AGRICULTURE AND MANUFACTURES.

303

mine proved valuable, litigations would follow, and the discoverer would too often lose his interest.1 17

At this period the industries of agriculture and stock-raising were fairly prosperous. There was no lack in Nueva Galicia of fertile land, which produced an abundant food-supply, while in ocean and river there were excellent fisheries. Several small vessels were built on the coast for expeditions to California, the workmen being sent from Mexico and encamping at some suitable spot near the mouth of a river, where they felled the timber, built the craft, and then abandoned their camp. Of manufactures there were none, except the rude articles made by the natives for their own use, and the commerce of the country was carried on by native carriers, pack-mules, and wagon-trains, by means of which agricultural products were carried to the nearest market, ore and bullion forwarded from the mines, and tools, machinery, quicksilver, and clothing brought overland from the city of Mexico. To the capital were also sent the few articles of produce which would pay the cost of freight, together with herds of live-stock. At times the privilege of killing and exporting cattle was restricted by the governor on complaint of the ecclesiastical authorities that the amount of tithes was thereby diminished.

18

The city of Mexico derived much greater benefit from the resources of Nueva Galicia than did the province itself. In the capital alone could any products except those of mine or field be exchanged for money.1 Men were not wanting who understood these disadvantages, and foremost among them was Mota-Padilla, who never ceased his efforts to separate the country from New Spain, to obtain for her ports a trade with China and with Central and South America; to establish a mint, and make Guadalajara a centre of trade;

Ya se tiene por cierto que cuando se litiga sobre mina se pierden las leyes.' Mota-Padilla, Conq. N. Gal., 321.

18 México se ha hecho garganta precisa por donde haya de pasar todo.' Mota-Padilla, Cong. N. Gal., 263-4.

but the pressure brought to bear on the king from the New World metropolis was always too strong, and the interests of the province were disregarded.19

The total population of Nueva Galicia in the middle of the eighteenth century was estimated at not less than two hundred thousand, of which number sixty thousand were Indians and the remainder of Spanish and mixed blood. Though this seems a comparatively high figure, Mota-Padilla certainly had excellent apportunities for obtaining correct statistics.20 During the second half of the century the population seems to have increased more rapidly; for we find that at the beginning of the nineteenth century the population of Guadalajara was variously estimated at from nineteen to thirty-five thousand, and that under the jurisdiction of the audiencia as high as six hundred and thirty thousand.21

It will be remembered that at the close of the sixteenth century Zacatecas was the new El Dorado which attracted settlers and adventurers from all parts; the population rapidly increased; mines were being discovered and developed, and a great future seemed to be in store for the new colony. At that time the site of the city of Zacatecas seemed anything but pleasant

19 From 1748-53, according to the Noticias Biog. of Icazbalceta, the historian made efforts to have the four jurisdictions of the coast, Purificacion, Tepic, Acaponeta, and Centizpac, formed into a new government, to be placed under himself as ruler.

20 Mota-Padilla's actual basis is the number of Indian tributaries, which was 8,000, representing 16,000 persons, not including chiefs, the aged, or children. Cong. N. Gal., 509. Gil, Soc. Mex. Geog., viii. 493, says the population in about 1750 was estimated at about 115,000.

21 Gil, in Soc. Mex. Geog., viii. 493, insists however that in 1807, on taking tribute, the population was found to be only 130,000, having increased but 15,000 since 1750. There is no doubt that there was a misunderstanding as to the territory included. Humboldt, Essai Pol., 155, and New Spain, ii. 180-3, gives for the intendencia of Guadalajara 630,500, and for the city 19,500; 6,381 square leagues with 623,572 inhabitants are mentioned in Tribunal del Consulado, 1805. Ortiz, Mex. Indep., 79, gives 630,000 for 1803. According to Navarro, in Soc. Mex. Geog., 2da ép., i. 291, in 1810 the intendencia of Guadalajara comprised 9,612 square leagues; 28 partidos, 100 curacies, 9 missions, 2 cities, 7 towns, 326 villages, 33 mining districts, 370 haciendas, 1,511 ranchos, and 118 stock ranches. There were 29 convents and 7 nunneries; 441 clérigos, 192 friars, and 225 nuns; there were 164,420 Spaniards, 172,676 Indians, and 179,720 of mixed blood, making a total population, including the religious, of 517,674.

ZACATECAS MATTERS.

305

to the Spaniards. The soil was little adapted to the cultivation of wheat, maize, or even fruit, excepting the Indian fig, the cactus apuntia covering the neighborhood in every direction. Nevertheless its location had many advantages. The climate, though changeable, was healthy, being never excessively hot or cold. In the vicinity variety of temperature favored the cultivation of different agricultural products. Cattleraising became an important feature at an early day, and besides silver, copper lead and other metals were found in abundance. 22

The three or four persons in charge of the treasury, and the corregidor, appointed directly by the king, were the only officials who were paid a salary at Zaca

22 The veins around Zacatecas city yielded in 1608 an average of more than two ounces per cental. There were 20 haciendas de minas, whose owners were worth from 30,000 to 100,000 pesos each, and employed about 100 Spaniards, the same number of negroes, and 1,500 Indians. Each hacienda worked about 80 centals a day. No smelting was done, and only mule power was used. Zacatecas, Rel., in Pacheco and Cárdenas, Col. Doc., ix. 182-7. At San Andrés General Mendiola tore down his stone buildings, the material yielding three marks per cental. The product of the mines at Zacatecas had declined considerably in 1732; there were only 24 reduction works; the expenses 1,300,000 pesos per year; and the king received 257,350 pesos. Bernardez,

HIST. MEX., VOL. III. 20

tecas, and the salable offices brought at auction from six to eight thousand pesos.23 The province had also a lieutenant captain-general, and a force of troops for protection in case of outbreaks among the natives.24 In wealth and probably in population the city was superior to the capital of Nueva Galicia.25

The mining districts of Fresnillo, Sombrerete, Pinos, Nieves, Mazapil, and Zacatecas were all alcaldías mayores, subject to a corregimiento, to which grade, in 1736, the so-called province of Zacatecas was raised, the districts of Aguas Calientes and Juchipila being added three years later. When the alcaldías mayores and corregimientos were abolished by the ordinance establishing intendencias, these latter districts were made a part of the intendencia of Guadalajara, until joined to that of Zacatecas by royal decree of December 30, 1791.

The town of Aguas Calientes derived its name from the thermal springs in its immediate vicinity.26 In Zac., 42-50. In 1750 the mines did not yield more than 500,000 pesos; but the output increased in a few years to ten times as much through the efforts of one Laborde. Jacobs' Hist. Ing., ii. 153. The wealthiest inhabitant of Zacatecas was Agustin de Zavala, who in 20 years had paid in silver king's fifths to the amount of 800,000 pesos, which shows that during that time he had sent to be marked 4,000,000. Salyado, Vida, 23. This is the same Zavala who was governor of Nuevo Leon.

23 Zacatecas, Rel., in Pacheco and Cárdenas, Col. Doc., ix. 184-6. Mier y Campo, in Revista Lien., ii. 111, says the royal treasury was established in 1767.

2 In 1608 Cristóbal de Cardivar is named as holding the position of 'teniente de capitan general.' Ibid. The same writer speaks of a governor of Zacatecas appointed every six years by the council of the Indies. A 'capitan á guerra' is also mentioned about 1745 in Villa-Señor, Teatro, ii. 223.

25 The population of the province of Zacatecas for 1793 as given by Humboldt, Essai Pol., i. 57, 155, was 118,027; that of the capital, 25,495, and in 1803, 153,300 including city and province. For description of principal places see Id., 260-61; also Viagero, Univ., xxvii. 105-6. For the latter year the tribunal del consulado, in Soc. Mex. Geog., Boletin, ii. 6, gives 1681 square leagues and 151,749 inhabitants. Murillo, Geog. Hist., 814, gives 40,000 for the city in 1778-9, and Cancelada, Ruina, 73-5, the same figures as the consulado. Navarro, in Soc. Mex. Geog., Boletin, 2d ep., i. 291, has in 1810 for the intendencia of Zacatecas 2,355 square leagues, with 22,296 Spaniards, 40,872 Indians, and 77,555 other races; 6 partidos, 17 curates, a city, 2 villas, 28 pueblos, 19 reales de minas, 108 haciendas, 438 ranchos, and 16 cattle ranchos. See also Flint's Geog., ii. 132; Soc. Mex. Geog., Boletin, ix. 275; Berghes, Zac., 4; Zuñiga y O., Calend., 116-17; N. Esp., Brev. Res., ii. 319-20.

26 The town used the royal arms, having no coat of arms of its own. Aguirre, Doc. Antig., in Soc. Mex. Geog., Boletin, 2d ep. iii. 19. For other

OTHER MINING DISTRICTS.

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1794 it had a parish church and three convents with about thirty friars, and as many other clergymen. There was also a public school supported by funds bequeathed by a resident of that town. Toward the end of the eighteenth century the population was rapidly increasing, 27 and mining, commerce, agriculture, and stock-raising had made great progress.

Fresnillo had at this period about five thousand inhabitants and was governed by a lieutenant under the

ZACATECAS, AGUAS CALIENTES, SAN LUIS POTOSÍ.

alcalde of Jerez; there was a large parochial church and a Dominican hospice. The site was little better than that of Zacatecas. The mines in the hills of Proaño, south-west of the town, belonged for the most part to the marquis of Apartado.28

Most of the settlements in the province of San

details concerning it see Id., ii. 18; Dicc. Univ., i. 77-8; S. Miguel, Rep. Mex., i. 7.

2 In 1794 the town had 8,376 inhabitants. Aguirre, Doc. Antig., in Soc. Mex. Geog., Boletin, 2d ep. iii. 21-5. See for other details Dias, Mex., v. 322; Gazeta Mex., i.-xv., passim.

28 The curacy of Fresnillo was said to be the most lucrative in Nueva Galicia, paying $12,000 per year. Morfi, in Doc. Hist. Mex., 3d ser. iv. 333-5.