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Show _\PPENDIX TO PART III. "c]s of a ~upcrior quality. It receives in return, from lliscay and )ticxico, dry gouus, confectionary, arms1 iron, steel, amrnunition, ~111cl some choice European wines and liquors, and from Senora and '-'inaloa, gold, silver, and cheese. The following articles sell as ':>tatcd ~ in this province), which will shew the cheapness of provisions and the extreme dearness of importetl goods: Flour sells, per hundred at Salt, per mule-load, Sheep, each, Beeves, ench, 2 dollars 5 1 5 \Vine del Passo, per bane!, 15 1Iorseg, each, II .Mules, each, 30 Superfine cloths, per yard, 25 l''ine do. do. ~0 Linen, per yarcl, 1 and all other dry goods in proportion. The jomney with loaded mules from Santa Fe to Mexico, ancl returning to anta Fe, take.., five months. They manufacture rough leather, scgars, a vast variety and quantity of potters' ware, cotton, some coarse '' oolen cloths, and blunkcts of a superior quality. All those manufactures arc carried on by the civilized Indians, as the Spaniards think it more honorable to be agriculturalists than mechanics. The Indians likewise far exceed thci1· conquerors in their genius for, and execution of, all mechanical operations. New Mexico has the exclusive right of cultivatinP; tobacco. About two miles above the town of the Passo del Norte is a bridge over· the river, where the road passes to the west side, at which J)lacc is a large canal, which takes out an ample supply of water for the purpose or cultivation, which is here carried on .in as great perfection as at any place that I visited in the provinces. There is a wall bordering the canal the whole way on both ~ides, to pt·otect it from the animals; and when it anives at the vill..tge, it is disuibutccl in such a manner that each person has his fields watered in rotation. At this place were as fiuely cultivated fields of wheal and other small grain as I c' cr saw. N umcl't>US vineyards, from which were produced the linet:it wine ever dnnk in the country, which was cclc ~ bratccl throu~h all the province~, and was the only wine used on the table of the commanding general. .J!griculture.-They cultivate com, wheat, rye, badey, rice, tobacco, vines, and all the common culindry plams cultivated .in the' -.amc lutitndc in the United States. They arc, however, a ccntun APPENDIX TO PART III. bclund ns Jll the art of cultivation; fo,., notwithstanding their numerous herds of cattle and horses, I have seen them frequently breaking up whole fields with the hoc. Their oxen dmw by the horns, after the Frc•1ch mode. Their carts arc extremely awkward and clumsily made. Durin~ the whole of the time we were in New Spain I never saw a horse in a vehicle o[ any description, mules being matlc u~e of in c~tl'l'iagcs as well as lot· the purposes of labour. .llntiquities.-011 the ri\'C1' St. Francis, a large branch or the river Gila, '"hich heads ncar the copper m.inc..s in New lVIcxieo nnd discharges itself iuto the Heel river of Caliiomia. arc the remains of old walls and houses which arc ascertained to have been th ~ work of the Mexicans on their route emigrating from the north-west to the plains of Mexico, where they fiually established themselves. T hose walls arc of a black cement, the durability of which inc1·eascs with its age, so that it has hitherto hid defiance to the war of time. Its composition is now entirely lost. There is ul~o found at this pl.\cc mony broken pieces or earthen ware, which still possess the glazing ns perfect as when first put on. .JibO?·igint·s.-Thc Kyaways wamler on the so11rces of the La Platte and arc supposed to be 1000 men strong. They po~s<: ss in1· mcnsc herds of horses and arc at war with both Pawnees aml l'et..~u-;, as well as Sioux. They arc armed with bows, un·ows and lances, and hunt the bu!f.llo. This nation with the Tctaus and Utahs aU speak the same lang·uagc. The Utahs wander at the sources of the ~io del Norte, are su pposed to be 2000 warriors strong, arc armed m the same mnnncr, and pursue the same g·nmc as the Kyaways. They arc, however, a little mo1·c civilized, from havi1w mOI'C con- • Q ncct10n with the Spani<.~rcls, wiLh \vhom they arc frequently at war, hut were then at peace, and waging war with the Tctaus. • A battle was lought between th c111 and the Tctaus in Scptembct· 1806, neat· the village of Tons: there were about 400 combatJnts on each side, but they \\ere sep<tratcd by a Spani~h alc.tdc rid in~ out to the field of battle. There were eight or ten killed on each side. ~fhc Utahs gave all the horses lakcn to the SpaniJt'(l::;. This shews m a strong degree, thr influence the Spaniard· have over those Indians, The Nanal1aws arc situated to the north· west of Santa Fe, at·c frequently at war with the Spaniards, and arc supposed to be 2000 wal'l'ion; stt·on~. They arc arm.ccl in the same manner as the two pt·cccdin~~ nations. This nation, as well as .. lll others to the west of them bordering on California, speak the language of the Appa~ i;hcs and Lc P ani';, who ill'C in :t line with them to the Atlantic. 17 |
