Dominguez and
Escalante Journal
Source:
Chavez, A. & Waner,
T. (1995) The Dominguez and Escalante Journal,
University of Utah Press, SLC, UT
Disclaimer:
Educational Material / Non-Commercial
September 13
About eleven o'clock in the morning we set out from Arroyo del
Cíbolo through the plain which lies at the foot of a small sierra
which the Yutas and Lagunas call Sabuagari. It extends from east to
west and its white cliffs can be seen from the high hills which are
reached before Cañon Pintado. Having traveled two leagues and
three-quarters to the west, we arrived at the watering place known
to the guide. It is a small spring at the foot of the sierra, almost
at its western extremity. We continued in the same direction for a
quarter of a league along a well beaten trail near which, toward the
south, rise two large springs of fine water, a musket shot apart,
which we named Las Fuentes de Santa Clara and whose moisture
produces much good pasturage in the small plain to which they
descend and in which they disappear. From here we traveled a league
northwest over the same trail and crossed an arroyo which comes from
the plain of Las Fuentes, and in which there were large pools of
water. From here downstream there is much good pasturage in its bed,
which is wide and level. We again crossed the arroyo, ascended some
low hills which were stony in places, and after traveling two
leagues to the northwest we arrived at a large river which we called
San Buenaventura. - Today six leagues.
This Rio de San Buenaventura is the largest river we have crossed,
and is the same one which Fray Alonso de Posada, who in the century
was custodian of this Custodia of New Mexico, says in a report,
divides the Yuta nation from the Cumanche, according to the data
which he gives and according to the distance which he places it from
Santa Fé. And in fact, on the northeast and the north it is the
boundary between these two nations. Its course along here is
west-southwest; farther up it runs west to this place. It is joined
by San Clemente River, but we do not know whether this is true of
the previous streams. Here it has meadows abounding in pasturage and
good land for raising crops, with facilities for irrigation. It must
be somewhat more than a league wide and its length may reach five
leagues. The river enters this meadow between two high cliffs which,
after forming a sort of corral, come so close together that one can
scarcely see the opening through which the river comes. According to
our guide, one can not cross from one side to the other except by
the only ford which there is in this vicinity. This is toward the
west of the northern crest and very close to a chain of hills of
loose earth, some of them lead colored and others yellow. The ford
is stony and in it the water does not reach to the shoulder blades
of the horses, whereas in every other place we saw they can not
cross without swimming. We halted on its south bank about a mile
from the ford, naming the camp La Vega de Santa Cruz. We observed
the latitude by the north star and found ourselves in 410 19'
latitude.
September 14
We did not travel today, remaining here in order that the animals,
which were now somewhat worn out might regain their strength. Before
noon the quadrant was set up to repeat the observation by the sun,
and we found ourselves no higher than 40° 59' and 24". We concluded
that this discrepancy might come from the declination of the needle
here, and to ascertain this we left the quadrant fixed until night
for the north stands on the meridian of the needle. As soon as the
north or polar star was discovered, the quadrant being in the
meridian mentioned, we observed that the needle swung to the
northeast. Then we again observed the latitude by the polar star and
found ourselves in the same 410 19' as on the previous night. In
this place there are six large black cottonwoods which have grown in
pairs attached to one another and they are the nearest to the river.
Near them is another one standing alone, on whose trunk, on the side
facing northwest, Don Joaquin Lain with an adz cleared a small space
in the form of a rectangular window, and with a chisel carved on it
the letters and numbers of this inscription-"The Year 1776"-and
lower down in different letters "LAIN"-with two crosses at the
sides, the larger one above the inscription and the smaller one
below it.
Here we succeeded in capturing another buffalo, smaller than the
first, although we could use little of the meat because the animal
had been overtaken late and very far from the camp. It happened also
this morning that the Laguna, Joaquin, as a prank mounted a very
fiery horse. While galloping across the meadow, the horse caught his
forefeet in a hole and fell, throwing the rider a long distance. We
were frightened, thinking that the Laguna had been badly hurt by the
fall because when he had recovered from his fright, he wept copious
tears. But God was pleased that the only damage was that done to the
horse which completely broke its neck, leaving it useless.
September 15
We did not travel today either for the reasons indicated above.
September 16
We set out from the Vega de Santa Cruz on Rio de San Buenaventura,
ascended about a mile toward the north, arrived at the ford, and
crossed the river. Then we turned west, and having traveled a league
along the north bank and meadow of the river, we crossed another
small stream which comes down from the northwest and entered it by
the same meadow. We swung south-southwest for a league and crossed
another small stream, a little larger than the first, which descends
from the same northwesterly direction and enters the river. From
both of them canals can be made with which to irrigate the land on
this bank, which also is very good for crops, although it will not
be possible to bring the waters of the Rio Grande to them. We
continued to the southwest leaving the river which swings to the
south through some hills and ravines which were stony in places. We
descended to a dry arroyo by a high and very stony ridge, whose
slope on the other side is not so bad. As soon as we reached the top
we found a trail, one or two days old, of about a dozen horses and
some people on foot, and on examining the vicinity, indications were
found that on the highest part of the hill they had been lying in
ambush or spying for some time without turning their horses loose.
We suspected they might be some Sabuaganas who had followed us to
steal the horseherd in this place, where it would be likely that we
would attribute the deed to the Cumanches rather than to the Yutas,
since we were now in the land of the former not the latter. Besides
this, it gave us strong grounds for suspecting the guide Silvestre,
because the preceding night he casually and without being noticed
went off from the camp a short distance to sleep. During the whole
journey he had not worn the cloak that we gave him, but today he
left the campsite with it, not taking it off during the whole day,
and we suspected that he, having come to an understanding with the
Sabuaganas, put it on so that he could be recognized in case they
attacked us. Our suspicions were increased when he stopped for a
time before reaching the peak where we found the tracks, as if
thoughtful and confused, wishing first to go along the banks of the
river and then to lead us through here. We gave him no indications
of our suspicion, dissimulating it entirely, and in the course of
our march he gave us emphatic proofs of his innocence. We continued
here along the same trail, descended again to the Rio de San
Buenaventura and saw that the people who made the trail had stayed a
long time in the leafy grove and meadow which is situated here. We
continued on the trail through the meadow, crossed some low hills,
and camped in another meadow with good pasturage on the bank of the
river, naming the campsite Las Llagas de Nuestro Padre San
Francisco. We traveled through the hills, canyons, peaks, and
meadows mentioned six leagues to the southwest, and in the whole
day's march eight leagues.
As soon as we halted two companions followed the trail southwest to
explore the terrain hereabouts and concluded that the Indians had
been Cumanches.
September 17
We set out from the meadow of Las Llagas de Nuestro Padre San
Francisco toward the southwest, ascended some low hills, and having
traveled a league, we left the trail we were following, along which
the tracks of the people on foot and of the horses continued.
Silvestre told us that they were Cumanches who were going in pursuit
of the Yutas, whom they had perhaps learned about while hunting
buffalo. We were convinced that this was the case, both because of
the direction in which they were traveling and on account of other
signs they left. We crossed a dry arroyo, ascended a hill, and
having traveled a league and a half to the west over good terrain,
dry and almost level, we came to a high ridge from which the guide
pointed out to us the junction of the rivers San Clemente and San
Buenaventura which, now joined, ran south from this place. We
descended to the plain and a large meadow of another river, and
having traveled another league and a half to the west we arrived at
the junction of two medium-sized streams. These come down from the
nearby sierra north of the Rio de San Buenaventura and now being
joined flow eastward across the plain until they unite with the Rio
de San Buenaventura. The more eastern of the two streams, before
reaching the junction, runs southeast, and we called it Rio de San
Damián; the other runs to the east and we called it Rio de San Cosme.
We continued up the latter stream, and having traveled a league to
the west we saw near its banks the ruins of a very old pueblo, where
three were fragments of metates, jars, and jugs made of clay. The
pueblo was circular in form, judging from the ruins, which are now
almost completely leveled to the ground. We turned southwest through
the plain which lies between the two rivers, ascended some hills of
loose stone, very troublesome for the animals, which were now
sorefooted. We descended to another meadow of Rio de San Cosme, and
having traveled southwest half a league and west a league and a half
through this meadow, we camped in it, naming it Ribera de San Cosme."
- Today eight leagues.
A little after crossing we saw columns of smoke at the foot of the
sierra, and asking the guide who he thought had sent them up, he
said they might be Cumanches, or some Lagunas who were accustomed to
range through here hunting.
September 18
We left Ribera de San Cosme and the guide, wishing to cross to the
other side of the river and travel on it, led us into a grove or
thicket of almost impenetrable rockrose and through marshy creeks
which forced us to go back and cross the river three times, making
many useless turns. Then through a plain near the meadows of the
river, we traveled three leagues to the southwest, swung to the
west-southwest for a league, crossed the river a fifth time and
again turned west, in which direction, now through the meadow of the
river, now along the adjacent plain, we traveled three leagues and a
quarter. We ascended a not very high mesa which was level on top and
very stony, traveled about three quarters of a league including the
ascent and the descent, crossed another small river which near here
enters the San Cosme, named it Santa Catarina de Sena, and camped on
its bank's- Today nine leagues.
From the ranchería of the Sabuaganas and the campsite of San Antonio
Mártir to this place we counted eighty-eight leagues and from Santa
Fé two hundred and eighty-seven.
Along these three rivers we have crossed today there is plenty of
good land for crops to support three good settlements, with
opportunities for irrigation, beautiful cottonwood groves, good
pastures, with timber and firewood nearby.
From the country of the Cumanches a very long high sierra descends,
running from northeast to southwest as far as the country of the
Lagunas. This ridge we could see for more than seventy leagues.
Toward the north of Rio de San Buenaventura at this season its
highest hills and peaks are covered with snow, for which reason we
named it Sierra Blanca de los Lagunas, and we shall begin to ascend
and cross it tomorrow where it is least elevated.
September 19
We set out from Rio de Santa Catarina de Sena toward the southwest
without a trail, ascended a short gentle but very stony slope, and
having traveled a quarter of a league swung to the west. We
descended to the bank of the Rio de San Cosme and traveled along it
two and a quarter leagues, making several turns, through almost
impassable terrain, now through many stones, now along rocky
precipices, one of which lamed one of our horses and forced us to go
back about a mile and go down to another meadow by the river. We
crossed it, breaking through a thicket of rockrose and tall reeds,
and after going half a league to the west we swung to the northwest,
taking as a road the bed of an arroyo. Now climbing the sierra and
leaving the San Cosme River, we continued along the arroyo which led
us imperceptibly into a closed canyon, high on both sides, with no
passable terrain other than the bed of the arroyo. Half way up the
canyon there is another arroyo which runs from north to south. We
followed the one which led us northwest, which with its many
windings ran generally west-northwest, and having traveled four
leagues we left the canyon which we called Cañon de las Golondrinas
because there are many nests of swallows in it, formed with such
symmetry that they look like little pueblos. Then we continued on
good terrain through a chamise thicket and having traveled half a
league west-northwest we swung to the west, ascending a long hill
with some timber, and having descended it we entered a plain which
is crossed from north to south by a well beaten trail. Having
crossed the plain we descended by way of a high, stony and rough
ridge to the watering place, which we named San Eustaquio. having
traveled two leagues and a half to the west. This watering place is
permanent and well-filled and around it there is abundant pasturage.
We arrived very much fatigued, partly because of the difficulty of
the day's journey and partly because a very cold wind blew
unceasingly from the west. - To day ten leagues.
September 20
We set out from San Eustaquio, leaving for dead one of our strongest
horses, the one which had broken his neck at Santa Cruz del Rio de
San Buenaventura. We climbed a long but gradual slope toward the
southwest, then swung to the west a little less than three leagues
and a quarter through a level but troublesome chamise growth with
much small cactus. We entered a small valley, wide and gently
sloping, and after going a quarter of a league to the
south-southwest we again turned west, descended to a small river
which runs east and is perhaps the one which we formerly called the
San Cosme. We crossed the river to the west-southwest, ascended
another hill, long but gentle and passable, and after going a mile
we swung southwest for about two leagues through a very pleasant and
pretty valley with very abundant pasturage. We camped at the end of
the valley at a small marsh with plentiful pasturage in the middle
of which there was a good spring of water which we called Ojo de
Santa Lucía Tonight it was so cold that even the water which was
near the fire all night was frozen in the morning. - Today five
leagues.
September 21
We set out from Ojo de Santa Lucia to the southwest by the same
valley which we had just ascended, through a grove of white
cottonwoods, and having traveled a quarter of a league we swung west
a league and three quarters, now through thickets of troublesome
chamise, now through low valleys of very soft earth, the animals
sinking and stumbling every instant in the many little holes which
were hidden in the grass. Then we descended to a fair-sized river in
which there is an abundance of good trout, two of which the Laguna,
Joaquin, killed with an arrow and caught, and each one of which
would weigh somewhat more than two pounds. This river runs to the
southeast through a pretty valley with good pastures, many creeks
and pretty groves of white cottonwoods, neither very tall nor large
around. In this valley, which we named Valle de la Purisima, there
are all the advantages necessary for a good settlement. The guide
Silvestre told us that part of the Lagunas, who used the fish of the
river as their customary food, lived in this valley at one time, and
that they withdrew for fear of the Cumanches who were beginning
their raids into this part of the sierra. Having crossed the river
and ascended a hill, we entered the floor of the valley and, having
traveled a league to the south-southwest, we swung to the west
through a ravine with much chamise and bad terrain, and, having gone
three-fourths of a league, we crossed a small stream of very cold
water. We continued west another quarter of a league and entered a
dense grove of white cottonwoods, dwarf oak, chokecherry, and royal
pine. Through the same grove we took the south slope of a wooded
ravine and, having traveled a league west by south, we crossed to
the other side. The guide, anxious to arrive as quickly as possible,
went so fast that at every step he disappeared in the thicket and we
were unable to follow him, for besides the great density of the
wood, there was no trail, and in many places his track could not be
seen, so he was ordered to go slowly and to remain always in our
sight. We continued through the grove which became more dense the
farther we went, and having traveled half a league west, we emerged
from it, arriving at a high ridge from which the guide pointed out
to us the direction to the Lake, and, to the southeast of it,
another part of the sierra in which he said there lived a great many
people of the same language and character as the Lagunas. By this
ridge we traveled southwest a quarter of a league and descended it
to the west, breaking through almost impenetrable thickets of
chokecherry and dwarf oak, and then through another grove of
cottonwood so dense that we thought the packs would not get through
without being unloaded. In this grove the guide again annoyed us by
his speed, so that we were forced to keep him back and not let him
go ahead alone. In this dense growth Father Fray Atanasio got a hard
blow on one of his knees by hitting it against a cottonwood. Finally
with great difficulty and labor we descended to a deep and narrow
valley where we found sufficient pasturage, which abounds in all the
sierra, and water for ourselves and for the animals. We camped
here's after having traveled in the descent a league to the west,
naming the place San Mateo. Today six and one-half leagues. Tonight
it was much colder than on previous nights.
September 22
We set out from San Mateo to the southeast along the north slope of
this valley in which there were many perilous defiles and slides
with no other trail than the one which we were opening. The rough
and uneven ground of the sierra here forced us at each step to
change our direction and to make many turns. Suffice it to say that
after going up and down hills and high elevations, some of them
rough and stony, for about five leagues, we descended by a long
passable slope with plentiful pasturage to a small plain between two
creeks which join in it, after traveling along the slope a league to
the southwest. When we arrived the animals were all worn out. There
was plentiful pasturage and so we camped in this place, naming it
San Lino. -Today we traveled six leagues which, on account of the
many windings, would take us with respect to San Mateo, three
leagues west-southwest.
From the top of the last ridge we saw in front of us and not very
far away many large columns of smoke arising in the same sierra. The
guide Silvestre said they must have been made by his people who were
out hunting. We replied to them with other smoke signals so that if
they had already seen us they would not take us to be enemies and
thus flee or welcome us with arrows. They replied with larger smoke
signals in the pass through which we must travel to the Lake, and
this caused us to believe they had already seen us, because this is
the most prompt and common signal used in any extraordinary
occurrence by all the people of this part of America. Consequently,
we warned Silvestre that tonight he must be on the qui-vive lest
some of his people who knew of our arrival should approach the camp
to see what people had come here. And about two o'clock in the
morning, the hour when according to his opinion there might be one
or more Indians close at hand, he made a long speech in his
language, giving them to understand that we were peaceable people,
friendly and good, but we do not know whether or not anyone heard
him10.
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