and who, in the
Christian and human elements of 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 H
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