The Curas have to do the whole duty without any assistance, to attend three or four chapels, to perform mass, and baptise, to confess the sick and bury the dead. The severity of this duty is the more felt, because they know how many are living in large cities rolling in wealth, without occupation. The Curas of Sonora are in general plain, well educated, sensible men, very lively and sociable, and except when in the performance of their duty, dressed like rancheros, or other citizens. They join in all the little diversions of society, and from what I could observe, and hear, they take the greatest care of their flocks, and are much looked up to by every class of people.
I left the North of Sonora on the 8th of May, 1826, with sincere regret, after having spent three months there, which I shall ever consider as the most agreeable part of my life. The route to the capital. El Fuerte, is nearly due south from Oposura; it lies through a country of little interest, the road winding continually through deep glens between ridges of mountains of a secondary class. On the way there are many towns and villages, besides numerous estates and farms. The principal towns are Tepache, Batuca, Onabas, Mobas, and Los Alamos. The rivers which cross this road are the Oposura, Yaqui, Chioc, and Mayo. The inhabitants are courteous, and hospitable to strangers. The distance is one hundred and twenty leagues. Alamos is a very fine town, between the rivers Mayo and El Fuerte, about sixteen leagues from the mouth of the latter, and thirty leagues from the former, the whole of which is a plain. It contains some celebrated mines, worked to a considerable extent, and with great skill and regularity. They belong to many different proprietors, being mostly divided into small shares; but the principal miners are the family of Almados, four brothers, who have amassed great wealth, and are said to possess at least half a million each. The eldest, Jose Maria, has in his house upwards of five hundred bars of silver. The mines of Alamos are much of the same description as those of Catorce, with veins of from six to eight varas in breadth, and ores of from fourteen to thirty marcs of silver per monton, which are generally reduced by amalgamation. The mines and reduction-works lie nearly five leagues to the north of the town.
