The population of this region is stated by Hum boldt (1803-5) at 121,400; in Tanner's map of Mexico the inhabitants of Sonora and Sinaloa are given in a subjoined table at 188,636. Neither adduce their au (hority or inform us whether the independent Indians are included, or whether the estimate is restricted to the whites and subject tribes of natives. If, however, only the latter are included, the distributive population must be very thin. Humboldt (1803) our only autho rity for the condition of this remote country, has pass ed the mental state of the whites in silence, but ob serves that "the Indians who live on the plains adjoining the Cases Grande of the Rio Gila, and who have never had the smallest communication with the inhabitants of Sonora, deserve by no means the ap pellation of savages. (Indian bravos.) Their social civilization forms a singular contrast with the state of the savages who wander along the banks of the Mis souri." The Spanish missionaries who have been able to reach this interesting region, represent the inhabitants as civilized, and social, residing in villages formed of good houses and environed by well cultivat ed fields. More, these Indians were found clothed in cotton fabrics of their own manufacture. These fa vourable accounts have been recently confirmed by some travellers from the United States.
This domestic and advanced civilization cannot he of recent origin. " Father Francisco Garces, ac companied by Father Font," says Humboldt, " who was intrusted with the observations of latitude, set out from the Presidio d' Horcasitas, on the 20th of April, 1773. After a journey of eleven days, they arrived at a vast and beautiful plain, one league's dis tance from the southern bank of the Rio Gila. They there discovered the ruins of an ancient Aztec city, in the midst of which is the edifice called la Casa grande. These ruins occupy a space of ground of more than a square league, (71. square miles nearly.) The Casa grande is exactly laid down according to the four car dinal points, having from north to south 445 English feet, and from east to west 276 feet. The walls are of clay, constructed in Pise 3 feet 11 inches thick. The edifice had three stories and a terrace. The same kind of construction is still to be found in all the vil lages of the Independent Indians of the Mogul west from New Mexico. A wall, interrupted by large towers, surrounds the principal edifice, and appears to have served to defend it. Father Garces discovered the vestiges of an artificial canal, which brought the water of the Rio Gila to the town. The whole sur
rounding plain is covered with broken earthen pitchers and pots, prettily painted in white, red, and blue. We also find amongst these, fragments of Mexican stone ware, pieces of obsidian, (itztli,) a very curious phenomenon, because it proves that the Aztecs passed through some unknown northern country which con tains this volcanic substance, and that it was not the abundance of obsidian in New Spain which suggested the idea of razors and arms of itztli.
"We must not," continues Humboldt, "confound, however, the ruins of this city of the Gila, the centre of an ancient civilization of the Americans, with the Casas grandes of New Biscay, situated between the presidio of Yantis and that of San Buenaventura." Between these points are spread plains and mountains in a distance of upwards of one thousand miles.
Gold is amongst the productions of Sonora and Sinaloa. The hilly country of Pimeria alta is the Choco of North America. All the ravins and even plains contain gold scattered up and down the allu vious land. Fragments are discovered weighing from five to eight pounds Troy.
The most remarkable places of Sonora are Arispc, the former capital of the state, N. Lat. 30° 36', Long. NV. from Washington City 31° 38', upwards of one thousand miles NNW. from the city of Mexico. Population 8,000.
Sonora the present capital of Sonora proper is situated about 50 miles south from Arispe. Popula tion 6,400.
Hostimury, or Ostimury, is a mining town and capital of the province of the same name, situated on the Pacific ocean, N. Lat. 27°.
Sinaloa, or Cinaloa, otherwise known by its eccle siastical name of rata de san Felipe y Santiago, is now the capital city of the state of Sonora and Sinaloa, containing a population of 13,000; and is situated at N. Lat. 26° 58', and Long. W. from Washington City 57', upwards of five hundred miles NW. from the city of Mexico.
About one hundred and twenty miles SE. from the city of Sinaloa, stands Culiacan, the Aztec Ilueicol huican, on a small river of the same name. It is still a place of some consequence as the population was stated by Humboldt at 10,800.
On the small river del Fuerte, 70 or 80 miles NW. from the city of Sinaloa, is situated a considerable town, INIontesclaros, or Villa del Fuerte, with a popu lation of 8,000; and 70 miles still farther NW. is Alamos, sustaining 8.000 inhabitants.
A Rosario, near the rich mine of Copala, and ap proaching the southern extremity Sinaloa and about 200 miles SE. from the city of Sinaloa, contains a population of 6,000.