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Our Catlzolic Heritage in T e:xas
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reached the Rio Grande at noon, crossed it, and traveled about two leagues, along its bank upstream before camping. From the time they left Las Vacas, present Villa Acuna, the expedition had traveled along the west bank of the river about forty leagues, but they had been obliged to make long detours to the west, so that in a straight line they must have gone about twenty leagues, or approximately fifty or sixty miles, to the point where they crossed the river. This would put them in the neighborhood of present day Langtry. It was here that Berroteran crossed the Rio Grande into Texas, somewhere in the neighborhood of Langtry, Osman, or Shumla. The description of the place where they camped is meager. All that is recorded is that there was grass for the horses and that the stock could be watered in the river. The country was not so rough as that already traversed. Here they stayed for a day, while scouts were sent ahead to explore the land and find suitable places to water the horses. On April 20, one of the Indians returned and reported a good camp site on the river about four leagues up the stream. The expedition moved that day to the new place. The following day they traveled up the river about six leagues and pitched camp at a place where there was plenty of grass. On April 22 they again advanced three leagues farther up stream. Here they were informed by the Indian scouts that it was impossible to proceed farther. They had traveled about thirteen leagues, almost due west, along the river. They must have been at this time about thirty or forty miles from the point where they crossed the river. If such was the case they were in the neighborhood of present day Dryden, .to the south, along the river, just where the Rio Grande makes a big bend to the southwest. The Indians declared that from here on the river ran through a deep canyon and that the mountains on either side were practically impassable. Late that evening, however, one of the scouts reported a watering place about five leagues above, adding that it would be necessary to travel ten to reach it. On April 23, Berroteran and his men set out for the new site and arrived on the river again. He was informed there that a smoke had been seen in what was believed to be Las Animas Mountains and that from here on the country was extremely difficult .for travel. Upon examining the river and noting the deep canyon through which it flowed, Berroteran decided to cross to the south side for fear of a flood which might keep him on the north side longer than his supplies held out. He accordingly estab- lished his camp on the south side of the river. He had thus explored only a short distance of about eighty or one hundred miles of the Rio Grande
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