SANTA ORUZ. 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. 
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 
narrow limits, barely gains a subsistence, and could 
not 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 
