandon allocates money for construction of homes and other town buildings and says will provide sufficient corn seed. Includes town plan, rivers in area and exact coordinates of Sotolamarina. (M. Dannemiller, March 1989)

Concerns autos, plans and conditions for establishment of Dolores. Contains description of land and length and distances of rivers in area. says area has been penetrated with enemies. Basques is asking for piece of land for his son to be given control of. says he wants to promote peace and populate section of Seno Mexicano and requests financial and military assistance. says from rivers Grande to Nueses has not found Paraje with sufficient water or suitable lands. says many areas inhabited with hostile, thieving Indians. Places in east would be too distant from other settlements and Rio grand is intransitable in areas. Contains Escandon's review of Basques' cattle. says need to increase Dolores' population of 12 families and need arms and munitions. Dolores needs a well. Escandon allocated this area to Basques. States conditions for its administration. says spiritual guidance to be handled by Religiosos of Revilla. (M. Dannemiller, March 1989)

Concerns autos, plans and conditions for establishment of Reynosa by Escandon. Area first populated to pacify Indians, become familiar with the land and to test feasibility of irrigation in area. Escandon provides instructions for agricultural methods until construction of well completed. Escandon conducts, with assistance of others, review of population, property, land, Esquadra and Indians. Asks for reports regarding probability of permanence of Indians in area and need for new mission. Contains list of families including marital status, name, age and property. Contains list of Esquadra with same information. States conditions for population and Esquadra and their obligations to the town. Provides information on all Indian nations, whether armed or not, name of capitan, where raised, if baptised and likelihood of remaining peacefully in area. Mentions food supplies and basic sustenance. Contains list of property in town including horses, cattle and mules. Includes detailed description of land and digging of well. Mentions which lands need irrigation, which are fertile. Indians working for Spanish are given clothing and dry-goods. Includes city plan with provisions for church and convent and drawing of rivers around location. (M. Dannemiller, March 1989)

Series of charges against Escandon. First charge, folio 10, that Escandon did not reduce Indians peacefully and failed to populate the colony; second charge folio 60 that Escandon did not distribute the land between people, soldiers and Indians during twenty years; third charge, folio 77, that he did not take in to account the meeting of 1748 on election of captains and treatment of Indians; fourth charge, folio 88, failure to investigate the murder of several Indians; fifth charge, folio 90, failure of Escandon to investigate and punish captain Guevara's murder of a group of Indians; sixth charge, folio 90, no investigation of other murders by Unsaga; seventh charge, folio 91, Escandon orders killing of three Indians, one a minor; eighth charge, folio 93, a citizen of Aguayo complains to to Escandon about the behaviour of a captain, Escandon punishes the complainer and when the wife of the complainer goes to look for him and she was murdered by the Indians; ninth charge, folio 95, Escandon separates Indian men from their wifes and children, and sells Indians to other cities resulting in Indian retaliation and thus starting wars with Xanambres and Apostatas. He is accused of twenty years of fraud, despotism, trials without authority, misappropriation of land; 10 charge folio 98, Escandon sends 173 Indians to Querataro; eleventh charge, folio 100, Escandon kept three Indians working for him for fifteen years; twelfth charge, folio 103, Escandon abused his power to use the death penalty and forced labor in the presidio; thirteenth charge, folio 103, he used comissions to get Indians for his own service; fourteenth charge, folio 106, he failed to protect Indian health; fifteenth charge, folio 107, he used Indians to build his house and maintain his lands; sixteenth charge, folio 108, he failed to investigate or punish two sheperds who murdered an Indian; seventeenth charge, folio 110, Escandon populated colony with dangerous criminals getting the nickname of colonia Portugal de Nueva Espana; eighteenth charge, folio 114, Escandon forgives Indians that confess crimes and puts them in esquadras militares; nineteenth charge, folio 115, Escandon intimidated new settlers he did not like and gave instructions not to accept them; twentieth charge, folio 117, he appointed a murderer from Reinosa as captain; twenty first charge, folio 119, Escandon admitted a delinquent from Coahuila; twenty second charge, folio 121, twice Escandon destroyed the church of the Pisones Indians; twenty third charge, folio 123, has taken land from Indians of Santa Rosa; twenty fourth charge, folio 125, Escandon did not build a church in Laredo for the spiritual benefit of the Spaniards and Indians; twenty fifth charge, folio 128, for a period of 14 years Escandon remained minister of Santillana village; twenty sixth charge, folio 129, Escandon did not permit the redistribution of Diezmos from labranzas y crianzas in the colony for 20 years; twenty seventh charge, folio 131, Escandon renamed places; twenty eighth charge, folio 135, Escandon became rich and did not pay diezmos; twenty ninth charge, folio 138, Escandon gave a captain more than five Leguas at border of Rio Grande, other land and did not pay any diezmo to church of Guadalaxara; thirtieth charge, folio 141, Escandon was paying salaries to ministers in places that had no ministers; thirty first charge, folio 141, Escandon did not accept Indians in his village because he did not want to give them protection; thirty second charge, folio 144, he gave instructions to captain of Laredo not to admit Apaches; thirty third charge, folio 147, Escandon did not give 100 pesos to the colonists of San Carlos; thirty fourth charge, folio 148, Escandon refused to receive the bishop from Guadalaxara; thirty fifth charge, folio 151, he became a trader, knowing gobernadores were prohibited from trade; thirty sixth, charge, folio 158, Escandon permit exploitation of mines and use of silver without paying tax; thirty seventh charge, folio 160, since the year 1746 he had not reduced or pacified any Indians; last charge folio 162, complaints from capitania general related to Escandon's procedures. The next group of folios (166-319) are the defense of Escandon. (D. Bautista, nov, 1989)

Series of autos concerning sworn declarations from government officials on the reorganization of presidios in Nueva Vizcaya and San Bartolome Valley. Purpose of the reorganization is to provide protection to mines' workers and people in neighboring presidios. Geographic relative location of presidios with respect to each other is given. (M. Marroquin, February 1989)

Series by autos concerning tributes alcavalas in Nuevo Leon region. Lists of livestock and prices of various types of domestic animals are stated as well as merchant tax owed by individuals. Distances between various towns given. (J. Acheson, March 1988)

Indians complain to the virrey of the bad treatment they are receiving from the soldiers of Escandon. The soldiers do not respect their possessions. Indians comment to the virrey that they received help only from the Resendis family.

Bermudes and Cordoba complain to virrey because of Escandon's division of land. Escandon is accused of giving land to certain Indians that is owned by Bermudes and of taking mulas y maiz from the haciendas. Escandon also reports on the pacification of Indians including a report that Indians fear of disease makes it difficult to get them to settle in villages, but that some Indians Apostatas and Gentiles are requesting permission to congregarse in the villages. (D. Bautista, April 1990)

Letters from Escandon informing virrey of the establishment of a new village in Paraje la Mula. Escandon received complaints of several Indian attacks in la Mula Paraje. Escandon named los padres carmelitas as protectors of that Paraje, to stop the Indians from attacking. (D. Bautista, April 1990)