167
Ex,ploration of tlze Big Bend and Pecos Country
if they cared to go. Fray Agustin and Chamuscado thanked them for the proposal and promised to return soon. 23 In their explorations they had traveled about forty leagues or approxi- mately one hundred miles from Piedrahita, present San Cristobal, to the headwaters of the Canadian, and they had spent ten days on the buffalo plains along this river. Their line of march followed closely that of Coronado, who, it should be remembered, met these same Querecho Indians, perhaps in the same region. It should be kept in mind, how- ever, that the Querechos were nomads and ranged over a considerable area, but mostly to the south and east, which is where the buffalo roamed. Consequently, it is probable that Coronado met them either near the head- waters of the Canadian or somewhat more to the south and east on the upper Red River and the Brazos. When the Spaniards arrived in Piedrahita, the Indians of this pueblo received them with evident ill will. During their absence in the buffalo plains the natives had learned of the death of Father Santa Maria and concluded that the party being small, they could easily kill them all with impunity. Up to this time the Spaniards had not demanded supplies from the Indians, but now, having no corn, they asked them for some. The natives pretended not to understand what they said. Sanchez Chamuscado, the leader of the military escort was sick, but seeing the impu- dence of the Indians, he got up from his bed and with seven companions marched to the center of the town "carrying a cross in their hands [and] asked them to give them some ground corn flour because they had nothing to eat. They understood it, but held back, not wishing to give it. Seeing the evil intentions which the Indians harbored," declares Gallegos, "some of our men fired a few arquebuses, pretending to aim at them in order that through fear they might be intimidated into giving us the food we needed, and in order that they should understand that they had to give it to us either willingly or by force." This measure produced the desired results. The natives gladly brought them nine loads of flour and many turkeys. The Spaniards, however, with great moderation took only what they needed and returned the rest to them. Realizing that they were among a hostile people who greatly out- numbered them, the Spaniards lost no time in continuing their march down the Galisteo valley. When they reached Malpartida, a pueblo near the mouth of the Galisteo River, they learned that the Indians were planning to kill them. It was from here that Father Santa Maria had set 23 Hammond, "Gallegos' Relation," in o;. &it., 11, 338-339.
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