Dominguez and Escalante Journal
Source: Chavez, A. & Waner, T. (1995) The Dominguez and Escalante Journal,  University of Utah Press, SLC, UT
Disclaimer: Educational Material / Non-Commercial

August 27

We set out from the Sierra de San Francisco downstream toward the northwest, and after going a short dis tance we met a Yuta called El Surdo [The Deaf One] with his family. We stopped with him a long time, and in a lengthy conversation we learned nothing useful except to have suffered from the heat of the sun, which was very hot all the time the conversation lasted. We continued on our way along the meadow, and having traveled two leagues and a half to the northwest we crossed the river and traveled through the dense and shady grove of cottonwoods and other trees which grow on its banks. Then we ascended a small hill, entered a plain without pasturage but with some small stones, and having traveled downstream altogether three and a half leagues to the northwest we camped in another meadow of the same river which we called San Agustin el Grande, 27 and where on both sides of the river there are abundant pastures and many black cottonwoods. - Today six leagues. Farther downstream and about four leagues to the north of this meadow of San Agustin, this river joins another and larger one which is called by our people Rio de San Javier and by the Yutas, Rio del Tomichi. In the year '61 Don Juan Maria de Rivera reached these two rivers below their junction, having crossed the same Sierra de Los Tabehuaches, on whose crest according to the description which he gives in his diary, is the place he called El Purgatorio. The meadow where he halted in order to ford the river, and in which he says he carved on a second growth cottonwood a cross, the characters which spell his name, and the year of his expedition, is also found at the same junction on the south bank, as we are assured by our interpreter Andrés Muñiz. Thelatter said that although at that time he had stopped three days' journey before reaching the river, he again came past here along its bank in 1775 with Pedro Mora and Gregorio Sandoval who had accompanied Don Juan Maria on that entire expedition. They said that they had gone clear to the river then and from it had begun their return. Those two were the only ones who crossed it, having been sent by the said Don Juan Maria to look for Yutas on the bank opposite the meadow where they were camped and from which they turned back. And so this was the river they then thought was the great Rio del Tizón.

August 28
We set out toward the north from the meadow of San Agustin, leaving the Rio de San Francisco and having traveled half a league we continued three and a half leagues to the north-northeast, over land which was not stony and arrived at the already mentioned Rio de San Francisco Javier (commonly called San Javier), otherwise known as Rio del Tomichi. It is formed by four small rivers that descend from the northernmost point of the Sierra de la Grulla. It carries as much water as the Rio del Norte, runs west, and at the western point of the Sierra del Venado Alazán forms a junction, as we have already said, with the San Francisco. Its banks along here are very short of pasturage. In a bend of the river in which we found some pasturage for the animals, and which we named Santa Monica, we halted today" with the intention of taking a short siesta and continuing upstream until we should find some rancherias of Sabuaganas, for yesterday we learned they were near here and that in them were some of the Timpanagotzi or Laguna Indians, to whose country we now planned to go. But, considering the detour which rest of us waited for them at Santa Monica. - Today four leagues. We observed the latitude of this campsite by the meridian of the sun and found it to be in 39° 13' 22".

August 29
About ten o'clock in the morning we saw five Yutas Sabuaganas on a hill on the other side shouting loudly. We thought they were those whom the guides had gone to seek, but as soon as they reached us we saw they were not the ones we had sent for. We gave them something to eat and to smoke, but after a long conversation, whose subject was the disputes which they had this summer with the Cumanches Yamparicas, we were unable to get out of them a single thing useful to us, because their aim was to frighten us by setting forth the danger of being killed by the Cumanches to which we would expose ourselves if we continued on our way. We refuted the force of the arguments with which they tried to prevent us from going forward, by telling them that our God, who is the God of everybody, would defend us in case of encounters with these enemies.

August 30
In the morning the interpreter Andrés and the guide Atanasio arrived with five other Sabuaganas and one Laguna. After we had served them with plenty of food and tobacco we informed them of our purpose, which was to go to the pueblo or pueblos of the Lagunas (the Yutas had told us that the Lagunas lived in pueblos like those of New Mexico) telling them that since they were our friends they should give us a good guide to conduct us to those people, and that we would pay him to his satisfaction. They replied that to go to the place we desired to reach, there was no other road than the one that passes through the midst of the Cumanches, who would prevent us from passing or would even kill us, and finally that none of them knew the country between here and the Lagunas. They repeated this many times, insisting that we should turn back from here. We tried to convince them, first with arguments, then with flattery, in order not to displease them. Then we presented to the Laguna a woolen cloak, a hunting knife, and some white glass beads, telling him we were giving these things to him so he would accompany us and continue as our guide to his country. He agreed and we gave him the present. Seeing this, the Sabuaganas quit raising objections, and now some of them confessed that they knew the road. After all this, they insisted that we should go to their rancheria, saying that the Laguna Indian did not know the way. We knew very well that this was a new excuse to detain us and to enjoy for a longer time the favors we were conferring upon them, for to all who came, and today there were many, we gave food and tobacco. But in order not to give them any occasion to be displeased, and not to lose so good a guide as the one we had obtained, we consented to go6. This afternoon we set out from Santa Monica, crossed the Rio de San Javier, in which the water reached above the shoulder blades of the horses, climbed a hill, and traveled over rough but loose soil without stones, upstream toward the east-northeast for two leagues. Then we went two more leagues to the northeast over land less broken but with some chamise, much small cactus and small volcanic stones, and camped on the bank of a little river which we called Santa Rosa. It rises in the Sierra del Venado Alazán, on whose southern slope we now were, and enters the Rio de San Javier. Here there is a small meadow with good pasturage and a pleasing grove of white cottonwood and small oaks. - Today four leagues. The Sabuaganas and the Lagunas spent the night with us.

August 31
We set out from Rio de Santa Rosa de Lima toward the northeast, traveled a league and a half through good country, and arrived at another medium-sized river which flows down from the same sierra as the previous one, and with it joins the Rio de San Javier. We named this river Santa Monica, in whose meadows and bends there is everything necessary for the founding and subsistence of two settlements. We continued upstream through these meadows and through the groves of trees which are in it, going four leagues and a half to the northeast, and crossing the river once. Then we swung north, again crossed the river, and entered a stony juniper grove which lasted for about three miles. Then we continued climbing the Sierra del Venado Alazán along the slope of a very deep valley, breaking through dense thickets of dwarf oak; and having traveled four leagues also to the north, we camped at a permanent watering place which we called San Ramón Nonnato. One of the Yutas Sabuaganas who came with us from Santa Monica today gorged himself so barbarously and with such brutish manners that we thought he would die of over-eating. Finding himself so sick, he said that the Spaniards had done him an injury. This foolish notion caused us great anxiety, because we knew that these barbarians, if by chance they become ill after eating what another person gives them, even though it may be one of their own people, think this person has done them harm, and try to avenge an injury they have never received. But God was pleased that he should be relieved by vomiting some of the great quantity he could not digest. - Today nine leagues.

September 1
We set out from San Ramón toward the north, and having traveled three leagues through small valleys with abundant pasturage and thick groves of dwarf oak, we met about eighty Yutas all on good horses, most of them being from the rancheria to which we were going. They told us they were going to hunt, but we concluded that they traveled together in this way partly to make a show of their large force and partly to find out whether any more Spanish people were following us, or if we came alone. Having known since the previous night that we were going to their rancheria, it was not natural that all of those men would leave it at the same time when they knew that we were coming, unless they were moved by the considerations we have just indicated. We continued with only the Laguna and descended a very steep slope. We entered a very pretty valley in which there is a small river having all along its banks an extensive grove of very tall and straight royal pines, among them being some cottonwoods which seemed to emulate the straightness and height of the pines. Through this valley we traveled a league to the east and arrived at the rancheria, which was populous and must have consisted of about thirty tents. We camped a mile below it on the bank of the river mentioned, naming the campsite San Antonio Mártir. -- Today four leagues (total 199 leagues).

As soon as we halted Father Fray Francisco Atanasio went to the rancheria with the interpreter, Andrés Muñiz, to see the chief and the rest of those who had remained. He entered the chief's tent, and having greeted him and embraced him and his sons, he begged him to assemble the people who were there. He did so, and when as many of either sex as could come had as- sembled, he told them of the Gospel through the interpreter. All listened with pleasure, especially six Lagunas who also assembled, amongst whom our guide and another Laguna were conspicuous. As soon as the Father began to instruct them, the new guide interrupted him, warning the Sabuaganas as well as his own compatriots "that they must believe whatever the Father told them because it was all true." The other Laguna indicated the pleasure and attention with which he heard the announcement of his eternal salvation in this way. Among the listeners there was a deaf person who, not understanding what was being talked about, asked what it was the Father was saying. Thereupon this Laguna told him, "the Father says that what he is showing us (it was an image of Christ crucified) is the one Lord of all, who lives in the highest part of the heavens, and that in order to please Him and go to see Him, it is necessary to be baptized and to beg His pardon." He illustrated these last words by touching his breast with his hand, an action admirable in him, because he had never before seen either the Father or the interpreter. Seeing the pleasure they manifested at hearing him, the Father proposed to the chief who at this time ruled the rancheria, that if on conferring with his people they should accept Christianity, we would come to instruct them and arrange for them a mode of living to prepare them for baptism. He replied that he would propose it to his people, but during the whole afternoon he did not return to give a report on which to base a well-founded hope of their acceptance of the proposal. The Father, being rejoiced by the expression of the Lagunas, asked what this last one was called (we had already named the guide Silvestre), and learning that they called him Oso Colorado [Red Bear] he instructed all of them, explaining the difference between men and beasts, the purpose for which each was created, and the evil they did by naming themselves after wild beasts, making themselves thereby equal and even inferior to them. Then he told the Laguna that hereafter he should be called Francisco7. The others, hearing this, began to repeat this name, although with difficulty, the Laguna being pleased that they should call him by this name. It happened also that when the Father gave the name of Captain to the one who was ruling the rancheria, this person replied that he was not the chief, and that the real chief was a youth, a good looking fellow who was present. And when the Father asked if the chief was already married, he replied in the affirmative, saying he had two wives. This mortified the youth (to whom the other paid the compliment indicated because he was the brother of a very much venerated chief among the Sabuaganas whom they call Yamputzi) and he tried to convince them that he had only one wife, from which it is inferred that these barbarians have information or knowledge of the repugnance we feel for a multiplicity of wives at one time. Thereupon the Father took occasion to instruct them on this point, and to exhort them not to have more than one. After all this, he bought from them a little dried buffalo meat, giving them glass beads for it, and when he asked them if they wished to trade some horses for some lame ones which we had, they answered that they would exchange them in the afternoon. This done, the Father returned to the camp.

A little before sunset the chief, some old men, and many of the others, came to where we were. They began to urge us to turn back from here, setting forth anew and with greater force the difficulties and dangers to which we would expose ourselves if we went forward. They declared that the Cumanches would not permit us to do so, and protested that they were not telling us this to prevent us from going where we desired, but because they esteemed us greatly. We reciprocated these good wishes and told them that the one God whom we adore would arrange everything and would defend us, not only against the Cumanches but also against all others who might wish to injure us, and that being certain that His Majesty was on our side, we had no fears on the score of what they told us. Seeing that their pretexts were of no avail, they said that since we did not pay any attention to the warnings they had given us, and insisted on going forward, we must write to the Great Captain of the Spaniards, (as they call the Señor Governor) telling him that we had passed through their territory, so that if we had any mishap, and did not return, the Spaniards would not think they had killed us. This was the idea of some of our companions who desired to go back or remain with them. We replied to them that we would write the letter and leave it with them, so that when any of them should go to New Mexico they might carry it. They replied that they could not take it, and that we must send it by some one of our men. We said that none of our men could go back nor remain with them. Finally, since they found no other way of keeping us from going forward without declaring themselves our enemies, they said that if we would not turn back from here they would not trade with us for our lame horses. To this we replied that even though they should not trade we must go forward, because under no circumstances could we turn back without knowing the whereabouts of our brother, the Father who had been among the Moquis and Cosninas and might be wandering about lost. To this they replied, inspired by those of our men who understood their language and were secretly conspiring against us, that the Fathers could not get lost because they had painted on paper all the lands and roads. They again insisted, repeating all the foregoing arguments to get us to turn back from here. Seeing our unshakable determination, they repeated that they were urging us not to go forward because they loved us, but that if we persisted they would not prevent it, and that next morning they would exchange horses. After nightfall they took their leave, not without hope of overcoming our determination next day. According to what we noticed, they were given this hope by Felipe of Abiquiú, the interpreter Andrés, and his brother Lucrecio, they being the ones who, either through fear or because they did not wish to go on, had secretly connived with the Sabuaganas ever since they learned they were opposed to our plan. By this we were caused much grief, and even more by the following: before we left the town of Santa Fé we had warned the companions that no one who wanted to come with us on this journey could carry any kind of merchandise, and that those who would not agree to this must stay at home. All promised not to carry anything whatever, nor to have any purpose other than the one we had, which was glory to God and the salvation of souls. For this reason they were given whatever they requested for their equipment and to leave for their families. But some of them failed to keep their promise, secretly carrying some goods which we did not discover until we were near the Sabuaganas8. Here we charged and entreated everybody not to trade, in order that the heathen might understand that another and higher motive than this had brought us through these lands. We had just told the Sabuaganas that we did not need arms or soldiers, because we depended for our security and defense on the omnipotent arm of God, when Andrés Muñiz, our interpreter, and his brother Lucrecio, showed themselves to be so obedient, loyal and Christian that they traded what they had kept hidden, and with great eagerness solicited arms from the heathen, telling them they were very necessary to them because they were going to pass through the lands of the Cumanches. By this conduct, greatly to our sorrow, they manifested their little or entire lack of faith and their total unfitness for such enterprises.

September 2
Early in the morning the same Indians. even more of them than yesterday afternoon, assembled at the camp. They again urged the arguments set forth above, adding another serious difficulty, for they dissuaded the Laguna completely from his intention of guiding us, and made him return to us what we had given him to persuade him to accompany us to his land. After having argued more than an hour and a half without inducing the guide to take back what we had given him and to keep his word, or the rest of them to stop opposing us, we told them, with the anger justified in such a situation, that the Laguna had consented voluntarily to accompany us as far as his land. Furthermore, since they had raised such objections, we knew perfectly well that they were taking away our guide and trying to prevent us from going forward. We told them, however, that we would not go back, do what they might, for even without a guide we would go on, but that if the Laguna refused to accompany us they would learn immediately that we no longer considered them our friends. Thereupon they yielded and the above-mentioned youth, brother of Chief Yamputzi, talked to the rest, saying that since they had consented to our going forward and the Laguna had promised to guide us, it was useless to impede us any longer, and therefore they should stop talking about the matter. Another, also said to be a chief, followed with the same exhortation. Then all of them told the Laguna that now he could not avoid accompanying us, but he, because of what they had previously told him, now did not wish to do so. But after much urging and coaxing he accepted his pay, although with some ill grace, and agreed to go with us. The rancheria now pulled up stakes and traveled toward the place where Chief Yamputzi had been when we left the disagreeable campsite of San Antonio Mártir. We did not know what direction we ought to take because the guide, regretting the arrangement, did not want to go on or to show us the way. He remained at the site of the rancheria with the horse we had given him pretending to look for a saddle, while we continued by the route taken by the Sabuaganas, although unwillingly because we wanted to get away from them. We told the interpreter to get the guide immediately and try to encourage him. He did so and all the Yutas having left, the guide now told the interpreter the road we must take and sent him to take us back to the rancheria where he was. Here we found him saying goodbye to his countrymen who were remaining with the Sabuaganas, who charged him to conduct us with care, telling him how he was to proportion the days' marches. Besides the guide Silvestre, we found here another Laguna, still a youth, who wished to accompany us. Since we had not previously known of his desire we had not provided him with a horse, and so to avoid any further delay Don Joaquin Lain took him behind him on his horse.

Very gladly we left the trail the villagers were taking, and with the two Lagunas, Silvestre and the boy, whom we named Joaquin, we continued our journey. Having gone back a league to the west from San Antonio, we took another trail and traveled less than a league and three quarters to the northwest, then more than a quarter of a league to the west-northwest. We camped in a small valley with good pasturage near a little stream of good water which we named San Atanasio We traveled today over good terrain and through groves of cottonwood and clumps of dwarf oak, traveling three leagues but advancing only two. Tonight it rained heavily.

September 3
It rained again early in the morning and we had to wait for it to stop. Then, about eleven o'clock, we set out from San Atanasio toward the north. Having traveled a quarter of a league we turned northwest and went two and a quarter leagues through a valley with many groves of cottonwood and royal pine and an abundance of water and pasturage. We turned north-northwest for a league then northwest somewhat more than a league and three quarters, over good terrain without stones but with some hills, passing groves of royal pine, cottonwood and clumps of somewhat troublesome dwarf oak. We swung north-northwest a quarter of a league through a low valley in which runs as much water as two good-sized furrows would hold, although it does not continue throughout the valley, for in places it completely disappears, yet in some places it runs and in others it can be seen in pools like stagnant rainwater. It appears to be permanent because throughout the valley there were huts or little houses which indicate that this is a residence of the Yutas. Following the bed of an arroyo where the water disappears and comes out again on the north bank, we traveled northwest a league and a half and camped in the bed of the arroyo almost át the foot of a hill which the Yutas call Nabuncari. We named the campsite San Silvestre. - Today seven leagues.

September 4
We set out from San Silvestre toward the northwest, following the same arroyo. After going a short distance we swung west-northwest, and having traveled two leagues we turned again to the northwest, climbed a low hill, leaving the bed of the arroyo toward the south, and through hills bearing various species of broom we traveled more than half a league. We descended to another small stream which enters the arroyo mentioned, crossed it, climbed another hill with some stones and a grove of piñon, and having traveled a quarter of a league almost west-southwest we again passed close to the arroyo. Here the beaver have made with logs such ponds that at first they looked like a fairly good-sized river. Then' on the south side we traveled through a plain of chamise about three-fourths of a league west, and turned to cross the stream again in order to continue on the other side and leave it at the south. Having crossed it we turned west-northwest through a small grove of piñon trees and entered a chamise thicket in which there were three Yuta women and a child, drying the berries which they had gathered for food along the arroyos and creeks which are here. We went to talk with them and immediately they offered us their fruits, which were chokecherry, garambullo, limes and some of this year's piñon. The garambullo which grows in these parts is very bitter while on the bushes, but when dried in the sun as these Yutas had done, it is bitter-sweet and very savory. We continued on our way, and having traveled a league and a half to the west-northwest from the little river mentioned (crossing another near the Yutas on whose farther bank there is a standing rock about five palms high shaped like a washbowl in which some of the animals slipped), we entered a valley or little glen with good pasturage. Another road comes in here, which, from Santa Monica and Rio de San Javier, runs straight across the Sierra del Venado Alazán, which we have just descended today, and it is only half as long as the one we have been following. We turned northwest through the valley for a little more than half a league, swung west-northwest, and having traveled another half league, climbing and descending a somewhat long hill, steep but not stony, we crossed a small stream of very cold water and camped on its bank. We named it and the little valley of good pastures here, Santa Rosalia. Last night and tonight we felt the cold very much. - Today six leagues (Total 201).

September 5
We set out from Santa Rosalia toward the northwest, and ascended a hill without troublesome stones but extremely steep and dangerous to climb because there are turns where the trail is less than a third of a vara wide. The footing is of very loose soft earth, so it is very easy for an animal to slip, and if he should lose his footing he would not be able to stop until he reached the plain below. The ascent must be somewhat more than a quarter of a league counting the distance which we have already covered. We descended it by a long valley which in some places produces nothing but dwarf oak and choke cherry and in other places spruce and white cottonwoods. Having traveled a little more than four leagues to the northwest we entered a little grove of juniper, swung half a league to the northnorthwest, and after crossing a small chamise patch we arrived at a river which our people call San Rafael and which the Yutas call Rio Colorado. We crossed it and halted on its north bank in a meadow with good pasturage and a fair-sized grove of cottonwoods. On this side there is a chain of high mesas, whose upper half is of white earth and the lower half evenly streaked with yellow, white, and not very dark colored red earth. This river carries more water than the Rio del Norte. It rises, according to what they told us, in a great lake which is toward the northeast near the Sierra de la Grulla. Its course along here is to the west-southwest, and it enters the Rio de los Dolores. At the ford it is split into two channels. The water reached above the shoulder blades of the animals, and some of them which crossed above the ford swam in places. From what we could see the river has many large stones, consequently if it should be necessary for any group of men to cross, it would be very desirable to ford it on good horses. - Today five leagues.

Tonight we observed the latitude and found ourselves in 41° and 4'. Thinking we had not come so far above Santa Monica, and fearing some defect in the observation, we decided to take it by the sun next day, stopping at a suitable hour in order not to remain here where the Sabuaganas might bother us9.

September 6
We set out toward the west from the river and meadow of San Rafael (which lacks the facilities necessary for a settlement). We traveled downstream half a league, another half through some valleys toward the west-northwest, leaving the river to the south; northwest a quarter of a league and through ravines without stones for a league and a quarter west by westnorthwest. To the west-northwest we went about a mile and then having gone nearly two more leagues west over broken ground with some stones and a great deal of small cactus, we descended to a small valley through which a little river of good water runs. On the bank, near its only cottonwood, we halted at eleven o'clock in the forenoon, sending some companions forward with the pack animals and the loose herd. We made an observation by the meridian and found ourselves in 410 6' and 53" of latitude, and found that in the observation of the previous night there had been no error. We overtook. the others, who having traveled two leagues northwest had stopped. They were disgusted with the guide because, leaving a road which went west upstream and appeared according to reports more direct, he led us by another which, entering a canyon, goes directly north. He said that although that road went north by the canyon it soon turned back toward the west. The companions who knew the Yuta language tried to convince us that the guide Silvestre was leading us by that route either to delay us by winding around so that we could not go on, or to lead us into some ambush by the Sabuaganas who might be awaiting us. In order to make us more distrustful of the guide, they assured us that they had heard many Sabuaganas in the rancheria tell him that he must lead us by a road which did not go to the Lake, and that after he had delayed us for eight or ten days in useless wanderings, he must make us turn back. Although it was not entirely incredible that some of them might have said this, we did not believe that the guide could ever have agreed to it nor even that it had really happened, because up to now none of our companions had told us a thing about it; for at the rancheria they had not neglected to magnify greatly other difficulties, less fearsome and less likely, as well as the fact that in any catastrophe they would risk little less than we. We well knew that if we went to the north we would have to take a more circuitous route. But when Silvestre said he was leading us by that route because on the other there was a very bad hill, we wished to accept his, opinion. But all the companions except Don Joaquin Lain insisted on taking the other road, some because they feared the Cumanches too greatly and without foundation, and some because that route did not conform with their own opinions, which were considerably opposed to ours. Soon a Yuta Sabuagana, one of the most northern, arrived and said the road to the north went up very high. Therefore we had to continue to the west, and having traveled two leagues and crossed another and smaller river we camped on its bank, naming the campsite La Contraguía. - Today seven leagues.

Here were three ranchos of Sabuaganas from which six men came to the camp. Among them there was one who had just come from the land of the Cumanches Yamparicas, whither with four others he had gone to steal horses. He said the Cumanches had withdrawn, and that judging from their trail they were going to the Rio Napeste or to the east. With this report our companions were somewhat encouraged. These Sabuaganas were we would have to make in going up the river in this direction; that the animals would be badly injured, for they were already lame; and that it would be necessary for us to consume many supplies in going to their habitations, we decided to send the interpreter with the guide Atanasio to summon them and to see if any of them or any of the Lagunas would guide us for pay as far as he knew the way. They set forth and the last ones we saw.

 

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