Exploration of tlee Big Bmd and Pecos Country
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Otomoacos by the Espejo expedition. "The men are very handsome and the women beautiful," says the narrator of the expedition. Like the Cabris they wore stripes on their faces and appeared to be happy and carefree; they lived in houses made of logs and brush plastered with mud; and although they raised little corn, they had an abundance of pumpkins and beans. There is little doubt that Fray Agustin and his companions were now among the Jumano Indians who ranged in a wide area to the east and north of the Rio Grande over a good part of the great plains, where they hunted the buffalo. 11 From the declaration of the various members of the party and the account of Gallegos, it is not possible to determine with certainty whether the little party crossed the Rio Grande at this point or not. Bancroft is of the opinion that they crossed at La Junta de los Rios and proceeded on their journey along the east side of the Rio Grande towards El Paso and New Mexico. But more recent studies of this expedition seem to establish definitely that Fray Agustin and his companions did not ascend along the eastern bank of the river, although they might have crossed somewhere in the neighborhood of La Junta for a short visit before continuing their march. The facts in the case seem to be that the party spent a day or two a few miles above the juncture of the Conchos and the Rio Grande; that during this time they crossed into present Texas and visited some of the Jumano settlements on the east side of the river located in the vicinity of present Presidio; and that after having obtained the desired information, they decided to continue their journey towards the pueblos of New Mexico along the western bank of the Rio Grande, which was much easier to traverse. 12 In the account of this expedition we have the first detailed description of the Jl;Jmano Indians, who were to play so important a role in the early history of our State, acting as the means of communication with the Tejas Indians. On being asked what kind of people were beyond, they replied that their lands extended for a d istance of about one hundred leagues, and tha t their nation was very numerous. For two or three days 11 Gallegos, "Relacion," New Mexico Historical Review, II, 254-255; Mecham, "Second Spanish Expedition to New Mexico," in Ibid., I, 270 . For a detailed account of the life and customs of these Indians, see Bolton, "The Jumano Indians in Texas," Quarterly, XV, 66-84; Hodge, Ha11dbook of tlie American Indian. 12 lbid., 256-259; Bancroft, Hhtory of Arizona and New Mexico, 76-77, sketch map on page 76 shows route up eastern bank of Rio Grande; Bolton, op. cit., 1 38, 145, 154; Mecham, " The Second Spanish Expedition to New Mexico, " New Mex ico Historical Review, 269-270, sketch map opposite page 268.
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