011-r Catliolic H erit.age in Texas
the guidance of the Jumano Indians they had met in attempting to cross to the juncture of the Conchos and the Rio Grande, which was their goal. They had traveled one hundred and fifteen leagues from Cicuye to this point in thirty-two days, following as nearly as possible the Pecos River. 44 Of this distance about twenty leagues, or approximately fifty miles, lay within the present limits of Texas, and it is to Espejo and his men that the honor of having been the first to have explored the Pecos River is due. They were now to be the first likewise to traverse the region from the Pecos to the Junta de los Rios which was not to be visited in its entirety again for one hundred years until the time of the Mendoza expedition. Since the diary of Luxan is so detailed, it will be followed closely at the expense of being monotonous in the hope that by his graphic descriptions of the route, the places actually visited for the first time by Europeans between the Pecos and La Junta de los Rios, one hundred years before La Salle landed at Matagorda Bay, may be identified. Setting out on August 8, from the vicinity of present Pecos (Texas), they marched five leagues to the southwest, "three of them up a stream." They found many Jumanos who were on their way to the Pecos in search of mesquite beans. They halted in a ranclzeria on this stream. This must have been Toya Creek, which they struck apparently below Toya Lake. "The Indians, men and women, received us with music," says the chron- icler. "As a sign of peace and happiness there was held a dance between the tents of the Indian men and women." The little party of Espejo rested for a day and then proceeded up the stream for six leagues, camp- ing that night at the source, where they found some springs, perhaps present Toyahvale in the vicinity of Balmorhea in Reeves County. On the way they met many Indians, who in dress and customs resembled the Patarabueyes, apparently a division of the J umanos. On August I I, they resumed the march and traveled four leagues to a valley formed by the mountains. "We left this place on the twelfth of the month and marched four leagues over a bad road, mountainous and rocky. We stopped at a valley with many holm oaks, where there flowed a stream of water. We named this place El Valle del Encinal. It was the first holm oak grove we had seen in the land." 45 They were now in the neigh- 44 Espejo estimated the distance as one hundred and twenty, but the day by day record of Luxan shows they traveled one hundred and fifteen. Cf. "Espejo's account," Bolton, op. dt., 189; lu:dn's Narrative, 120-124. 4S£u:ran's NarraNve, 124-125.
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