Spanish America, Vol. 1 (of 2)Bonnycastle, Richard Henry, Sir
History
Spanish America, Vol. 1 (of 2)
Bonnycastle, Richard Henry, Sir
Latin America -- Description and travel; Latin America -- History
Those in the mountainous regions are reckoned to be in the most
perfect state of nature of any of the American Indians, relying
solely on their skill in the chase, and on the bounty of nature in
her produce of roots, fruits, and plants. During the rainy season,
they make a large cap of rushes like a pent-house or umbrella,
which they wear on their heads to throw off the water, by which
means they keep themselves dry for a considerable time. They
construct a sort of rude wigwam of branches, to shield themselves
from the scorching rays of the summer sun, and in winter they
constantly keep large fires, round which they sleep, eat, and
drink, with no other canopy than Heaven. The heat in this country
exceeds the cold, and they have little other bad weather, than
during the rainy months.
There are many gold and silver mines in the mountainous parts of
this district, and in one of these called Yecorato, there was found
a piece of gold which weighed 16 marks and upwards, the mark being
two-thirds of a pound, or eight ounces. This was sent to Spain and
deposited in the royal cabinet of Madrid. The chief mining station
is Sivirijoa.
The principal town is _Cinaloa_, or _St. Felipey St. Jago_, on the
river Cinaloa, in 106° west longitude, and 26° north latitude, 630
miles north-west of Mexico; the stream on which it stands and the
Rio del Puerto, form the two principal rivers of this province;
they both rise in the Cordillera of Topia, and receiving other
streams in their course, enter the southern part of the Californian
sea, very near each other, and a little to the northward of
Macapule Bay. Cinaloa contains 9500 inhabitants.
The chief place of the whole government of Sonora is the capital.
_Arispe_, which has the forts of Bacuachi and Bavispe on the south
and west.
_Hostimuri_, the chief place of Mayo and Hiaqui, has many rich
mines in its vicinity, with a council of the mines situated at St.
Xavier.
_Los Alamos_ is also another station of note for the mines, between
the Mayo and Fuerte rivers, with a population of 7900.
The towns of Sonora Proper, and Ostimuri, are three in number,
the villages 46, and the missions 46; of these villages, many are
mining stations.
Cinaloa contains four towns, Cinaloa, Montes Claros, with 7900
souls; and El Rosario 5600; with 92 villages, numerous distinct
farms and missions, and many important mining stations.
_INTENDANCY OF NEW BISCAY OR DURANGO._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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