Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-09-27

inhabitants but was entirely abandoned three years
ago. on account of the incessant assaults of the nth
less Apaches, who not only plundered the people
of their animals, but destroyed their crops and nur-
dered or carried into captivity all who fell into heir
hands, men, women, and children.
The party found Fronteras in possession Of the
Mexican Gen. Carrasco, who, with his brigade oil
400 men, had arrived there only three days before.
His object, with this force, was to undertake
campaign against the Apaches, who had for years
held entire control of the whole adjacent region.
Three months previously plan had been organiz-
ed for the recolonization Of Fronteras, and osher
places that had been similarly abandoned three OF
which, Chinapi, Cocuiarachi, and Bachuachi Mr..
BARTLETT visited in his route. Five hundred OF
the former inhabitants had accordingly returned and
planted corn and wheat, with hopes of crop-if
not destroyed as heretofore-of 10000 bushels OF
the former and 5000 of the latter, more than half
of which they will be able 10 dispose of. This
will be great convenience to the Commission; for
these two important articles can thus be procured
much nearer the proposed depot than the Rio
Grande, and at less price. Many of the people
of Fronteras quite desiIous to emgrate TO the
Coppermines, and some besought the Commis-
sioner to allow them to return with him thther.
Fourteen years ago, when the mines were worked,
considerable trade subsisted between them and
d
military post were TO be maintained there. As it
is now, the northern part of Sonora is so mpover-
ished that there are no materials for carrying on
trade. For this reason the Commissioner was un-
able to procure any of those fruits or vegetables,
to obtain which had formed part Of the object Of
his journey. Some idea Of the difficulty Of travel
between the point Of departure on Cookies road
and Fronteras might be formed from the fact that it
required two days to perform the journey.
The country in the direction of Sonora, from the
Ojo de Taca. or Ok Spring, on Cookies route, con-
sists Of vast plain as far as the eye reach, no
mountains being visible westward. Water, there.
fore, is doubtful, and the Indians testify there is
none. Portions Of the valley of the Rio Mimbres
River of Osiers might be cultivated TO advantage
to the extent of half mile in breadth but, with
this exception, there is not of land from the
Rio Grande to the San Pedro susceptible OF cultva-
ton. But it must be understood that, even in the
valley Of the Mmbres, as every where else in this
region, nothing can be done in the way of cultiva-
tion but by Of aceguias, or channels of irr-
CATION. All the time Mr.. Bartlett had been in
the Copper Mine region it had never rained. The
whole area, for one hundred miles south of the
range of mountains, about twelve miles south of the
Copper Mines, is barren desert waste, without a
single tree or bush, with but three or four springs
of water, and destitute of all grass save the parched
and dry naezquite, some three or -four inches high.
AT about three degrees of longitude west of the
Rio Grande the River San Miguel ismet, having on
its banks the Mexican village of Yalos, place of
about five hundred inhabitants, and tie extreme out
post Of the State of Chihuahua, and protected, if
such it can be called, by ten Mexican soldiers
West of Yanos there is neither town, village, nor
hamlet until you reach Fronteras, il Sonora. In
termediately the distance is occupied with con-
c<,c ..-t
grass, wood, or water, except at long intervals, and
then the famished traveller may only find few
drops of water trickling from the mountan-side
Hence it is that in that region there is nothing to
sustain life, and it can never be occupied by man.
Antelope and deer are seen in herds, bounding over
the hills, or browsing on the stunted grass of the
barren soil. Bears are often seen among the noun
ains and the various carniyerous animals found in
the western parts Of the United States, though in
limited numbers. Even the feathered tribes pre-
sent very limited variety, for the reason that there
10 little snst~;,. them, au DuI rev for their
protection.
Barren and desolate as the country is, it is still
an interesting field for the naturalist. Its botany
is new and peculiar. The dry and parched soil
furnishes habiations for numerous reptiles and small
mammiferous animals not yet etdescrbed, and for the
geologist and mineralogist no richer field can be
presented in any part of the world.
The first attractive spot encountered by the Com
missioner in his journey was San Bernardno.
Here is beautiful valley, about ten or fifteen miles
long, and a mile wide. 1t bursts upon the travel
Ter as ne descends from the great mountain range,
to pass which has caused him 80 much pain Its
appearance is that of luxurant meadow, the grass
growing from three to four feet high San Ber-
nardino consists of a ruined rancho, or cluster of
adobe or mud-hOuses, enclosed by wall of the
same material, formed with regular bastons for de-
fence. This wall encloses about two acres. The
place was abandoned some fifty or sixty years ago,
in consequence of the attacks OF the Indians, and
has not since been occupied. East of the San
Pedro this was the most northerly colony Of Sono-
ra. 1t was founded solely for the purpose of using
the rich valley or meadow referred to for raising
cattle. This valley, hemmed in on all sides by
barren hills and mountains, confined the herds
within limited space, and enabled the owners to
raise immense numbers of cattle. When it was
abandoned the cattle were driven off still some re-
NAMED, which had probably wandered among the
hills, from which there has been so large an increase
that from this place the San Pedro river, and far
beyond, immense herds of wild cattle now roam.
They were seen by the Commissioners party, from
San Bernardino to Fronteras, near every spot
where there was grass or water. Col. Cooke, when
passing in lS46 with his brigade of 46O men, sup
Piled himself with fresh beef for two weeks from
these wild cattle, and no doubt the California emf
grants also get their supplies from the same source.
From blackwater creek to Fronteras the country
on both sides consists of barren plains and short
ridges OF mountains. But on approaching that place
Al III