The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 36, July 1932 - April, 1933 Page: 10
328 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
out fear of the dangers, of which I shall speak later.22 Such were
the circumstances under which Manuel undertook the journey
that led him across the Rio Grande into what is today the State
of Texas.
Apparently on March 29, accompanied by five Indians, Brother
Manuel left Santa Rosa.23 Four and a half days later, having
covered forty leagues in a northerly direction, they reached the
Rio Grande. Where the river formed two forks they crossed and
stepped on Texas soil, probably some miles below the present city
of Del Rio. The next day at sunrise they continued the journey
and three days later, covering approximately six leagues a day,
they came to "a mountain range which the Indians called
Dacate."24 Here they met a friendly Indian who warned them
against pursuing that route. Hostile Indians, he said, were in-
formed of their arrival25 and were coming to capture the friar
and kill his companions. They disregarded the Indian's warn-
ing, however, and continued northward until they came to an
arroyo. This was probably Devil's River, northwest of Del Rio.
Here they remained in hiding for three days. During this time
one of the Indians whom the Brother had sent out to reconnoiter
came back with the news that the Boboles "were camping in the
same arroyo about six leagues farther up."
"Rejoicing over such good news," writes Manuel, "I departed
at midnight and at about nine o'clock in the morning I reached
the camp, where I was well received by all." From these Indians
it was learned that the Guyquechales were camping at a distance
of about eight leagues. Eager to get in touch with this powerful
tribe, Manuel sent a messenger to their captain. The latter, to
"Brother Manuel de la Cruz to the Commissary General, Saltillo, May
29, 1674. MS.-Loo. cit.-From this letter, the only source of information,
we gather the details of the Brother's memorable entrada into Texas.
"He does not say expressly that he departed from Santa Rosa. We
conclude this from the fact that this place had been selected as the central
settlement both by the Indians and by the missionaries. Moreover, Manuel
says that, after traveling forty leagues northward, he reached the Rio
Grande; which statement seems to indicate that Santa Rosa rather than
San Idlefonso was the point of departure.
'Very probably these were the hills along Devils River in Valverde
County, Texas. For this and other information concerning the topography
of Texas I am indebted to Mr. David Donoghue of Fort Worth.
2""avisados de un demonio que se les aparece en forma visible-informed
by a demon who appears to them in visible form," Manuel's letter reads.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 36, July 1932 - April, 1933, periodical, 1933; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101093/m1/18/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.