MINT MINES PRINCIPAL TOWNS CHIHUAHUA. 337 



$164,744, since which its issue has sensibly decreased. The best 

 copper mines at present known, are those of Santa Rita, near the 

 union of the Rio Florida with the Rio Conchas. Veins of iron, cin- 

 nabar, lead, sulphur, coal, and nitre have been found and explored ; 

 but owing to the disturbed and insecure condition of the State, are 

 altogether abandoned. 



The chief mining districts and mineral deposits are at Allende or 

 San Bartolome; Santa Barbara ; Chihuahua; Cosihuiriachi ; Santa 

 Eulalia ; Jesus Maria ; Loreto ; Moris ; Mulatos ; Minas Nuevas ; 

 Parral ; San Pedro ; El Refugio ; Santa Rita ; Sierra Rica ; Bato- 

 pilas ; Urique y Ximenes, or as it is at present called, Guajuquilla. 

 A considerable portion of the product of these mines may have been 

 extracted from the Mexican Republic, before they were coined, by 

 the inland trade with the United States, which has been carried on 

 extensively for many years. The gold dust, especially, both of 

 Chihuahua and New Mexico, has formed the principal return for 

 American merchandize ; and thus the diminution of the Chihuahuan 

 coinage may be partially accounted for. Nevertheless we are in- 

 formed by the best authorities, as well as by the statistics of the 

 mint, that the mines of this State have been negligently wrought for 

 some years past by the unsettled inhabitants of the frontier. 



The chief towns in the State are the capital, Chihuahua, situated 

 4,640 feet above the level of the sea, in 28° 38' north latitude and 

 106° 3C west longitude from Greenwich, containing a population 

 of from 12,000 to 15,000. It lies in a beautiful valley opening to- 

 wards the north, and hemmed in, on the other sides, by the arms of 

 the Sierra Madre. The city is regularly built, on wide, clean 

 streets, with many handsome and convenient houses, plentifully 

 supplied with water, which is brought to the town by an aqueduct 

 extending 6,533 varas. The plaza, or public square, is quite impo- 

 sing. Its spacious area is adorned with a fountain and walks, 

 with benches and pillars of white porphyry. Three sides of this 

 square are occupied with public edifices and stores, while on the 

 fourth is the cathedral. 



The other towns are San Pedro de Batopilas, a mining post on 

 the western slope of the Cordillera, in a deep dell ; — San Jose del 

 Parral, at the eastern foot of the Sierra Madre on the southern limit 

 of Chihuahua, about eighty leagues east of Batopilas, containing 

 about 5,000 inhabitants ; Valle de San Bartolome, on the road from 

 Chihuahua to Durango ; Allende, with 11,000 inhabitants; Santa 

 Rosa de Cosihuiriachi, with 3,000 ; and various other villages and 

 Presidios of lesser note. 



