memoir of the proposed territory of arizona-第6章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


not　a　part　of　the　same；　being　a　portion　of　the　State　of　Sonora。┆He　thus　describes　that　section：

〃The　Indians　represent　rich　Placers　existing　throughout　this
region；　and　large　numbers　of　them　had　lately　come　in　with
considerable　quantities　of　the　dust。　They　were　trading　it　for
trifles　to　the　Mexicans。　I　got　some　specimens　of　it　which　was　the
same　as　the　California　Gold。　This　was　not　the　time　of　year　（June）
for　them　to　work　the　mines；　but　in　the　fall；　after　the　rain　has
commenced。　The　greatest　drawback　to　the　profitable　working　of　the
Placers　of　this　district；　is　the　scarcity　of　water。　If　artesian
wells　succeed；　there　is　little　doubt　that　it　will　create　an
important　change。　West　from　Tuseon　and　Tubac；　towards　the　Gulf　of
California；　the　country　presents　more　the　appearance　of　a　barren
waste　or　desert　than　any　district　I　have　seen。　It　nevertheless
has　occasional　oases；　with　fine　grazing　lands　about　them；　and　the
mountains；　which　are　more　broken　and　detached；　have　distinct
marks　of　volcanic　origin。　The　ranges　though　short；　have　generally
the　same　parallel　direction　as　those　further　east。　It　is　the
country　of　the　Papago　Indians；　a　peaceful　and　friendly　tribe；
extending　down　to　the　Gulf　coast；　where　they　are　mixed　up
somewhat　with　the　Cocopas　of　the　Colorado。　From　Sonoita　I
explored　to　the　Gulf　shore；　near　the　mouth　of　Adair　Bay。　It　was
62　miles；　following　a　dry　arroya　most　of　the　way；　and　the　point
at　which　I　struck　the　Gulf　was　in　latitude　31　degrees　36　minutes
34　minutes。　The　〃Bay〃　is　about　15　miles　across；　and　from　all　I
could　learn；　15　miles　long；　and　represented　as　having　four
fathoms　of　water。　It　is　completely　encircled　by　a　range　of　sand
hills；　reaching　north…west　to　the　Colorado　river　and　south…east
as　far　as　the　eye　could　discover。　These　〃sables〃　are　probably
eighty　or　ninety　miles　in　extent；　by　five　to　ten
broad。

〃Notwithstanding　it　appears　to　be　the　most　desolate　and
forlorn…looking　spot　for　eighty　miles　around　the　head　of　the
Gulf；　the　sand　hills　looking　like　a　terrible　desert；　nature　seems
even　here；　where　no　rain　had　fallen　for　eight　months；　to　have
provided　for　the　sustenance　of　man；　one　of　the　most　nutritious
and　palatable　vegetables。

〃East　of　the　Tinaja　Alta　or　high　tank　range；　lie　the　famous
Sierras　del　Ajo；　now　United　States　territory。　These　mountains
derive　their　name　from　the　vast　deposits　of　red　oxide　and　green
carbonate　of　copper　found　about　them；　and　which　the　Indians　have
made　use　of　to　paint　（ajo）　themselves　with。　The　mines　are
unquestionably　of　great　value；　and　must　become　important；　more
particularly　from　their　being　situated　in　the　neighborhood　of　the
contemplated　railway。　The　tall　Cereus　Giganteus　and　Agave
Americana　are　found　in　abundance。　From　the　latter　plant　the
natives　make　the　pulque；　mezcal　and　agua…diente；　and　the　petahaya
or　cereus；　produces　a　fruit　from　which　is　made　a　very　pleasant
preserve。　At　the　Pimo　and　Maricopa　villages　are　found　wheat；
corn；　tobaco；　and　cotton；　besides　melons；　pumpkins；　beans；　etc。
The　nature　of　the　soil　for　great　distances　in　the　Gila　valley　is
of　a　reddish　loam；　some　parts　coated　with　a　beautiful
crystallization　of　salt；　a　quarter　to　half　an　inch　thick。　This
seems　to　be　more　particularly　the　case　below　the　Maricopa
villages　and　toward　the　Rio　Salado。　The　cotton；　of　which　I
procured　specimens；　though　cultivated　by　the　Indians　in　the　most
primitive　manner；　exhibited　a　texture　not　unlike　the　celebrated
Sea　Island　cotton。　Its　fibre　is　exceedingly　soft　and　silky；　but
not　of　the　longest　staple。　Large　tracts　of　land　on　the　Gila　and
in　other　portions　of　this　district；　appear　to　possess　the　same
properties　of　soil；　and　where；　I　have　no　doubt；　the　finest　cotton
will　soon　be　extensively　raised　and　brought　to　its　highest　state
of　perfection　by　proper　cultivation。〃

The　climate　is　thus　referred　to　by　Gray：

〃One　of　the　most　favorable　features　upon　the　route　in　the
vicinity　of　the　32nd　degree　proposed　for　the　Pacific　railway　is；
its　accessibility　at　all　times；　admitting　of　labor　being
performed　in　the　open　air　at　each　season。　The　nature　of　the
climate　through　Texas　to　the　Rio　Grande　has　already　been　referred
to；　and　from　thence　to　the　Santa　Cruz　valley　half　way　to　the
Colorado；　over　the　elevated　plateau　of　the　Sierra　Madra；　it　is
equally　salubrious　and　temperate。　The　rainy　season　falls　in　the
summer　months；　and　but　seldom　is　snow　seen　even　upon　the　mountain
tops。　Towards　the　Colorado　river　it　is　much　drier　and　more
torrid；　but　by　no　means　unhealthy；　nor　does　it　prevent　out　door
work　the　whole　of　the　day　during　the　heated　term　of　summer。

〃The　great　riches　of　the　country；　however；　are　a　total　waste　at
the　present　time；　but　which　the　Pacific　railroad　will　at　once
develop；　and　make　to　itself　the　foundation　of　a　vast　revenue。　I
refer　to　its　metallic　wealth；　the　silver；　gold；　and　copper　mines
that　abound　in　almost　every　mountain　and　valley；　between　the　Rio
Grande　and　the　Gulf　of　California。

〃The　ores　of　Chihuahua　and　Sonora　＇now　Arizona。　S。　M。＇　are
chiefly　sulphuret　（lead　or　iron）；　or　native　silver　in　porphyritic
or　stratified　limestone　rocks　passing　at　greater　depths　into
igneous　rocks。　From　loose　piles　lying　upon　the　surface　and
evidently　picked　over；　I　procured　specimens　of　silvier　and
copper。　Three　samples　representing　points　on　the　line　of　our
exploration　about　equi…distant　from　each　other；　viz。：　the　Rio
Grande；　the　neighborhood　of　Tubac；　and　within　90　miles　of　the
junction　of　the　Gila　and　Colorado　rivers；　were　submitted　to　Dr。
I。　K。　Chilton；　of　New　York；　for　analysis。　He　found　in　one　sample
of　lead　ore　（argentiferous　galena）；　by　fire　assay　71　per　cent。　of
lead；　and　the　〃LEAD　YIELDED　SILVER　EQUIVALENT　to　128　ounces；　1
dwt。　to　the　ton〃　（of　2000　pounds）。

〃In　another；　he　found　the　lead　obtained　from　it　to　yield　silver
in　the　proportion　of　72　ounces　5　dwts。　to　the　ton　or　2000　pounds。

〃The　copper　specimen　was　the　red　oxide；　and　yielded　as　follows：

　　　Copper；。。。。。。。。。。。。　71。80
　　　Iron；。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。　7。84
　　　Oxygen；。。。。。。。。。。。。。12。34
　　　Silicia；　Alumina；。。。。8。02
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　100　parts。

〃The　Papagos　and　Pimas　Indians；　by　proper　management；　might　be
made　very　useful；　in　working　upon　the　road　where　there　is　not
much　rock　excavation。　They　are　unlike　the　Indians　of　Texas；　or
the　Apaches；　living　in　villages　and　cultivating　the　soil；　besides
manufacturing　blankets；　baskets；　pottery；　etc。　Quiet　and
peaceable；　they　have　no　fears　except　from　their　enemies；　the
Apaches；　and　are　very　industrious；　much　more　so　than　the　lower
order　of　Mexicans；　and　live　far　more　comfortably。　It　is
astonishing　with　what　precision　they　construct　their
acequiasirrigating　canalssome　of　them；　the　acequias　madre；　of
very　large　size；　and　without　the　use　of　levelling　apparatus；　but
simply　by　the　eye。　Their　gardens　and　farms　too　are　regularly
ditched　and　fenced　off　into　rectangles　and　circles；　with　hedges
and　trees　planted　as　if　done　by　more　enlightened　people。〃

The　population　of　the　new　Territory　of　Arizona　is　at　present　not
far　from　eight　thousand；　and　is　rapidly　increasing。　The　Mesilla
Valley　and　the　Rio　Grande　are　probably　the　most　thickly
populated；　containing　about　five　thousand　people。　A　majority　of
the　Mesilla　inhabitants　are　Mexicans；　but　they　will　be　controlled
by　the　American　residents；　whose　number　and　influence　is
constantly　on　the　increase。　The　Santa　Cruz　Valley；　in　which　are
situated　the　towns　of　Tueson；　Tubac；　Tumacacari；　and　the　mining
settlement　of　Sopori　and　others；　is；　next　to　Mesilla；　the　most
thickly　settled。　Tueson　was　formerly　a　town　of　three　thousand
inhabitants；　but　the　majority　have　been　driven　off　by　the　Apache
Indians。　It　is　fast　becoming　a　thriving　American　town；　and　will
before　long　be　a　place　of　more　importance　than　ever　before。　Real
estate　is　already　held　at　high　rates；　and　the　erection　of
buildings　shows　that　American　energy　is　about　to　change　the　face
of　the　last　half　century。　Tubac　had　been　completely　deserted　by
the　Mexicans。　It　has　been　reoccupied　by　the　Sonora　Exploring　and
Mining　Company；　and　now　boasts　a　population　of　several　hundred。
The　Calabazas　valley　is　also　fast　filling　up　with　an　American
population；