[Fray Don Antonio Margil de Jesús was one of the most active of Spanish
missionaries in Texas during the first quarter of the eighteenth
century, preaching and founding missions. Legend has remembered him
well. The Margil Vine is named for him, the legend of which is told in
History and Legends of The Alamo and Other Missions, by Miss Adina de
Zavala, under the title “Legend of the First Christmas at the Alamo.”
But the most remarkable Margil legend—and this told by Mr. Littlejohn
is but a variant of it—is that connected with the origin of the San
Antonio River. It has been realistically told by Major Charles Merritt
Barnes in his Combats and Conquests of Immortal Heroes, pages 76–79,
and retold by Mrs. Wright. [119] According to Major Barnes, he heard it
in 1875 from a venerable San Antonian of Spanish blood.
Father Margil was with a company of priests and soldiers spying out the
land when they were almost overcome by the heat and drouth. At length
they came into a valley where there was green grass for the horses but
not a drop of water. The priests kneeled under a tree to pray for
water, and as he prayed Father Margil’s eye fell on bunches of mustang
grapes above him. With praises to God, he began to climb for the juicy
fruit. While he was reaching for a cluster, he fell. In falling, he
swung to the grapevine and somehow uprooted it with a sudden jerk. Then
from the hole left by the root a plenteous and refreshing spring of
water gushed out. Thus was the origin of what is now called the San
Antonio River.
Finally, at the very moment of his death, which was in the City of
Mexico, August 2, 1726, all the mission bells in Texas, so legend runs,
rang out of their own accord, without hands. [120]—Editor.]
The story of the “Holy Spring of Father Margil,” as it is called in the
country around Nacogdoches, was told by H. C. Fuller in the Galveston
News more than twenty years ago. The spring is situated just back of
the city cemetery of Nacogdoches, overlooking La Nana Creek. Every
other spring in the neighborhood has gone dry, but this one has never
been known to cease its abundant flow. By some devout people its waters
are thought to have healing power. The story of its miraculous origin
runs as follows.
In 1716, or thereabout, the zealous Franciscan missionary, Father
Margil, visited the Nacogdoches country, preaching to the Indians and
projecting missions. His work accomplished, he and a few devoted
followers started back for San Antonio, then the headquarters of the
missionary movement. It was midsummer, the heat was terrific, and a
burning drouth had made the whole country as dry as a rock. As Father
Margil’s band traveled on and found no water, they began to suffer from
thirst, but they felt sure that they would come to water in La Nana
Creek. Imagine their disappointment upon arriving to find the bed as
parched as the banks.
Overcome with heat, thirst, and fatigue, the entire party, with the
exception of Father Margil, sat dejectedly on the ground. Taking his
walking staff, Father Margil set out down the creek in search of water.
About four hundred yards from where his companions lamented, he
observed signs of moisture upon a high bluff overlooking the creek;
here he knelt and prayed that like Moses he might be allowed to find
water. Then with full faith he arose and smote with his staff the rock
whereon he stood. Immediately there issued forth a living stream of
cool, clear water. He tasted of it and hastily ran for his companions.
Then they all drank and went on their way rejoicing at their miraculous
deliverance.