Explo,-atio11s and Settlements A long the Rio G,-ande
221
his march until December 4, when he again sighted the Rio Grande, which appeared to flow down from the west and turned north. It is curious to note that from Reagan Canyon the Rio Grande flows to the east with a slight inclination to the north for a distance of about thirty miles and then turns sharply northward. From the description of the diary, it is evident that Vidaurre struck the river at this corner, which is almost due south of Sanderson, about fifty miles. From here, still on the Mexican side, he went west, traveling as close to the river as practical and on December 6 was able to follow along its bank for about nine miles. He was now probably opposite Reagan Canyon. Unable to cross, he was obliged to turn southwest and to follow a creek that flowed between two high mountains. He called the narrow defile the Pass of the Afflicted, because of the great suffering experienced. Pushing on, he traveled sixteen leagues on December 10, still going southwest. The hardships of this day's travel may be imagined from his loss of twenty-six horses on the march. He must have been by this time below Boquillas, in the Chizos Mountain area. While in this region, he visited an Apache ranclzeria on December 13, where he was entertained by the chief. From him, he learned that many Indians lived east of the Rio Grande and that these traded with those of La Junta. The chief told Vidaurre that his tribe was the enemy of the Natages, a powerful nation which had over two hundred warriors who used guns. Vidaurre obtained two guides from the Apache chief, who proved to be very friendly. With the aid of the guides he appears to have made better progress. On December 18, he crossed the Rio Grande, possibly at Lajitas, and continued northwest on the Texas side. By December 23, he arrived in Alamitos Creek, which he seems to have struck above present Presidio. Here he found numerous abandoned ranclzerias. Four days later, on December 27, he camped near the Pueblo de San Antonio de los Puliques. The next day he crossed the river to the Mexican side, passed by Mission Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe and went on to San Francisco on the Conchos, where he met Captain Joseph de ldoyaga, who had just returned from El Cajon. Vidaurre barely missed meeting Rabago y Teran, who had gone southeast of La Junta a few days before. After visiting San Juan Bautista on the Conchas and spending a few days with ldoyaga, he started back to Mapimi, where he made his report to the viceroy. 23 - %3Derrotero, Diario y Autos hechos por ... Fermin de Vidaurre. A. G. ,Jf., Historia, v. 52, pp. :241-305.
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