174 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I02 



when it feels spring coming, it returns to life again, disengages itself 

 from the tree, and flies off ; this strange habit should give the philoso- 

 phers food for speculation. They have also artisans in every specialty, 

 and famous painters. 



491. In the northern part of this diocese, along their frontier with 

 the Indian tribe of the Chichimecas, they gather wild cochineal, very 

 fine when worked up ; there are large cattle, sheep, and hog ranches ; 

 they raise excellent horses and mules. All the country is fertile, and 

 prolific in general and particular. Here are the villages of Upper 

 (Alto) and Lower (Bajo) Apaseo, i league apart; the lower is the 

 seat of administration ; it will contain 200 residents. It has mar- 

 velous fountains of clear and delicious water, which rises up among 

 the rocks and crags of Upper Apaseo, which is the border town 

 against the Chichimeca Indians ; there used to be a good fort there 

 for protection from theuL Among the fountains in these villages 

 of Apaseo there is one of such attractive appearance that it invites 

 one to drink of its sweet and crystal-clear water; but if one is not 

 used to it, it causes fever and ague. In Lower Apaseo there is a 

 Franciscan convent. These two villages belong to the Marques de 

 Villamayor; they have [excellent] vineyards there and all varieties 

 of Spanish fruit and many indigenous. Near Bajo Apaseo runs the 

 Rio de Acambaro, likewise belonging to the Marques ; in it they catch 

 fine savory bagres [a yard in length and over] and many other 

 kinds of fish. At these villages they get two abundant harvests of 

 wheat and corn each year, one in the rainy season and the other by 

 irrigation ; from them they supply many cities and towns in New 

 Galicia, and San Luis de Potosi. 



Chapter XXXI 



Continuing the Description of the Diocese and Provinces of the 

 Kingdom of Alichoacan, and the Town of San Luis de Potosi. 



492. Returning to the King's Highway and going from Mexico 

 City to the town of Queretaro, last in the Archdiocese, at 12 leagues 

 one comes to the village of San Luis de la Paz, and 2 on from there, 

 to Palmar Real de Minas, an Alcaldia Mayor. From there it is 18 

 leagues to the town of San Luis de Potosi, leaving to the left 

 Michoacan and many Indian villages and Spanish settlements, which 

 I cannot enumerate [although I shall describe as much as I can 

 briefly, of this diocese.] 



493. The town and silver mines of San Luis de Potosi lie in a plain 

 in the midst of fine scenery and with fountains of excellent water ; 



