01'r Catholic Heritage in Texas
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A religious took an observation and found the latitude was twenty-eight degrees and thirty-nine minutes. The distance traveled from the time they left the Rio Grande was forty-eight leagues. On May I 3, the Medina River was reached, eighteen leagues from the Frio. When the drove of horses was driven into the river, it seems they lost their footing and started across to a very high bank. Unable to climb, those in the lead turned or fell back and they began to mill in the deepest part. Before they could be driven out, eighty-three were drowned. Undaunted by this unexpected misfortune, the missionaries sang a High Mass the following day to thank God that it was not worse. 27 On the 14th, the expedition resumed the march and reached San Pedro Spring and the San Antonio River that same day, having traveled since their start, seventy-three leagues in a general northeastern direction. Both Ramon and Father Espinosa remark on the appropriateness of the site for the establishment of a settlement. In describing the San Pedro Spring, Ramon says: "We came to a spring of water on the surface of the ground which we called San Pedro, capable of supplying a city." To this Espinosa merely adds that it was "sufficient for a mission." Speaking of the river, which was explored to its headwaters, Father Espinosa declares "This river is very desirable [for settlement] and favorable for its pleasantness, location, abundance of water, and multitude of fish.. .. Its copious waters are clear, crystal and sweet." At its head waters were found "flax three varas long and linen that measured three spans." Here the party decided to halt the next day and Father Espinosa celebrated, with a High Mass, the feast of St. Isidore, his patron saint. with all the missionaries taking part. The soldiers fired a salute. Continuing the march, they crossed the Salado, and on May 18 reached a river which Ramon at first thought was the Guadalupe, but which was the Comal River. 21 A short distance beyond they came upon the real Guadalupe. On May 20, they reached and named correctly the San Marcos River,2 9 and going a little farther, camped on a stream which they called 17Father Espinosa, in his diary, says that only eighty-two horses were drowned. Sa11 F,-a,rcisco el G,-ande A,-cl,ive, VIII, 97. Ramon made a list of the owners and offered to pay them out of his own pocket for the loss sustained that they might not be discouraged. P,-ovincias /nternas, Vol. 181, p. 69. 21Ramon passed this river almost at its source, within the present limits of New Braunfels. The river flows into the Guadalupe, which Ramon erroneously called the San Ybon. Hackett, Picl,a,-do: Limits of Louisiana and Te:cas, I, 478, note 7. 19Buckley, "The Aguayo Expedition," Texas Historical Association, Tlz1 Quaf'- Je,-ly, XV, 37.
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