memoir of the proposed territory of arizona-第2节

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good　faith　and　charity；　are；　to　say　the　least；　in　no　way　inferior
to　the　Mexicans。　After　the　massacre　of　four　of　Crabbe's
unfortunate　party　near　Sonoita　by　the　Mexicans；　the　Papago
Indians　buried　carefully　the　bodies　to　which　Mexican　inhumanity
had　denied　this　last　charitable　office。　It　is　a　curious　and
suggestive　fact　that　the　latitude　of　places　upon　Gila；　Santa
Cruz；　and　San　Pedro；　determined　by　the　Jesuits　about　1750；　has
lately　been　verified　by　the　observations　of　Park　Michler；　and
Emory。　The　instruments　used　by　the　Jesuits　were　constructed　by
them；　the　lenses　being　made　from　pebbles。

From　1757　down　to　1820；　the　Spaniards　and　Mexicans　continued　to
work　many　valuable　mines　near　Barbacora；　and　the　notes　in　my
possession　speak　of　many　silver　mines；　most　of　which　contained　a
percentage　of　gold。　〃The　San　Pedro　gold　mine　in　1748　was　worked
with　extraordinary　success。〃　Among　the　mines　anciently　worked；　as
laid　down　in　the　authorities　heretofore　referred　to；　were　the
Dolores；　San　Antonio；　Casa　Gordo；　Cabrisa；　San　Juan　Batista；
Santa　Anna；　（which　was　worked　to　the　depth　of　one　hundred　and
twenty　yards；）　Rosario；　Cata　de　Agua；　Guadaloupe；　Connilla；
Prieta；　Santa　Catarina；　Guzopa；　Huratano；　Arpa；　Descuhidara；
Nacosare；　Arguage；　Churinababi；　Huacal；　Pinal；　and　a　great　number
of　others　which　it　would　only　be　tedious　to　mention。

The　most　celebrated　modern　localities　are　Arivaca；　（also
anciently　famous　as　Aribac；）　Sopori；　the　Arizona　mountains；　the
Santa　Rita　range；　the　Cerro　Colorado；　the　entire　vicinity　of
Tubac；　the　Del　Ajo；　or　Arizona　copper　mine；　the　Gadsonia　copper
mine；　and　the　Gila　river　copper　mines。　These　last　are　situated
directly　upon　the　Gila；　only　twenty…five　miles　from　its　mouth。
The　writer　assures　the　public　that　there　is　no　room　for　doubt　as
to　the　authenticity　of　these　statements；　or　the　immense　resources
of　the　new　Territory　in　silver；　copper；　and　probably　gold。　As
late　as　1820；　the　Mina　Cobre　de　la　Plata；　（silver　copper　mines；）
near　Fort　Webster；　north　of　the　Gila；　were　worked　to　great
advantage；　and　so　rich　was　the　ore　that　it　paid　for
transportation　on　muleback　more　than　a　thousand　miles　to　the　city
of　Mexico。

Every　exploration　within　the　past　few　years　has　confirmed　the
statements　of　the　ancient　records。　The　testimony　of　living
Mexicans；　and　the　tradition　of　the　country；　all　tend　to　the　same
end。　Col。　A。　B。　Gray；　Col。　Emory；　Lt。　Michler；　Lt。　Parke；　the
Hon。　John　R。　Bartlett；　late　of　the　United　States　Boundary
Commission；　all　agree　in　the　statement　that　the　Territory　has
immense　resources　in　silver　and　copper。　Col。　Emory　says　in　his
report：

〃On　account　of　the　Gold　Mania　in　California　I　kept　the　search　for
gold　and　other　precious　metals　as　much　out　of　view　as　possible；
scarcely　allowing　it　to　be　a　matter　of　conversation；　much　less　of
actual　search。　Yet；　enough　was　ascertained　to　convince　us　that
the　whole　region　was　teeming　with　the　precious　metals。　We
everywhere　saw　the　remains　of　mining　operations；　conducted　by　the
Spaniards；　and　more　recently　by　the　Mexicans。〃

The　report　enumerates　at　considerable　length　the　various
localities　examined　by　Col。　Emory's　party；　and　others；　of　which
there　could　be　no　doubt。

In　view　of　these　authorities；　it　is　hoped　that　those　who　will　not
believe　upon　any　evidence；　will　be　content　in　their　own
incredulity。　The　most　authentic　reports　of　these　immense　mineral
resources　have　been　used　as　authorities　against　their　existence。
The　authors　of　these　denials　either　have　never　read　what　they
pretend　to　quote；　or　think　no　one　else　has。　The　Hon。　T。　Butler
King；　who　was　the　first　to　reveal　to　an　incredulous　public　the
wonders　of　the　California　gold　mines；　has　had　the　singular　good
fortune　to　be　also　among　the　first　to　publish　correct　and
authentic　information　relating　to　the　silver　treasures　of
Arizona。　His　report　upon　the　resources　of　the　new　Territory　has
all　the　charm　to　the　reader　that　his　California　report　had；　and
its　brilliant　predictions　will　be　as　fully　realized。　To　Gray　and
Emory　is　the　country　most　indebted　for　the　earliest　and　most
important　discoveries。

The　agricultural　resources　of　Arizona；　are　sufficient　to　sustain
a　large　mining　population；　and　afford　abundant　supplies　for　the
great　immigration　which　will　follow　the　development　of　its
mineral　resources。　The　whole　valley　of　the　Gila；　more　than　four
hundred　miles　in　length；　can　be　made　with　proper　exertion　to
yield　plentiful　crops。　The　Pimos　Indians；　who　live　in　villages　on
the　Gila；　one　hundred　and　seventy　miles　from　its　mouth；　raise
large　crops　of　cotton；　wheat；　and　corn；　and　have　for　years
supplied　the　thousands　of　emigrants　who　traverse　the　Territory　en
route　to　California。　These　Indians　manufacture　their　cotton　into
blankets　of　fine　texture　and　beautiful　pattern；　which　command　a
high　price。　They　also　grind　their　corn　and　wheat；　and　make　bread。
In　fact；　the　Pimos　realize　in　their　everyday　life　something　of
our　ideas　of　Aztec　civilization。　A　town　will　probably　grow　up
just　above　the　Pimos　villages；　as　there　is　a　rich　back　country；
and　the　streams　afford　a　valuable　water　power　for　running　mills。

The　valley　of　the　Santa　Cruz　traverses　the　territory　from　South
to　North；　sinking　near　the　town　of　Tueson；　and　probably　finding
its　way　to　the　Gila；　as　a　subterranean　stream。　This　valley；　of
the　richest　land；　is　about　one　hundred　miles　long；　in　many　places
of　great　width；　and　has　on　each　side　of　it　many　rich　valleys　of
limited　extent；　watered　by　streams　from　the　mountains；　which　flow
into　the　Santa　Cruz。　The　valleys　and　Ranches　of　Arivaca；　Sopori；
Calabazas；　and　Tueson；　are　those　at　present　most　thickly　settled。
These　produce　all　the　fruits　known　to　a　Southern　climegrapes；
wheat；　corn；　and　cotton　in　great　abundance。　The　San　Pedro　river
and　valley　is　also　one　of　great　richness；　and　is　reported　by
Lieut。　Parke　as　capable　of　sustaining　a　large　population。　The
Valle　de　Sauz；　still　farther　East；　more　limited　than　the　San
Pedro　or　Santa　Cruz；　can　be　made　available　for　a　considerable
population。　The　Mimbres　River　also　can；　by　a　small　outlay；　be
made　to　irrigate　a　large　surface　and　supply　a　moderate
settlement。　The　various　springs　laid　down　by　Gray；　Emory；　Parke；
and　Bartlett；　will　all　afford　water　for　small　settlements；　and
their　supply　can　be　much　increased　by　a　judicious　outlay　of
money。　The　Rio　Grande　valley　is　very　rich；　and　in　places　of　great
width。　The　Mesilla　valley　already　contains　a　population　of　about
five　thousand　souls；　and　there　is　ample　room　for　many　more。

If；　as　proposed；　the　Northern　boundary　of　the　Arizona　Territory
should　enclose　the　Northern　branches　of　the　Gila；　an　agricultural
region　will　be　opened　to　settlement　sufficient　in　itself　to
sustain　the　population　of　an　immense　agricultural　State。　Col。
Bonneville；　who　is　now　at　the　head　of　a　large　force　exploring
this　region；　writes　to　the　Secretary　of　War　that　it　is　the　finest
country　he　has　ever　seen；　〃valleys　capable　of　sustaining　a
population　of　twenty　thousand　each；　teeming　at　every　step　with
evidences　of　an　immense　population　long　ago…and　an　ancient　and
superior　civilization。〃　The　Hon。　John　R。　Bartlett　says　of　the
〃Salinas；〃　one　of　the　Northern　branches　of　the　Gila；　that　it
alone　will　supply　food　for　a　great　State。　It　must　be　recollected；
in　this　connection；　that　the　great　mineral　wealth　of　Arizona　will
call　for　and　amply　repay　for　the　redemption　and　expensive
cultivation　of　all　the　available　lands；　and　that　irrigation
produces　immensely　greater　crops　than　the　other　method　of
planting。　Throughout　the　whole　of　Utah；　irrigation　has　been
resorted　to　with　the　greatest　success。　The　soil　in　Utah；　in　no
place　that　the　writer　saw　it；　could　in　any　way　be　compared　to
that　of　the　bottom　lands　of　Arizona。

Captain　Whipple　in　his　valuable　report　of　exploration　for　the
Pacific　Railroad；　published　by　order　of　Congress；　crossed　the
upper　part　of　the　region　alluded　to；　and　which　is　watered　by　the
Rio　Verde　and　Salinas。　He　fully　sustains　me　in　my　remarks　on
those　rich　valleys。

〃We　are　in　the　pleasantest　region　we　have　seen　since　leaving　the
Choctaw　country。　Here　are　clear　rivulets；　with　fertile　valleys
and　forest　trees。　The　wide　belt　of　country　that　borders　the　Black
Forest；　and　probably　extends　along　the　Rio　Verde　to　the　Salinas
and　Gila；　bears　every　indication　of　being　able　to　support　a　large
agricultural　and　pastoral　population。　The　valley　of　the　Rio　Verde
is　magnificently　wooded　with　furs　and　oaks；　affording　excellent
timber。　Ancient　ruins　are　said　by　trappers　to　be　scattered　over
its　whole　length　to　the　confluence　with　the　Salinas。　We；
therefore；　seem　to　have　skirted　the　boundary　of　a　country　once
populous；　and　worthy　of　becoming　so　again。　Besides　the　advantages
already　enumerated；　the　mountains　in　this　vicinity　bear
indications　of　mineral　wealth。　Vol。　3；　p。　93。〃

The　notes　before　referred　to；　in　the　possession　of　the　writer；
speak　of　great　farming　and　grazing　establishments　scattered　over
the　whole　face　of　the　Territory；　between　1610　and　1800；　which
produced　abundant　crops　of　cereals；　fruits；　and　grapes。　These
statements　are　confirmed　by　the　testimony　of　Major　Emory　and　his
report；　where　he　enumerates　several　of　the　most　extensiveb