and of misery among the poor; that the Roman Catholic religion is in full force, but the inferior clergy are much dissatisfied.

There are no slaves in this province, nor any Indians of the Aztec race ;-Humboldt says, not a single tributary individual, and "all the inhabitants are either white, or consider themselves as such." Major Pike explains the state of things more specifically. Except the Apaches, who inhabit the Bolson de Mapimi, there are, he says, no uncivilised savages in this province. "The Christian Indians are so incorporated amongst the lower grades of Mestizoes, that it is scarcely possible to draw the line of distinction, except at the ranchos of some nobleman or large landholder, where they are in a state of vassalage. This class of people laid a conspiracy, which was so well concerted as to baffle the research of the Spaniards for a length of time, and to occasion them the loss of several hundreds of the inhabitants. The Indians used to go out from their villages in small parties: in a short time, a part would return with a report that they had been attacked by the Indians. The Spaniards would immediately send out a detachment in pursuit, when they were led into an ambuscade, and every soul cut off. They pursued this course so long, that the whole province became alarmed at the rapid manner in which their enemies multiplied; but some circumstances leading to a suspicion, they made use of the superstition of these people for their ruin. Some officers disguised themselves like friars, and went round amongst the Indians, pretending to be possessed of the spirit of prophecy. They preached up to them, that the day was approaching when a general deliverance from the Spanish tyranny was about to take place, and invited the Indians to join with them in

promoting the work of God. The poor creatures came forward, and, in their confessions, stated the great hand that had already been put to the work. After they had ascertained the nature and extent of the conspiracy, and obtained a body of troops, they com menced the execution, and put to death about four hundred of them. This struck terror and dismay throughout the Indian villages, and they durst not rise to support their freedom and independence.”

To the west of New Biscay, lies the intendancy of

SONORA,

COMPREHENDING the three provinces of Cinaloa (or Sinaloa), Ostimury, and Sonora Proper. The first extends from the Rio del Rosario to the Rio del Fuerte (from lat. 23° to 26° 45'); the second, from the Rio del Fuerte to the Rio del Mayo (in lat. 27° 30'); and the third (called in some old maps, New Navarre) comprises all the northern part of the intendancy. Its northern limits are very uncertain. The villages of the district of Pimeria alta are separated from the banks of the Rio Gila, by a region inhabited by independent Indians, of whom neither the soldiers stationed in the presidios, nor the monks posted in the neighbouring missions, have been hitherto able to effect the conquest. On the west, this intendancy has more than 280 leagues of coast extending along the Sea of Cortes, usually called the Gulf of California. On the south, Sinaloa is bounded by Guadalaxara and the ocean. Its breadth varies from 50 leagues (its greatest breadth below the 27th parallel) to upwards of 128 leagues. Its extent in square leagues is computed to be rather more than 19,000; and the popu

lation in 1803, was 121,400, or six inhabitants only to the square league.

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The province of Sinaloa was the first peopled. Major Pike estimates its population at 60,000, not more than three-twentieths of whom are Spaniards; the remainder, Creoles, Mestizoes, and Indians." In 1793, the number of tributary Indians in this province was 1,851. The country presents much the same aspect as that of New Biscay, bare, destitute of timber, and hilly; the air dry, pure, and salubrious, except along the coast, where the ground is marshy, the soil rich, and the atmosphere humid. It contains 5 towns, 92 villages, 30 parishes, 14 haciendas, and 450 ranchos. Sinaloa, the head town, called also the Villa de San Felipe y Santiago, is situated to the east of the port of Santa Maria d'Aome: its population is estimated at 9,500. Culiacan (" celebrated in the history of Mexico under the name of Hueicolhuacan") contains a population of 10,800. El Rosario, near the rich mines of Copala, has 5,600; Villa del Fuerte, or Montesclaros, to the north of Sinaloa, 7,900.

Los Alamos, between the Rio del Fuerte and the Rio Mayo, the residence of a deputation of mines, is in the district of Ostimury, or Hostimuri. It contains about 8,000 inhabitants. Ostimury itself is a small but populous town, surrounded with considerable mines. From the port of Guitivis at the mouth of the Rio Mayo, the public courier or post from Mexico

* We have followed Humboldt, in the absence of better information; but in his map, the town or real of Hostimuri is placed on the north side of the river Mayo, between which and the river Fuerte he describes the province of Ostimury as lying. After stating, moreover, that the intendancy comprises the three provinces of Cinaloa, Ostimury, and Sonora Proper, he takes no further notice of the second of these divisions, but subsequently divides the intendancy into the two provinces of Sonora and Cinaloa.

embarks in a lancha for Loreto in Old California, whence letters are sent from mission to mission as far as Monterey and the port of San Francisco, in New California, under the parallel of 37° 48'.

The chief places in Sonora Proper, are, Arispe, the capital of the intendancy, situated near the head of the river Yaqui, in lat. 31° N., long. 111o W., the population 7,600; Sonora, S. of Arispe, population 6,400; and Terrenate, or Ternate, a presidio to the N. of the capital. Arispe, Major Pike says, " is celebrated throughout the kingdom for the vast quantity of gold table utensils made use of in the houses, and for the urbanity and hospitality of the inhabitants." He makes the population amount only to 3,400, or less than half Humboldt's estimate, but whether on the authority of a more recent census or not, does not appear. Little is known with any degree of certainty or precision of these remote regions. Even the mines are too distant to attract or to repay attention. Yet, the proportion of gold which they yield, is so considerable, that gold does not preserve its usual exchange with silver in this province. General Salcedo told Capt. Pike, that the largest piece of pure gold ever discovered in New Spain, was found in this province, and it had been sent to Madrid to be put in his majesty's cabinet of curiosities.* Sonora trades with New Mexico, Durango, and the southern provinces, either by land, or through the Californian Gulf.

*All the ravines and even plains of the hilly country of the Primeria alta, Humboldt states, contain gold scattered up and down the alluvial land. Masses of pure gold, of the weight of from 5 to 8 lb. troy, have been found there. But these gold-washings are by no means diligently sought after, on account of the frequent Incursions of the Indians, and especially on account of the high price of provisions, which must be brought from a great distance in this uncultivated country.

It is celebrated for cheese, horses, and sheep. Like New Biscay, the province is destitute of timber, but has some rich soil near the sea. It abounds with deer, cabrie, bears, and "remarkably large Guana lizards, which are said to weigh ten pounds, are perfectly harmless, and are trained by the inhabitants to catch mice." *

The most northern part of this intendancy bears the name of Pimeria, on account of a numerous tribe of Pimas Indians who inhabit it. These Indians live for the most part under the domination of the missionary monks, and observe the Romish ritual. This district is divided into the Pimeria alta and the Pimeria baxa; the latter containing the presidio of Buenavista, and the former extending from the presidio of Ternate to the Rio Gila. Here the traveller has reached the confines of civilised society. "Hitherto," says Humboldt, "there has been no permanent communication established between Sonora, New Mexico, and New California, although the Court of Madrid has frequently given orders for the formation of presidios and missions between the Rio Gila and the Rio Colorado. Two courageous and enterprising monks, Fathers Garces and Font, succeeded, however, in penetrating by land through the countries inhabited by independent Indians, from the missions of the Pimeria alta, to Monterey and the port of St. Francisco, without crossing the peninsula of Old California. This bold enterprise, on which the college of the Propaganda at Queretaro published an interesting notice, has also furnished new information relative to the ruins of la Casa grande, considered by the Mexican historians as the abode of the Aztecs on their arrival