The republic., 1851-09-12
Mexican boundary ComnissiOn-Visit 10
the Interior OF sonora.


A despatch. recently received at the Depart
ment of the Interior, from Mr.. BARTLETT, the
Mexican Boundary Commissioner, dated at
Santa Rita de Cobre, New Mexico, July |,
1851, contains a brief account of visit which
that gentleman recently made to the interior of
the State of Sonora. The objects for doing so
were, first, to ascertain from personal examina-
ton the condition of the road known as
"Cooke's road }" from the Rio Grande to the
Pacific, but more particularly of that portion Of
it leading to the river Gia; and whether 1t
was practicable route by which the provisions
for the commission could be transported for the
parties engaged on duty on the GIla. With re-
gard to this, the road is represented to be an
excellent one for hundred and seventy miles
of the distance, and suitable for heavily-laden
wagons, with the exception of the Guadalupe
Pass, on the passage of the mountain chain,
which presents many difficulties. 1t may be
said that General KEARNY, with his brigade,
and various parties subsequent to his campaign,
have gone down the Gila with pack mules;
but their journeys were rapid, and they could
easily carry food for thirty days. The progress
of the commission will be slow in comparison;
months will be required in tracing or surveying
the Gila, and the commission can scarcely ex-
pect to get through in one season. Hence the
necessity of depot midway.
The second object was to ascertain if any,
and to what extent, supplies of corn, flour, cat
tie sheep, vegetables, ETC., could be furnished
| IL. hat ali
ed at the headquarters at Santa Rita de Cobre,
or to the engineering parties on the Gila. The
third, to induce the people of that State to re-
new the trade formerly carried on with the
copper mines; and the fourth, to obtain sup
ply of anti scorbutics; that is, vegetables and
fruits, fresh or dry.
The result of the inquiry as to supplies is
unfavorable at present. but, without doubt, corn
and -four can be procured by the time it shall
be required. On reaching the point on Colo
mel CooKE's road, which is fourteen miles
from Fronteras, there was no road, path, or
other indication to show where this place lay
Four persons were sent TO search for the town,
taking with them the passport of Mr.. BART
LETT from General CoNDE. After travelling
due south for thirty miles, they reached From
teras, when General CARRAsco, the officer in
command, Immediately sent four of his soldiers
back to guide the remainder Of the commission
to this place AS the country was quite rough,
it took two days to reach them. They were
kindly received, and Hospitality entertained by
General CARRAsco, who had arrived there but
| three days previous, with his brigade of four
hundred men, horse and foot, on campaign
against the Apaches, which Indians had had
entire possession of the country for several
| years. 1t was ascertained from the general
that Fronteras, which formerly contained two
thousand inhabitants, was entirely abandoned
three years before, in consequence of the inces-
SAINT attacks of the Indians, who not only plum
dered them of their animals, but destroyed their
crops, and murdered, or carried into captivity,
all who fell into their hands, whether men,
women, or children. The other towns in
the route, Chnopi, Cocuiarachi, and Bacua-
chi, with various ranches for eighty miles
south, were similarly depopulated. In fact,
the whole country, as far as Arispe, the
former capital of Sonora, had been devas-
tated by the Apachcs. Three months previous
to the visit Of the commission, plan had been
organized for the recoonization of Fronteras
and other places which had been abandoned;
and five hundred of the former inhabitants of
that town had returned. They had already
planted their corn and wheat, which, with
the usual yield, will give them in the fall ten
thousand bushels of corn and five thousand
bushels of wheat-a quantity sufficient to ena-
Bile them to sell more than half and leave
enough for their own consumption. These two
important articles, therefore, can be procured
at that place much lower than on the Rio
Grande, besides being near the proposed depot
on the Gila. The people were quite desirous
to emigrate to the copper mines, and many
earnestly begged the commission to permit
them to accompany it back. There was, some
fourteen years since, when the mines were
worked, considerable trade between that
! place and Sonora, and, should military post
be maintained at Fronteras, this trade will
| doubtless be renewed. The northern part of
Sonora had been so much impoverished that no
trade can now be expected. There are many
beautiful valleys near the copper mines where
fruits and vegetables may be cultivated, but
without lrrigating canals nothing will grow.
The journey to Sonora afforded an oppvrtu-
nifty to notice the country for long distance,
over which the boundary line will pass, west Of
the Rio Grande. After passing Ojo de Vaca,
nothing but vast plain presents itself, as far as
the eye can reach; no mountains being visible
westward. 1t is doubtful, therefore, whether
there is water here. The Indians say that there
is none; but Mr.. BARTLETT intended to recon-
mend the exploring parties to examine the de-
pressions in the prairies, with view of discov-
ering springs of water. Portions of the valley
of the Mmbris might be cultivated with advan-
tage, to the extent of half mile in breadth but
with this exception there is probably not an
acre Of land susceptible Of cultivation from the
Rio Grande to the San Pedro. The whole re-
gion south of the range of mountains, which
| ,,f he