011r Catlwlic Heritage in Texas
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Expedition of Captain Joscplt Idoyaga, 1747-1748. Of the several explorations undertaken as a result of the orders of the viceroy, the most important concerning actual conditions at La Junta was that of Captain Joseph de Idoyaga, of the Presidio of San Bartolome, located on the Conchos, some one hundred and fifty miles up the river. On July 13, 1747, Idoyaga acknowledged receipt of the orders for the exploration and informed the viceroy that he was taking immediate steps to carry them out. But for various reasons and because of unforeseen difficulties, he did not set out until November 3, 1747. He took twenty men from the Presidio of San Bartolome, twenty from Presidio de Cerro Gordo, and twenty from the Presidio de San Francisco de Conchos. He had also sixty-nine mission Indians. The Bachiller Father Joaquin Orrantia accom- panied the expedition as chaplain. Setting out from San Bartolome on November 3, and following the Conchos River, he arrived at San Antonio de los Julimes on November 10. Here he held a review of his troops and rested for two days. His force was increased to sixty-five with the addition of five volunteers. On November 12, he resumed his march in the same general direction and five days later, on November 17, he arrived in Santa Cruz de los Cholomes on the Conchos. While waiting here for some information before pro- ceeding to La Junta, a chief named Juan Antonio Principe visited him on the 20th. He told Idoyaga that the mission Indians at La Junta had abandoned their pueblos as a protest against the establishment of a presidio in their midst. That same day a messenger named Pedro Mulato and another Indian brought a letter from Father Fray Lorenzo Saavedra of Mission San Francisco de los Conchos confirming the story of Juan Antonio and giving more details concerning the incident. Captain Idoyaga told the two Indians to go back to their pueblos and assure their people they had nothing to fear from the Spaniards; that the presidio was to be established for their own protection against the attacks of the Apaches and other enemies. He gave them food, dressed them in Spanish clothes, and regaled them with presents and chocolate. He asked them to take a letter to Father Fray Lorenzo in which he informed the missionary that he would resume his march at once and would soon see him. On November 22, Captain Idoyaga arrived in San Juan Bautista on the Conchos, which was some twelve miles southwest of La Junta. From here he went on to El Mesquite, an Indian pueblo a short distance beyond, where he was received that same day by the Indians, who came out in
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