Activate Javascript or update your browser for the full Digital Library experience.
Previous Page
–
Next Page
OCR
128 AMERICAN CATHOLIC HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Keller, although I cannot recollect in what place of this
apostolical visits. He spoke of one that measured in frontage,
on a straight line, half a league in length, and apparently
nearly as much in depth, the whole divided into square blocks,
each block three and four stories high, though greatly dilapi-
dated in many parts; but in one of the angles there was still
standing a massive structure of greater proportions, likea castle
or palace, five or six stories high.
Of the reservoir, as in the case of the one spoken of above;
the Reverend Father said that it not only lay in front of the
house, but that, before its outlet reached there, it divided up
into many canals through which the water might enter all the
streets, probably for cleansing purposes,when such- was desired,
as is done in Turin and other cities of Europe, and was done
even in Mexico in olden times. This last Casa Grande is per-
haps the same as that of which we spoke before and which lies
on the other side of the river; for those, who have been there,
agree that there are ruins, not merely of a single edifice, but
of a large town.
Between these Casas Grandes, the Pimas, called Gilenos,
inhabit both banks of the river Gila, occupying ranches on
beautiful bottom "land for ten leagues further down, which as
well as some islands are fruitful and suitable for wheat, Indian
corn, etc. So much cotton is raised and so wanting in covet-
- ousness is the husbandman, that, after the crop is gathered in,
more remains in the iields, than is to be had for a harvest here
in Sonora--this upon the authority of a Missionary Father
who saw it with his own eyes in the year I 75 7. Their irrigat-
ing canals, leading from the river and some springs, are well
planned, the Indians undoubtedly having been taught how to
build them by Father Kino and other Missionary Fathers
of the Society of Jesus, in their apostolic visits made from 1694
to 1751. In the latter year the Pimas, who had already been
submissive, rose in rebellion, and by their bad example de-
stroyed the well-founded hope--based on the docility of the
natives-of bringing them into the fold of the Holy Church
through theinstrumentality of the Missionary Fathers, espec-