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E:i:plorations and Settlements A long tlze Rio Grande
ordered Captain Jose de Beasoain from Presidio de Conchos to bring an escort of twenty presidia} troops. This brought the total of Spanish soldiers to fifty. The date of departure was set for May 23, 1715, and the place of rendezvous was to be the pueblo of San Antonio de los Juli mes. On the appointed day a train of fifty mules loaded with supplies and driven by ten muleteers was assembled. The force consisted of fifty soldiers and twenty Indians. Trasvina Retis was accompanied by Fathers Fray Jose de Arranegui and Fray Andres Ramirez. With Captain Bea- soain came Fathers Fray Gregorio Osorio and Fray Juan Antonio Garcia. By May 25, the expedition reached El Alamo, located some nineteen leagues to the east and not far from the Conchos River. The following day they traveled seventeen leagues to Los Sauces. On May 27, they marched five leagues to the Conchos, and on the following day they came to Pueblo Santa Cruz on the Conchos. The pueblo, formerly occupied by the Auchanes, was now abandoned, these Indians having gone to join Pueblo San Antonio de los Julimes, located eight leagues down the river. On May 29, they arrived in San Pedro, a pueblo of Cholome Indians located on the Conchos. These Indians were all Christians and regularly went to work on the l1acienda of Juan Cortes del Rey. They received the newcomers with great rejoicing. They gave them green beans, green corn, and melons. The pumpkins were not ripe yet. The Indian governor was called Santiago el Torito. He spoke Spanish. There were one hundred ninety persons in this pueblo. Continuing their march to Nuestra Senora de Begona, they were met there by Indians from the eight pueblos of La Junta. Since Fray Ramirez had gone ahead to inform them of the Spaniards' coming, they had erected arches to receive them. They declared that they were glad that the padres were coming to live in their pueblos. At Nuestra Senora de Begona, Trasvina left a part of the supplies before proceeding to La Junta. The pueblo had good adobe houses, was built somewhat after the fashion of a presidio, and had a very good church about one hundred paces from the pueblo. Early on May 30, Fray Osorio said Mass and the members of the expedition started for their goal. After crossing a rough mountain range through a narrow pass they came in sight of the Valley of La Junta and camped on the bank of the Conchos. T/1e pueblos of La ltmta. On May 31, the expedition reached the first pueblo of La Junta. This was on the banks of the Conchos. It had a stockade all around it and a plaza in the middle with good adobe houses. Fray Ramirez called it Nuestra Senora de Loreto in honor of the imao-e 0
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