_Apr. 24th._ Spent the evening at Zuloag_The Expeditions of Zebulon Montgomery Pike, Volume 2 (of 3) To Headwaters of the Mississippi River Through Louisiana Territory, and in New Spain, During the Years 1805-6-7.

sundown an officer of the government called upon me, and told me that

the government had been informed that, in conversations in all

societies, Robinson and myself had held forth political maxims and

principles which, if just, I must be conscious if generally

disseminated would in a very few years be the occasion of a revolt of

those kingdoms; that those impressions had taken such effect that it

was no uncommon thing, in the circles in which he associated, to hear

the comparative principles of a republican and a monarchical

government discussed, and even the allegiance due, in case of certain

events, to the court called in question; that various characters of

consideration had indulged themselves in those conversations, all of

whom were noted and would be taken care of; but that, as respected

myself and companion, it was the desire of his Excellency that while

in the dominions of Spain we would not hold forth any conversations

whatsoever, either on the subject of religion or politics.

I replied that it was true I had held various and free conversations

on the subjects complained of, but only with men high in office, who

might be supposed to be firmly attached to the king, and partial to

the government of their country; that I had never gone among the poor

and illiterate, preaching up republicanism or a free government; that

as to the catholic religion, I had only combated some of what I

conceived to be its illiberal dogmas; that I had spoken of it in all

instances as a respectable branch of the Christian religion which, as

well as all others, was tolerated in the United States; and that, had

I come to that kingdom in a diplomatic character, delicacy toward the

government would have sealed my lips; or had I been a prisoner of war,

personal safety might have had the same effect; but, being there in

the capacity which I was, not voluntarily, but by coercion of the

Spanish government, which at the same time had officially notified me

that they did not consider me under any restraint whatever; therefore,

when called on, I should always give my opinions freely, either as to

politics or religion; but at the same time with urbanity, and a proper

respect to the legitimate authorities of the country where I was.

He replied, "Well, you may then rest assured your conduct will be

represented in no very favorable point of view to your government."

I replied, "To my government I am certainly responsible, and to no

other."

He then left me. I immediately waited on some of my friends and

notified them of the threat, at which they appeared much alarmed. We

went immediately to consult [Malgares], who, to great attachment to

his friends, joined the most incorruptible loyalty and the confidence

of the government. Our consultation ended in a determination only to

be silent and watch events.

We suspected [Walker] to be the informant, but whether just in our

suspicion or not, I will not pretend to determine; for Robinson and

myself frequently used to hold conversations in his presence,

purposely to have them communicated; but he at last discovered our

intentions, and told us that if we calculated on making him a carrier

of news, we were mistaken; that he despised it.

_Apr. 25th._ At eleven o'clock I called on his Excellency, but was

informed that he was engaged. About three o'clock I received a message

from him by Lieutenant Walker, informing me that he was surprised I

had not returned, and to call without ceremony in the evening; which I

did, and presented him with a letter.[II'-14] He then also candidly

informed me my party would not join me in the territory of the king of

Spain, but that they should be attended to punctually, and forwarded

on immediately after me; and requested that I should give orders to my

sergeant to deliver up all his ammunition, and dispose in some manner

of the horses of which he had charge. I stated in reply that, with

respect to the ammunition, I would give orders to my sergeant to

deliver, if demanded, all they possessed, more than was necessary to

fill their horns; but that as to the horses, I considered their loss

was a charge which must be adjusted between the two governments, and

therefore should not give any directions respecting them, except as to

bringing them on as far and as long as they were able to travel. He

then gave me an invitation to dine with him on the morrow.

_Sunday, Apr. 26th._ Dined at the general's. In the evening went to

Malgares', Zuloaga's, and others'. Wrote to my sergeant and Fero; to

the latter of whom I sent $10, and to the other $161.84, to purchase

clothes for the party. We had been for some time suspicious that the

doctor was to be detained; but this evening he likewise obtained

permission to pursue his journey with me, which diffused general joy

through all the party.

_Apr. 27th._ Spent the day in making arrangements for our departure,

writing to the sergeant, etc.

I will here mention some few anecdotes relative to [Walker], with whom

we boarded during our stay in Chihuahua. When we came to the city we

went to his quarters, by order of the general, and considered

ourselves as guests, having not the least idea that we should be

charged with board, knowing with what pleasure any American officer

would receive and entertain a foreign brother soldier situated as we

were, and that we should conceive it a great insult to be offered pay

under similar circumstances. But one day, after we had been there

about a week, he presented to me an account for Robinson's and my

board, receipted, and begged, if the general inquired of me, that I

would say I had paid it. This naturally led me to demand how the thing

originated. He with considerable embarrassment observed that he had

taken the liberty to remark to the general that he thought he should

be allowed an extra allowance, in order to be enabled to treat us with

some little distinction. The general flew into a violent passion, and

demanded if I had not paid him for our board? To which the other

replied, No, he did not expect pay of us. He ordered him immediately

to demand pay, to receive it, sign a receipt, and lodge it in his

hands; and added that he would consult me if [to ascertain whether]

the thing was done. This he never did; yet I took care, every Sunday

after that, to deposit in the hands of Walker a sum which was

considered the proportion for Robinson and myself. Malgares and

several others of the Spanish officers having heard of the thing,

waited on us much mortified, saying with what pleasure they would have

entertained us had not the designation of the general pointed out his

will on the subject.

[Walker] had living with him an old negro, the only one I saw on that

side of St. Antonio, who was the property of some person who resided

near Natchez, and who had been taken with Nolan. Having been

acquainted with him in the Mississippi country, he solicited and

obtained permission for old Cæsar to live with him. I found him very

communicative and extremely useful. The day I arrived, when we were

left alone, he came in, looked around at the walls of the room, and

exclaimed, "What! all gone?" I demanded an explanation, and he

informed me that the maps of the different provinces, as taken by

[Walker] and other surveyors, had been hung up against the walls; but

that the day we arrived they had all been taken down and deposited in

a closet which he designated.

W[alker] gave various reasons for having left the United States and

joined the Spanish service; one of which was, his father having been

ill-treated, as he conceived, by G. at Natchez. At Chihuahua he had

charge of the military school, which consisted of about 15 young men

of the first families of the provinces; also of the public water-works

of the city, on a plan devised by the royal engineer of Mexico; of the

building of a new church; of the casting of small artillery,

fabrication of arms, etc. Thus, though he had tendered his

resignation, they knew his value too well to part with him, and would

not accept of it, but still kept him in a subordinate station, in

order that he might be the more dependent and the more useful.

Although he candidly confessed his disgust at their service, manners,

morals, and political establishments, yet he never made a

communication to us which he was bound in honor to conceal; but on the

contrary fulfilled the station of informer, which in that country is

considered no disgrace, with great punctuality and fidelity. In this

city the proverb was literally true, that "the walls have ears"; for

scarcely anything could pass that his Excellency did not know in a few

hours.

In the evening I was notified to be ready to march the next day at

three o'clock.

_Apr. 28th._ In the morning Malgares waited on us, and informed us he

was to accompany us some distance on the route. After bidding adieu to

all our friends, we marched at a quarter past three o'clock, and

encamped at nine o'clock at a stony spring; passed near Chihuahua a

small ridge of mountains, and then encamped in a hollow.[II'-15]

As we were riding along, Malgares rode up to me and informed me that

the general had given orders that I should not be permitted to make

any astronomical observations. To this I replied that he well knew I

never had attempted making any since I had been conducted into the

Spanish dominions.

_Apr. 29th._ Arrived at a settlement [Horcasitas or Bachimba?] at

eight o'clock; plenty of milk, etc.

When about to make my journal, Malgares changed color, and informed me

it was his orders I should not take notes; but added, "you have a

good memory, and when you get to Cogquilla [Coahuila] you can bring it

all up." At first I felt considerably indignant, and was on the point

of refusing to comply; but thinking for a moment of the many

politenesses I had received from his hands induced me merely to bow

assent with a smile. We proceeded on our route, but had not gone far

before I made a pretext to halt, established my boy as a vedet

[vidette], sat down peaceably under a bush, and made my notes. This

course I pursued ever after, not without some very considerable degree

of trouble to separate myself from the party.

Arrived at the fort of St. Paul at eleven o'clock, situated on a small

river of the same name, the course of which is N. E. by S. W. At the

time we were there the river was not wider than a mill stream; but

sometimes it is 300 yards wide, and impassable. Distance 30

miles.[II'-16]

_Apr. 30th._ Marched at six o'clock, and at eleven arrived at

[Saucillo, on] the river Conchos--24 miles; beautiful green trees on

its banks. I was taken very sick at half past ten o'clock. Arrived at

night at a small station [Las Garzas] on the river Conchos, garrisoned

by a sergeant and 10 men from Fort Conchos, 15 leagues up said river.

Distance 43 miles.[II'-17]

_May 1st._ Marched up the Conchos to its confluence with the river

Florada [Rio Florido], 15 leagues from where we left the former

[Conchos] river, and took up the latter [Rio Florido], which bears

from the Conchos S. 80° and 50° E. On its banks are some very

flourishing settlements, and they are well timbered. A poor miserable

village [Santa Rosalia] is at the confluence. Came 10 miles up the

Florada to dinner, and at night stopped at a private house. This

property or plantation was valued formerly at $300,000, extending on

the Florada, from the small place where we slept on the 30th of April,

30 leagues up said river. Distance 45 miles.[II'-18]

Finding that a new species of discipline had taken place, and that the

suspicions of my friend Malgares were much more acute than ever, I

conceived it necessary to take some steps to secure the notes I had

taken, which had been clandestinely acquired. In the night I arose,

and after making my men charge all their pieces well, I took my small

books and rolled them up in small rolls, tore a fine shirt to pieces,

and wrapped it round the papers, and put them down in the barrels of

the guns, until we just left room for the tompoins [tampons], which

were then carefully put in; the remainder we secured about our bodies

under our shirts. This occupied about two hours, but was effected

without discovery and without suspicions.

_May 2d._ Marched early, and in 4¼ hours arrived at

Guaxequillo,[II'-19] situated on the river Florada, where we were to

exchange our friend Malgares for Captain Barelo, who was a Mexican by

birth, born near the capital and entered as a cadet at Guaxequillo

near 20 years past, and who, by his extraordinary merits, being a

Creolian, had been promoted to a captaincy, which was even by himself

considered his ultimate promotion. He was a gentleman in his manners,

generous and frank, and I believe a good soldier.

_Sunday, May 3d._ At Guaxequillo the captain gave up his command to

Malgares. At night the officers gave a ball, at which appeared at

least sixty women, ten or a dozen of whom were very handsome.

_May 4th._ Don Hymen Guloo arrived from Chihuahua, accompanied by a

citizen and a friar, who had been arrested by order of the

commandant-general, and was on his way to Mexico for trial.

_May 5th._ The party marched with all the spare horses and baggage.

_May 6th._ Marched at five o'clock; ascended the river four miles,

when we left it to our right and took off S. 60° E., eight miles. Our

friend Malgares accompanied us a few miles, to whom we bade an eternal

adieu, if war does not bring us together in the field of battle

opposed as the most deadly enemies, when our hearts acknowledge the

greatest friendship. Halted at ten o'clock, and marched again at four.

No water on the road; detached a Spanish soldier in search of some,

who did not join us until twelve o'clock at night. Encamped in the

open prairie; no wood; no water, except what the soldier brought us in

gourds. The mules came up at eleven o'clock at night. Distance 30

miles.[II'-20]

_May 7th._ Marched very early; wind fresh from the south. The

punctuality of Captain Barelo as to hours was remarkable. Arrived at

half past nine o'clock at a spring [Ojo S. Bernarde of Pike's map?],

the first water from Guaxequillo. The mules did not unload, but

continued on nine miles to another spring [Ojo S Blas of Pike's map]

at the foot of a mountain, with good pasturage round it; mountains on

each side all day.[II'-21]

_May 8th._ Marched, at five miles due west, through a gap in the

mountains; then turned S. 20° E., and more south to a [Cerro Gordo or

Andabazo] river about 20 feet wide, with high steep banks; now dry

except in holes, but sometimes full and impassable. Halted at seven

o'clock and sent on the loaded mules. Marched at five o'clock; came

ten miles and encamped without water. Distance 18 miles.[II'-22]

_May 9th._ Marched between four and five o'clock and arrived at Pelia

[Pelayo] at eight.[II'-23] This is only a station for a few soldiers,

but is surrounded by [copper] mines. At this place are two large warm

springs, strongly impregnated with sulphur, and this is the water

obliged to be used by the party who are stationed there. Here we

remained all day. Captain Barelo had two beeves killed for his and my

men, and charged nothing to either. Here he received orders from the

general to lead us through the wilderness to Montelovez [Monclova], in

order that we should not approximate to the frontiers of Mexico, which

we should have done by the usual route of Pattos [Patos], Paras

[Parras], etc.

_Sunday, May 10th._ Marched past one copper mine [Oruilla], now

diligently worked. At this place the proprietor had 100,000 sheep,

cattle, horses, etc. Arrived at the Cadena,[II'-24] a house built and

occupied by a priest. It is situated on a small stream at the pass of

the [Sierra de las Mimbres] mountains, called by the Spaniards [Puerta

de Cadena, or] Door of the Prison, from its being surrounded with

mountains. The proprietor was at Sumbraretto [Sombrerito], distance

six days' march. This hacienda was obliged to furnish accommodations

to all travelers.

Marched at five o'clock, passed the chain of mountains due east [in

the direction of Mapimi] 12 miles, and encamped without water.

Distance 31 miles.

_May 11th._ Marched and arrived at Maupemie [Mapimi[II'-25]] at eight

o'clock, a village situated at the foot of mountains of minerals,

where they worked eight or nine mines. The mass of the people were

naked and starved wretches. The proprietor of the mines gave us an

elegant repast. Here the orders of Salcedo were explained to me by the

captain. I replied that they excited my laughter, as there were

disaffected persons sufficient to serve as guides should an army ever

come into the country.

Came on three miles further, where were fig-trees and a fruit called

by the French La Grain [_sic_], situated on a little stream which

flowed through the gardens, and formed a terrestrial paradise. Here we

remained all day sleeping in the shade of the fig-trees, and at night

continued our residence in the garden. We obliged the inhabitants with

a ball, who expressed great anxiety for a relief from their present

distressed state, and a change of government.

_May 12th._ Was awakened in the morning by the singing of the birds

and the perfume of the trees around. I attempted to send two of my

soldiers to town [Mapimi], but they were overtaken by a dragoon and

ordered back; on their return I again ordered them to go, and told

them if a soldier attempted to stop them to take him off his horse and

flog him. This I did, as I conceived it was the duty of the captain to

explain his orders relative to me, which he had not done; and I

conceived that this would bring on an explanation. They were pursued

by a dragoon through the town, who rode after them, making use of ill

language. They attempted to catch him, but could not. As I had

mentioned my intention of sending my men to town after some stores to

Captain Barelo, and he had not made any objections, I conceived it was

acting with duplicity to send men to watch the movements of my

messengers. I therefore determined they should punish the dragoons

unless the captain had candor sufficient to explain his reasons for

not wishing my men to go to town, in which wish I should undoubtedly

have acquiesced; but as he never mentioned the circumstance, I was

guardedly silent, and the affair never interrupted our harmony.

We marched at five o'clock; came on 15 miles and encamped without

water. One mile on this side of the little village[II'-26] the road

branches out into three. The right-hand one by Pattos, Paras, Saltelo

[Patos, Parras, Saltillo], etc., is the main road to [the city of]

Mexico and San Antonio [in Texas]. The [middle] road which we took

leaves all the villages a little to the right, passing only some

plantations. The left-hand one goes immediately through the mountains

to Montelovez, but is dangerous for small parties on account of the

savages; this road is called the route by the Bolson of Maupeme, and

was first traveled by Monsieur de Croix, afterward viceroy of Peru. In

passing from Chihuahua to Texas, by this [left-hand] route, you make

in seven days what it takes you 15 or 20 by the ordinary one; but it

is very scarce of water, and your guards must either be so strong as

to defy the Appaches, or calculate to escape them by swiftness; for

they fill those mountains, whence they continually carry on a

predatory war against the Spanish settlements and caravans.

We this day passed on to the territories of the Marquis de San Miquel

[Miguel], who owns from the mountains of the Rio del Norte to some

distance in the kingdom of Old Mexico.

_May 13th._ Came on to the river Brasses [Rio Nasas,[II'-27] on which

was the] Ranche de St. Antonio, part of the marquis' estate. My boy

and self halted at the river Brasses to water our horses, having

ridden on ahead, and took the bridles from their mouths in order that

they might drink freely, which they could not do with the Spanish

bridles. The horse I rode had been accustomed to being held by his

master in a peculiar manner when bridled, and would not let me put it

on again for a long time; in the meantime my boy's horse ran away, and

it was out of our power to catch him again. But when we arrived at

the Ranche,[II'-28] we soon had out a number of boys, who brought in

the horse and all his different equipments, which were scattered on

the route. This certainly was a strong proof of their honesty, and did

not go unrewarded. In the evening we gave them a ball on the green,

according to custom. We here learned that one peck of corn, with three

pounds of meat per week, was the allowance given a grown person.

_May 14th._ Did not march until half past four o'clock [p. m.]. About

nine o'clock [a. m.] an officer arrived from St. Rosa[II'-29] with 24

men, with two Appaches in irons. They were noble-looking fellows, of

large stature, and appeared by no means cast down by their

misfortunes, although they knew their fate was transportation beyond

the sea, never more to see their friends and relations.

Knowing as I did the intention of the Spaniards toward those people, I

would have liberated them if in my power. I went near them, gave them

to understand we were friends, and conveyed to them some articles

which would be of service if chance offered.

This day the thermometer stood at 30° Raumauer [Réaumur], 99½°

Fahrenheit. The dust and drought of the road obliged us to march in

the night, when we came 15 miles and encamped without water. Indeed,

this road which the general obliged us to take is almost impassable at

this season for want of water, whilst the other is plentifully

supplied.

_May 15th._ Marched early and came on five miles, when we arrived at a

pit dug in a hollow, which afforded a small quantity of water for

ourselves and beasts.[II'-30] Here we were obliged to remain all day

in order to travel in the night, as our beasts could enjoy the benefit

of water. Left at half past five o'clock and came on 15 miles by

eleven o'clock, when we encamped without water or food for our beasts.

Passed a miserable burnt-up soil. Distance 20 miles.

_May 16th._ Marched two miles and arrived at a wretched habitation [El

Pozo?], where we drew water from a well for all the beasts. Marched in

the evening and made 15 miles further [_sic_]. The right-hand road we

left on this side of Maupeme [Mapimi], and joined it about four miles

further. Distance 15 [_sic_] miles.[II'-31]

_Sunday, May 17th._ Marched; about seven o'clock came in sight of

Paras [Parras], which we left on the right and halted at the Hacienda

of St. Lorenzo, a short league to the north of said village.[II'-32]

At the Hacienda of St. Lorenzo was a young priest, who was extremely

anxious for a change of government, and came to our beds and conversed

for hours on the subject.

_May 18th._ Marched early and came through a mountainous tract of

country, well watered, with houses situated here and there amongst the

rocks. Joined the main road at a Hacienda of [Cienega Grande],

belonging to the Marquis de San Miquel [Miguel]; good gardens and

fruit; also a fine stream.[II'-33] The mules did not arrive until late

at night, when it had commenced raining.

_May 19th._ Did not march until three o'clock, the captain not being

very well. He here determined to take the main road, notwithstanding

the orders of General Salcedo. Came on 10 miles [vicinity of Rancho

Nuevo and Castañuela[II'-34]]. Met a deserter from Captain [Francis]

Johnston's company [then probably of the 2d Infantry]. He returned,

came to camp, and begged me to take him back to his company; but I

would not give any encouragement to the scoundrel--only a little

change, as he was without a farthing.

_May 20th._ Came to the Hacienda of Pattos [Patos] by nine o'clock.

This is a handsome place, where the Marquis De San Miquel [Miguel]

frequently spends his summers, the distance enabling him to come from

[the City of] Mexico in his coach in 10 days. Here we met the Mexican

post-rider going to Chewawa [Chihuahua]. Don Hymie [Hymen], who had

left us at Paras [Parras], joined in a coach and six, in which we came

out to a little settlement called the Florida, one league from Pattos,

due north. Distance 18 miles.[II'-35]

The Hacienda of Pattos was a square inclosure of about 300 feet, the

building being one story high, but some of the apartments were

elegantly furnished. In the center of the square was a jet d'eau,

which cast forth water from eight spouts, extended from a colossean

female form. From this fountain all the neighboring inhabitants got

their supply of water. The marquis had likewise a very handsome

church, which, with its ornaments, cost him at least $20,000; to

officiate in which, he maintained a little stiff superstitious priest.

In the rear of the palace, for so it might be called, was a fish-pond,

in which were immense numbers of fine fish. The population of Florida

is about 2,000 souls. This was our nearest point to the city of

Mexico.

_May 21st._ Marched down the [San Antonio] water-course over a rough

and stony road about 10 miles, when we left it on the right [crossed

it from E. to W.], and came on eight miles further to a horse-range of

the marquis', where he had four of his soldiers as a guarda caballo

[herders]. Halted at half past nine o'clock.[II'-36] At this place we

had a spring of bad water.

_May 22d._ Marched [north] at three o'clock; came on 16 miles to a

small shed, and in the afternoon to la Rancho, eight miles to the left

of the main road, near the foot of the mountain, where was a pond of

water, but no houses. Some Spanish soldiers were here. We left Pattos

mountain on our left and right, but here there was a cross mountain

[El Monte de los Tres Rios] over which we were to pass in the

morning.[II'-37]

The marquis maintains 1,500 troops to protect his vassals and property

from the savages. They are all cavalry, as well dressed and armed as

the king's, but are treated by the king's troops as if vastly

inferior.

_May 23d._ Marched early and came to a spring in the mountain.[II'-38]

_Sunday, May 24th._ Marched at an early hour and passed through [El

Paso de los Tres Rios in] the mountains, where there was scarcely any

road, called the Mountain of the Three Rivers. At the 13th mile joined

the main road, which we had left to our right on the 22d instant, and

in one hour after came to the main Mexican road from the eastern

provinces; thence northwest to the Rancho, nine miles from Montelovez,

whence the captain sent in an express to give notice of our

approach.[II'-39]

_May 25th._ In the afternoon Lieutenant Adams, commandant of the

company of Montelovez, arrived in a coach and six to escort us to

town, where we arrived about five o'clock. In the evening visited

Captain de Ferara [qu.: Don Juan Joaquin de Ferrero?], commandant of

the troops of Cogquilla, and inspector of the five provinces.

Lieutenant Adams, who commanded this place, was the son of an Irish

engineer in the service of Spain. He had married a rich girl of the

Passo del Norte, and they lived here in elegance and style, for the

country. We put up at his quarters and were very hospitably

entertained.

_May 26th._ Made preparations for marching the next day. I arose

early, before any of our people were up, and walked nearly round the

town; and from the hill took a small survey, with my pencil and a

pocket compass which I always carried with me. Returned and found them

at breakfast, they having sent three or four of my men to search for

me. The Spanish troops at this place were remarkably polite, always

fronting and saluting when I passed. This I attributed to their

commandant, Lieutenant Adams.

_May 27th._ Marched at seven o'clock, after taking an affectionate

leave of Don Hymen, and at half past twelve arrived at the Hacienda of

Don Melcher [Michon on the map], situated on the same stream of

Montelovez.[II'-40]

Don Melcher was a man of very large fortune, polite, generous, and

friendly. He had in his service a man who had deserted from Captain

Lockwood's[II'-41] company, first regiment of infantry, by the name

of Pratt. From this man he had acquired a considerable quantity of

crude indigested information relative to the United States, and when

he met with us his thirst after knowledge of our laws and institutions

appeared to be insatiable. He caused a fine large sheep to be killed

and presented to my men.

_May 28th._ Marched early and arrived at Encina Hacienda[II'-42] at

ten o'clock. This place was owned by Don Barego [Borages on the map].

When we arrived at the Hacienda of Encina, I found a youth of 18

sitting in the house quite genteelly dressed, whom I immediately

recognized from his physiognomy to be an American, and entered into

conversation with him. He expressed great satisfaction at meeting a

countryman, and we had a great deal of conversation. He sat at a table

with us and partook of a cold collation of fruits and confectionery;

but I was much surprised to learn, shortly after we quit the table,

that he was a deserter from our army; on which I questioned him, and

he replied that his name was Griffith; he had enlisted in

Philadelphia, arrived at New Orleans, and deserted as soon as

possible; the Spaniards had treated him much better than his own

countrymen, and he should never return. I was extremely astonished at

his insolence, and mortified that I should have been betrayed into any

polite conduct toward the scoundrel. I told him that it was

astonishing he should have had the impertinence to address himself to

me, knowing that I was an American officer. He muttered something

about being in a country where he was protected, etc.; on which I told

him that if he again opened his mouth to me, I would instantly

chastise him, notwithstanding his supposed protection. He was silent;

I called up one of my soldiers and told him in his hearing, that if he

attempted to mix with them to turn him out of company; which they

executed by leading him to the door of their room a short time after,

when he entered it. When dinner was nearly ready, I sent a message to

the proprietor, that we assumed no right to say whom he should

introduce to his table, but that we should think it a great indignity

offered to a Spanish officer to attempt to set him down at the same

board with a deserter from their army; and that if the man who was at

the table in the morning were to make his appearance again, we should

decline to eat at it. He replied that it was an accident which had

produced the event of the morning; that he was sorry our feelings had

been injured, and that he would take care he [Griffith] did not appear

again whilst we were there.

Our good friend Don Melcher here overtook us, and passed the evening

with us.

This day we passed the last mountains, and again entered the great

Mississippi valley, it being six months and 13 days since we first

came in sight of them. Distance 20 miles.

_May 29th._ Marched at seven o'clock and came to the Millada river and

a Rancho. [Distance 20 miles.[II'-43]]

_May 30th._ Marched at five o'clock and arrived at the Sabine river at

eight; forded it. Marched in the evening at four o'clock, at ten

encamped at the second ridge without water. Distance 27 miles.[II'-44]

_Sunday, May 31st._ Marched early and at nine o'clock arrived at a

Rancho on fine running water; course east and west. Marched eight

miles further to a point of woods, and encamped. No water. Distance 23

miles.[II'-45]

FOOTNOTES:

[II'-1] The difficulty of trailing Pike in Mexico is twofold. His

notes, hasty and stealthy under the circumstances, are necessarily

meager, and rather excite than satisfy our curiosity to know more.

Worse than this, all the maps of Mexico are poor. I have probably

before me the best maps that exist; they do not compare with those we

have used for most parts of Pike's route. The most helpful one I have

found is that in Senate Misc. Doc. No. 26, 30th Cong., 1st Sess.,

accompanying a Memoir of a Tour to Northern Mexico, connected with

Col. Doniphan's Expedition, in 1846 and 1847, by A. Wislizenus, M. D.,

Washington, Tippin and Streeper, 1848, 8vo, pp. 141. The author was a

German scientist, interested in geography, geology, and botany. He

went over much of the identical route which Pike traveled,--as far as

Parras, near Saltillo,--and has left a luminous itinerary, for the

publication of which we are indebted to the good sense of Thomas H.

Benton. This I shall draw heavily upon, and wish to make my grateful

compliments to its author in the beginning of this route.

The _Fort_ "Elisiaira" which Pike has just left must not be confounded

with the place on the river called Elizario, Eleazario, Elceario,

etc., and described in my last note. He is starting S., on the main

road, and the place where the gambling dovetailed so well with

religion was the Presidio San Elizario, on the boundary between the

then Provinces of North Mexico and New Biscay. Two roads led from El

Paso to Carrizal, the principal place en route to Chihuahua. One of

these went down the Rio Grande for several miles before it turned S.

from that river, taking this roundabout way to avoid Los Medanos (the

Sand Hills, of which more presently). The other, which Pike took, went

directly S., approximately by the way the railroad goes now. To the

right is a range of mountains; the valley of the Rio Grande recedes to

the left; the way is over a sandy, shrubby plain, in some places so

strewn with a kind of white limestone as to have given the name Tierra

Blanca. Camp is at the place which Pike calls by the extraordinary

term of "Ogo mall a Ukap" and charts as "Ojo Malalka." Both these

terms are otherwise rendered Ojo de Malayuque and Samalayuca; and all

these, with others I could cite, are forms of the name of the same

spring or pool which was a usual first camp out from El Paso. It was

in most seasons a necessary halt, on account of water in this long

arid stretch, as well as a desirable one to make before encountering

the Sand Hills. Pike charts two other bodies of water, off the road to

the right or W., by the names of "Lago de la Condelaria" and "Lac de

Susma"; there are several such, in fact, known as Palomas, Guzman,

Durazno, Santa Maria, etc. Guzman is the same word as Pike's "Susma,"

and a personal name very well known indeed in Mexican history; but

whether the same lake is another question. Candelaria is the present

name of a station on the railroad below Los Medanos.

[II'-2] Pike gives us nothing from Samalayuca to Carrizal, and we must

fill the lacuna from other sources of information. The way grows

gradually hillier and sandier, till it becomes all hills and sands.

These are Los Medanos, dreaded for the difficulty of hauling loaded

wagons through them, though not so bad on horseback or with

pack-mules. Gregg describes the entourage, Comm. Pra., II. 1844, p.

79, as "a stupendous ledge of sand-hills, across which the road passes

for about six miles. As teams are never able to haul the loaded wagons

over this region of loose sand, we engaged an _atajo_ of mules at El

Paso, upon which to convey our goods across. These Médanos consist of

huge hillocks and ridges of pure sand, in many places without a

vestige of vegetation. Through the lowest gaps between the hills the

road winds its way." This description calls to mind the Medano or

Sand Hill Pass: see note 39, p. 491. Wislizenus is even more vivid,

Mem. p. 44: "Having arrived at the foot of the sand hills, we

commenced travelling very slow. There was nothing around us but the

deepest and purest sand, and the animals could only get along in the

slowest walk, and by resting at short intervals. At last my animals

were exhausted; they would move no more, and we had not yet reached

half of our way. In this dilemma I put my own riding-horse to the

wagon. Mr. Jacquez lent me some additional mules, and forward we moved

again. In the meanwhile dark night had come on, illuminated only by

lightning, that showed us for a while the most appalling

night-scene--our wagons moving along as slow and solemn as a funeral

procession; ghastly riders on horseback, wrapped in blankets or

cloaks; some tired travellers stretched out on the sand, others

walking ahead, and tracing the road with the fire of their cigarritos;

and the deepest silence, interrupted only by the yelling exclamations

of the drivers, and the rolling of distant thunder. The scene was

impressive enough to be remembered by me: but I made a vow the same

night, that whenever I should undertake this trip again, I would

rather go three days around, than travel once more over the sand hills

with a wagon. About midnight, at last we reached the southern end of

the sand hills, and encamped without water."

This bad place was about 6 m. Beyond it, some 15 (?) m., is a fine

spring of water a few yards to the left, called Ojo Lucero or Venus'

spring. A place on the railroad in this vicinity is named Rancheria.

Further on is seen, at some distance to the right of the road, a

square mound 20 feet high, with a warm spring on its level top. Beyond

this, on the left, is Laguna de Patos, or Duck l., a considerable body

of water, which is the sink of the Rio Carmen. The other road from El

Paso to Carrizal joins the main road in this vicinity. San José is a

place on the railroad, opposite this lake. Off to the right, in the

mountain chain above mentioned, rises a conspicuous picacho. Carrizal

is a small town, like most places in Mexico (pop. 300 or 400 in 1839),

but for some time supported a presidio or garrison as a protection

from Indians, and was also walled in; but neither of these defenses

seems to have troubled the Apaches much. Turning to Pike's map, we

find he marks "Presidio de Carracal" on a branch of a large "Rio de

Carracal," which he runs N. E. into the Rio Grande. But this is the

Carmen r. just said, which runs into Duck l. not far from where Pike

makes it head, and probably never reaches the Rio Grande. Yet it is

liable to freshets and may greatly overflow its usual limits. Gregg

struck one when he passed this way in 1839 and describes it, _l. c._:

"Just as we passed Lake Patos, we were struck with astonishment at

finding the road ahead of us literally overflowed by an immense body

of water, with a brisk current, as if some great river had suddenly

been conjured into existence by the aid of supernatural arts. A

considerable time elapsed before we could unravel the mystery. At last

we discovered that a freshet had lately occurred in the streams that

fed Lake Patos and caused it to overflow its banks, which accounted

for this unwelcome visitation. We had to flounder through the mud and

water for several hours before we succeeded in getting across." The

spring which Pike marks "Ojo de Lotario" (Lothario) is that above

named as Lucifer or Venus; and the hill delineated close by it is

probably intended for the mound above said. He marks the road which

leads from Carrizal to Sonora "Camino a Senora."

[II'-3] Pike's "little fosse" is no doubt the acequia below Carrizal.

Ojo Caliente is present name of a station on the railroad between

Carmen station and Las Minas; and the warm springs where Pike camps

are those at or near Alamo de Peña, 10-12 m. below Carrizal, a mile

short of the crossing of Rio Carmen. Gregg and Wislizenus both

describe the springs in similar terms, as forming a large basin of

clear, pure, lukewarm water in porphyritic rocks, with a sandy bottom,

fed from various sources, and overrunning in a rivulet into the

Carmen. "It forms," says Gregg, Com. Pra., II. p. 80, "a basin some 30

feet long by about half that width, and just deep and warm enough for

a most delightful bath at all seasons of the year. Were this spring

... anywhere within the United States it would doubtless soon be

converted into a place of fashionable resort." Wislizenus determined a

temperature of 82° F., the air being 84½° F. Hughes in Doniphan's

Exp., p. 108, also describes the spring and states that it was

formerly the seat of a princely hacienda, "belonging to Porus, a

Spanish nabob," who at one time had on his estate 36,000 head of

stock.

[II'-4] A long, hard march over a plain waterless except in rainy

weather, and a dry camp; for though Pike is past the place he marks

"Les Coquillas," he stops short of the Ojo de Callejon.

[II'-5] This spring is found on various maps by the names of

"Gallejo," "Gallego," etc., also applied to a station on the railroad.

Hughes gives the word as "Guyagas." I suppose the proper name to be

Ojo de Callejon, which might be translated Pass spring--for the

mountains on each side of the road here close in somewhat, leaving a

pass or _puerta_ between them. Otherwise, the word is _callejo_ or

_calleyo_, meaning pitfall. This spring is off to the left, and

sometimes discharges water enough to make a rivulet, which crosses the

road. One of the other two springs which Pike speaks of passing is no

doubt that known as Callejito.

[II'-6] The text does not agree with the map, for on the latter a

"Camino a Senora" (road to Sonora) is brought into an unnamed "Ojo"

which Pike has already passed. There may have been more than one such

road. In any event, the spring which Pike passes on the 31st is that

marked on his map "Aqas nueva," _i. e._, Aguas Nuevas or Agua Nueva. A

station on the railroad has the latter name.

[II'-7] The hiatus in the text is to be filled by El Peñol or Hacienda

del Petrero; Pike marks "Delpetrero" on his map, the last place he

notes before reaching Chihuahua. Neither of those names appears on the

late maps before me, but both were formerly employed for the

well-known locality. Wislizenus maps El Peñol, where he camped Aug.

22d, 1846, and speaks of the place as a large hacienda, 28 m. from his

last camp (probably the same as Pike's of the 30th) and about 40 m.

from Chihuahua. "The creek of the same name passing by the hacienda is

the principal affluent of the lake of Encinillas; by the rains it was

swelled to a torrent, and its roaring waves, rushing over all

obstacles, sounded in the stillness of night like a cataract." Pike

has not a word of this lake, though it is usually a conspicuous

feature of the great plain he has just traversed, to the W. of the

road. He maps it, quite small, by the name of "Lago de S^n. Martin."

Laguna de las Encinillas, in English Lake of Live Oaks, is a body of

water whose extent varies greatly according to season and the weather,

being sometimes 15 or 20 m. long, though usually less than this;

Wislizenus estimated its length when he saw it to be 15 m., with a

width of 3 m. on an average. Gregg says, _tom. cit._, p. 81: "This

lake is ten or twelve miles long by two or three in width, and seems

to have no outlet during the greatest freshets, though fed by several

small constant-flowing streams from the surrounding mountains. The

water of this lake during the dry season is so strongly impregnated

with nauseous and bitter salts as to render it wholly unpalatable to

man and beast. The most predominant of these noxious substances is a

species of alkali, known there by the title of _tequesquite_. It is

often seen oozing out from the surface of marshy grounds, about the

table plains of all Northern Mexico, forming a grayish crust, and is

extensively used in the manufacture of soap, and sometimes by the

bakers even for raising bread."

[II'-8] As Pike has not a word of the route from El Peñol to

Chihuahua, we may supply the omission from other sources. The approach

to the capital presented then, as it does now, a number of both

artificial and natural features. There were several settlements, as,

for instance, Encinillas at the S. end of the lake, and Sauz beyond

this. Both of these are places to be found marked by the same names

now; the railroad runs through them. Further on, the road crossed the

Arroyo Seco, usually a dry gulch, as its name says, but sometimes a

creek not easily crossed, owing to depth of water. It flows eastward

to fall into the Sacramento a few miles below. About 3 m. beyond this

arroyo is the valley of the Sacramento, memorable since the battle

which was won by the Americans under Colonel Doniphan on Sunday the

28th of February, 1847. Says Wislizenus, Mem. p. 47: "The mountains

above the Sacramento approach each other from the east and west, and

narrow the intermediate plain to the width of about six miles; and on

the Sacramento itself, where new spurs of mountains project, to about

3 miles. The road from the Arroyo Seco to the Sacramento leads at

first over a high plain; but as soon as the Sacramento comes in sight,

it descends abruptly to its valley and to the left bank of the creek.

Near where the road begins to descend, a ravine, with an opposite long

hill, runs to the left or east of it, and a level plain spreads out to

the right or west of it. On the hill towards the east was a continuous

line of batteries and intrenchments, and the principal force of the

Mexican army was there collected. On the opposite plain from the west,

the American troops, who had above the Arroyo Seco already turned to

the right to gain a more favorable position, advanced in open field

against their entrenched and far more numerous enemies. How the

American artillery with the first opening of their fire struck terror

into the Mexican ranks; how the brave Missourians then, on horseback

and on foot, acted by one impulse, rushed through the ravine up to the

cannon's mouth, and, overthrowing and killing everything before them,

took one battery after the other, till the whole line of entrenchments

was in their possession and the enemy put to complete flight; how they

crossed from here to the Sacramento and stormed on its right bank the

last fortified position, on a steep hill, till not a Mexican was left

to oppose them, and all their cannon, ammunition, and trains were

abandoned to the victors--these are facts well known in the history of

that campaign, and will immortalize the brave volunteers of Missouri."

A full account of the battle is given by the historian of Doniphan's

Expedition, p. 110 _seq._, with a plan of the ground. The U. S. forces

were 924 all told, with 6 pieces of artillery; their loss was 1 killed

and 11 wounded, 3 mortally. The Americans had 140 additional men,

teamsters and others, raising the total to 1,164. Of the 924, 117 were

of the artillery, 93 were of an escort, and the remainder of the 1st

Regt. Missouri mounted volunteers. The Mexicans had 4,224 men, and 16

pieces of artillery; their loss was 320 killed, 560 wounded, 72

prisoners. Hughes' article cited includes Colonel Doniphan's official

report.

The Sacramento is the stream upon two small tributaries of which

Chihuahua is situated, at their junction, about 20 m. from the scene

described. The river is usually fordable. The road leads over a level

plain, which widens somewhat southward, down the valley of the river,

with steep, rough mountains on either hand. The capital first comes in

sight about 10 m. off, in a sort of pocket where the mountains come

together from each side, as if to close up the valley below; but there

is an outlet to the E. through which the Sacramento r. runs to join

the Rio Conchos.

[II'-9] B. Bucks Co., Pa., Jan. 24th, 1754, of Quaker parentage (his

father was one of those who had land on the Patapsco, and founded

Ellicott's Mills, now Ellicott City, near Baltimore, Md., 1774);

became a distinguished astronomer, surveyor, and civil engineer, and

died professor of mathematics at West Point, N. Y., Aug. 29th, 1820.

He did an immense amount of surveying and boundary-running, mostly of

important and official public character, in New York, Pennsylvania,

Maryland, Virginia, and elsewhere; in 1790, was directed by Washington

to lay out the city of that name; in 1792 became surveyor-general of

the U. S.; and in 1796 was appointed by Washington U. S. Commissioner

under the treaty of San Lorenzo el Real, to run the southern boundary

between the U. S. and New Spain. This is the work to which Pike

alludes, though he is a little out in his dates, as witness the

following title: The Journal of Andrew Ellicott, late Commissioner on

behalf of the United States during part of the year 1796, the years

1797, 1798, 1799, and part of the year 1800: for determining the

boundary between the United States and the possessions of his Catholic

Majesty in America, containing, ... etc., Philada., Budd and Bartram,

1803, 1 vol. 4to, pp. i-viii, 1-299, with 6 maps, and Appendix, pp.

1-151, 1 leaf errata, and 8 more maps. Ellicott wrote this book,

excepting the Appendix, at Lancaster, Pa., June to Nov., 1802; and

while he was there in 1803 he coached Captain Meriwether Lewis in the

use of astronomical instruments: see L. and C., ed. 1893, p. xxii and

p. xxiv. Going down the Ohio to the scene of his official functions,

Dec. 17th, 1796, Ellicott says, p. 21: "I passed the mouth of the

Tennesee, and in two hours afterwards arrived at Fort Massac, and was

politely received by the commandant Captain Pike," etc. This was

Zebulon Pike, father of Zebulon M.: see the Memoir, _anteà_. The fort

stood on the N. (right) bank, about lat. 37° 14´; early F. history

obscure and not all of it authentic; site supposed to have been first

occupied _ca._ 1711: see Beck's Gaz., 1823, p. 114, and John Reynolds'

Own Times, 2d. ed. p. 16, with description of the place as it was in

1855. In descending the Ohio in 1758 the F. officer Aubry halted on

the N. bank, at the old site, called 36 m. above the mouth of the

river, to build a new post, which was garrisoned with 100 men and

called Fort _Marsiac_ after the first commandant. Thus the name is not

Massac, as usually said, and still less is it derived from the

apocryphal _massacre_ which various historians have exploited. This

fort was the last establishment of the F. on the Ohio, being kept up

till they evacuated the country under the Treaty of Paris, 1763; it

was a U. S. post till after the war of 1812-14, and during our

occupancy became known as the old Cherokee fort. Pike alludes in the

present work to a certain _Nolan_, who is easy to identify, but not to

find out much about. Ellicott met him at the mouth of the Ohio, in

Jan., 1797: "Mr. Philip Nolan, so well known for his athletic

exertions, and dexterity in taking wild horses, stopped at our camp on

his way from New Madrid to fort Massac," says this author, p. 29, with

a footnote stating that Nolan "was killed by the Spaniards in the

spring of 1801," after taking a very active part in various

disturbances in that quarter. Ellicott passed down the Miss. r., past

the Chickasaw bluffs (L. and C., ed. 1893, p. xl. and p. lii), and at

Natchez encountered a bigger bluff in the shape of an individual who

described himself in his pronunciamentos as his Excellency Francis

Lewis Hector, Baron de Carondelet, Knight of the Order of Malta, Major

General of his Armies, Commandant General of Louisiana and West

Florida, Inspector of the Troops, Militia, etc., etc., etc. (though

what his triplicate etceteras were is not given to ordinary mortals to

know). This climacteric functionary was supported by a lesser luminary

who filled the rôle of Don Manuel Gayoso de Lemas, Brigadier of the

Royal Armies, Governor of Natchez and its dependencies, with three-ply

etceteras as before (though he was dead before Aug., 1799). These two

formidable obstructions to navigation, as an engineer might say, were

not overcome by our surveyor-general for nearly a year, during which

period they kept him busy with Spanish diplomacy. As I read the

correspondence it seems to have largely consisted in saying they hoped

God would bless and keep him forever, when they really hoped the devil

would fly away with him before breakfast; and he had to silence both

the caterwauling choristers before he could proceed with his

scientific work. This he was free to do on the Spanish evacuation of

the forts at Natchez and Nogales (Walnut Hills) in Jan., 1798.

[II'-10] This paper was given in full in the App. to Pt. 3, of which

it originally formed Doc. No. 13, pp. 73-77, and will be found beyond.

[II'-11] David Fero, Jr., of New York, was an ensign of the 3d

sub-Legion from May 12th, 1794, to Nov. 1st, 1796, when he was

assigned to the 3d Infantry, in which he became a lieutenant Oct. 3d,

1798, and from which he resigned July 22d, 1799.

[II'-12] This appeal and remonstrance was given in the App. to Pt. 3,

where it originally formed Doc. No. 14, pp. 78, 79, dated Apr. 14th;

it will be found beyond.

[II'-13] These papers, originally forming Docs. Nos. 15 and 16, were

given in the App. to Pt. 3, pp. 79-82, and will be found beyond.

[II'-14] This letter appeared in the App. to Part 3, where it

originally formed Doc. No. 17, pp. 82, 83, dated Apr. 4th, and will be

found beyond.

[II'-15] Mapula or vicinity--perhaps on the spot noted in Wislizenus'

itinerary of Doniphan's vanguard, Apr. 25th, 1847, Mem. p. 62: "They

made on that day but 14 miles, and encamped at Coursier's hacienda,

near Mapula. This place is to the right of the usual road, and about

five miles out of the way, but has to be resorted to for want of

water, if one does not intend to go in one trip as far as Bachimba,

the nearest watering place on the road, and 32 miles from Chihuahua."

Mapula is marked on modern maps as on the railroad, S. E. from

Chihuahua, while a Fresno appears to the right, due S. from that city.

Pike is to follow the present railroad for many miles, but more or

less inexactly. His "small ridge of mountains" is passed about 4 m. S.

of Chihuahua; this is a range of hills which encompass the city on

that side, and command a fine view. On crossing them, the main road

runs S. E. in a valley 10 m. wide, bounded E. and W. by mountain

ridges, with Coursier's hacienda and Mapula off to the right. About 20

m. from Chihuahua these ridges hem the valley so closely as to form a

cañon 5 or 6 m. long and 1 m. or less wide; Wislizenus notes a spring

and ranche in this cañon; [qu.: now called Horcasitas?] Bachimba is in

the plain, about 5 m. off the cañon, on a fine running stream; in 1847

it was a hacienda with a dozen houses.

[II'-16] Pike marks the fort "P[residio] de S^n. Paubla," and the

river "Rio S^n Paubla," without prejudice to the gender of the holy

person concerned. Modern Ortiz is about the site of the Presidio San

Pablo, on the railroad, on the N. or left bank of the river; the

latter is present Rio San Pedro, a large branch of the Conchos which

falls in above Julimes. About 10 m. S. of Bachimba the road forked;

the right-hand fork went S. S. E., to Santa Cruz de Rosales, which was

said to contain 5,000 inhabitants in itself and vicinity in 1847; it

is on the Rio San Pedro, 8 m. higher up than San Pablo, to which the

left-hand road leads S. E. The latter is the one Pike took; it is

shorter than the other; both come together before Saucillo is reached.

In 1847 San Pablo was reported to be "a flourishing place, with about

4,000 inhabitants": Wislizenus, Mem. p. 63. Rio San Pedro is a fine

stream, over 100 m. long, heading in the mountains on the W. The plain

or valley which it traverses, and in which both the roads above

mentioned lie, has a varying width of 25-35 m.

[II'-17] Pike struck Rio Conchos where the railroad does now--at

Saucillo, or El Saucillo, a town on the left or W. bank of the river;

the "24 miles" from San Pablo to this place is about right. This march

was through the same valley as yesterday's, with a good but not such a

level road, as the mountains approach each other near Saucillo,

leaving S. of it a gap through which the road continues into the next

valley. The night's small station is less easily identified, but was

no doubt at Las Garzas or in that immediate vicinity, where the

Conchos is crossed. A Mexican league is supposed to be 5,000 varas (of

about 33 inches each = about 4,583 yards, or nearly 2⅔ m.), but in

itineraries is usually found to be less than this. Las Garzas (Sp.

_garzas_, "herons") is an obscure place not to be found on many modern

maps; it is beyond Concho and La Cruz (both of which are points on the

railroad). Wislizenus notes it on his journey, Mem. p. 64: "We passed

through la Cruz, a small town, and further below [further S., but

higher up Rio Conchos], through las Garzas, a smaller place yet, where

we crossed the Conchos." It is the place marked "Pres[idio]" on Pike's

map, which is probably in error in marking the trail as continuing up

the left bank of the Conchos.

Rio Conchos is the principal river of Chihuahua, over 400 m. long, and

with its many tributaries watering much of the State. The name is said

to be derived from its shells (Sp. _conchas_), and I have seen Shell

r. in print. It makes a long loop southward before turning N., and

then runs about N. E. into the Rio Grande at Presidio del Norte--a

place also called Presidio de las Juntas (lettered "Santas" on Pike's

map) from the confluence of the two rivers. Rios Florido and San Pedro

are its principal tributaries. Pike lays down the Conchos pretty well:

notice particularly its northward course on the W. of the mountains,

along what is called on his map "Puerta de la Virgin."

[II'-18] Pike's route of May 1st probably crossed the Conchos at or

near Las Garzas, and continued approximately up the right or E. bank

of that river to the confluence of Rio Florido, opp. Santa Rosalia,

the "poor miserable village" of the text, which stood on a hill in the

point between the two rivers; its present name is the same; the

railroad passes it now. Writing of Apr. 30th, 1847, Wislizenus has,

Mem. p. 65: "Santa Rosalia is a town of about 5,000 inhabitants; it

lies on a hill about 100 feet higher than the river, and towards the

S. spreading out on a small plateau. Here, on the southern end of the

town, the Mexicans had erected a fort against General Wool, when his

division was expected to march towards Chihuahua." The town is not

marked on Pike's map, which, moreover, gives his trail as crossing the

Conchos there and the Florido higher up, though the usual road comes

up the right bank of the Conchos and crosses the Florido at or near

the mouth of the latter, to continue E. S. E. up its left side. Rio

Florido is the largest branch of the Conchos, having itself various

tributaries, as R. de Barral, falling in near Bustamente, and R.

Allende, with Jimenez near its mouth; the railroad crosses both of

these at the places said. Neither of these streams appears on Pike's

map. The place where he dined seems to be about that marked Santa Rita

on his map. This I do not recognize; but it cannot have been far from

Bustamente. The evident confusion of distances in the text makes it

probably impossible to identify the "private house" at which he slept.

La Ramada was a small place on the Rio Florido, about 24 m. from Santa

Rosalia. He seems to have come beyond this point, perhaps to the

vicinity of present Jimenez (on the railroad). His legend "Camion de

Monaseo" presumably stands for Camino de Monasterio (Monastery road).

[II'-19] Or Guajuquilla: a well-known place on the right or S. bank of

the river, marked on Pike's map as a presidio or fortified town. A

citation from Wislizenus, Mem. p. 65, will throw some further light on

the situation: "Made a strong march to-day [May 3d, 1847] of 33 miles

[from La Ramada], to _Guajuquilla_. The road was constantly winding

itself through endless chaparrál; the Rio Florido on the left, and

mountains and hills east and west, in the distance, from 10 to 20

miles. About half way we passed a rancho with some water; farther on

the road forks; the right hand road leads directly to the town; the

other by a large hacienda [qu.: where Pike slept last night?]. Before

Guajuquilla we crossed the Florido, and passing through town encamped

south of it. Guajuquilla looks more like a town than any other place

we have seen so far, on the road from Chihuahua; its population is

from 6 to 7,000." Three miles S. of this town was the Hacienda de

Dolores, "a large estate with well irrigated and cultivated fields"; a

place on the railroad is now marked "Dolores." Thence the road

continued for a jornada of about 50 m. without water. Pike will

proceed upon this on the 6th, the party having been sent ahead on the

5th.

[II'-20] An unidentifiable place on the jornada, short of the first

water from Guajuquilla.

[II'-21] Pike's map marks the first spring on the road as "Ojo S.

Bernarde" and the next as "Ojo S Blas"--names which appear to be

transposed from the order in which they come in other itineraries of

this route. Thus Wislizenus, Mem. p. 66: "About eight miles from our

to-night camp, we passed a spring, with a water-pool, in a ravine to

the left of our road; but the water was so muddy and brackish, that

the animals refused to drink, or rather to eat it. This spot is known

as _San Antonio camp_. Three miles further, a few deserted houses, and

a spring on the right hand of the road (_San Blas_), are found; but

the water is equally bad, and of sulphureted taste. The first good

water, and in sufficient quantity, is met about five miles beyond San

Blas, in _San Bernardo_, a deserted rancho, with willows and cotton

trees, built against a steep mountain wall, from whence a fine creek

takes its origin. A small plain half a mile below the rancho contains

also some springs and water-pools, and good grass. We pitched our camp

in this plain. We have travelled to-day, according to my estimate,

about 40 miles [_i. e._, from a dry camp about 20 m. from the Hacienda

de Dolores, near Guajuquilla]." It is clear that Wislizenus is on

Pike's trail, and that they have reached what is practically the same

camp--near the San Bernardo spring of the former's narrative, or the

San Blas spring of the latter's map; and that the spring which Pike

speaks of as the "first water from Guaxequillo" and maps as San

Bernarde spring, was either the San Antonio camp or the San Blas

spring of Wislizenus. The situation is considerably off the present

railroad, and the above names are not to be found on ordinary modern

maps. But my identifications are confirmed by the fact that both

travelers, on decamping next day, cross a mountain gap or pass and

soon come upon a river: see next note.

[II'-22] The mountain Pike passes, and the river he crosses, are

easily identified; the latter is the stream known as El Andabazo (or

Cerro Gordo), with a town of the latter name higher up on it. This is

the first of several streams we shall cross, running to the left as we

go, and sinking in the Bolson de Mapimi--for they are all beyond the

Conchos basin, the divide of which was passed in the course of the

long dry jornada above noted. The lake that the Cerro Gordo cr. sinks

in is sometimes called Laguna de Xacco: so Hughes, Don. Exp., 1847, p.

129. The trail Pike followed is thus described by Wislizenus, p. 66:

"We started late, and made but 10 miles, to the _Cerro Gordo_, or _el

Andabazo_ creek. Having crossed the mountain, at whose foot San

Bernardo lies, we went for a mile through a cañon, with mountains of

limestone on both sides, and from there into another valley, watered

by the el Andabazo. This considerable creek seems to run from

southwest to northeast." The obscure town of Cerro Gordo above named

must not be confounded with the place in Vera Cruz which was the scene

of the famous battle of Cerro Gordo.

Pike has now passed the present interstate boundary between Chihuahua

and Durango. The line runs on a parallel of latitude from Lago de

Tlahualila 60 Mex. leagues W. to a source of Rio del Fuerte near

Huenote. Pike maps Lake Tlahualila conspicuously: see the large sheet

of water laid down in the Bolson Mapimi across which is legended "Here

the Indians sallied forth to attack New Biscay and Cohuahuila," and

which has a large forked stream running into it from the S. The main

fork of this is the present Rio de Nasas, which actually discharges

into Laguna del Muerto; so Pike's body of water represents both Lake

Tlahualila and the Lake of the Dead, as well as some smaller sheets,

as Laguna del Cayman, etc., all lying in the same general depression.

Pike mentions "Lac du Cayman" elsewhere and correctly says that Rio

Nassas (which he also calls Brassos) falls into it. L. de Parras,

however, he lays down separately, with its own river discharging into

it. The boundaries of Chihuahua, Durango, and Coahuila all meet in

Lake Tlahualila, whence that between Durango and Coahuila runs S. for

a few miles and then S. E., while that between Chihuahua and Coahuila

extends N. along the border of the Bolson to the Rio Grande.

[II'-23] Pelayo is the best-known place we have come to since leaving

Guajuquilla, and easily found on modern maps by this name; it appears

on Pike's map as "P[residio]. Pelia," and has been more fully called

Hacienda de San José de Pelayo. The name is thus a personal one,

though some have derived it from Sp. _pelar_, to boil, scald, with

reference to the hot sulphur springs. (One Pelayo, Latinized Pelagius,

founded the monarchy of Asturias in Spain early in the eighth century

A. D. The form Palayo is also found.) The place is on the main road,

about 25 m. from the crossing of Andabazo cr. "Pelayo," says

Wislizenus, p. 67, "is a small village, or hacienda, with several good

springs around it; some of common, others of higher temperature. The

creek formed by them is, according to the Mexican statements,

afterwards lost in the sand.... In Pelayo, a small but steep hill was

fortified on the top, by walls of stone. This fortification was

probably intended against General Wool's army. Two days before us

[_i. e._, May 5th, 1847] Lieutenant Colonel Mitchell had arrived here

with the vanguard [of Doniphan's troops], and seeing the inhabitants of

the place organized as a military company, he made 30 of them prisoners,

and took their arms from them; but upon their representation that they

would by this act become a prey to the surrounding Indians, he

restored them their arms, under the condition that they be used only

for defence against Indians." That series of creeks flowing to the

left, two of which have thus far been mentioned, are all crossed by

the railroad, much E. of Pike's route; four places at or near which

such crossings occur are named Escalon, Zavalza, Conejos, and

Peronal--the two former in Chihuahua, the two latter in Durango, and

the last of these being nearest the railroad crossing of the creek

which flows through La Cadena, as about to be noted.

[II'-24] La Cadena is present name of a place on or near the fourth

one of the small streams above noted, considerably off (?) the modern

main road--say 20 m. S. W. of Peronal, and 25 m. due W. of Mapimi. It

is reached by a rough mountain road 18 m. from Pelayo, past the copper

mine of Oruilla; the hacienda there, of which Pike speaks as being so

rich in stock, had been deserted when Wislizenus passed in 1847. The

creek comes from the Sierra de las Mimbres, on the W. Another steep

range rises about 3 m. E. of La Cadena; the gap between the two is the

Pass of Cadena, Puerta de Cadena, or "Door of the Prison," through

which Pike goes to-day due E. in the direction of Mapimi.

[II'-25] Lettered "Maupeme" on the map, and so rendered in the text

beyond; same word as that in Pike's legend "Bolson de Mapini"; now

usually spelled Mapimi. Hughes writes Malpimi. The meaning of the word

is unknown, as it probably would not be were it of Spanish derivation;

its most frequent use is in the phrase Bolson de Mapimi, applied to

very extensive tracts of low-lying ground encompassed with mountains,

chiefly in the states of Chihuahua and Coahuila, but also overreaching

into Durango. _Bolson_ is a Spanish word which means various things,

among them "purse," "pouch," or "pocket," and seems to be applied here

in the same way that we use the word "hole" for several different

valleys in our Rocky mts. Mapimi, as the designation of a particular

place, is still the name of the town Pike comes to, now on the

railroad, about 15 m. by rail from Peronal, and about 20 m. by the

road he came from La Cadena Pass. It is thus the place where the

highway and the railroad come together. The situation is the eastern

part of an extensive valley some 20 m. wide and 35 m. long from N. to

S., surrounded on all sides by mountains yielding silver mines. "Two

springs, called Espiritu Santo and Agua de Leon, form here [at Mapimi]

a creek, which runs through the town in an eastern direction,"

Wislizenus, _l. c._ This seems to be the stream that "formed a

terrestrial paradise" for Pike--as well it might, with the Holy Ghost

re-enforcing Ponce de Leon. Wislizenus found Mapimi "rather deserted,"

May 9th, 1847; but the artillery "fired a salute, in honor of the

anniversary of the battle of Palo Alto" (fought May 8th, 1846). Pike's

camp of the 11th of May, 3 m. E. of Mapimi, was snug under the eastern

mountain chain, whence it was about 2 m. through a cañon into another

valley forming a part of the series of the Bolson de Mapimi.

[II'-26] "The little village" is not named. Pike's map makes the

triple forking of the road he is about to mention in the immediate

vicinity of Mapimi; but this appears to be an error, as he was already

3 m. beyond that town when he started on the 12th. His map is

otherwise so far out of drawing that it does help us much more than

the slender thread of text to discover exactly what way Captain Barelo

took him around the Bolson to Parras. The precise stages of the

journey to Parras would probably be recoverable by one thoroughly

familiar with the ground; but it is impossible for me to trace the

route upon any map I have been able to find. The only road laid down

on the best map before me runs down the Rio Nasas past San Lorenzo to

Mayron, at the Laguna del Muerto, into which that river sinks, and

thence to Pozo (Pozzo) and Parras. From the railroad junction at

Torreon the track runs at a distance from, but approximately parallel

with, the river and the road just indicated, through places marked

Matamoras, Colonia, and Hornos, to Mayron and thence to Pozo.

Wislizenus speaks of a place apparently about where Pike comes to on

the 12th, where the road forks, and describes a "northern" and a

"southern" route. The northern one, he says, leads by Alamito, San

Lorenzo, and San Juan (all on the Rio Nasas) to El Pozo; it is thus

identical with or very nearly the same as the one just said to descend

the Rio Nasas. The southern one, he says, would have taken him by San

Sebastian, on the Nasas, to Gatuño, Matamoras (or la Bega de Maraujo),

Santa Mayara, by the Laguna de Parras to Alamo de Parras, St. Domingo,

and Peña, to El Pozo, and thence to Parras. I think that Pike's route

coincides most closely with this one; it is for the most part S. of

the railroad, passing close to the Laguna de Parras (the sink of the

Rio Guanabel); and when we find him at Parras, on the 17th, he is

almost due E. of the place where he crossed the Rio Nasas, at an

air-line distance therefrom of nearly or about 40 Mexican leagues--say

100 m.

The "Monsieur de Croix" above named is Teodoro de Croix, b. at Lille,

Flanders, about 1730, d. at Madrid, Spain, Apr. 8th, 1791; he was

viceroy of Peru from Apr., 1784, to Mar., 1790; he had previously

served as commandant of the interior provinces and of Sonora, under

his elder brother, Carlos Francisco de Croix, Marques de Croix, and

viceroy of New Spain, 1766-1771. See the legend of his route on Pike's

map.

[II'-27] "Brasses" and "Brassos" are Pike's rendering of Brazos, name

of a great river in Texas, but the stream here meant by "Brasses" is

Rio Nasas (or Nazas), which flows into Laguna del Muerto, in Coahuila.

This he elsewhere calls Nassas and Nassus; saying that it runs into

Lake Cayman, and forms part of the boundary between Cogquilla

(Coahuila) and New Biscay (his name for Chihuahua, though he means

Durango). He also charts it conspicuously, but much out of drawing:

see his map, first river E. of Mapimi, with "Rancho S^n Antonio" there

lettered. Some of my maps, running back 40 years, apply the name Nazas

to that other stream (Rio Guanabal) which sinks in Laguna de Parras,

and which Pike also charts, greatly out of position; but he is correct

in his identification of the Nasas. This is a notable stream in

Durango and Coahuila, which has been called "the vein and center of

the Bolson" by Wislizenus, who says further, p. 69: "San Sebastian is

a hacienda on the left bank of the Nasas river, and about 35 miles

from Mapimi. The Nasas is here quite a deep and respectable stream,

while further down it becomes flat, and disappears sometimes entirely

in the sand. It comes about 150 leagues from the western part of the

State of Durango, from the so-called Sianori mountains.... The Nasas

is the Nile of the Bolson de Mapimi; the wide and level country along

the river is yearly inundated by its rising, and owes to that

circumstance its great fertility."

On crossing Rio Nasas, or at a point on his road in that vicinity,

Pike passes from the present State of Durango into that of Coahuila;

but we have no mileage for the 13th. He never leaves Coahuila till he

enters the Texas of his day, close to present San Antonio de Bexar,

Tex. He never touches Nuevo Leon at any point.

[II'-28] El Rancho de San Antonio, already indicated as on the Rio

Nasas, but exact location in question. I cannot find the name on any

modern map. It does not seem to be the same place as the San Sebastian

mentioned by Wislizenus. But the general locality is near the present

interstate boundary of Coahuila and Durango, not far from the place

where the two railroads cross each other, known as El Torreon (The

Tower).

[II'-29] Santa Rosa, one of the principal Coahuilan towns, about

half-way between Monclova and Presidio del Rio Grande, on waters of

the Upper Rio Sabinas, and on the road which General Wool took during

the invasion of Mexico.

[II'-30] See Pike's map, place legended "Well of Putrid Water."

[II'-31] The text is contradictory concerning mileage, and ambiguous

in the matter of the road which came in. The place whence water was

drawn is that legended "Well of Mineral Water" on Pike's map. I am not

sure that this is El Pozo of various maps and itineraries before me,

called "Pozzo" on the most modern ones; but am inclined to think it

is. Pozo is a well-known place where the railroad now crosses a

highway, and whence there is a regular road S. W. to Alamos de Parras,

and another S. E. to Parras itself. Under date of May 13th, 1847,

Wislizenus has, Mem. p. 71: "We travelled to-day 25 miles from San

Juan to _el Pozo_. The road was more gravelly than sandy, at first

quite level, afterwards slightly ascending. A few miles to our right a

steep mountain chain was running parallel with our road; to the left

rose more distant mountains.... About half way we passed by a deserted

rancho, 'Refugio,' with a well. Near El Pozo the valley becomes

narrower." Dr. W. describes a fight with Lipan Indians which had

occurred at Pozo two days before, and continues, p. 72: "_El Pozo_

(the well) is a hacienda, belonging to Don Manuel de Ibarra, and

consists of but one large building, in which many families live. The

place is distinguished for its ingenious water-works. It consists of a

deep and very spacious well, from which the water is drawn by mule

power in the following way: Over a large wheel in the upper part of

the well a strong and broad band of leather is stretched, moving

around with the wheel; to the band, in regular distances, many buckets

of leather are attached, which, by the equal circular motion of the

wheel and the band, are descending on one side of the well, and fill

themselves with water, while they are drawn up on the other side, and,

emptying their water into a basin, return again to the well. To

receive the drawn water, two large basins of stone, about 40 feet wide

and 100 feet long, have been made, and on the outside of the basins

runs a long line of troughs, all of stone, for the watering of the

animals.... The same Indians which our men fought here, the Lipans,

used to frequent this well very freely, and carried their impudence

even so far that they notified the Mexicans at what time they wanted

to have the basins full, and the Mexicans did not dare to disobey.

Although the idea of this water-wheel is by no means a new one, it is

certainly very simply and well executed, and the more gratifying to

the traveller, as this is the only watering place between San Juan and

Parras, a distance of about 50 miles."

[II'-32] No mileage for the 17th; but Paras is a notable place, easily

discovered on ordinary maps. Sp. _parras_ means grapevines, especially

such as are trained on a trellis, and various vineyards have given

geographical names in Mexico, as Laguna de Parras, Alamo de Parras,

etc. The latter is a phrase coming near what is meant by our

traditional "vine and fig-tree"; it now designates a place further W.,

not to be mistaken for Parras itself. "Paras" and the San Lorenzo

hacienda above said are both marked on Pike's map; the latter must not

be confused with present town of San Lorenzo on Rio Nasas, much

further W. The map is entirely out of drawing in these parts, but not

irrecognizably, and we can make the requisite adjustments. In

particular, Laguna de Parras is put down over 100 m. from its true

position, and the course of its feeder (Rio Guanabal) is still further

out of the way. His route passed near this laguna, between it and

Laguna del Muerto. We must not forget that he was traveling under

compulsion, propulsion, and perpetual irritation--circumstances

unfavorable to the accuracy of such notes as he could take by stealth

and afterward supplement from memory, and under which he could not be

expected to improve Humboldt's map!

Some extracts from Dr. Wislizenus, Mem. pp. 72, 73, will give a better

idea of Parras than Pike's glimpse affords: "_May 14_ [1847]. We left

[Pozo] this morning for _Parras_, in the State of Coahuila.... Our

road ran parallel with a near mountain chain on the right, and was

mostly ascending. In the latter part of our march we saw from a hill

Parras, at the foot of the same chain, which here makes a bend towards

southeast. The first sight of the town reminded me of el Paso, on

account of the great many gardens and vineyards that surround it.

Entering the town, I was struck with the luxuriant growth of

pomegranates, figs, and fruits of all sorts, and with the enormous

height and circumference of the common opuntias and agaves, which I

had already seen in the State of Chihuahua, but much smaller. The

opuntias had trunks of one foot in diameter, and the agave americana

grew to the height of from 10 to 15 feet, making excellent hedges. The

town itself was much handsomer than I had expected. It has some fine

streets, with old substantial buildings, a large 'plaza,' and a

general appearance of wealth and comfort. We encamped in the Alameda,

a beautiful public walk, shaded with cotton trees and provided with

seats of repose. Early in the morning a concert of thousands of birds,

many mockingbirds among them, that live here quite undisturbed, awoke

us from our slumber. These Alamedas, fashionable in all the Mexican

cities, do honor to the general taste of the Mexicans for flowers,

gardens, and natural embellishments. To prevent any injury to the

trees our horses were kept outside the Alameda. Parras was probably

built towards the end of the seventeenth century, and received its

name from its vine, parra meaning vine-branch. The cultivation of the

vine is at present a principal object of industry in Parras. The

vineyards are mostly on the hilly slopes of the limestone mountains

west of town. They produce a white and a red wine, both of very

pleasant taste, resembling somewhat the wine of el Paso, but more

heating and stronger.... We rested in Parras two days, and left it on

the morning of _May 17_, on our road to Saltillo. From Parras we

marched about five miles in an eastern direction, through a a plain,

to _San Lorenzo_, or, as it is commonly called, _Hacienda de Abajo_, a

large, splendid hacienda, belonging to the above mentioned Don Manuel

de Ibarra. The road from el Pozo leads directly to this place; by

going to Parras, several leagues are lost." This "lower hacienda" is

the one which Pike names above, and where he camps to-night.

[II'-33] No distance or direction given, and no place named--but we

can discover Pike by extraneous means. Dr. Wislizenus says, p. 73:

"From here [San Lorenzo] the road was winding over a hilly and rocky

country, till we arrived in _Cienega Grande_, a hacienda of Don Rey de

Guerrero, (25 miles from Parras.)" This is no doubt the place Pike

reaches, on his way to Patos. The unnamed hacienda of the text is so

marked on his map, on the above "fine stream." This creek requires

attention. Pike lays it down as one of the headwaters of Rio Tigre,

also called Rio San Francisco del Tigre, which he mistakes it to be,

and so runs it off into the Gulf of Mexico, about where Tiger r. does

in fact empty. But Pike was never on any tributary of Tiger r.--never

in that watershed at all--never in Nuevo Leon. His "fine stream" is a

headwater of that river which falls into the Rio Grande by Ringgold

Barracks, and whose two main forks are known as Rio San Juan and Rio

Salinas. Saltillo, once known as Leona Victoria, and present capital

of Coahuila, is on a branch of the Salinas (Rio Meteros); and

Monterey, present capital of Nuevo Leon, is on a branch of the San

Juan.

[II'-34] Before coming to Patos and Florida, we will see what

Wislizenus says, Mem. p. 73: "_May 18._ Through a wide valley, with

mountains to the north and south, we went to-day (18 miles) to _Rancho

Nuevo_, and encamped about one mile southeast of it, in a valley....

Some miles from our camp, in a corner, amidst mountains, lies

_Castañuela_, an old but small town, from which a shorter but very

rough road leads over the mountains to Parras. A fine creek runs by

it, descending from the southwest mountains and turning towards the

northeast." This seems to be about the place to which Pike was brought

on the 19th.

[II'-35] "Pattos" is marked "Hacienda Poloss" on Pike's map, where it

is set down about a day's journey due W. of "Saltello"; "Florida" is

also marked, nearly as far off to the N. E. But these are mere

crudities of engraving; any good modern map will show Patos, about 35

m. W. by S. from Saltillo, and about 16 m. S. by W. from San Antonio

de Jaral; which latter is 12 m. S. E. of a place on the railroad now

called Pastora. As to Patos and its vicinity we will hear from Dr.

Wislizenus, Mem. p. 74: "_May 19._ Marched 25 miles [from Rancho

Nuevo] to _Vequeria_, a small place on a creek of the same name. The

very tortuous road led over a hilly and broken country. From one of

the hills we perceived, towards the E. N. E., the distant mountains of

Saltillo. About five miles from Vequeria we passed a creek with very

clear water, the San Antonio, which unites below, near _Patos_, with

the Vequeria creek.... Northeast from Vequeria is an opening in the

surrounding mountains, through which the mountain chain of Saltillo

appears again. The route through this pass is the shortest and most

direct from Saltillo, but with wagons one has to take a southeastern

course to avoid the mountains. About one mile from Vequeria, in the

pass leading to Saltillo, lies _Patos_, a small town." The name of the

place Dr. W. calls "Vequeria" is preferably spelled Vaqueria; the word

means simply stock-farm or cattle-ranch; vaqueros are the cowboys of

such places, whom I used to hear called "buckeros" when I was in New

Mexico, perhaps by unconscious confusing of "vaqueros" with the

bucking bronchos they rode.

Here we regret to take leave of our accomplished fellow-traveler, who

has set up finger-posts on Pike's route all the way from El Paso to

Patos. Dr. Wislizenus keeps on eastward to meet General Wool's forces

at Buena Vista and Saltillo. Pike has turned northward, down the San

Antonio cr., and camps at Florida, less than 3 m. N. of Patos, in the

direction of San Antonio de Jaral.

[II'-36] Route of the 21st northward, past if not through San Antonio

de Jaral, down the right side of San Antonio cr., and across this from

E. to W.; thence continuing northward to some point probably on the

present railroad and in the vicinity of the station now known as

Sauceda (Willows). Pike's map shows the crossing, at a point below

certain forks he delineates, probably not far from half-way between

Sauceda and Pastora.

[II'-37] Route N., thus bearing off from the river, main road, and

line of present railroad, all of which run along together about N. N.

E.; camp at or near no named place, but about 8 m. due W. of a place

on the railroad (Treviño or Venadito) where a branch turns off to go

to Monterey. "La Rancho" of the text, better written El Rancho, or

simply ranch, is beyond the place marked on the map as an Indian

village by the name of "Rambo"--unless this is the ranch itself, a

little misplaced.

[II'-38] Route about N., 15-20 m. to the foot of the pass in the cross

mountain, at the place marked "Rivera" on Pike's map.

[II'-39] On making Three Rivers Pass in the morning, Pike goes over

the "cross mountain" which forms the divide between the waters of the

San Juan and Salinas basin, and comes upon the water-shed of Rio

Sabinas (which river he will cross to reach the Rio Grande). The main

road which he strikes at the 13th mile is also the railroad line, and

he strikes them both at or near Bajan, 5 m. above Joya, where the main

road now comes in from points eastward. We have no mileage for the

24th, but it was a good day's journey to get only 9 m. short of

Montelovez (Monclova).

As several of Pike's daily mileages are missing, we cannot say exactly

how many miles he made it out to be from the Mapimi locality to

Montelovez. If we average up the missing ones with the rest of the 14

days, it makes 15 m. a day, or a total of 210 m. Those who are better

informed than myself concerning the kind of country passed over can

judge how near right these figures may be. It seems to me rather scant

measure for the most direct route by which the Bolson could have been

flanked by anything like the curve the railroad now takes. Pike

certainly never made such a fishhook-shaped trail as that delineated

on his map, if he only went 210 m.

[II'-40] Route N., down E. bank of the river on which Monclova is

situated, along the main road and present railroad. No mileage; but 5½

hours on a road should make 16-18 m., and set Pike near Hermanos, at

the place Don Melcher or Michon had his real estate.

[II'-41] Benjamin Lockwood of Ohio had been an ensign in the levies of

1791 when he was appointed a lieutenant of Infantry, Mar. 7th, 1792,

and arranged to the 4th sub-Legion, Sept. 4th of that year; he was

attached to the 4th Infantry, Nov. 1st, 1796, made a captain July

10th, 1797, transferred to the 2d Infantry Apr. 1st, 1802, and to the

1st Infantry Sept. 2d of that year; and died July 29th, 1807.

[II'-42] The present town of Encinas (The Oaks) is on the road, 20 m.

from Hermanos, and presumably at or near the site of the old Barego

estate. Pike is fairly in the valley of Rio Sabinas.

[II'-43] Millada r. of Pike is the main fork of Sabinas r., and the

one whose upper waters he left at Hermanos. Leaving it there, the road

through Encinas to Alamo cuts off a bend of the river which the

railroad now meanders by way of Baroteran, Aura, Obeya, and so on. The

ranch was at present site of Alamo, a well-known crossing where

several roads still concenter, 10 or 12 m. above the forks. It used to

be called Alameda Arriba or, as we should say, "Upper Cottonwoods";

whence I imagine that Pike got his name "Millada." This river flowed

to his right as he faced N.; the letter "w" of the word "which" is

engraved on the map at precisely the point he crossed this stream: see

next note.

[II'-44] The main stream of Sabinas r. is crossed at the place now

called Potrillo, and also Juarez, 10 m. from Alamo. This sets Pike at

a point 17 m. further on a bee line for the Presidio Grande. His

mapping of the "Millada" and Sabinas rivers is faulty to the last

degree: see the map on this point. 1. The Millada (on which the letter

"w" is engraved) should turn above that point and connect with the

stream on which "Montelovez" is situated. 2. The main Sabinas

(identifiable on the map by "[Symbol: Triangle] Kan" engraved

alongside Pike's trail) should have been carried clear up N. W., 100

m. or more. 3. The great river which Pike fetches into the Rio Grande

at Presidio Grande, and which he runs down to this point from

"Montelovez," does not exist. It is an imaginary river, compounded of

about equal parts of upper portions of the two forks of the Sabinas,

cut off from their proper connections lower down, and run into the Rio

Grande about 100 m. too high up. The rest of the river (E. of Pike's

trail) is connected with the Rio Grande about right--that is to say,

below Laredo. Observe that Pike says nothing about crossing the mouth

of any such river as his map shows just where his trail comes to the

Rio Grande. It is a sheer blunder, which has baffled many a person who

naturally supposed that Pike fetched up at the mouth of Sabinas r.,

some 40 m. below Laredo, but never could see how he got there, or how

he got thence to San Antonio, or what in the name of geography the two

rivers he crossed were anyhow. In fine, this affair of the Sabinas r.

befogged the whole trail for several hundred miles, both in Mexico and

in Texas. For my own part, I first tried to bring Pike to the Rio

Grande at the mouth of Sabinas r., and very soon lost him in Nuevo

Leon--to say nothing of the impossibility of trailing him thence to

San Antonio. Then I tried the roads to Laredo, observing that this

would do pretty well for the Texan side; but again I lost him in Nuevo

Leon. Though the map itself indicated that Pike never was in Nuevo

Leon (where General Salcedo, in fact, had no business to send troops,

as it was out of his jurisdiction), yet political boundaries nearly a

century old go for little on their face, and I was almost tempted to

give the puzzle up. But I thought that I would try the experiment of

disregarding the map altogether, and trailing Pike solely by his

itinerary in the text. It was a week's work to satisfy myself that he

was never over the present boundary of Coahuila after he left Durango,

and probably never 25 m. on either side of the railroad from Mapimi to

Sabinas r. There he was within two days of the Rio Grande, heading

straight for the Presidio Salto; and a glance at his map showed me

what the trouble was with that unlucky river.

[II'-45] Directly on the main road to Presidio Salto--the Presidio

Grande, or del Rio Grande, of Pike. The running water, on which was

situated a ranch, was one of the several _small_ affluents of the Rio

Grande which run E. along here on the Mexican side.

CHAPTER III.

ITINERARY, CONCLUDED: THROUGH TEXAS TO NATCHITOCHES ON THE RED RIVER

OF LOUISIANA, JUNE 1ST-JULY 1ST, 1807.

_Monday, June 1st._ Arrived at the Presidio Rio Grande[III'-1] at

eight o'clock. This place was the position to which our friend Barelo

had been ordered, and which had been very highly spoken of to him; but

he found himself miserably mistaken, for it was with the greatest

difficulty we obtained anything to eat, which mortified him extremely.

When at Chihuahua, General Salcedo had asked me if I had not lost a

man by desertion, to which I replied in the negative. He then informed

me that an American had arrived at the Presidio Rio Grande in the last

year; that he had at first confined him, but that he was now released

and practicing physic; and that he wished me to examine him on my

arrival. I therefore had him sent for; the moment he entered the room

I discovered he never had received a liberal education, or been

accustomed to polished society. I told him the reason I had requested

to see him, and that I had it in my power to serve him if I found him

a character worthy of interference.

He then related the following story: That his name was Martin

Henderson; that he was born in Rock Bridge County, State of Virginia;

that he had been brought up a farmer; but that, coming early to the

State of Kentucky and to Tennessee, he had acquired a taste for

frontier life, and that, in the spring of 1806, himself and four

companions had left the Saline in the District of Saint Genevieve,

Upper Louisiana, in order to penetrate through the woods to the

province of Texas; that his companions had left him on the White

[Arkansaw] river, and that he had continued on; that in swimming some

western branch his horse sunk under him, and it was with difficulty he

made the shore with his gun. Here he waited two or three days until

his horse rose, and he then got his saddle-bags; but all his notes on

the country, courses, etc., were destroyed. He then proceeded on foot

for a few days, when he was met by 30 or 40 Osage warriors, who, on

his telling them he was going to the Spaniards, were about to kill

him; but on his saying he would go to the Americans, they held a

consultation over him, and finally seized on his clothes and divided

them between them; then his pistols, compass, dirk, and watch, which

they took to pieces and hung in their noses and ears; then they

stripped him naked, and round his body found a belt with gold pieces

sewed in it; this they also took, and finally seized on his gun and

ammunition, and were marching off to leave him in that situation; but

he followed them, thinking it better to be killed than left in that

state to die by hunger and cold. The savages after some time halted,

and one pulled off an old pair of leggings and gave him, another

mockinsons, a third a buffalo robe, and the one who had carried his

heavy rifle had by this time become tired of his prize, they never

using rifles; they counted him out 25 charges of powder and ball, then

sent two Indians with him, who put him on a war-trace, which they said

led to American establishments; and as soon as the Indians left him he

directed his course as he supposed for Saint Antonio. He then killed

deer and made himself some clothes. He proceeded on and expended all

his ammunition three days before he struck the Grand Road, nearly at

the Rio Grande. He further added that he had discovered two mines, one

of silver and the other of gold, the situation of which he

particularly described; but that the general had taken the samples

from him. That he would not attempt to pass himself on us for a

physician, and hoped, as he only used simples and was careful to do no

harm, we would not betray him. He further added that since his being

in the country he had made, from information, maps of all the adjacent

country; but that they had been taken from him.

I had early concluded that he was an agent of Burr's, and was

revolving in my mind whether I should denounce him as such to the

commandant, but feeling reluctant from an apprehension that he might

be innocent, when one of my men came in and informed me that it was

Trainer, who had killed Major Bashier [?] in the wilderness between

Natchez and Tennessee, when he was his hireling. He shot him, when

taking a nap at noon, through the head with his own pistols. The

governor of the State and the major's friends offered a very

considerable reward for his apprehension, which obliged him to quit

the State; and with an Amazonian woman, who handled arms and hunted

like a savage, he retreated to the source of the White river; but,

being routed from that retreat by Captain Maney [James B. Many], of

the United States army and a party of Cherokees, he and his female

companion bore west; she, proving to be pregnant, was left by him in

the desert, and I was informed arrived at the settlements on Red

river, but by what means is to me unknown. The articles and money

taken from him by the Osages were the property of the deceased major.

I then reported these circumstances to Captain Barelo, who had him

immediately confined, until the will of Governor Cordero should be

known, who informed me, when at Saint Antonio, that he would have him

sent to some place of perpetual confinement in the interior. Thus

vengeance has overtaken the ingrate and murderer when he least

expected it.

In the evening we went to see some performers on the slack-rope, who

were no wise extraordinary in their performances, except in language

which would bring a blush on the cheek of the most abandoned of the

female sex in the United States.

_June 2d._ In the day time were endeavoring to regulate our watches by

my compass, and in an instant that my back was turned some person

stole it. I could by no means recover it, and I had strong suspicions

that the theft was approved, as the instrument had occasioned great

dissatisfaction.

This day the captain went out to dine with some monks, who would have

thought it profanation to have had us as their guests, notwithstanding

the priest of the place had escorted us round the town and to all the

missions; we found him a very communicative, liberal, and intelligent

man. We saw no resource for a dinner but in the inventive genius of a

little Frenchman who had accompanied us from Chihuahua, where he had

been officiating one year as cook to the general, of whom he gave us

many interesting anecdotes, and in fact was of infinite service to us;

we supported him and he served as cook, interpreter, etc. It was

astonishing with what zeal he strove to acquire news and information

for us; and as he had been four times through the provinces, he had

acquired considerable knowledge of the country, people, etc. He went

off and in a very short time returned with table-cloth, plates, a

dinner of three or four courses, a bottle of wine, and a pretty girl

to attend on the table. We inquired by what magic he had brought this

about, and found that he had been to one of the officers and notified

him that it was the wish of the commandant that he should supply the

two Americans with a decent dinner, which was done; but we took care

to compensate them for their trouble. This we explained to Barelo in

the evening, and he laughed heartily.

We parted from the captain with regrets and assurances of remembrance.

Departed at five o'clock, escorted by Ensign [Blank] and [blank] men;

came on to the Rio Grande, which we passed, and encamped at a Rancho

on the other side. Distance seven miles.[III'-2]

_June 3d._ The mosquitoes, which had commenced the first night on this

side of Montelovez, now became very troublesome. This day saw the

first horse-flies; saw some wild horses; came on in the open plain,

and in a dry time, when there was no water. Distance 30 miles.

_June 4th._ Came 16 miles to a pond and dined; great sign of wild

horses; in the afternoon to the river Noissour [Nueces], swimming

where [_i. e._, too deep to ford when] we arrived, although it was not

more than ten steps wide. Distance 36 miles.[III'-3]

_June 5th._ After losing two horses in passing the river, the water

having fallen so that we forded, we crossed and continued our route.

Passed two herds of wild horses, which left the road for us. Halted at

a pond on the left of the road, 15 miles, where we saw the first oak

since we left New Mexico, and this was scrub oak. Passed many deer

yesterday and to-day. Came on to a small creek at night, where we met

a party of the company of Saint Fernandez returning from the line.

Distance 31 miles.[III'-4]

_June 6th._ Marched early and met several parties of troops returning

from Texas, where they had been sent to re-enforce, when our troops

were near the line. Immense numbers of cross-roads made by the wild

horses. Killed a wild hog [peccary, _Dicotyles torquatus_], which on

examination I found to be very different from the tame breed, smaller,

brown, with long hair and short legs; they are to be found in all

parts between Red river and the Spanish settlements.

Passed an encampment made by the Lee Panes [Lipans[III'-5]]; met one

of said nation with his wife. In the afternoon struck the woodland,

which was the first we had been in from the time we left the Osage

nation. Distance 39 miles.

_Sunday, June 7th._ Came on 15 miles to the [Medina] river

Mariano--the line between Texas and Cogquilla--a pretty little stream,

[on which was a] Rancho. Thence in the afternoon to Saint

Antonio.[III'-6] We halted at the mission of Saint Joseph [San José];

received in a friendly manner by the priest of the mission and others.

We were met out of Saint Antonio about three miles by Governors

Cordero and Herrara, in a coach. We repaired to their quarters, where

we were received like their children. Cordero informed me that he had

discretionary orders as to the mode of my going out of the country;

that he therefore wished me to choose my time, mode, etc.; that any

sum of money I might want was at my service; that in the meantime

Robinson and myself would make his quarters our home; and that he had

caused to be vacated and prepared a house immediately opposite for the

reception of my men. In the evening his levee was attended by a crowd

of officers and priests, among whom were Father M'Guire and Dr.

Zerbin. After supper we went to the public square, where might be seen

the two governors joined in a dance with people who in the daytime

would approach them with reverence and awe.

We were here introduced to the sister of Lieutenant Malgares' wife,

who was one of the finest women we saw. She was married to a Captain

Ugarte, to whom we had letters of introduction.

_June 8th._ Remained at San Antonio.

_June 9th._ A large party dined at Governor Cordero's, who gave as his

toast, "The President of the United States--Vive la." I returned the

compliment by toasting "His Catholic Majesty." These toasts were

followed by "General Wilkinson." One of the company then gave "Those

gentlemen; their safe and happy arrival in their own country; their

honorable reception, and the continuation of the good understanding

which exists between the two countries."

_June 10th._ A large party at the governor's to dinner. He gave as a

toast, "My companion, Herrara."

_June 11th._ Preparing to march to-morrow. We this evening had a

conversation with the two governors, wherein they exhibited an

astonishing knowledge of the political character of our Executive, and

the local interests of the different parts of the Union.

_June 12th._ One of the captains from the kingdom of [Nuevo] Leon

having died, we were invited to attend the burial, and accompanied the

two governors in their coach, where we had an opportunity of viewing

the solemnity of the interment, agreeably to the ritual of the Spanish

church, attended by the military honors which were conferred on the

deceased by his late brethren in arms.

[As I ascertained to-day,] Governor Cordero gave the information of my

intended expedition to the commandant-general as early as July [1806],

the same month that I took my departure. His information was received

via Natchez.

_June 13th._ This morning there were marched 200 dragoons for the

sea-coast, to look out for the English, and this evening Colonel

Cordero was to have marched to join them. We marched at seven o'clock,

Governor Cordero taking us in his coach about two leagues, accompanied

by Father M'Guire, Dr. Zerbin, etc. We took a friendly adieu of

Governor Herrara and our other friends at Saint Antonio.

It may not be improper to mention here something of Father M'Guire and

Dr. Zerbin, who certainly treated us with all imaginable attention

while at Saint Antonio. The former was an Irish priest, who formerly

resided on the coast above [New] Orleans [in present Louisiana], and

was noted for his hospitable and social qualities. On the cession of

Louisiana, he followed the standard of "the king, his master, who

never suffers an old servant to be neglected." He received at Cuba an

establishment as chaplain to the mint of Mexico, whence the

instability of human affairs carried him to Saint Antonio. He was a

man of chaste classical taste, observation, and research.

Dr. Zerbin formerly resided at Natchez [in present Mississippi], but

in consequence of pecuniary embarrassments emigrated to the Spanish

territories. Being a young man of a handsome person and an insinuating

address, he had obtained the good-will of Governor Cordero, who had

conferred on him an appointment in the king's hospital, and many other

advantages by which he might have made a fortune; but he had recently

committed some very great indiscretions, by which he had nearly lost

the favor of Colonel Cordero, though whilst we were there he was

treated with attention.

I will here attempt to portray a faint resemblance of the characters

of the two governors whom we found at Saint Antonio; but to whose

superexcellent qualities it would require the pen of a master to do

justice.

Don Antonio Cordero is about 5 feet 10 inches in height, 50 years of

age, with fair complexion and blue eyes; he wore his hair turned back,

and in every part of his deportment was legibly written "the soldier."

He yet possessed an excellent constitution, and a body which appeared

to be neither impaired by the fatigues of the various campaigns he had

made, nor disfigured by the numerous wounds received from the enemies

of his king. He was one of the select officers who had been chosen by

the court of Madrid to be sent to America about 35 years since, to

discipline and organize the Spanish provincials, and had been employed

in all the various kingdoms and provinces of New Spain. Through the

parts which we explored he was universally beloved and respected; and

when I pronounce him by far the most popular man in the internal

provinces, I risk nothing by the assertion. He spoke the Latin and

French languages well, was generous, gallant, brave, and sincerely

attached to his king and country. Those numerous qualifications

advanced him to the rank of colonel of cavalry, and governor of the

provinces of Cogquilla and Texas. His usual residence was Montelovez,

which he had embellished a great deal, but since our taking possession

of Louisiana he had removed to San Antonio, in order to be nearer the

frontier, to be able to apply the remedy to any evil which might arise

from the collision of our lines.

Don Simon de Herrara is about 5 feet 11 inches high, has a sparkling

black eye, dark complexion and hair. He was born in the Canary

islands, served in the infantry in France, Spain, and Flanders, and

speaks the French language well, with a little of the English. He is

engaging in his conversation with his equals; polite and obliging to

his inferiors, and in all his actions one of the most gallant and

accomplished men I ever knew. He possesses a great knowledge of

mankind from his experience in various countries and societies, and

knows how to employ the genius of each of his subordinates to

advantage. He had been in the United States during the presidency of

General Washington, and had been introduced to that hero, of whom he

spoke in terms of exalted veneration. He is now lieutenant-colonel of

infantry, and governor of the kingdom of New Leon. His seat of

government is Mont Elrey; and probably, if ever a chief is adored by

his people, it is Herrara. When his time expired last, he immediately

repaired to Mexico, attended by 300 of the most respectable people of

his government, who carried with them the sighs, tears, and prayers of

thousands that he might be continued in that government. The viceroy

thought proper to accord to their wishes _pro tempore_, and the king

has since confirmed his nomination. When I saw him he had been about

one year absent, during which time the citizens of rank in Mont Elrey

had not suffered a marriage or baptism to take place in any of their

families, until their common father could be there, to consent and

give joy to the occasion by his presence. What greater proof could be

given of their esteem and love?

In drawing a parallel between these two friends, I should say that

Cordero was the man of greatest reading, and that Herrara possessed

the greatest knowledge of the world. Cordero has lived all his life a

bachelor. Herrara married an English lady in early youth, at Cadiz;

one who by her suavity of manners makes herself as much beloved and

esteemed by the ladies as her noble husband is by the men. By her he

has several children, one now an officer in the service of his royal

master.

The two friends agree perfectly in one point--their hatred to tyranny

of every kind; and in a secret determination never to see that

flourishing part of the New World subject to any other European lord

except him whom they think their honor and loyalty bound to defend

with their lives and fortunes. But should Bonaparte seize on European

Spain, I risk nothing in asserting that those two gentlemen would be

the first to throw off the yoke, draw their swords, and assert the

independence of their country.

Before I close this subject, it may not be improper to state that we

owe it to Governor Herrara's prudence that we are not now engaged in a

war with Spain. This will be explained by the following anecdote,

which he related in the presence of his friend Cordero, and which was

confirmed by him. When the difficulties commenced on the

Sabine,[III'-7] the commandant-general and the viceroy consulted each

other, and mutually determined to maintain inviolate what they deemed

the dominions of their master. The viceroy therefore ordered Herrara

to join Cordero with 1,300 men, and both the viceroy and General

Salcedo ordered Cordero to cause our troops to be attacked, should

they pass the Rio Oude [_sic_]. These orders were positively

reiterated to Herrara, the actual commanding officer of the Spanish

army on the frontiers, and gave rise to the many messages which he

sent to General Wilkinson when he was advancing with our troops.

Finding they were not attended to, he called a council of war on the

question to attack or not, when it was given as their opinion that

they should immediately commence a predatory warfare, but avoid a

general engagement; yet, notwithstanding the orders of the viceroy,

the commandant-general, Governor Cordero's, and the opinion of his

officers, he had the firmness or temerity to enter into the agreement

with General Wilkinson which at present exists relative to our

boundaries on that frontier. On his return he was received with

coolness by Cordero, and they both made their communications to their

superiors. "Until an answer was received," said Herrara, "I

experienced the most unhappy period of my life, conscious I had served

my country faithfully, at the same time that I had violated every

principle of military duty." At length the answer arrived, and what

was it, but the thanks of the viceroy and the commandant-general for

having pointedly disobeyed their orders, with assurances that they

would represent his services in exalted terms to the king. What could

have produced this change of sentiment is to me unknown, but the

letter was published to the army, and confidence again restored

between the two chiefs and the troops.

Our company consisted of Lieutenant Jn. Echararria, who commanded the

escort; Captain Eugene Marchon of New Orleans, and Father José Angel

Cabaso, who was bound to the camp at or near the [river] Trinity; with

a suitable proportion of soldiers. We came on 16 miles to a place

called the Beson, where we halted until the mules came up. Marched

again at four o'clock, and arrived at the river of Guadalupe at eight

o'clock. Distance 30 miles.[III'-8]

_Sunday, June 14th._ When we left Saint Antonio, everything appeared

to be in a flourishing and improving state, owing to the examples and

encouragement given to industry, politeness, and civilization by the

excellent Governor Cordero and his colleague Herrara; also to the

large body of troops maintained at that place in consequence of the

difference existing between the United States and Spain.

Came on to the Saint Mark [river, Rio San Marco] in the morning; in

the afternoon came on 15 miles further, but was late, owing to our

having taken the wrong road. Distance 30 miles.[III'-9]

_June 15th._ Marched 20 miles in the morning to a small pond, which is

dry in a dry season, where we halted. Here commenced the oak timber,

it having been musqueet [mesquit, _Prosopis juliflora_] in general

from Saint Antonio. Prairie like the Indiana territory. In the

afternoon came on six miles further to a creek, where we encamped

early. Distance 26 miles.[III'-10]

_June 16th._ Marched early, and at eight o'clock arrived at Red river

[Rio Colorado of Texas[III'-11]]. Here was a small Spanish station

and several lodges of Tancards--tall, handsome men, but the most naked

savages I ever saw, without exception. They complained much of their

situation. In the afternoon passed over hilly, stony land;

occasionally we saw pine timber. Killed one deer. Encamped on a small

run. Distance 26 miles.

_June 17th._ Came on by nine o'clock to a large encampment of

Tancards,[III'-12] more than 40 lodges. Their poverty was as

remarkable as their independence. Immense herds of horses, etc. I gave

a Camanche and Tancard each a silk handkerchief, and a recommendation

to the commandant at Natchitoches. In the afternoon came on three

hours and encamped on a hill, at a creek on the right-hand side of the

road. Met a large herd of mules escorted by four soldiers; the

lieutenant took from them some money which they had in charge.

Distance 30 miles.

_June 18th._ Rode on until half past ten o'clock, when we arrived at

the river Brassos.[III'-13] Here is a stockade guard of one corporal,

six men, and a ferry-boat. Swam our horses over; one was drowned and

several others were near it, owing to their striking each other with

their feet. We then came on about two miles on this side of a bayou

called the Little Brassos, which is only a branch of the other, and

which makes an impassable swamp at certain seasons between them.

Distance 31 miles.

_June 19th._ Came on through prairies and woods alternately 20 miles

to a small creek, Corpus Christi, with well-wooded, rich land. In the

afternoon came on ten miles, and passed a creek which at high water is

nearly impassable four miles. Overflows swamps, ponds, etc. Encamped

about one mile on this side, on high land to the right of the road.

Met the mail, Indians, and others. Distance 30 miles.[III'-14]

_June 20th._ Came on 16 miles in the morning; passed several herds of

mustangs or wild horses; good land, ponds and small dry creeks,

prairie and woods, alternately. It rained considerably. We halted to

dry our baggage long before night. Distance 20 miles.

_Sunday, June 21st._ Came on to the river Trinity [Rio

Trinidad[III'-15]] by eight o'clock. Here were stationed two captains,

two lieutenants, and three ensigns, with nearly 100 men, all sick, one

scarcely able to assist another. Met a number of runaway negroes, some

French, and Irishmen. Received information of Lieutenant Wilkinson's

safe arrival. Crossed with all our horses and baggage, with much

difficulty. Distance 20 miles.

_June 22d._ Marched the mules and horses in the forenoon, but did not

depart ourselves until three o'clock. Father José Angel Cabaso

separated from us at this place for the post of [300 Spanish troops

cantoned further down Trinity river], where he was destined. Passed

thick woods, and a few small prairies with high rich grass. Sent a

dispatch to Nacogdoches. Distance 22 miles.[III'-16]

_June 23d._ Came on 20 miles in the forenoon to a small creek of

standing water; good land and well timbered. Met a sergeant from

Nacogdoches. In the afternoon made 20 miles and crossed the river

Natches [or Neches,[III'-17]] running N. W. and S. E., 20 yards wide,

belly-deep to horses at this time, but sometimes impassable. Two miles

on this side encamped on a hill in a little prairie. The mules and

loads arrived at twelve o'clock. The sandy soil and pine timber began

again this afternoon, but there was good land near the river. Distance

40 miles.

_June 24th._ The horses came up this morning; lost six over night. We

marched early and in 15 miles came to the river Angeline [Rio

Angelina], about the width of the Natchez, running N. and S.; good

land on its borders. Two miles further was a settlement of Barr and

Davenport's, where were three of our lost horses; one mile further

found two more of our horses, where we halted for dinner. Marched at

four o'clock, and at half past eight arrived at Nacogdoches, where we

were politely received by the adjutant and inspector [Don Francisco

Viana], Captain Herrara, Mr. Davenport, etc. This part of the country

is well watered, but sandy; hilly soil; pine, scrub oak, etc. Distance

37 miles.

_June 25th._ Spent in reading a gazette from the United States, etc. A

large party at the adjutant and inspector's to dinner: 1st toast,

"The President of the United States"; 2d, "The King of Spain"; 3d,

"Governors Herrara and Cordero."

_June 26th._ Made preparations to march the next day. Saw an old

acquaintance; also, Lorrimier's son-in-law, from the district of Cape

Jerardeau [Girardeau]. Dined with the commandant, and spent the

evening at Davenport's.

_June 27th._ Marched after dinner and came only 12 miles. Was escorted

by Lieutenant Guodiana and a military party. Mr. Davenport's

brother-in-law, who was taking in some money, also accompanied us.

Don Francis Viana, adjutant and inspector of the Internal provinces,

who commanded at Nacogdoches, is an old and veteran officer, and was

one of those who came to America at the same time with Colonel

Cordero. Possessing a mind of frankness, he unfortunately spoke his

opinions too freely in some instances, which, finding their way to

court, prevented his promotion. But he is highly respected by his

superiors, and looked up to as a model of military conduct by his

inferiors. He unfortunately does not possess flexibility sufficient to

be useful [to us] in the present state of the Spanish kingdoms. He is

the officer who caused Major Sparks and Mr. Freeman to return from

their expedition on the Red river [see p. 412].

_Sunday, June 28th._ Marched early and at nine o'clock crossed the

little river called [Toyac[III'-18]], whence we pushed on in order to

arrive at the house of a Frenchman, [about nine] miles distant from

the Sabine. We stopped at a house on the road, where the lieutenant

informed me an American by the name of Johnson lived; but was

surprised to find he had crossed the line with his family, and a

French family in his place. When we began conversing with them they

were much alarmed, thinking we had come to examine them, and expressed

great attachment to the Spanish government. They were somewhat

astonished to find I was an American officer; and on my companions

stepping out, expressed themselves in strong terms of hatred to the

Spanish nation. I excused them for their weakness, and gave them a

caution. Fine land, well watered and timbered; hickory, oak,

sugar-tree, etc. Distance 40 miles.

_June 29th._ Our baggage and horses came up about ten o'clock, when we

dispatched them on. Marched ourselves at two o'clock, and arrived at

the river Sabine by five. Here we saw the cantonment of the Spanish

troops, when they were commanded by Colonel Herrara, in the late

affair between the two governments. Crossed the Sabine river and came

about one league on this side to a little prairie, where we encamped.

Distance 15 miles.[III'-19]

Parted with Lieutenant Guodiana and our Spanish escort. Here I think

proper to bear testimony to the politeness, civility, and attention of

all the officers who at different periods and in different provinces

commanded my escort, but in a particular manner to Malgares and

Barelo, who appeared studious to please and accommodate, all that lay

in their power; also, the obliging, mild dispositions evinced in all

instances by their rank and file.

On this side of the Sabine I went up to a house, where I found 10 or

15 Americans hovering near the line, in order to embrace an

opportunity of carrying on some illicit commerce with the Spaniards,

who on their side were equally eager. Here we found Tharp and Sea, who

had been old sergeants in General Wayne's army.

_June 30th._ Marched early and came 15 miles to a house at a small

creek, where lived a Dutch family named Faulk, and where we left a

small roan horse which had given out. Marched 12 miles further to a

large bayou, where had been an encampment of our troops, which I

recognized by its form, and took pleasure in imagining the position of

the general's marquee and the tents of my different friends and

acquaintances. Distance 28 [27] miles.[III'-20]

_July 1st._ Finding that a horse of Dr. Robinson's, which had come

all the way from Chihuahua, could not proceed, was obliged to leave

him here. Yesterday and to-day passed many Choctaws, whose clothing,

furniture, etc., evidently marked the superiority of situation of

those who bordered on our frontiers, to that of the naked,

half-starved wretches whom we found hanging round the Spanish

settlements. Passed a string of huts, supposed to have been built by

our troops, and at a small run a fortified camp but half a mile from

the hill where anciently stood the village Adyes [Adayes on the

map[III'-21]]. We proceeded to a spring where we halted for our loads.

Finding the horses much fatigued, and not able to proceed, we left

them and baggage and proceeded. We arrived at Natchitoches[III'-22]

about 4 p. m.

Language cannot express the gayety of my heart when I once more beheld

the standard of my country waved aloft. "All hail!" cried I, "the ever

sacred name of country, in which is embraced that of kindred, friends,

and every other tie which is dear to the soul of man!" Was

affectionately received by Colonel Freeman, Captains Strong and

Woolstoncraft, Lieutenant Smith, and all the [other] officers of the

post.[III'-23]

_Meteorological Observations made by Captain Pike during a

Tour through the Internal Provinces of New Spain, in the

year 1807._[III'-24]

The Expeditions of Zebulon Montgomery Pike, Volume 2 (of 3) To Headwaters of the Mississippi River Through Louisiana Territory, and in New Spain, During the Years 1805-6-7. · 第 10 / 13 章

_Apr. 24th._ Spent the evening at Zuloaga's with his relations. About