SANTA CRUZ. 295 
July 17th. Sent the wagons up to the town; but 
only one man was found who professed to be a black- 
smith, and could work upon them. Sent four of my 
men up to assist; but altogether they made little pro- 
gress, for the want of tools. e 
Tucson is the most northern town in Mexico, and 
a very old place. It is found on the oldest maps, and 
is referred to by the early missionaries. It has always 
been, and is to this day, a presidio or garrison ; but for 
which the place could not be sustained. In its best — 
days it boasted a population of a thousand souls, now 
diminished to about one third that number. It stands 
on the plateau adjoining the fertile valley watered by 
the Santa Cruz River, a small stream which rises ten 
miles north-east of the town of Santa Cruz, whence it 
flows south to that place. It then takes a westerly 
direction for about ten miles, after which it flows 
northward through Tubac and Tucson, and soon be- 
comes lost in the desert. The lands: near Tucson are 
very rich, and were once extensively cultivated; but 
the encroachments of the Apaches compelled the peo- 
ple to abandon their ranchos and seek safety within 
the town. The"miserable population, confined to such 
harrow limits, barely gains a subsistence, and could — 
hot exist a year but for the protection from the — 
troops. More than once the town has been invested 
_by from one to two thousand Indians, and attempts 
made to take it, but thus far without success. These 
Apaches have become reduced quite as much as the - 
Mexicans; so that two hundred warriors are about the 
largest force they can now collect. 
In addition to the river alluded to, there are some 
