of the royal presidio of the capital villa of SCanJta Fee, make this log for the information and knowledge of the transit which I

Transcription

1 61 In the name of God Al~ghty, and of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, My Lady of the Rosary and conqueror of the ki~gdom and province of New Mexico, conceived in grace, amen. I, Corporal Josep Mares, ymbalido of the royal presidio of the capital villa of SCanJta Fee, make this log for the information and knowledge of the transit which I am beginning toward the presidio of SCaJn Antt[oniJo de Bexar, today, the 31st, the last day of the month of July of the present year of seventeen hundred e.ighty-seven It I am placi~g in the margin my estimate of the leagues traveled each day. The aforesaid presidio of SCanJta Fee having solemnified the celebration of the exaltation of the Holy Cross, with the device,. guidance, and company of this royal standard, I set out on the afore-mentioned day, month., and year from the presidio of SCanJta Fee, headi~g between east and south [until] I arrived at the town of Pecos. Estimate of leagues I left Pecos on August 1, headi~g south, and rested at 6 the ford of the Pecos River. I set out.again at 3 [0'clock], leaving the river on my right as it ran south. Traveling eastward, I stopped to sleep at the little canyon of Bernal, near 8 some very little springs with some small clumps of reeds. From there, I left on the second, heading between east and south, and spent the night at the R10 de las Gallinas, below the last 7 cottonwood treeso From there, on the 3rd, ~ headed straight

2 62 south, entering into some high mesas. The land is reddish and so are the rocks. I took my siesta at an arroyo with cottonwoods, which flows to the west. Its water is not permanent. 7 I called it Nombre de Dios. From there, I headed east, and spent the night at an arroyo next to a mesa and forest. [There 13 wasj much water, but ConlyJ rainwater. From there, on the 4th, I traveled east, following a chain of high mesas which I kept on my right and to the south. I gave it the name Santa Cruz. I left Santa Cruz on the 5th, heading east. After a short distance, I turned south, still skirting the aforesaid mesas. I spent the ~ight at another arroyo with cottonwoods and flowi~g water. When I asked the Cumanches if Cthe water] was permanent, they said no. It has many cottonwood trees. I named it Mi SCenorJa de la Luz. From here I left at 3 [o'clock], headi~g east, and spent the night at another arroyo with water 16 which was not per~anente I named it SCaJn Christoval. From here I set out on the 5th [sic]o I took my siesta at another 57 Il lv arroyo with cottonwood trees and water, tho~gh not perma- 57 nent [waterj. CI was] s~ill following the mesas, which are a familiar guide. On this day, heading' eas~, I met two Cumanches who told me that they were returni~g from war [and that Cota de] Maya had killed five'apaches and captured 30. I named [the place] 5 Mi SCenorJa del Rosario. I left Mi SCenorJa del Rosario on the 6th, headi~g east, and, continued to skirt the chain of mesas. I stopped to sleep at some spri~gs, Cwhich] I called Mi SCenorJa 4 del Transito, because it was there that I crossed the mesa. I

3 63 set out south on the 7th, now leaving the chain of mesas and crossing a plain. I traveled very rapidly on this day, across a very large plain that has no other landmark than an arroyo with two little. groves of Chinese [i.e., chinaberry?j trees. Its bluffs are white and it runs to the east. Below this arroyo, there is a very la!ge pond. I took my siesta at 5 [anotherj, which I named SCeffJor SCa]n Mig[ueJI. From here, I set out to the south at 3 [o'clockj, traveling rapidlye I came upon a valley with two water holes, chinaberry [?J trees, and a trail, which I took to the east. I stopped to sleep at eight in the evening at the source of the 10 R:lo Blanco. I set out on the 7th [sic] from the headwaters, headi~g east along the river. I took my siesta at the river, which is 4 permanent. From here, I set out south at three [o'clock] across a large plain with. no ~ore landmarks than a pond. At [the hour of] vespers, I entered an arroyo with mu~h water and a regular trail. I followed the trail until eight [o'clockj in the eve- 5 ning. I slept here and named [the place] Arroyo del Slbolo. On the 8th, I very la!ge plainso set out south from the S1bolo across some.i traveled hard from sunup until one [o'clock] in the afternoon. I took my siesta at the Rlo del Tule, which 11 is permanent and has cottonwoods and many reeds. I left the R10 del Tule at 3 [o'clock] in the afternoon, headi~g east. I I spent t~e ~ight on a plain with no water and

4 64 7 no lan.dmarks. I named it SCaJn Ge.ronimo. I set out to the southeast from SCaJn Geronimo on the 9th, across the same plain. I came to the edge of some very rugged mesas. Down their sides QeWB-~ae~p-e~aeeruns a trail, and I descended it. There are many trees, and there are two rivers below. The first I named R10 del SCenoJr SEaJn JeoseJph, and the other, Sangre de Christo. The trees of these mesas are 6 junipers. 104 I set out from Sangre de Christo at three [o'clockj in the afternoon, heading II southeast. I spent the night at a ~ancheria located at another arroyo with cottonwoods and perma- 5 nent [waterj. Here I found Chief Soquinatya, Chief Taraquipe, Anaganis, and Chief Sogaieso I named Cthe placej SCaJn Juan J f Bauthista~ I left S[aJn Juan Bauth[isJta on the tenth, heading east, skirting the same arroyo through mesquite groves..,. After a short time, I crossed another arroyo with permanent water~ I followed i.t until I stopped [for the night] 0 It h.as many cottonwoods, 5 and I named it SCanJta Rosa. I left 8CanJta Rosa on the 11th;' heading east, over a plateau, broken on the south by many gullies and ~anyons, with juniper trees, which they call tascau. I came to another arroyo with water and many cottonwoodso Here I found two rancherias and visited the dwelli~g of Chief Nocay~ I named [the place] 4 Mi SCenorJa de Guadalupe. I set out from Guadalupe on the 12th of the current [monthj,

5 65 headi~g eastward across a plain with forests only on its northern side. I went with [the people ofj the two rancherias with wh.om I had joined. I stopped to sleep at an arroyo with willow trees and permanent watero. I called it Mi S[enorJa, de los 5 Dolores. I left Mi SCenorJa de los Dolores on the 15th, heading east. I slept in a valley with much permanent water and many willows. 6 I named it SCa]n Fran[ci s]co. There are many catfish. I set out from SCa]n Fran[cisJco on the 18th, traveli.ng eastward across a plain and leavi~g said arroyo on the right. I~ slept at another arroyo with water that was not permanent. There are many trees of wh.ite wood, and I named it the Arroyo 4 de Is, Mula. To the north there are some small red gullies. On the 20th, I set out east from the Arroyo de. la Mula. I crossed a plain, keepi~g the Arroyo de la Mula in sight on the left, until Ihalted at the same arroyo. [It had] much permanent water, many groves of different trees, cottonwoods, 6 and some mesquite, groves. I named Cthe place] SCaJn Bartholo. I headed east from SCaJn Bartholo on the 22nd, following the same river, which I crossed as soon as I set outo I left the river to the left and to the south, and traversed the crest of a plain, keepi~g the river in s~ght. I halted at the same river, whose water is muddy red, and where there are many trees. Here I joined two other rancherias, because we came t.ogether at the same placeo [There were] two chiefs, one [of them] Tociniquinta, and the other named Ychape. I called [the placej

6 66 6 La RancherJ:a. I left La Rancher1a on the twenty-third, following the same river eastward along the heights. There are mesquite groves 145 [herej. I crossed the river and then halted on the south bank. The river is narrowly channeled, //2v th~ water is very red, and 145 there is much forest. I named it the R!o de S[aJn Marcos, with 4 all the rancherias. On the twenty-seventh, I left the R10 de SCaJn Marcos, heading south across a plain. After traveling a short while, I crossed an arroyo with thick woods. I stopped to sleep near some marshes and trees. I called it the Paraje del Cavallo 3 Pinto. On the 28th, I set out southeast from the Cavallo Pinto. I crossed many arroyos, all of them heavily wooded. I stopped to sleep at the Rio de los Taguayazes. Its waters are very red 6 and muddy and flow to the east. I set out from the R10 de los T~guayazes on the 30th, heading southeast across a plain with, isolated clumps of mesquite. I stopped to sleep in a valley and arroyo with many trees and three cottonwoods. It is called La Canada and flows eastward. The terrain is flat, as in other places. There are no bad surfaces; 5 all are level. I was halted here on the last day of Augusto On the 3rd of this [month, of Septembe'rJ, I went in toward th,e T,aguayaze's, headi!1g eastward over a plain. I came to a lake in an arroyo, where a creek is formed', with' many trees. I slept on th,e near bank, because [th~ arroyoj was swollen with the heavy 6 rains 0 I named it La Laguna del Tuleo

7 67 On the 4th, I set out to the east across another plain, but still following the river, which I kept on my left. I stopped to sleep at another arroyo which was also swollen [with rain] and had many trees, especially oaks. I called it El 6 Enzinal. On the 6th, I crossed the arroyo, heading east. After a short distance, I took a trail, still followi?g the river, which by now had run into the arroyo, until I arrived 'among the Taguayaces. I was well received and visited their three villages. The first has 23 10,dges, another has 40, and the other, which is across the river, has 27. I was'accompanied by all the rancherias of Cumanches, who went to the fair, leaving the rest of the people at the Canada Seca. I, returned thro~gh this same 8 place. On the 9th, I left Canada Seca, h,eadi,ng south across a plain with some mesquite. Where I finally halted was a high point [between] two very small mesas, near some temporary springs which, are to the north. [The place] is called El Comercio de los Franzeses, because there these Frenchmen traded some goods with the Cumanches, and [the Frenchmen] were amo~g the Taguayazes 3 when I arrived there. On the 10th, I left El Comercio de los Franzeses, heading south across a plain with some very isolated clumps of mesquite, 186 and leaving some gullies and folds to the lefto We stopped to 186 sleep at some springs //3 in a gorge. There were some chinaberry 7 C?J trees and a good terrain. I named [the placej S[aJn Diego.

8 68 On the 11th, we set out from SCa]n Di,ego alo~g the crest of a ri~ge. We stopped to sleep at a rancho of the same Cumanches which, is [inj a valley with many trees. I called it the Canada 6 de los Simarrones. Its water is permanent. On the 12th., we left the Canada de los Simarrones, heading west over the crest of a ri,dge. After a Iittle while, two of the rancherias left us, and we continued with the other two to 5 the Ri:,o del Brazo. de Dios [Brazos River], which is permanent. On the 13th, I set out from the Brazo de Dios across a plain, without encounteri~g any valleys. I headed southwest and in the middle of the plain, I turned south. I stopped at a valley and small arroyo'with water holes. I called it the 8 Canada de SCaJn Julian. It is permanent. On the 14th, heading south, I left SCa]n Julian, through woods with. some clearings. I stopped to sleep at another valley 5 with temporary water holes. I named it Mi SCenorJa del Pilar. On the 17th., I headed south from Mi SCenorJa del Pilar thro:ugh a cleari.ng in the woods', until I came to a valley with many trees and some red arroyos. Their water is not permanent. 7 I called [the area] the Canada del Indio Triste~ On the 18th, I left the Canada del Indio Triste, heading west over an elevation in some sparse woods. Half a league further on, I turned north in order to avoid a valley with many ravines, and after arl9ther half-quarter [i.e., eighth] of a le~gue, I.again changed direction ~o the south. I stopped to sleep above some small reddish, go,rges, which I named the Paraje

9 69 9 [de] Buena Vista. On the 20th, heading south, I set out from the Paraje de Buena Vista through a thick wood. That day I traveled over many arroyos and through many woods.' All these arroyos have water. I stopped to sleep in a valley with ample water Cand] 8 a lovely terrain, which I named Santiago. On the 21st, I headed south from the Canada de S[enJor S[a]n Tiago, through a thick wood with very good terrain. Only the woods caused fatigue. SCaJn Raphael y Pedernal. I stopped to sleep at the R10 de The river has much forest and woods 9 and a very bad terrain. It flows to the east. On the 23rd, I left S[aJn Raphael over a rocky height and 250 went through a dense forest. After a short distance, it //3v opened up so much that I came to some small plains. I traveled 250 easily, and stopped to sleep in a valley whose arroyo runs north, 10 but [has] no wate~. I called it the Arroyo de SCaJn Marcial. On the 24th, [I set out] to the southeast over a high pass in these hills, until I came to a mesa, which was the first one that I had seen in these hills. I le~t it on my right and headed south thro~gh a thick forest, but soon I came to another small plain. Here I slept near some temporary water holes. I called 6 [the placej SCaJn Estevan. On the 25th, I headed south from S[a]n Estevan. I went up a very rocky canyon and through a pass, since these heathens know the passes in these mountains as I know the corners of my. house. Finally, I went skirting some mesas which can be seen to th.e west. Leavi~g them on the r,ight, I descended into a very

10 70 deep valley, which looks like a heavily wooded river. It has la!ge ponds and is known to have firm terrain under thick woods. 7 I called it the Arroyo de Mi SCefiorJa del Socorro. On the 26th, I left Mi SCeno'rJa del Socorro and headed south. As soon as I climbed out of the arroyo, I took to the heights thro~gh another cleari~g. There is no other landmark to point out other than the cleari~g in these woods. I stopped to sleep at another arroyo, with a good terrain and many nut trees and other kinds. I called it the Canada y Arroyo de S[a]n Ysidro. 6 It runs to the east. On the 27th, I headed south from SCaJn Ysidro through a clearing like the others, sometimes a plain and sometimes wooded, though not too thickly. The trails which are found thro~gh these clearings. are made by buffaloes. They can be followed if one takes care and does not stray. Often a trail will last a long time, as happened to me today. I descended into a valley, and :the trail continued until I left the valley. Comi~g down from a high hill, I.stopped to sleep in another valley with forest 9 and permanent water. I called it the Paraje de SCa]n Carlos. On the 28th, headi~g south, I left SCa]n Carlos by way of another clearing, but within four 'league~, I. e~tered a dense forest 0 I did not cross any valleys; it was only woodse I stopped to sleep at a reddish river, [which] I called the R10 de SCaJn Phelipe y Colorado. It carries much water and flows to 8 the east. On the 29th, I traveled to the south through woods which were not very thick. Af'ter a short time, I came upon some

11 small plains with scattered woods and many rocks. I halted at a valley //4 with a very good terrain. The water is not perma- 296 nent and it flows to the north. I named it Canada y Paraje del 10 SCenJor SCaJn ~igcueji. On the 30th, the last day of September, I traveled south from SCenJor SCaJn Miguel thro~gh a pass in a chain of mesas which runs from east to west. I crossed more plains than woods, and stopped to sleep at a R!o de los Llanos, which flows east- 5 ward. On the 1st of October, I traveled south thr~ugh a thick oak forest, until I came to a descent into a:valley~' The descent was difficult. It was not ~igh but very rough and rocky. On this day, I crossed the San Saba River. It is a very beautiful river'with much water and heavy growths of cottonwoods. It flows to the east. I stopped to sleep in a valley with very good terrain, which I called SCa]n Buenaventura. They tell me that 7 the water is permanent. On the 2nd, I set out to the southeast' from SCa]n Buenaventura on a trail through a pass in the hills on the' left side and the right. We followed [the trail] all the way through the forested valley, which was not difficult, because the forest was tall and did not fatigue [us]. In the same valley ~ I found a pond from which flowed a very good spri~g. Here I turned south and stopped to sleep on a small plain near a small arroyo whose water was not 7 perma~ent. I called it the Paraje de SCaJn Acasio. On the 3rd, CI headedj s?uth alo~g the same trail and

12 72 similar CtallJ forest. I came to a river heavily grown with t~ees, with. deep water which came up above the shoulders of our horses. All these rivers are abundant in water and deli- ' cious wild fruits. Any little arroyo, however small it may be, has its spring. The river which I crossed is called the R10 del Alcon. I stopped to sleep at another smaller river with a good terrain. I called it the R10 de SCaJn FranCcisJco 6 Solano. On the 4th, I traveled south. through a forest which, like the others, was not too dense. I kept on the trail, looking for the openi~gs in the forest which these heathens know quite well. I entered into some round hills, one of them a large hill to the west, whose summit is of 'smooth rock. To the east there are other lesser summits, also of smooth rock,.and I skirted these in pass~ng throughe To the south, I crossed another arroyo withwater, still following the trail. Perhaps it is one of Cthe Indians 'J,old paths, altho~gh it is not very open. I climbed a low hill and went thro~gh a pass between two mountains. I stopped to sleep at an arroyo with much water, which I named SCanJta Theresa. It flows eastward and has a good --2 terrain II 340 On the 5th, I traveled south near some high hills. //4v I left them on the right and stopped to have my siesta at the 340 R10 de NCuestJra SCenorJa de Balbanera y de los Balcones. I. spent the night at an arroyo with much w~ter, havi~g traveled all day across good terrain w~th. no woods, but [it was] not

13 73 6 bad. r called [the placej S[a]n Leonardo. [MS cor- On the 6th, I set out south from SCa]n Leonardo over a rected hill. After descending into a valley, r turned eastward through from some bad hills with Cdifficult] slopes and descents and heavy, "8"] difficult woods. I crossed a big river and traveled along a [narrow] bank, where in some places there is no more than a vara's width between the rocks and the river, and in others, a vara and a half. The river was close by and very deep, with, a flow of water-which the world has never seen. -r called it the [RloJ de la Misericordia de Dies. After climbi~g away [from the river], I slept here, there bei~g' only a small level 14 ground. On the 7th, headi~g south, I traveled about a Ie_ague 10 through dense woods. Then the forest cleared, and terrain [MS ob- impr~ved. I stopped to sleep in a very large valley with scurej good ground, [tho~ghj without water. I called it Puerto Biejo. -, On the 8th, I set out south between some hills, Cthrough] woods [which were] not very thick but [which had] many rocks. 3 On this day, I arrived at SCaJn Antt[oniJo de Bexar. [MS cor- SCaJn AnttConiJo de Bexar, October 19, rected from "4 "J Jose Mares [Rubric] [D.S., 1-4v pp., 10/19/1787J