Explorations and Settlements A long tlte Rio Grande
201
There were one hundred eighty persons in San Francisco de los Conchos. It is of interest to note that Trasvina was impressed by their good manners and intelligence, and their dress. Many wore Spanish attire. Some of the women had silk shawls, serge skirts, kid shoes, and silk hose. This clearly indicates that there was a close trade between the Indians of this area and the Spanish frontier outposts in New Mexico and Nueva Viscaya. As a sign of good faith the Indians brought fourteen children to the missionaries for baptism. Fray Osorio and Fray Garcia were delighted at the opportunity to begin their missionary labors. In compliance with the request of Trasvina, the natives built a raft and on June 3, the party crossed the Rio Grande into Texas. A short distance beyond, they came to the pueblo of the Polacmes and Cibolos, which they named Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe. This was the largest of the eight pueblos in the whole valley. When its people were counted, it was found to contain five hundred fifty persons. The pueblo was well planned with two plazas-one for each of the two tribes that lived together-and it was provided with a stockade for defense against enemies. A short distance beyond, about one league below where the two rivers joined, were three other pueblos. One was where the Puliques lived, which Trasvina called San Jose. It had ninety-two persons. Just beyond was the pueblo of the Concho Indians which the Spaniards named San Antonio de Padua. Here there were eighty-seven persons living. A short distance below was San Cristobal, the pueblo of the Poxalma Indians with one hundred eighty persons. In reporting his visit to the viceroy, Trasvifia declared that there were one thousand four hundred and five persons in the eight pueblos at La Junta. He had inquired diligently among the Indians concerning the greater Colorado River and of a lake or sea where pearls were found, but had obtained no information. Asked the distance to Paso del Rio del Norte (present El Paso), the natives replied it was about seventy leagues. They added that along the river there were many ranclzerias of Zumas, Cho- lomes, Chinarras, and Totones. Most of these Indians were hostile and frequently committed depredations in the vicinity of El Paso, extending their raids as far as Chihuahua City and San Buenaventura. Trasvina in- quired how far it was to Coahuila, but the Indians could not tell him. Before leaving La Junta he had asked Fray Osorio and Fray Garcia if they were willing to stay and found missions, to which they replied it was their desire to remain and work among the natives. They established their headquarters at San Francisco de los Conchos where they would
Powered by FlippingBook