Page 84 - Early Naturalists of the Black Range

At page 34-37 of the link above Bennett begins his description of crossing the Black Range from the Rio Grande and visiting the Copper Mine at Santa Rita (starting on February 18, 1851). See book images below and on the following pages.
“Mezcal, or aguardiente, is a spirituous liquor of great strength, much more so than our strongest whiskey. It is obtained from the bulb or root of the maguay or Agave mexicana, and is the common alcoholic drink throughout the country. The process of making this liquor is as follows: A hole is first dug some ten or twelve feet in diameter, and about three deep, and is lined with stones. Upon this a fire is built and kept up until the stones are thoroughly heated. A layer of moist grass is then thrown upon the stones, and on this are piled the bulbs of the maguay, which vary in size, from one’s head to a half bushel measure, resembling huge onions. These are covered with a thicker layer of grass; and the whole is allowed to remain until they are thoroughly baked. They are then removed to large leathern bags, and water is poured on them to produce fermentation. At the end of a week the bags are emptied of the maguay and its liquor, which, after undergoing the process of distillation, is ready for use.
But the mescal is the least important of the uses to which the maguay is applied...(other drinks)...From the fibres of its massive leaves, which grow to five or six feet in length, and two inches in thickness, is spun a stout thread, which is again doubled, and twisted into ropes. Next, a heavy bagging is made of it, similar to that in which our coffee comes to market. Again, the more delicate leaves are rolled up into balls, and these, on being pounded, form a lather which answers the purpose of soap...used as thatch...eaten by cattle...But there is yet another use to which it is applied, vis., as an article of food. For this purpose the bulbs or roots are baked in the ashes, or in the same manner as for making aguardiente, and the outer skin stripped off. It is then sweet, and rather pleasant to the taste, and is extensively used by the Indians on the Gila...”. (Bartlett’s Personal Narrative, p. 290-91 - June 8, 1851.)
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