The Natives, though subtile, are lazy, and will not work, unless for great Rewards. They wear Cotton Shirts, square Cloaks of the same Stuff, made fast with two Buttons on their Breasts; Drawers, and soal’d Shoes: Flag-Matts serve them for Beds, on which they lie under Cotton Clothes: About their Necks, Arms, and Legs, they wear green Stones, and Snale Shells for an Ornament. Their greatest Recreation is Dancing, their Musick being nothing else but the noise or sound of a piece of hollow Wood. Horse-flesh, and Bread made of Maiz, is by them accounted a great Dainty. The Drink Cacao is also highly esteem’d amongst them; but much more the Wine that they make of Maquey, which is the wonderful Tree that affords many necessary things, viz. Syrrup, Honey, Oyl, Vinegar, Yarn, Needles, Water, and Wine; every Man making it his Business to plant and preserve the same with great care near his House, notwithstanding they grow in several places of the Fields; they have broad thick Leaves with sharp ends, out of which is drawn a Thorn, which serves them for a Needle or Pin. These Leaves have a hairy Filament about them, which serves in stead of Thred: the young Sprout being cut, produces a sweet Juice, which boyl’d, makes good Wine; when grown sowre, serves for Vinegar; but being twice boyl’d, becomes a Syrrup; and being hung over the Fire a third time, a perfect Honey: Also the Wood being spungie, keeps Fire as well as Match. Moreover, the Inhabitants when they travel, carry Leather Bags with them full of Cacao, Maiz, and Pepper, mix’d together.
Over each Village in this Countrey the Spaniards have plac’d an Indian Casique, Alcalde, and Alguazil, where all sorts of Provisions are sold at a Set-price.
The Casiques are succeeded by their Heirs, who resent nothing worse than Affronts, and take pride in nothing more than their Valour.
The Moors or Negro’s which are brought hither from Guinee, do all manner of hard Labour.
The Guachichiles and Guamares area valiant People, and have each their peculiar Language, utterly different from the Mexican.
Division of Nova Gallicia.
This Countrey comprehends these inferior Provinces: 1. Guadalajara; 2. Xalisco; 3. Chiametta; 4. Couliacan; 5. Cinoloa; all of them on the Western Shore. 6. Zacatecas, to which some add Nova Biscaia and Nova Mexico, though others treat of them as distinct Countreys apart from the rest.
Sect. II.
Guadalajara.
Bounds of Guadalajara.
Guadalajara is bounded on the West, with Xalisco; on the South and South-West, with New Spain; and on the North, with Zacatecas. It is a Countrey exceeding pleasant, and rich in all kind of Commodities, but especially in its Mines of Silver. It is well water’d with the River Barania, which runneth through the midst of it, and with divers other Streams: yielding abundantly both Wheat, Maiz, and some other Grain. In a word, there is nothing said of the properties of New Gallicia in general, either for Soil, Climate, or People, but is peculiarly verifi’d of this Province.