American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-11-18
From the Philadelphia Pennsylvanian.l
The Valley OF the Sierra Madre.
BY ONE WHO HAS BEEN THERE.


[Rrom the Philadelphia Pennsylvanian.l
The Valley OF the Sierra Madre.
BY ONE WHO HAS BEEN THERE.
LConcluded.l
The third and last State to be embraced in
this new republic of the Sierra Madre is that
of San Luis Potosi in the southwestern part,
with capital of the same name containing o
i population Of forty thousand inhabitants San
Louis is on the main road from the northern
provinces to the city of Mexico and is the seat
of rich silver mines. Charoas and Nuevo San
tander, each with population of three thou
sand, are the only towns of any note besides the
capital.
The face of the country is diversified with
mountain and plain. The principal ridge is the
Sierra Madre chain, which runs across the
northern part of Tamaulipas and the middle Of
Nuevo Leon until it unites with the western
barrier beyond Monterey. There are several
ridges and spurs in the southern part Of Ia
maulipas, but none Of them of any great height
or extent. The southern and western parts Of
San Luis are quite mountainous, but the east
ern and middle are more level In the south
east corner of Nueyo Leon ridge springs up
which extends into Tamaulipas, forming curve
in the shape of horseshoe. The height Of
these mountains is not very accurately known;
the western barrier varies from three to six
thousand feet, and the chain which extends
across Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon rises up to
an elevation of about four thousand feet above
the level of the sea.
This region is, generally speaking, very level,
and in the central part person can travel for
days and scarcely find any elevation above the
surface. These plains or prairies stretch out
to great distance; some of them are quite
barren, and without water for miles, except
what is found in the wells and stagnant pools
he ssI ,x,l
water will always prove great drawback upon
it's agricultural improvement; it has few rivers,
and some years there will be no rain for a pc
riod Of several months. To supply the def
cencies Of regular rains, the soil is principally
cultivated by means of irrigation, tbe water
being raised from the rivers and springs by rude
machinery and carried over the country in small
bitches cut for that purpose. Among the rivers
which water this region of country, the follow
ing are the principal ones: The Rio Grande,
which forms part of the eastern boundary, and
which is navigable for steamboats, for five or
six hundred miles; the Salado, branch of the
Rio Grande, which runs through the northern
part Of the State of Neuvo Leon; and the Alamo,
and the San Juan, two inconsderabe streams
which flow through part of the same State, and
also empty into the Rio Grande-one at Mier,
and the other at Camargo.
Further to the south is the Rio del Tigre and
small nameless river, both of which run
through Tamaulipas, and the gulf; the Santan-
der, more considerable stream, formed by two
large branches, one of which rises in Nuevo
Leon, and the other among the mountains of
San Luis Potosi. How far the Santander could
be made navigable, | do not know; but from
thecountry it flows through, l should suppose
it to be too rapid and too much choked up with
sand to be made of much service to commerce.
Another small river, the name Of which l do
not remember, and the Panuco, make up the
streams which water the valley of the Sierra
Madre. The coast is very dangerous to ship
ping during the winter months: furious north
ers prevail, and many vessels are annually
driven ashore and lost There are no harbors
and the small bays and the mouths of the riy-
ers which might afford some shelter to the ship
ping are obstructed by bars of sand, which
render an entrance into them both difficult and
dangerous. The only port of entrance besides
Matamoros is Tampieo, which, though included
within the limits of the contemplated new re-
public, is in the State of Vera Cruz. Ii is fa-
vorably situated for commerce, and has consid-
cradle trade with foreign countries
The soil, in some parts, is as fine as any on
the continent of North America, and will pro-
duce all kinds of crops in abundance, with lit
tie cultivation. 1t is well adapted for grazing
country, and vast herds of cattle and sheep can
be raised at very little expense. There is a
scarcity of wood in many parts, especially
heayy'timber, the country being covered prin-
cipally with q heavy growth Of bushes, there
called chdppdrdl. The climate is almost that Of
the tropics; the heat Of the summer in many
parts is oppressive, but the winters are mild
and pleasant; neither ice nor frost are seen,
and vegetation blooms green and fresh oil the
year. The domestic animals are never housed,
but live constantly out of doors grazing upon
the rich pasturage. The principal productions
are corn, barley, wheat, beef, sugar-cane, and
all the tropical fruits in abundance. The eli
mate and soil are adapted to the cultivation of
cotton and tobacco, and with little care these
can be produced for expectation and hides,
also, would form quite an article of commerce.
I The mutton of that region is among the finest
in the world, and the woods are filed with
game Of all kinds
4 The inhabitants number about four hundred
and fifty thousand, who live for the most part
in the country, quietly tending their fiocks or
cultiyating their ields--they are called RAN
cheros. They are an active, hardy race Of men,
and under good government would make quiet
and Industrious citizens. Such is brief de-
scripton of the Valley Of the Sierra Madre,
towards which the attention of the country is
being drawn. For many years the people have
been groaning under the tyranny and misrule
Of Mexico, until they have grown weary of the
yoke they bear, and now desire to throw il of.
Sooner or later that region of country will be
wrestcd from Mexico, and formed into a sep
arate government, with republican institutions,
and ultimately win be received into the Ameri-
Union and svypll he rntirohar of our States