Corn

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)

Discussions of mission establishment at Taumabe to rebuild Indians returned to Sierra, others working at missions. At tamipico, Indians subdued. Taxes to be paid with corn production at missions. (L. Deatherage, July 1987)

Official inspection of Coahuilan missions conducted by Alarcon in response to request by king. Includes description of mission construction, means of livelihood of inhabitants, number of Indians and tribes represented. (J. H. Ochs, June 1987)

Military and civilian census taken prior to assumption of power of Martin de Alarcon as governor of Coahuila. Included are descriptions of missions and state of agriculture. (J. H. Ochs, June 1987)

Letters from governor of Coahuila and various mission prelates praising captain of flying company, Buenaventura de Aguirre, for his assistance to these prelates. Documents include physical measurements of missions San Juan Bautista and Solano. Also, letter from Buenaventura de Aguirre describing manner in which he has performed his duty to these prelates. (J. H. Ochs, April, 1987)

Inpection of settlements in Coahuila conducted by Mathias de Aguirre; includes number of residents in each community, day-to-day activities, means of livelihood, etc. Also, informes submitted by prelates describing life at these missions; included is number of Indians, tribes represented, state of agriculture, style of architecture, etc. At each mission. (J. H. Ochs, March 1987)

An urgent request that supplies be sent to new missions on Rio Grande. (J. H. Ochs, February 1987)

Report from fray Alejo Cuevas accusing Porras of mistreatment of Croix granted land to Porras for planting. Porras killed in Apache raid. Nava and virrey Revilla Gigedo grant land to widow and move Cuevas to Zacatecas. (D. Marksz, December 1986)

Concerns various matters involving Emparan as governor of Coahuila; including; contributions of vecinos to provincial defense; Indian raid at Sardinas; grain harvests; petition for granting inheritence by Dona Flores; confirmation of Castro as comandant general; on bad luck of Falcon, and injustice being done to him by royal office; bad state of Emperan's health; his request for a new assignment (which is rejected); forwarding of inventorios of documents sent to Archivo de la commandancia general; illness of Castro; other Indian depredations; case of Menchaca; and financial matters. Includes many interesting details on Emparan's health; notes fact that he had taken banos, refrescos, sangrias, y emeticos for his constante Dolores de caveza. (J. Williams, February 1987)

Governor Emparan describes steps taken to limit exporting of grain in attempt to control prices; notes on official proclamation relating to such problems. (J. Williams, February 1987)