DEPBEDATIONS. 187 



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procIuctiYe mines, wliile the jiopiilation increased witli great 

 rapidity. But as the power of Spain declined, and the central 

 government at the city of Mexico degenerated into a chaos of 

 contending factions, the troops which garrisoned these frontier 

 stations were gradually withdi-a^^ii ; the grand military system, 

 which had so effectually done its work, was allowed to fall 

 into decay, and most of the presidios were relinq[uished 

 altogether. 



The Apaches were not long in discovering the weakness of 



i 



their wealthy neighbours, and year by j 



their 



stock 



At fii-s 

 enemy 



and, although probably but a small proportion of the vast 

 herds which formerly occupied the rich grazing regions of 

 Korth-eastern Sonora and ISTorthcru Chihuahua were really 

 carried off by the red men, the rancheros had to fly for 

 then- lives, and leave their cattle to theii- Me. Tliis accounts 

 for the herds of wild cattle and horses wliich are still to be 

 foimd in those districts. Then the miners began to be 

 molested, their stock, chiefly mules, cbiven off, and they them- 

 selves so terrified that they could not be induced to remain, 

 ^""hen the country districts were cleared, the little tovms next 

 formed the chief objects for attack. The Apaches woidd lie 



concealed for 



moment 



for captiu-ing the cattle and plundering the place. The 

 people at last became so temfied, that if they heard of a band 

 of Apaches fifty miles off, they very frequently left every- 

 thing and fled. Against such an enemy they were almost 



powerless, far ihc mmiTifnin fnstnesses from which he 



came 



the north, and anything ai^proachin, 



%ht was always avoided by 



This state of things, in fine, going on year after year, has 



