OCR Text |
Show 28 APPENDIX TO PAHT III. grows old. Its wnod is of a spong-y nature, and from every infot·· mation I could procure, is of the same species as that of the snmo name in the southern states. One hundred miles to the cast of' the Hio Grande, oak timber commenced, being- the fi1·st we had seen in the provinces; but it wus very small and scrubby, and presen ted, fron1 this to the line of Texas ( th<' river Mariana), a very perceptible gradation of the increase.: of timber, both in quantity, luxmiancc, and variety. The country now became very similar to the llldiuna tcnitory. Animals.-Deer. wild ho1·ses, a few bufl'alo and wild hogs. P ojlll /ation and C!Jir.f 1'o'1uns.-Montclovez is the capital of Cor,C]uilla. It is ~itu 1 tcd on a small stream of water in 26° 301 N. latitude and 103° 301 \V. long-itude. It is about one mi le in lrnglh, on a course N. 70° 1·:. by the main street. It has two public squares, seven churches, a powder magazine, mills, king's hospit al, ancl quar· tel dd tropa. This is the principal military depot for the provinces ()f Cogquilla anrl Tcxi.ls. Its population n1ay he cstinw tcd at 3.500 souls. 'l his city bcinf~ the stated residence of his excellency g-o· vernor Cordero, he has ornan1eutccl it with public walks, columns, and fountains, and made it one of the hand~omest cities in the internal provinces. Santa Hosa is about 38 miles to the north -\vest of Montclovcz, is represented to be the rnost hcal1 hy situation in the province, and to have the best water and fruit. It i~ on the' head waters of the rive1· Millada. Its populution is J'ept·csented at 4,000 souls. P..tras is.situated on a smaii stream; with its suburbs it is supposed to con. tam 7000 sottls, and San Lorenzo, th1·cc miles to the north, five hu.ndred souls. This place may be t 'l'mecl the vineyard of Cogqml! a, t!1e whole population pursuing- no othet· occupation than the cultivatiOn of the ~rape. Its name denotes the Bmnclu·s of thr: Vine . At the Ilacicnda of ~an Lorenzo, where we halted, there were fifteen larg-e1· stills, larg-e cellars, and a g1·eater number of casks than I eve1· st~w in any brewery of the United ~tates. Its g-:11·· <le~s were de.li~htfully interspersed with figs, vines, apricots, and a vancty of fnuts which arc produc~d in the torrid zone; fine sum· mer-houses, where were wine, refreshments, and couches to repose on an(~ where the sing-ing; of the birds was delightful. 1 here were, likewise, mills and a fine water-fall. The })l'csidio f R' G . · o . to rande Is '3Jtuated on that 1·iver, and is remarkable for no-t! ung but tht·cc or fom handsome missions with which it is sur-rounde• d ' a J)Owclcl' m·',1.1.,"<'a zm· e, qll<,~ rteJ·s fiO J' the troops, :md a few 1· ron field-pteces on miserable truck carriages. Population 2,500 souls. ' APPENDIX TO PART III. The population of thio.; pl'(lVincC' may lw l''>tirnatcd nt 70,000 sou].,, not more than I 0,000 or whom at·c Spaniat d'i. Trade, Commrrc,·, and JV!ant~facllll'c s.-Titis J> l'O\ inc:c 1'<'Cc ivc<; all its merchandise from Mexico h\' land, and in r ctum p;ivcs ho1·se<·, mules, vines, gold, ancl silver. There is au <.11111\lul fi1ir hclcl at Saltclo, in New Leon, where there is an itn lllt iiSe quantity of me1 cll <ll'l· dise disposi'Cl of, and where mc1·cltnnts of ve ry h t\~·c capi tals rc'iicle. .1/g riwl t m·f . - They cultivate the ,·inc principa lly with g-ro~i n and corn sufTicient fo1· thci1· own consumption, and to supply the greatest part of Texas . .llboriginf•s.- t'hl: Appaches cover th eir north-west frontic1. The Lee Pawnees arc a nation who rove from the Hio (; ran de to some distance into the province of T c xa ~ . Their former re~id cncc· was on the Rio Gt·;mcle, nca1· the sea shore. Tl·1cy arc at prese nt divided into three bauds, of 300, 350, and 100 men each. Tb yare at war with the Tctau-; and Appac hcs, and at p~acc wi th the Sp.miards. They have fai1· hair, and ~t re gencl·c.d ly hand'iomc, armed with Lows, :.\l'l'OWS, and lances. They JHll':iUC the wild horses, or which they take numbers, and sell th em to the ~ pau ia l'(l$. Govt'I'Jlment and L a'lu.v.-1\Iilita ry ~111d cccl c~ i asti cal power is all that is known or acknowlcd g-ccl in this province ; but its administratiun was mild under their excellent go\' rnor Cordero. The govern01·'s civil salary is 4000 dollars pel' annum. 11/o?·a/.-s and Jlfanners.-It was evident, to tl1c least discerningeye, that as we diverged from these part s wlt ich produced such vast quantities of the precious me tal s, the inhahita11ts became more indmmious and there wc1·e !'ewer bcgg-urs. Thus the morals of the people of Cogquilla were less cot·rupt th an those of lliscay or New Leon, thei1· neig hbors. Military P orcc. - There arc 4·00 dragoons maintained in thi ~ province, and stationed at Montelovez, San Rosa, Pres. Rio del Norte, San Fernandez. Religion-Catholic, but mild. It is in the diocese of Durango. .llt.'sto ry.-Cogquilla had not pushed its population as far as the Rio G1·ande in the year 1687, as at that time La Salle cstabli~h cd ' himself at the entrance of that rivc1·, it heing- a wilderness; but Montelovez was established some time bcfot·c this era. Of its particulaJ · history I have no knowledge. Geogmjz!Jy.-The province of TExAs lies between 2 7° 30' and 35° N. latitude and 98° and 104° vV. lonRitude, bordered north by Louisiana} east by the teJTitory of Orleans, west by Cogquilla and New Mexico, and south by N ew San Ander. Its greatest len gth |