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Early Exploration of Big Bend Country, I683-I7JI
named province was divided from Nueva Vizcaya by a great mountain range which ran from north to south. It would be highly advisable, he said, for Rivera was to make a careful exploration of this area, noting if the land was fertile, if there were woods, if the country was suitable for grazing, and if it was appropriate for settlement. If so, the Presidios of Cerro Gordo, Gallo, Mapimi, and Pasaje could be moved and placed at convenient distances from each other along the Rio Grande to protect such settlements as were founded there. Spanish families and friendly Indians could be .induced to move to this region if it were suitable for settlement. This would afford effective protection to the entire northeastern frontier of Nueva Vizcaya, because the river would protect the new set- tlements and the presidios from the enemies that lived beyond it to the north and east.is Such a task, however, could not be undertaken by a man who had so many other things to do while on his inspection of the presidios. The idea did not go unheeded. After Rivera's return to Mexico, in view of his own experience, he advised that a special expedition be sent to explore the Rio Grande from San Juan Bautista to the Junta de los Rios, and another from El Paso del Norte to the same point. But before we take up the results of his recommendations and the actual accomplishments of the expedition that set out from San Juan Bautista, let us see what the condition of the Presidio of El Paso was at the time of the inspection. Rivera's report on El Paso. In 1726, Rivera passed through the pre- sidio, on his way from the Conchos to Santa Fe, where he had a special investigation to carry out in regard to the conduct of the former governor of that province in an expedition ordered in 1720 to the river of Jesus Maria.z 6 He did not stop at El Paso on the way up, but on his return he reported that there were forty-nine soldiers in the presidio and that each one received four hundred and fifty pesos a year. The captain had a salary of six hundred. He found no irregularities in the management of the military affairs of this outpost. He commended the captain for his zeal in the royal service and the general peace maintained with the Indians in the vicinity. He declared that the captain had founded a pueblo of zsparecer del Auditor Olivan Rebolledo. October 2, 1724. A. G. N., Ristoria, Vol. 52. Z6This river has been identified with the Platte, but it is more likely the Arkansas or the Red River. Thomas, "The .Massacre of the Villasur Expedition at the Forks of the Platte River," in Nebraska RistorJ and Record of Pionur DaJs, Vol. VIII, No. 3.
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