The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 22, July 1918 - April, 1919 Page: 228
521 p. : ill. (some col.), ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The Southtwestern Iistorical Quarterly
the treatment accorded a beggar and a slave. Before the Span-
iards were lost in the woods, the burden of both narratives was
the tale of hardships endured and indignities suffered. They
emerged from the forest in which they were lost, holy men, mes-
sengers from heaven, marching forward triumphantly from tribe
to tribe, taking what they would for themselves and their retinue,
not as a favor, but imperiously, as of divine right. Henceforth,
the burden of both narratives is the tale of blessings conferred
and miracles performed. The cupidity and the superstitions of
the Indians now combined to aid them; the sign of the cross
opened the way before them, so that they completed in ten months
a journey which was actually ten times longer than the one which
they had thought to complete in the tuna seasons of eight years." -
This change in their attitude toward the Indians explains why,
a few journeys forward, their route is no longer "toward Panuco,"
and why, rather than risk a return to their former state, by going
again toward the coast, where the Indians had treated them badly,
they turned north with the skirts of the mountains and journeyed
hundreds of leagues inland, and so became the first Europeans to
cross the North American continent.12
"'Oviedo, III, p. 604.
"'That there was no exaggeration in the report of the faith cures which
raised the Spaniards from the position of beggars to that of saints is well
illustrated by an account of a similar occurrence amongst the descendants
of these Coahuiltecan Indians, reported by Father Parisot (Reminiscences
of a Texas Missionary, 43, et seq.) :
"It occurred in 1860. The rumor 'had been current for some time
that a Saint had appeared in the mountains of Nuevo Leon, Mexico, and
that he was working astounding miracles, healing all kinds of diseases
which man is heir to, and foretelling future events. Men, women and chil-
dren were seen on the roads leaving their homes and their occupations
in order to pay their respects to t'he Saint, or to be cured of some dis-
ease. Many came to consult me before undertaking the journey .
when I arrived [at Reynosa] the Mayor of the city came to see me, say-
ing that . . . he and the aldermen were just going to see the
Saint . . . the Saint had just reached a place called Mier about
sixty miles from Reynosa . . . The following day was Sunday and
I said mass, but the church was not well filled, for many of the parishoners
had already gone to see the Saint. After mass I also set out to see him,
with the sole intention of investigating his claims and pretensions.
On arriving at Camargo, which is about half way between 1eynosa
and Mier, I spent the night in the Priest's house, where I heard of sev-
eral acts and circumstances concerning the man, which if true, would
clearly prove he was simply a hypocrite and impostor. As I continued
my journey I saw crowds of pilgrims on their way to visit 'Tatita.' I
also saw invalids carried to him in vehicles of every description. I reached
Mier at 8 p. m. The streets were crowded with strangers and the prin-228
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 22, July 1918 - April, 1919, periodical, 1919; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117156/m1/242/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.