Ottr C atleolic Heritage in Texas
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stage of his march. The scouts sent out were instructed to report without delay the discovery of the enemy, and to try to locate it without being noticed. While at San Rodrigo River, Berroteran received a letter from the commander of the Presidio of San Juan Bautista and another from the Governor of Coahuila, on April 3. These officers informed him that a band of hostile Indians had struck Parras and Saltillo, had stolen a good drove of horses, and had killed several persons. In view of this circum- stance, he was asked to divide his party into three detachments, one to return to ~residio de Coahuila (Monclova), one to go to Santa Rosa de Nadadores, and the third to march to the pass that led into Cuatro Cienegas. Upon receipt of this information and request, he called a council of his officers and most experienced soldiers. They were all of the opinion that it was seventy leagues to Coahuila and ninety to Cuatro Cienegas, in an opposite direction from that in which the expedition was supposed to travel. If the party was divided as suggested the success of the entire expedition and the safety of the men were seriously jeopardized. There was little hope that by the time the detachments arrived in the field of activity of the marauding band they would be able to chastise the enemy, who would be gone. It was decided, therefore, it would be best to continue -0n the journey along the route mapped out. On April 4, two Indian scouts reported the presence of a band of Indians hunting buffalo, about ten leagues from San Rodrigo. The fol- lowing day four other scouts returned and confirmed the statement. Leaving a competent guard of thirty men in camp to protect the baggage and supplies, Berroteran set out in search of these bands with the rest of the expedition, allowing the Indians to guide him. They traveled about ten leagues to the San Diego River but could discover no trace of the hostile Indians, said to be Apaches. From here seven more Indians were sent out in search of the enemy. On April 8 they returned and reported that they had followed the tracks and had come upon some Pascuache Indians who were hunting buffalo. They explained that these Indians were friendly to the Spaniards and that when asked if they knew of any other natives in the vicinity, they had all said that there were none. Still fearful of the presence of hostile Indians, Berroteran dispatched six Indian runners, on April 9, from San Diego River to reconnoitre and observe both banks upstream as far as its source and all water holes in its vicinity. Six others were sent at the same time to do likewi~e with regard to Las Vacas and its vicinity, with strict instructions to report the presence
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