284- 





« 



Divifion of 

 Nova GaUi- 



a M E %I C A. Chap. VI. 



ful Tree that affords many neceflary things, vi%. Syrrup, Honey, Oyl, Vinegar, 

 Yarn, Needles, Water, and Wine j every Man making it his Bufinefs to plant and 

 preferve the fame with great care near his Houfe, notwithstanding they grow in 

 feveral places of the Fields ; they have broad thick Leaves with (harp ends, out of 

 which is drawn a Thorn, which ferves them for a Needle or Pin. Thefe Leaves 

 have a hairy Filament about them, which ferves in ftead of Thred : the young 

 Sprout being cut, produces a fweet Juice, which boyl'd,makes good Wine } when 

 grown fowre, ferves for Vinegar 5 but being twice boyl'd, becomes a Syrrup . and 

 being hung over the Fire a third time, a perfect Honey : Alfo the Wood being 

 fpungie,keeps Fire as well as Match. Moreover, the Inhabitants when they travel, 

 carry Leather Bags with them full of Qacao, Mai^ and Pepper, mix'd together. 



Over each Village in this Countrey the Spaniards have plac'd an Indian Qafique, 

 Alcalde, and Jlgua^il, where all forts of ProviHons arc fold at a Set-price. 



The Cafiaues are fucceeded by their Heirs, who refent nothing worfe than Af- 

 fronts, and take pride in nothing more than their Valour. 



The Moors or Negro's which are brought hither from Guinee, do all manner of 

 hard Labour. 



The Guacbicbiles and Guamares area valiant People, and have each their peculiar 

 Language, utterly different from the Mexican. 



This Countrey comprehends thefe inferior Provinces : 1. Guadalajara ; z* Xa- 

 lifco- y ^. Qbiametta . 4. Couliacan - y 5. CinoAoa ; all of them on the Weftern Shore . 

 6. Zacatecas, to which fomc add Nova Bifcaia and ]>{pVa Mexico, though others treat 

 of them as diftinct Countreys apart from the reft. 



Sect. II. 



Bounds of 

 Guadalajara. 



Towns and 

 Cities. 



G 



Guadalajara. 



Uadalajara is bounded on the Weft, with Xalifco ; on the South and South- 

 Weft, with NeTb Spain ; and on the North, with Zacatec as. It is a Coun- 

 trey exceeding pleafant, and rich in all kind of Commodities, but efpeci« 

 ally in its Mines of Silver. It is well water'd with the River Barania, which run- 

 neth through the midft of it, and with divers other Streams : yielding abundantly 

 both Wheat, Mai^> and fome other Grain. In a word, there is nothing faid of the 

 properties o(l>{ew Gallicia in general, either for Soil, Climate, or People, but is pe- 

 culiarly verifi'd of this Province. 



The chief Towns are 1. Guadalajara, which gives Name to the whole Province. 

 It is feated on the Banks of the River Barania, in a mod delegable and fweet Air, 

 and a rich Soil, by advantage whereof it is become the Metropolis of New Gallicia, 

 honoured with an Epifcopal See, which was tranflated thither from (ompojlella in 

 the Year 1570. with the Courts of Judicature, and the Refidence of the King's 

 Treafurers for that Province. This City was built on the Plain Molino, by lS{unne^ 

 de Guzman, in the Year 15 31. The neighboring Mountains afford ftore of Timber. 

 All manner ofSpaniJh Plants grow here likewife in great plenty. In the City is a 

 Cathedral, feveral Cloyfters, inhabited by Juguftine and Francifcan Monks. The 

 Bifhop of this City belongs to the Arch.bifliop of Mexico. The Air very tempe- 

 rate, neither molefting the Inhabitants with too great Cold, nor excefs of Heat. 



2. St, Maria de los Lagos, a Town thirty Leagues Eaftward of Guadalajara, being 

 a Fronteer Place, and built on purpofe to fecure the Countrey againft the Chide- 

 mcc<z, which are a barbarous and unredue'd People of the North-Eaft parts of this 



Countrey, 



