WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA 177 



500. In the southern part of this diocese, along the seacoast, are 

 the Provinces of Zacatula and Colima. The town of Zacatula, which 

 lies in full i8° N., was founded by Juan Rodriguez de Villafuerte 

 and Ximon de Cuenca, both captains under the Marques del Valle, 

 Don Fernando Cortes, in the year 1523. It is on the Pacific coast 

 within the limits of New Galicia, 50 leagues from Michoacan, which 

 had been settled first by Capt. Gonzalo de Sandoval at the end of the 

 year 1522. This is hot country, rich in gold and silver mines, and 

 with large plantations or milpas of cacao, cassia, and other medicinal 

 fruits and roots ; it abounds in everything necessary for human life. 

 In this district they have large cattle, mule, and horse ranches ; they 

 gather quantities of corn, cotton, and cochineal. All the Indians in 

 this region are intelligent, and good Christians. 



501. In the district of this diocese there are 113 Indian villages, 

 49 of them county seats (cabeceras de partidos), and since they are 

 well administered the communities maintain hospitals for the care 

 of indigent sick Indians, where they provide them with every care 

 and luxury. The country is fertile and prolific ; they have many 

 medicinal herbs, roots, and fruits ; they raise goats and swine, both 

 native wild swine and domestic ; they have hares, rabbits, tigers, 

 lions, deer, and many other kinds of animals. 



502. Along the Pacific coast the district of this diocese runs 80 

 leagues, including the Provinces of Zacatula and Colima and other 

 settlements as far as the port of La Navidad, in 19° N., which is the 

 boundary town with the Kingdom of New Galicia. It was given 

 that name by Francisco Vazquez de Coronado, former Governor of 

 that kingdom, a native of Salamanca, and ancestor of the Marqueses 

 de Villamayor, because his forebears had had their original home 

 in the Kingdom of Galicia in Spain ; they were lords of the castle 

 of Coronado after entering Spain from France ; they were legitimate 

 descendants of the kings of France. The boundary of this diocese 

 runs over 60 leagues inland, and on the N. there are extensive 

 provinces of heathen to be converted to the Faith ; the closest are 

 the savage Chichimecas. This diocese lies between the Archdiocese 

 of Mexico on the E. and the Diocese of New Galicia on the W. 



503. In the district of this Diocese of Michoacan there are many 

 silver-mining towns, in which the Viceroy appoints 24 judicial officers : 

 14 are Alcaldes Mayores, in Zacatula, the mines of Sinagua, Guaco- 

 manmotines, the mines of Guanajuato, those of Guadalcazar, San 

 Luis de Potosi (which is now under His Majesty's jurisdiction), 

 the mines of Suchil, those of Tlalpujahua, the city of Valladolid, the 

 town of Colima, the town of La Concepcion de Celaya, the town of 



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