Chap. XL STATE OF CHIHUAHUA. 361 
CHAPTEE XL 
Western Region of the State of Chihuahua — Jesus Dominguez — " Novedades " 
— Canada del Fresno — Different Character of Vegetation — Plastic Beauty 
of Mexican Scenery — Santa Ysabel — Mexican Country People — Hospi- 
tality and Simplicity of Manners — Romance in North Mexican Life — 
The Table-Land — The Bufa de Cosihuiriachic and the Sierra Madre — 
Orological Remarks — Pass and Valley of Coyachic — Lakes on the Table- 
Land — The Laguna de Castilla and its Environs — Valley of the Rio de 
Papigochic and Watershed to the Pacific Ocean ■ — Villa de la Concepcion 
and other Places in the Valley — Statistics of the Mines of Jesus Maria — 
The Tarumare Indians and their Customs — Cretaceous Formation in the 
Sierra Madre — Diminution and Restoration of the Mexican Population — 
Episodes of Mexican Life — A Robber Chief — A Mexican Free-thinker — 
Unnecessary Excitement — Return to Chihuahua. 
In the beginning of February a most welcome opportunity 
arose for me to visit the almost unknown regions in the 
extreme west of the State of Chihuahua. A merchant of 
the town, whom I have already mentioned as Don Guil- 
lermo, had to seek the payment of some old debts in that 
distant region, and invited me to accompany him upon his 
journey. The request was not quite devoid of self-interest, 
for the journey was dangerous, and a trustworthy com- 
panion desirable. Not only did the road pass through the 
most notorious haunts of the Apaches, but through dis- 
tricts rendered unsafe by other bands of robbers. Where, 
in Mexico, the Indians cease, more civilized robbers begin, 
and some places are exposed to the plundering attacks of 
both. Don Guillernio's purpose of collecting money was 
especially adapted to draw upon us the attention of some 
cavaliers of an older fashion, who were in the habit of 
performing their heroic deeds in the neighbourhood of the 
