BOOK them was reduced to fubjection during the first VII. part of the fixteenth century, by private adventurers, who fitted out their fmall armaments either in Hispaniola or in Old Spain; and were we to follow each leader in his progrefs, we fhould discover, the fame daring courage, the fame persevering ardour, the fame rapacious defire of wealth, and the fame capacity of enduring and furmounting every thing in order to attain it, which diftinguished the operations of the Spaniards in their greater American conquefts. But, instead of entering into a detail, which, from the fimilarity of the transactions, would appear almost a repetition of what has A brief fur- been already related, I fhall fatisfy myself with fuch a view of those provinces of the Spanish empire in America, which have not hitherto been mentioned, as may convey to my readers an adequate idea of its greatness, fertility, and opulence. vey of them. Such as are I BEGIN with the countries contiguous to the the empire two great monarchies, of whofe hiftory and adjacent to of Mexico. institutions I have given fome account, and fhall then briefly describe the other districts of Spanish America. The jurifdiction of the viceroy of New Spain extends over feveral provinces, which were not subject to the dominion of the MexiThe countries of Cinaloa and Sonora, Cinaloa and cans. that VII. that stretch along the eaft fide of the Vermilion BOOK fea, or gulf of California, as well as the immenfe kingdoms of New Navarre and New Mexico, which bend towards the west and north, did not acknowledge the fovereignty of Montezuma, or his predeceffors. These regions, not inferior in magnitude to all the Mexican empire, are reduced fome to a greater, others to a lefs degree of subjection to the Spanish yoke. They extend through the most delightful part of the temperate zone; their foil is, in general, remarkably fertile, and all their productions, whether animal or vegetable, are most perfect in their kind. They have all a communication either with the Pacific Ocean, or with the Gulph of Mexico, and are watered by rivers which not only enrich them, but may become fubfervient to commerce. number of Spaniards fettled in those vast countries, is indeed extremely fmall. They may be faid to have fubdued rather than to have occupied them. But if the population in their ancient establishments in America fhall continue to increase, they may gradually spread over those provinces, of which, however inviting, they have not hitherto been able to take full poffeffion. The ONE circumstance may contribute to the Rich mines, speedy population of some districts. mines both of gold and filver have A A 4 Very rich been dif covered VII. BOOK Covered in many of the regions which I have mentioned. Wherever these are opened, and worked with fuccefs, a multitude of people refort. In order to fupply them with the necessaries of life, cultivation must be increased, artifans of various kinds muft affemble, and induftry as well as wealth will be gradually diffused. Many examples of this have occurred in different parts of America fince they fell under the dominion of the Spaniards. Populous villages and large towns have fuddenly arifen amidst uninhabited wilds and mountains; and the working of mines, though far from being the moft proper object towards which the attention of an infant fociety should be turned, may become the means both of promoting useful activity, and of augmenting the number of people. A recent and fingular inftance of this has happened, which, as it is but little known in Europe, and may be productive of great effects, merits attention. The Spaniards fettled in the provinces of Cinaloa and Sonora, had been long disturbed by the depredations of some fierce tribes of Indians. In the year 1765, the incurfions of thofe favages became fo frequent, and fo destructive, that the Spanish inhabitants, in despair, applied to the Marquis de Croix, viceroy of Mexico, for fuch a body of troops as might enable them to drive thofe formidable invaders from their places of retreat A recent and remarkable difcovery. VII. in the mountains. But the treasury of Mexico BOOK was so much exhausted by the large fums drawn from it, in order to support the late war against Great Britain, that the viceroy could afford them no aid. The refpect due to his virtues accomplished what his official power could not effect. He prevailed with the merchants of New Spain to advance about two hundred thousand pefos for defraying the expence of the expedition. The war was conducted by an officer of abilities; and after being protracted for three years, chiefly by the difficulty of purfuing the fugitives over mountains and through defiles which were almost impaffable, it terminated, in the year 1771, in the final fubmiffion of the tribes, which had been fo long the object of terror to the two provinces. In the course of this fervice, the Spaniards marched through countries into which they seem not to have penetrated before that time, and discovered mines of fuch value, as was aftonishing even to men acquainted with the riches contained in the mountains of the New World. At Cineguilla, in the province of Sonora, they entered a plain of fourteen leagues in extent, in which, at the depth of only fixteen inches, they found gold in grains of such a size, that fome of them weighed nine marks, and in fuch quantities, that in a fhort time, with a few Jabourers, they collected a thousand marks of gold VII. Probable effects of this. BOOK gold in grains, even without taking time to wash the earth that had been dug, which appeared to be fo rich, that perfons of fkill computed that it might yield what would be equal in value to a million of pefos. Before the end of the year 1771, above two thoufand perfons were settled in Cineguilla, under the government of proper magistrates, and the inspection of feveral ecclefiaftics. As feveral other mines, not inferior in richness to that of Cineguilla, have been difcovered, both in Sonora and Cinaloa, it is probable that these neglected and thinly-inhabited provinces, may foon become as populous and valuable as any part of the Spanish empire in America. California, its ftate, THE peninfula of California, on the other fide of the Vermilion fea, feems to have been lefs known to the ancient Mexicans, than the provinces which I have mentioned. It was dif covered by Cortes in the year 1536'. During a long period it continued to be fo little fre quented, that even its form was unknown, and in moft charts it was reprefented as an island, not as a peninfula". Though the climate of this country, if we may judge from its fituation, must See NOTE XLVI. 1 Book v. vol. iii. p. 100. be |