Cattle

Documents consist of providencias for government and new institutions in California, correspondence between viceroy and of San Diego mission; improved communication system between Mexico and frontier regions; deployment of troops from Sonora for maximum defense of Californias and eastern provinces; purposes for pacification of Indians. Ff. 419-432 detail recruitment, transportation, settlement and protection of 70 families of colonists from Sonora for Alta California, of alleviating poverty and idleness by recruitment in Mexico; safety and choices of routes in combination of maritime and land means for transportation of settlers; desirable areas for colonization in new territories regarding protection, agricultural production, provisioning, recreation, water supply yet to extend Spanish occupation, defense and pacification plans; formation of companias volantes and militia to combat Indian hostilities and need for new regulations to do so; improvement of agricultural techniques and manufacture of domestic industries; long sections on required rations of food and other necessities, allotments of cash, markets for purchasing, selling regional commerce, supply and production of cattle, horses and mules. Other folios refer to maritime transportation of mission and presidio supplies and schedules of Goleta la Sonora (Senora de Guadalupe) and Paquebot el Principe between Guaymas or San Blas. Acknowledgements of arrivals of vessels along Sonoran and California coasts. (j.m.johnson, February 1989)

Very important document on instructions and rules for founding new missions, presidios and towns. Neve expresses need for equalization of salaries for same rank/position among military, religious and civil personnel. Document divided into titulos, transportation, accountability, rations; crops; horses, mules; craftsmen. II. - lists of officers at each mission, presidio; description of terrain, Indian settlements for planning defensive positions; military escorts to establishments at Santa Barbara channel; salaries of officers/soldiers at four sailers and craftsmen on blandra Pilar, lanchas Lauretana and San Juan hepomuceno. III. - clothing; canons. IV. - armour distribution, types, purposes and accountability of funds; procedures for filling vacancies; evaluations by service reports. Ix. - requires monthly status report of each company. X. - Indian treaties. Xi. -gubernatorial functions regarding (ff. 386-390). - details on selection/training of habilitados (paymasters); accountability to real hacienda, Naval/military superiors and settlers; F. 390 consists of inventory and production data of small animals, cattle, horses, mules. Xiv. Settlement and use of land; supplies; irrigation and crops; house construction; cattle; taxes; regulations re. Establishment and defense in Canal; optimum placement for defense and religious organization along frontier and Camino real. (J. M. Johnson, February 1989)

Copy of reserved instructions that Neve governor of Californias government should be to conserve peace in peninsula --treating of areas of Indians not yet made docile, including punishment of Gentiles for killing livestock in San Francisco to communicate all mission orders to Junipero or Hidalgo; other encouragement to avoid strife. Document also includes letter from Galvez regarding governor's salary. (J. Hiller, January 1989)

(J. Hiller, January 1989)

F2: Listing (by year: 1753-1776) value and amounts of mercury mined; notes discovery of silver mines in southern Californias. Ossio writes to virrey regarding livestock he should receive. Sustain troops, sailors and Indians. (J. Hiller, November 1988)

Series of correspondence to Gobernador Escandon: tables of numbers of troops stationed at towns and missions of Nuevo Santander; notes ship carrying aguardiente run aground near port of Tampico; notes trip of virrey to Coautitlan; death of Amarillas and appointment of Caxigal de la Vega as new virrey; undetailed accounts of attacks by Xanambres and Taumaves against towns in Sierra Tamaulipas and internment of prisoners from these raids at Queretaro; undetailed accounts of celebrations at various villas in Nuevo Santander of coronation of new Spanish king, including dances, plays, mass, bullfights, loas (?), reenactment of battles between Christians and Moors, moxigangas (?), and music. Also includes letter from Escandon to virrey concerning cattle and corn harvests, notes cases of theft from Pisones by Xanambres and general state of poor relations between these tribes, migration of Apaches into northern part of colonia, and abundance of unspecified minerals in Sierra Tamaulipas. (A. Tukey, July 1989)

Correspondence in which Ussel y Guimbarda communicates news governorship; drought occurring in Nuevo Leon, its detrimental effects on corn crop, cattle, squadron well-dressed thanks to Urresti, Siguis attacking frequently along Rio Blanco; Indians at missions in governor's charge behaving peacefully, converting, mine at Yguana producing, though silver scarcer, administrative problems at mine; establishment of British 'comercio' along coast; 'libretas de Vita et moribus' of presidio officers, Urresti, Martiarena, Queclas; inspection records of compania de dragones of same presidio; letters from virrey responding to those from governor and others. (L. Kerr, December 1988)

Correspondence between virrey and gobernador concerning various promotion in military status; Velasco's comments on tranquility of province, abundance in corn and cattle found during 'visita general,' whose purpose was to nominate two towns as 'capitulares'; explanation that serious illness following 'visita' delayed further communication; responses by virrey about receipt of documents and letters, including those concerning Munoz y Villavicencio's conduct in office; grants Velasco permission to recuperate in Monte-Rey, discusses his successor. (L. Kerr, December 1988)

Decision made not to split presidio forces in order to defend against Indians. Mendinueta relates two major hostile encounters in which Spanish forces destroy rancherias, tiendas and take Indian captives. Mendinueta requests horses and guns for war effort. Mentions possibility of using vecinos in war. Request for arms, horses granted on condition that distribution list of horses is submitted to virrey. Relation of Indian thefts, murders. Brief notes concerning absence of pelicans; prohibition of certain drinks. (S. Gibbs, September 1987)

Mendinueta recounts Indian thefts, kidnappings, murders. Mentions Cumanche ambivalence in village commerce and war. explains drought and winter has killed horses. Bucareli expresses sympathy for depredations but declares faith in Mendinueta's ability to control Indians through zeal and prudence. (S. Gibbs, September 1987)