Salt

Autos sent to Mayorga concerning payments withheld from captain Mesia due to question of accurateness of Mesia's fiscal account from expedition of Sonora. Included is fiscal account from expedition of Sonora compiled by officials of real Caja de Alamos which mentions funds obtained from confiscation of secular properties of Jesuits in northwestern New Spain, cost of maintaining newly-founded missions of San Diego and Monterrey, and state of affairs of tobacco production and sales in viceroyalty. (J. H. Ochs, June 1987)

(D. J. McClelland, October 1987)

Documents referring to contraband, murder, sexual crimes, desertions of military personnel, illicit drinks, civil and military appointments within Provincias Internas. By order of king a judge named to deal with illicit drinks. List of Seri families requesting peace. Unification of Seri rebel capitan with Apaches to wage war against Seris who surrendered and thru conquest of other smaller Indian groups to attack Spaniards. Invention of armor by teniente Bertucat and request to king to have licence to construct such armor. Autos against Capitancillo norteno Ramirez. Rebel Taraname Jose Luis sent to Havana's prison to avoid more rebellions in Texas. Civil suit by inhabitants of Villa Nombre de Dios to keep such village under jurisdiction of viceroy instead of Provincias Internas. Inspection and advise on compania de Milicianos from Texas by Anza. Wedding of capitan Fages. (A. Dell'acqua, April 1988)

Documents relating to archives of area of Provincias Internas requested by Caballero de Croix new appointee of king to be comandante general. These documents include every aspect of life in such provinces going back many years. (A. Dell'acqua, March 1988)

(D. Uhlman, July 1988)

Series of letters from Fermin de Mendinueta to the viceroy. Concerns Indian depredations from June 1773-August 1775. Picuris, Nambe, Santa Clara, San Juan, Pecos, Alburquerque, Bernalillo, Jemez, Cochiti, Zuni, Laguna, Taos, pojaque, San Yldefonso, Sandia, la Alameda, Galisteo, and Zia. Apache raids occurred at Alburquerque, Laguna, Betlem, and Tome. Discussion o casualties on both sides, killed and wounded. Other topics Alburquerque against Navajos, sales of arms to friendly Indians, campaign against Comanches by presidial troops and Indian auxiliaries, discussion of animals taken during raids, and attempts to establish peace with Apaches. (W. Copas, April 1988)

Ff. b160-b164 are letters to Florez dated 9 and 10 March 1789 regarding transactions of officials in contaduria mayor, and formation of plan general for use of royal funds throughout entire Provincias Internas. Mention of use of royal funds to pacify Apaches. F. B165 is draft of letter from Florez(?) To tribunal de Cuentas regarding plan general dated 28 February 1789. F. b167 is draft of letter from viceroy to intendente regarding transfer of funds dated 8 December 1789. Unfoliated, unsigned draft inserted between ff. b177 and b178. F. B178 is table of accounts from royal treasury at Arispe for November 1789. (W. Copas, February 1988)

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)

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

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