Memoir of the Proposed Territory of Arizona | Page 4

scarcely any
population except a few scattering Mexicans in the Mesilla valley, and
at the old town of Tucson, in the centre of the territory. The Apache
Indian, superior in strength to the Mexican, had gradually extirpated
every trace of civilization, and roamed uninterrupted and unmolested,
sole possessor of what was once a thriving and populous Spanish
province.
Except the report of Col. A. B. Gray, there is scarcely anything in print
with reference to the early history of Arizona, beyond the scanty but
valuable notes of Major Emory and Hon. John R. Bartlett, in their
reports, and in the appendix to Wilson's late book, "Mexico and its
Religion." To this last I beg to refer any reader who desires accurate
information respecting the Northern Mexican provinces, presented in a
straightforward common-sense style.
In the possession of the writer of these notes is a map drawn in 1757,
just one hundred years ago, presented by the Society of Jesuits to the
King of Spain. The original of this map is now in the archives of the
Mexican Government. It was copied, with the notes relating to the
Territory, and to Sonora, Chihuahua, and Sinaloa, by Capt. C. P. Stone,
late of the United States Army. The map bears the inscription, "Carte
levee par la Societe des Jesuites, dediee au Roi d'Espagne en 1757."
The copy of the map and the accompanying notes are certified as
accurate by the officer of the Mexican Government in charge of the
archives.
My information, therefore, upon the early history of this comparatively
unknown domain, is accurate and reliable. As early as 1687, a Jesuit
missionary from the province of Sonora, which, in its southern portion,
bore already the impress of Spanish civilization, descended the valley
of Santa Cruz river to the Gila. Passing down the Gila to its mouth,
after exploring the country, he retraced his steps, penetrated the country
north of the Gila river for some distance, and ascended the Salinas or

Salt river, and other northern branches of the Gila. The explorations of
this energetic priest did not stop here. Proceeding east, he explored the
valley of the San Pedro and its branches, thence along the Gila to the
Mimbres, and probably to the Rio Grande and the Mesilla valley. Filled
with the enthusiasm of his sect, he procured authority from the head of
the order in Mexico, and established missions and settlements at every
available point. In a report to the government of the viceroy of Spain,
made during the early settlement of the province, I find the following
language: "A scientific exploration of Sonora, with reference to
mineralogy, along with the introduction of families, will lead to a
discovery of gold and silver so marvellous thatthe result will be such as
has never yet been seen in the world."
The reports of the immense mineral wealth of the new country, made
by the Jesuits, induced a rapid settlement. There are laid down on the
map before me more than forty towns and villages. Many of these were
of considerable size. There were a few north of the Gila, and several on
the lower Gila, near the Colorado. The Santa Cruz and its tributary
valleys teemed with an agricultural and mining population. Thousands
of enterprising Spaniards cultivated the rich valley of the San Pedro,
and scattered settlements flourished at every suitable stream and spring
at the foot of the mountains towards the Rio Grande. The notes before
me say: "All these settlements and missions were founded in fertile
valleys, and by streams and springs, which produced luxuriant crops of
wheat, corn, and beans, and in many parts grapes and other foreign
fruits were cultivated."
In the western part of the Territory were the missions of St. Pierre, St.
Paul, St. Matthias, St. Simond, St. Francisco, Merci, the ranches of Eau
Cheri, Eau de la Lune, and others; on the Santa Cruz the missions of
San Xavier del Bac, Santiago, San Cayetano, and San Philipe, the
towns of Tueson, Tubac, Reges, San Augusta, and many others. San
Xavier del Bac is still in existence. It is a mission church of great size
and beauty, magnificently ornamented within; forty thousand dollars in
solid silver served to adorn the altar. Upon the San Pedro river were the
missions of St. Mark, San Salvadore, San Pantaleon, Santa Cruz, and
the towns of Quiduria, Rosario, Eugenia, Victoria, and San
Fernando--the latter at the mouth--with many more. To the east some
small settlements were found on the Valle del Sauz, on the Mimbres, at

the copper mines north of the Mimbres, and to the south the immense
grazing and stock-raising establishment of San Bernardino, where since
have been raised hundreds of thousands of cattle and horses. The
Indians in the vicinity of the missions were reduced first to obedience