Correspondence between Pedro Fueros and virrey concerning mining operations at la Cieneguilla, Sonora. Includes routine documentation of quantities of gold produced and transported to Alamos, plus accounts of depredations suffered by Indians, settlers and miners at hands of Apache marauders. Also, account of discovery of silver deposits at San Marcial. (J. H. Ochs, August 1987)

Discourse from Lumbreras, commandant of presidio San Carlos de Buenavista to marques de Croix concerning mistreatment of Indians at hands of fray Francisco Cordon. In his letter, Lumbreras complains that Indians of his jurisdiction cannot tend their fields due to labor required of them by fray Cordon in construction of mission church. Such punishment is appropriate, how and by whom it is to be meted out; travel restrictions for Indians; relationship between military authority (comandante presidial) and Indian civil authority (gobernador y Alcalde) at Buenavista. Also included are Cordon's reply to these accusations, and virrey's subsequent response. (J. H. Ochs, July 1987)

(D. J. McClelland, December 1987)

From real audencia gobernadora Rengel receives copies of edicts regarding Indian labor in flax and hemp; notice of receipt of reviews of Californian presidios; Rengel advised to send pensions of Monte Pio with haste to two widows; Rengel is informed that military salary dispute is his to solve; requested to transfer teniente Coronel Fages to new post due to wife's bad health. (D. J. McClelland, October 1987)

Letters to viceroy from Neve and Corvalan re: situation of funds in treasury of Chihuahua and payroll of Arispe; includes tables of payment and debt; discussion of form of money. (D. J. McClelland, October 1987)

Report made up of group of letters concerning vagrancy problems on northern frontier; includes notes on Indian attacks; need for Indian labor in mines and haciendas; payment to Indians in Inferior goods; use of Penal labor; reluctance of some Indians to work as day-laborers; visit of Galvez; legal actions of Galvez, Corbalan and others on pay; Croix's inspection; raids on various settlements; types of labor involving Indians (charcoal making; cultivation; Adobe making; mine drain construction; firewood and lumber cutting; livestock tending; Mule train servants; ore processing; and various mechanical arts); dangerous alliance of local Indians with Apaches; economic crisis that results from lack of sufficient Indian labor; problem of local Indian community demands on labor force; limited value of Indians in mines; seasonality of Indian labor demands; role of mulatos in mines; fugitive Yaquis in mining towns; ff. 348-355 includes copy of points 5-10 of Neve's general report of 1783; he finds explanation of rise in banditry in unfair use of forced Indian labor; he sets limitations on coroporal punishment in mission settlements (for example - six lashes for missing mass); he considers other matters involving civil justice; notes many of bandit's crimes falsely attributed to Apaches; use of presidio labor in new presidio constructions; ff 357-361 - Ugarte grants various rights to Indians of Pueblo of Santa Maria (4 December, 1787); this includes coverage of forced labor; payment in goods and cash; reviews earlier Indian labor policy; describes poverty and hunger of Indian day laborers; lack of spiritual guidance; locations of labor; character of culture change; importance of cheap Indian labor to economy, and failure of administrators to solve problems of Indian abuse become clear in this report. (J. Williams, may 1987)

In response to request by viceroy, Barreyro (aid to Rivera) provides informe on Nueva Vizcaya; notes earlier letter of Jesuits (ff 135-154); description of inhabited places & natives; deployment of royal and hostile forces; undeniable reasons why presidio garrisons should each be reduced to 24 men; explanation of why Jesuit missionaries are resisting new regulation; notes on Jesuit and Franciscan establishments; lists Jesuits and their nationalities; reflects on how province can be maintained in peace; various missionized natives; hispanic settlements; some statistical information on population; mission church construction; general mission progress; instruction in Spanish; stresses peace of region; notes convoy escorts; many details on tactics (including night attacks); limited military insights of missionaries; Tarahumara labor for Spaniards; operations of Huydobno; Barreyro defends Rivera and regulation, stressing that they have been unfairly criticized. (J. Williams, may 1987)

Gallardo reflects on nature of Indian wars and present crisis of Nueva Vizcaya; comments on return of Yaquis from Valle de San Buenaventura; reorganization or re-activation of various presidios on Camino real to Chihuahua city; deployment of militia and presidial forces; proposals and comments of Mendoza, Tamaron and Carta; reviews arguments made by those authors; describes frontier military life in harsh terms; problems inherent in military administration; threat of banditry, measures that need to be taken to bring it under control; Indian attacks; places inhabited; dispersal of settlements is major defense problem; areas actually protected by various presidios; possible expenses of reforms; comments on Tamaron's infantry proposal as absurd, claiming they are producto de un celo Santo, y de un concepto in greso Por informes de personas poco instruida en la guerra de los indios; demonstrates Tamaron's calculations in error; describes in detail arms and equipment (Cueras, sables, escopetas), nature of war (unsuited to infantry), advantages of lightly equipped enemy warriors; describes why guns are Inferior to bows and arrows; many details on battle tactics; enemy's lack of formations in battle; stresses war is unconventional struggle de duender; draws comparisons with war in north Africa; praises frontier soldiers; notes present threat of French; notes French weapons trade on south plains; refers to various legal codes; contrasts northern New Spain with other areas being subjected to colonization; emphasizes many shortcomings of New Spain venture; notes use of canary islanders in Texas; lack of plans used in establishing many important settlements; use of Tlaxcaltecans as settlers; many interesting biblical and historical allusions; emphasizes that Spain does not have resources to erect barrier like great Wall of China. Gallardo notes information he is presenting here is based in part on inspection of Nueva Vizcaya, Sinaloa, Sonora of ca. 1750. Document is of great historic merit to any who are interested in later Rubi/Lafora expedition and regulation of 1772. Many of Gallardo's fresh insights have been echoed by later historians such as Thomas and moorhead. (J. Williams, may 1987)

Gallardo comments on conflicting ideas of Mendoza and Carta; makes references to Valle de San Buenaventura Yaquis; recommendations of Tamaron; administration of Mendoza as governor; limitations of acculturation in province; lack of missionary schools; defends Mendoza; problems of governing and bringing justice to extensive lands included in Nueva Vizcaya and Sonora; continuation of wandering habits of Indians there; notes his earlier report on el mejor regimen de las Missiones y pueblos de indios. letter provides valuable insights into church/state conflict on frontier (fight over rule of missions de pan or de palo). (J. Williams, may 1987) may 1987)

Gallardo describes problems relating to Yaquis in Valle de San Buenaventura and other military/administrative concerns of province; reflects on bishop Tamaron's letter on similar topics; notes importance, aptitude of Yaquis for mining (whom he praises); describes original settlements of Yaquis; their farming; climate of their lands; seasonal interest in work; he praises their industrious efforts; he stresses Spain should be fair to this important ethnic minority; comments on extreme acculturation of Yaquis; their knowledge of Spanish; his earlier visit to their country; possible new missions on Colorado and Gila; economic woes of mining industry produced by lack of operators; much on Indian labor in province; contrasts patterns of Indian labor used in Provincias Internas with other regions of empire; proposes that certain aspects of other regional policies be adopted. (J. Williams, may 1987) adopted. (J. Williams, may 1987)