The Rio Nassas [Nasas] is in part the line between Biscay and Cogquilla; it runs north and sinks in the lake du Cayman [Laguna del Muerto]; it is nearly dry in the dry seasons, but at some seasons it is impassable.
Lakes. Lac du Cayman and lac du Parras are two small lakes situated at the foot of the mountains [in the Bolson de Mapimi], and are full of fish.
Animals, Insects, etc. There are some few bears, deer, and wild horses, but they are not in abundance. The scorpions of Durango are one of the most remarkable instances of the physical effects of climate or air that I ever saw recorded. They come out of the walls and crevices in May, and continue about a fortnight in such numbers that the inhabitants never walk in their houses after dark without a light, and always shift or examine the bed-clothes and beat the curtains previous to going to bed; after which the curtains are secured under the bed, similar to the precautions we take with our mosquito curtains. The bite of those scorpions has been known to prove mortal in two hours. The most extraordinary circumstance is that by taking them 10 leagues from Durango they become perfectly harmless and lose all their venomous qualities. Query: Does it arise from a change of air, sustenance, or what other cause?[IV'-34]
Population and Chief Towns. The population of Biscay may be estimated at 200,000: of these three-twentieths may be Spaniards from Europe, five-twentieths Creoles, five-twentieths Metifs and Quatroons, and seven-twentieths Indians. Durango [or Guadiana] was founded in 1550. It is the principal city, the seat of government for the province of Biscay and of the bishopric of Durango. Its population may be estimated at 40,000 souls. It is situated in lat. 25° N. and long. 107° W.
Pallalein, situated somewhere at the foot of the Sierra Madria [Madre], is supposed to contain 25,000 souls.
Chihuahua,[IV'-35] the place of residence of the commandant-general of the internal provinces, was founded in 1691; it is situated in lat. 29° N., long. 107° 30´ W. Its population may be estimated at 7,000. It is an oblong square, on the east side of a small stream which discharges into the river Conchos. On its south extremity is a small but elegant church. In the public square stands the principal church, royal treasury, town-house, and the richest shops. At the western extremity is another church for the military, a superb hospital belonging formerly to the Jesuits' possessions, the church of the monks of St. Francis, St. Domingo, the military academy, and quartel del tropa. On the northwest were two or three missions, very handsomely situated on a small stream which comes in from the west. About one mile to the south of the town is a large aqueduct which conveys the water round it, to the east, into the main stream below the town, in the center of which is raised a reservoir for the water, whence it is to be conducted by pipes to the different parts of the city, and in the public square is to be a fountain and jet d'eau, which will be both ornamental and useful. The principal church at Chihuahua was the most superb building we saw in New Spain. Its whole front was covered with statues of the apostles and the different saints, set in niches of the wall, and the windows, doors, etc., were ornamented with sculpture. I never was within the doors, but was informed by Robinson that the decorations were immensely rich. Some men, whom we supposed entitled to credit, informed us that the church was built by a tax of 12½ cents laid on each ingot of gold or silver taken out of the mines in the vicinity in [blank] years. Its cost, with decorations, was $1,500,000, and when it was finished there remained $300,000 of the fund unappropriated. At the south side of Chihuahua is the public walk, formed by three rows of trees whose branches nearly entwine over the heads of the passengers below. At different distances there are seats for persons to repose on. At each end of the walks there were circular seats, on which, in the evening, the company collected and amused themselves with the guitar, and songs in Spanish, Italian, and French, adapted to the voluptuous manners of the country. In this city, as well as all others of any consideration, there are patrols of soldiers during the night, who stop every person at nine o'clock and examine them. My countersign was "Americans."
Trade, Commerce, and Manufactures. Biscay trades with North Mexico, Senora, and the viceroyalty, from the latter of which places they bring on mules all their dry goods, European furniture, books, ammunition, etc. They furnish a great quantity of horses, mules, sheep, beeves, and goats, to the parts of the kingdom which are more populous and have less spare ground for pasturage, etc. Some persons make large fortunes by being carriers from Mexico to Chihuahua, the freight being $8 per cwt., and they generally putting 300 pounds on each mule. The merchants make their remittances twice a year in bullion. Goods sell at Chihuahua at about 200 per cent, on the prices of our Atlantic seaport towns. Their horses average at $6, but some have sold as high as $100; their trained mules at $20, but extraordinary matches for carriages have sold at $400 per pair. Rice sells at $4 per cwt. They manufacture some few arms, blankets, stamped leather, embroidery, coarse cotton and woolen cloths, and a species of rough carpeting. Their blankets average $2, but some sell as high as $25.
Agriculture. They cultivate wheat, corn, rice, oats, cotton, flax, indigo, and vines. What I have said relative to the cultivation of those articles in New Mexico will equally apply to this province; but it may be proper to observe here that one of Nolan's men constructed the first cotton-gin they ever had in the province, and that Walker had caused a few churns to be made for some private families, and taught them the use of them.
Timber, Plains, and Soil. To the north of Chihuahua, about 30 miles to the right of the main road, there is some pine timber; at a spring on this side of Carracal [Carrizal] we saw one walnut tree, and on all the small streams there are shrubby cotton trees. With these few exceptions the whole province is a naked, barren plain, which presents to the eye an arid, unproductive soil, more especially in the neighborhood of mines; even the herbage appears to be poisoned by the mineral qualities of the soil.