memoir of the proposed territory of arizona-第4部分

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her　resourcesnot　only　to　her　own　injury；　but　that　of　California
and　the　Atlantic　Statesby　withholding　a　market　for　their
productions；　and　the　bullion　which　she　is　fully　able　to　supply　to
an　extent　corresponding　to　the　labor　employed　in　obtaining　it。

A。　B。　Gray；　Esq。；　late　U。　S。　Surveyor　under　the　treaty　of
Guadalupe　Hidalgo；　for　running　the　Mexican　Boundary；　and
subsequently　Exploring　Engineer　and　Surveyor　of　the　Southern
Pacific　Railroad；　has　probably　seen　more　of　the　proposed
Territory　of　Arizona　than　any　other　person；　his　statements　in
reference　to　that　region；　embodied　in　a　report　to　the　Hon。；　the
Secretary　of　the　Interior；　from　actual　field　reconnoissances　six
years　ago；　will　be　read　with　much　interest；　particularly　as　since
then；　repeated　developments　in　that　country　have　proved　the
correctness　of　his　judgment；　his　opinions　are；　therefore；　of　much
importance；　as　expressed　in　his　able　report。　It　will　be
recollected　that　this　was　then　Mexican　Territory。　Colonel　Gray
says：

〃The　public；　I　think　have　been　misled　by　misrepresentations　made
in　regard　to　the　resources　of　the　region　of　country　lying　along
the　Gila　and　upon　the　line　proposed　for　a　railroad　at　or　near　the
parallel　of　32　degrees　north　latitude。　That　portion　of　country
east　of　the　Rio　Grande　I　can　say　but　little　of　from　personal
observation；　having　been　over　but　apart　of　the　ground　near　the
eastern　division　in　Texas；　and　that　in　the　vicinity　of　El　Paso。
At　both　these　points；　however；　a　fine　country　exists。　Upon　the
Gila　river　grows　cotton　of　the　most　superior　kind。　Its　nature　is
not　unlike　that　of　the　celebrated　Sea　Island　cotton；　possessing
an　equally　fine　texture；　and；　if　anything；　more　of　a　silky　fibre。
The　samples　I　procured　at　the　Indian　villages；　from　the　rudely
cultivated　fields　of　the　Pimas　and　Maricopas；　have　been　spoken　of
as　an　extraordinary　quality。　Wheat；　corn；　and　tobacco；　together
with　beans；　melons；　etc。；　grow　likewise　upon　the　banks　and　in　the
valleys　bordering　the　Gila　and　its　tributaries。　The　sugar　cane；
too；　I　believe；　will　be　found　to　thrive　in　this　section　of　the
country　west　of　the　Rio　San　Pedro。　A　sort　of　candied　preserve　and
molasses；　expressed　from　the　fruit　of　the　cereus　giganteus　and
agave　Americana　was　found　by　our　party　in　1851；　as　we　passed
through　the　Pinal　Llano　camps　and　among　the　Gila　tribes；　to　be
most　acceptable。　The　candied　preserve　was　a　most　excellent
substitute　for　sugar。　It　is　true　that　there　are　extensive　wastes
to　be　encountered　west　of　the　Rio　Grande；　yet　they　are　not
deserts　of　sand；　but　plains　covered　at　certain　seasons　of　the
year　with　luxuriant　grass；　exhibiting　green　spots　and　springs　not
very　remote　from　each　other　at　all　times。　There　is　sufficient
water　in　the　Gila　and　its　branches　for　all　the　purposes　of
irrigation　when　it　is　wanted；　the　streams　being　high　during　the
season　most　needed。　The　Rio　Salado；　a　tributary　of　the　Gila；　is　a
bold　and　far　more　beautiful　river　than　the　Gila　itself；　and；　from
the　old　ruins　now　seen　there；　must　have　had　formerly　a　large
settlement　upon　its　banks。　〃To　many　persons　merely　travelling　or
emigrating　across　the　country；　with　but　one　object　in　view；　and
that　the　reaching　their　destination　on　the　Pacific；　the　country
would　generally　present　a　barren　aspect。　But　it　will　be
recollected　that　the　most　productive　fields　in　California；　before
American　enterprise　introduced　the　plough；　and　a　different　mode
of　cultivation　from　that　of　the　natives　of　the　country；　presented
somewhat　similar　appearance。　Many　believed；　at　first；　from　the
cold　and　sterile　look　of　the　hills；　and　the　parched　appearance　of
the　fields　and　valleys；　over　which　the　starving　coyote　is　often
seen　prowling　in　search　of　something　to　subsist　on；　that
California　could　never　become　an　agricultural　district；　but　must
depend　upon　her　other　　resources　for　greatness；　and　trust　to
distant　regions　for　the　necessaries　of　life　required　for　her
increased　population。　It　was　natural　enough；　too；　that　this
impression　should　be　created　in　those　accustomed　to　a　different
State　of　things；　and　particularly　when　it　is　considered　that　the
very　season　of　blossom　and　bloom　of　our　Atlantic　States　was　the
winter　of　California；　but　these　same　fields　and　hills　have　a　very
different　appearance　in　January；　February；　and　March；　clothed　as
they　are　in　the　brightest　verdure　and　no　one　now　will　pretend　to
say　that　California　does　not　possess　within　herself　great
agricultural　as　well　as　mineral　wealth。　This；　I　believe；　will
some　day　be　the　case　with　the　country　from　the　Rio　Grande　to　the
Gulf　of　California；　adjacent　to　the　Gila。　Senate　Ex。　Doc。　No。　55；
33rd　Congress；　2nd　Session。〃

　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*

In　speaking　of　the　resources　of　this　region　for　a　railroad；　in
the　same　report；　Gray　says：

〃The　valley　of　Mesilla；　extending　from　about　twelve　miles　above
the　true　boundary　of　the　treaty　to　the　parallel　of　32　degrees　22
minutes　north　latitude；　lies　wholly　within　the　disputed　district；
and　is；　for　its　extent；　one　of　the　most　beautiful　and　fertile
along　the　whole　course　of　the　Rio　Grande。　The　town　of　Mesilla；
only　a　few　years　old；　contains　several　thousand　people；　and　is　a
prosperous　little　place。　It　was　not　settled　until　after　the
cession　of　this　territory　to　us　by　the　treaty　of　Guadalupe
Hidalgo。　Portions　of　the　valley　are　highly　cultivated；　and
produce　the　grains　and　fruits　of　our　most　thriving　States。　In
connexion　with　the　land　on　the　east　side　of　the　river；　the　valley
of　the　Messilla　is　capable　of　sustaining　a　considerable
population。　It　is　situated　centrally　with　regard　to　a　large
district　of　country　of　lesser　agricultural　capacity。　The　section
of　the　Rio　Grande　in　the　vicinity　of　El　Paso　and　the　valley　of
Mesilla；　is　proverbial　for　the　production　of　fine　vegetables　and
fruits。　Indeed；　about　El　Paso；　it　is　a　complete　garden　with
flourishing　vineyards；　equalling　in　excellence　those　of　the　most
celebrated　grape　growing　countries。

〃By　a　judicious　disposition　of　military　stations　along　this　line；
only　a　few　troops　would　be　required　to　protect　the　great　northern
frontier　of　Sonora　and　Chihuahua；　and　enable　us　to　carry　out　the
llth　article　of　our　late　treaty　with　Mexico　more　effectually；　and
at　the　same　time　prevent　any　depredations　which　the　Indians　might
be　disposed　to　commit　on　the　road。　Soon　after；　the　settlement　of
the　country　would　make　the　presence　of　the　military　unnecessary；
either　for　the　safety　of　a　railway　of　the　security　of　the
frontier。　The　strong　holds　of　the　Apaches；　and　their　pathway　to
Mexico；　would　be　cut　off。

〃A　wagon　road　established　from　the　Gulf　of　California　would
enable　supplies　to　be　transported　along　this　line　at　one…half　of
the　present　cost。　The　saving　of　one…third　or　more　distance；
through　a　comparatively　unsettled　country；　in　transportation　is
an　important　consideration　in　the　construction　of　a　railway；　more
especially　when　men　and　materials；　to　a　great　extent；　must　be
brought　from　very　remote　points。　The　navigation　of　the　Gulf　of
California　is　said　to　be　very　good。　The　trade…winds　from　the
northwest；　encountering　the　highlands　of　the　peninsula　of　Lower
California；　and　forming　a　counter　current　under　its　lee；　enable
sailing　vessels　to　proceed　advantageously　along　that　coast。
Returning；　by　keeping　on　the　eastern　aide；　or　along　the　shore　of
Sonora；　they　could　avail　themselves　of　the　prevailing　winds；
which　regain　their　usual　direction　after　sweeping　across　the　wide
expanse　of　water。　The　trade　of　the　Gulf；　with　its　pearl　fisheries
and　other　resources；　would　be　speedily　developed。

　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　

〃The　advantages　of　such　a　thoroughfare　are　obvious。　Five　years
would　hardly　elapse　before　inestimable　benefits　would　be
realized；　and；　should　war　threaten　our　Pacific　possessions；　a　few
days　would　suffice　to　send　from　the　Mississippi　valley　an　army
that　would　defy　any　force　that　the　most　formidable　power　could
array　against　us。　The　fine　cotton　region　of　the　Gila；　the　rich
copper；　silver；　and　gold　mines　of　New　Mexico　and　Sonora　would　be
at　once　developed；　bringing　a　vast　district　of　country　into
cultivation　which　now　presents　a　fruitless　waste；　owing　to　Indian
depredations　and　the　absence　of　means　of　communication　and
protection。　Mexico　has　tried　for　a　century　past　to　insure　safety
to　her　inhabitants　in　this　region；　but　notwithstanding　the
expense　she　has　incurred　in　keeping　up　her　garrisons；　she　has
failed　to　afford　them　protection。

〃The　deserted　appearance　of　the　country　from　El　Paso　to　the
Colorado　is　no　criterion　by　which　to　judge　of　its　value。　The
beautiful　valley　of　San　Xavier；　or　Santa　Cruz；　some　two　years　ago
when　I　passed　through　it；　was　entirely　deserted。　The　once
thriving　towns　of　Tumacacori　and　Tubac　had　not　the　sign　of　a
living　soul　about　them　except　the　recent　moccasin　track　of　the
Apaches。　The　orchards　and　vineyards　of　the　once　highly　cultivated
fields　and　gardens　bore　the　marks　of　gradual　decay　and
destruction。　The　ranchos　of　Calabazas；　of　San　Bernardino；　and
numerous　other　places　on　this　frontier；　presented　the　same
melancholy　aspect；　the　result　of　the　inability　of　Mexico　to
protect　this　portion　of　territory　from　the　inroads　of　the
savages。　There　are　now　but　a　few　settlements　th