142 Reminiscences of 



reputation these unsettled tracts have had in the 

 estimation of those famihar with the northern mines 

 of Mexico. 



"A single instance of the result of an exploring ex- 

 pedition by some Mexican buscones (searchers) into 

 the regions of Arizona (contiguous to Colorado), in the 

 commencement of the eighteenth century, will illus- 

 trate the wealth of that region. Upon their return 

 they brought most wonderful accounts of richness, and, 

 in proof, 4033 pounds of pure silver, one mass of which 

 alone weighed 108 arrobas, or 2700 pounds, the largest 

 mass of pure silver ever found in the world. The fact 

 is well substantiated by record. The claims of royalty 

 to the King being disputed by the explorers, led to 

 a long and vexatious suit resvdting in a royal decree 

 of Philip v., dated Aranjuez, May 28, 1741, which ter- 

 minated a prosecution by the Royal Fiscal against the 

 discoverers of Arizona, and gives the weights of the 

 balls, sheets, and other pieces of silver discovered 

 {tolas, planchas, y ostras piezas de platd). 



"The decree ends by declaring Arizona to be royal 

 property as a 'Criadera de Plata' (a place in which, 

 by some natural process, silver was created). In con- 

 sequence an end to enterprise in that region occurred 

 and it has remained until this day comparatively un- 

 known and infested by hostile Indians. An attempt 

 to found a colony there to work the mines upon royal 

 account was made, which owing to want of support 

 failed. 



"The following extract from the report to the 

 English Government by H. G. Ward, Charg^ d'Affaires 

 to Mexico for a number of years, may not be uninter- 

 esting in view of the developments of the silver regions 



