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Show 178 LEADING FACTS OF NEW MEXICAN HISTORY it is that some mining, at some time, prior to 1800, was done in the Sandias, in the mountains of Rio Arriba and Taos counties, and near Los Cerrillos in Santa Fé county, but the most extensive mining of which there is any documentary record was that done in the copper mines of Santa Rita,? in Grant county. No silver Stated that they have called in the aid of supersti tion, by promulgating the belief that the Indian who reveals the location of these hidden treasures, will surely perish by the wrath of their gods. ‘*Playing upon the credulity of the people, it sometimes happens that a roguish Indian will amuse himself at the expense of his reputed superiors in intelligence, by proffering to disclose some of these concealed treasures. I once knew a waggish savage of this kind to propose to show a valley where ‘virgin gold could be scraped up by the basketfu l.’ On a bright Sunday morning, i i ition, the chuckling Indian set out with a , place. golden treasure; but, as the shades of g around the party, he discovered — that he could’t find the It is not at all probable, howe igi part of the knowledge of these ancient fountains of wealth, that is generally attributed to them; but that many valuable mines were once wrought in this province, not only traditio n but authenticated records and existing relics sufficiently prove.’ 120 Wislizenus, Dr. A., Tour through Northern Mexico, ete., at page 26, says: ‘tor the copper mines in the state of Chihuahua, the most celebrated is the ‘Santa Rita de Cobre,’ in the western angle of the Sierra de Mogoyon, near the headwaters of the Gila. The mine, known for a long time to the Apaches, passed through the hands of several proprietors, till in 1828, it was effectually worked by Mr. Coursier, a French resident of Chihuahua, who is reported and generally believed to have cleared in seven years about half a million dollars from it. The ore looks extremely rich; it is a remarkably pure Copper, accompanied sometimes with of the native metal and said to oxyde contain Some gold. Mr. Coursier soon monopolized the whole copper trade in Chihuahua; and as the state at that time coined a great deal of this metal, he made 4 very profitable business of it; but at last mine, which seems haustible, had to be abandoned on account the inexof the hostile Indians, towhobe killed some of the workmen, and attacked the trains. These copper mines are claimed by the State of Chihuahua, as belonging to its territory; but as not even the latitude of the city of Chihuahua had been well determined by the Mexicans, more exact astronomical observations may perhaps prove that they fall within the territory of New Mexico. This question may become of importan ce, because this whole range of mountains is intersec ted with veins of copper and placers of gold. Also, says rumor, cinnabar was discovered there in 1824, but nothin g in relation te,it,*? Narrative, positive is known Pattie, MINES AND MINING 179 mines were worked in the Mexican period. When Laputanant Z. M. Pike was in New Mexico, in 1807, as stated by him, there are no mines known in the Province except one of copper, situated in a mountain on the west side of the Rio del Norte, in latitude 34. ” is worked, and produces 20,000 mule-loads of copper anwaany: « contains gold, but not quite sufficient to pay for its extraction. Sear ‘ i ie. thousand dollars in gold, ran away with the money, aae ae prva imp the same time the owner was exiled as a Spaniard, and it 1s At the n ancroHsty Hyp 240, History of Aricona and New Merion, name to hav Poe aie - as to the veracity of the statements of a did not possess the information given to us some Aowe undoubtedly . by ie pial L. B., Historical Sketches, ete., p. 241, says of this ernie neg 2 . he latitude given is h i the 4, nee Fe pamed hx Majog, ies looality of Socorro, in the Magdalenas; . aaaet ae al but it is very possible t ai sila! timagh i Ri 2 and that the description refers to the Santa wrong ae ‘i i ry "This was discovered in 1800 by Lieutenant Colone Cit the’ aid of an Indian. In 1804 he sold it to Don Francisco ive Gouielieniaat See wealthy merchant of Chihuahua, who at once commenced ceearonN or at ee and found the metal of such fine quality that the whole es . cobataantl to the royal mint for coinage; and was transported . the : 1 Si g pack-mules and wagons, 100 mules, carrying 300 pounds each, 3 hs Bg be remembered that the Indians of Alvar Cabeza anions (See vol. i, p. not the Indians of metals. is evidence of 97, Nufiez this From recent erika accumulating 2 a hawk-bell, always been tae Tees oo the that a ena Indians f aohae oe to Andrés de Vaca, It has work). prior to te ate? constantly gave made Ade 7 f ia a on repair - ee ‘grchelogists, Mexicoae and ee o of the 086 Of fedlie tench were fecen ae ae did, Know AxinpnePhoenix, Arizona, on near the Lossing ranch, were B ae 2 ea onj these d pesitua: e7s wonag oo ° 66 : ji at eaik Se ue. advent of Europeans into age a my ee excavations in different parts of Arizona, I have bells one or two of which closely resemble those wert 7. men ‘found at Four-Mile Ruin (see 22d Ann. Rep. B. A. same, although much corroded; and another from a ruin " is even closer in size. The latter has a human face in re rr three copper bells found at Casa Grande are aaron sidered and more spherical in shape. marks implies, of coils. The copper but does not prove bells age. None I have show as w found oe Any suggestion 4 m au is of Ethnology, prehistoric = ‘ i= on. aoe : n copper ae is approxtinately the the Little Colorado f on one side. The those ral pesahatee cona Pagid here hiekd sanatae a ht ame about their tion would be specu- te es, is se origin or original provenance from a microscopi¢ San heals Gis eben bel s I have always regarded the Arizona copper lative. but aboriginal. Any chemist could by analysis: eer attention to my As related to this analysis, a aa has he a is native or alloyed. . a Ses hae pe finding a piece of float copper in Compound B of It might be well for Dr. Fewkes te ran arn oe bedec ot eae eblo of Hawaikth, gaily said, ‘‘ Those bells are not of our fashion,’’ ,a : ee ihe a statement per , |