like those of Alamos, they are more friendly and hospitable. The young men are very polite, of genteel address, and display the height of Mexican fashion in their dress. The ladies of Culiacan are justly celebrated for their fine complexions, and graceful forms. They are remarkably fond of music and dancing; the instrument which they prefer is the harp, but several play on the piano-forte and guitar, and they sing well. I remained there six days, well entertained the whole time with a variety of amusements and diversions peculiar to this part of the country.
While I was in Culiacan the rains commenced, on the exact day when they always expect them, viz: the 24th June. In the short space of four days all nature seemed changed, for on leaving Culiacan and proceeding to Cosala, instead of passing through a country without seeing a blade of grass or a leaf on the trees, for days together, every thing was clothed with verdure; grass had shot up from two to three inches high, even on the roads; the trees were throwing forth their leaves and blossoms, and every thing promised a most luxuriant scene.
Cosala is thirty-five leagues from Culiacan, to the South, a little Easterly, and covers nearly as much ground as the latter, but is more interspersed with gardens: it is well built, but not with so much regularity, and contains no more than five thousand souls. In respect to the commerce of the two, there is little difference; both have a very considerable trade.
Cosala is a mining district, and within five leagues of the town there are several good mines, but the principal one is that which belongs to Don Francisco Iriarte, called Nta Feñora de Guadalupe, which contains a vein of gold of considerable breadth. The mine is perfectly dry, at a good elevation from the plain, and might be worked to ten times the present extent; but the owner bears the reputation of being so capricious, that instead of working the mine, he sometimes allows it to lie idle for five or six months, and when at work, never takes out more than four arrobas, (one hundred lbs.) of gold per week. It is said, that he has more than two millions of dollars in gold and silver in his house, but this, from the character of the man, it is impossible to ascertain. He lives very economically, but
