The New York herald., 1845-11-06

employment is the search for gold, and who wander
from district to district according to the progress Of dis
covery and the COM aratye efficacy of the rains When
the beds Of exhausted they remove to a moro
promising locality but in some places the store Is SO IN
Sam ,n1 us S and
many other Mexican towns have had no ether origin.
Where mines opened, and the population thus be-
comes stationary there always more or less OF pros
perty-someimes degree OF il unknown in more civ.
ilized countries. simple miner has been known not
unfrequeny collect four five pounds OF pure gold
in single he is thus enabled 10 purchase the
most expensive European productions. They would
become wealthy but for their infatuated addiction
to gamblnga habit nearly as fatal to their employ ers
as to themselves. This is romantic description is
the evidence Of an eyewitness Who is honest in the
relation as he is careful in the collection of facts 1t
minds us of the days when the onezumas and the Alta
hualpos displayed cumbrous magnificence unequalled
in any part OF Chrstendom, and scarcely paralleled
even in the gorgeous East"
In these provinces there are few Europeans, and few
even of European descent The bulk OF the inhabitants
OF Sonora consists OF five Indian tribes, most of whom
are so far civilized to follow with steadness the
rons callings necessary to the wellbeing OF society
,hey are farmers, masons carpenters divers, miners
household servants and soldiers; though two Of
these tribes are mora fond OF hunting and of other bar
oarous pursuits The aggregate number may be about
ninety Thousand but what are they to the mme nse
extent OF fterritory which they call their own Two or
three OF these tribes have always been faithful to the 60
vernment but the rest have not hesated break out
into open nsurrecon whenever their interests their
pref udces have taken the alarm. The military force of
Sonora and sipaloa neay all ndan) does not exceed
eight hundred, though the regions to be defended ex-
ceed in extent several European kingdoms. These In
dians, too with very few persons of European des
cent and proportion of the mixed race form bodies
of miners to whom have just alluded Of course the
far greater portion of the tribes still idoatrous,
though such in the service of the Mexican or Eu
ropean capitalists Owners of mines, &c) are nominal
Christians, and many more have supersttious respect
for Christianity. Some Of the churches are well sup.
piled with gold and silver plate with valuable pictures
pearls and Jewels but though the doors
ened by night or day, nothing is ever stolen 1t is we'll
for them that they lie out of the reach of European
chant vessels whose seldom venture be yond the
confines ofthe ports at which they touch. BY the way,
may observe that is difficult to account for the pau
city of ofvesses proceeding to the ports of the Cali
fornas ard OF the acen provinces There is often
great demand for the manufactures and the uxures OF
Europe whales ara abundant; ortoses Of value are to
be caught the shores Of the Gulf and skins and urs
always to be had from the Indians who obtain them
in traffic from the more northern tribes.
One OF the Indian tribes to which We have alluded the
Yaqu expert divers for pearls in the Gulf OF Cali
forna Every season, eight or ten small vessels from
fifteen to forty tons, manned by about two hundred di
vers repair to different parts OF the Gulf The pearls
well known contained in the shells OF oysters
and Of some smaller fish; and these do not lie sand
banks at moderate depth, but often fastened to
rocks in the cefts of rocks, from nine eghte
feet below the surface. There many, no doubt,
much deeper but the diving cannot be employ ed
in the operation they to the divers TO
descend eighteen fifteen, twelve feet in the
water requires no slight muscular strength is it
easy to remain underneath time enough to snatch the
shells from the rocks, when they happen as often the
case) to cling tenaciously. Sometimes the hands snd
feet of the divers much acerated but this
evil compared with the dread of the sharks and
rayas "a monstrous kind OF ray) which in every
make some their victims For these reasons
cult to prevail sufficient number of Indians to
the risk And indeed the trade is by prof
BILE as it was down to the end Of the last century The
nett returns do not generally exceed twelve
thousand dollars in the six months-viz. from May TO
October inclusive The pearls usually sold by the
of the boats in the gI oss much per pound
(ifeen to eighteen hundred piastres) and re.aed by
the purchasers al no little profit
On the whole, it may be affirmed that region Offers
greater advantages permanent commercial establish.
ment than these provinces We doubt too ifany otlor
offer equal advantages to the emigrant The soil is
fertile; the climate is by means unhealthy; the In
dians for the most part easy to manage and sele
fence always be secured this great republic
in the hands OF an enterprisng enlightened, and
honourable people, Mexico far the prosperity Of
the inhabitants concerned would have few rivals