The Beginnings of klissionary Activity, r670-r676
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Indians, but his duty as a religious was to continue on his way to Atoyac, where he could get permission from his superiors. When he saw that the Indians would not let him proceed on his way, he decided, after deliberating with them all the next day, to send a messenger to the Father Provincial, Fray Juan Mohedano, with a letter explaining the circumstances that had forced him to accompany the natives to their country and asking the Provincial to give him his approval and blessing. In company with his friendly captors, the good friar traveled twenty days in a general northeastern direction. He asked his companions the name of the land to which they were taking him, and they replied that it was Coahuila. He heard this word frequently while on the road with the Indians. They came at last upon a large rancl,eria where they were joyfully welcomed by the natives, who kissed the habit of the Padre. He therefore decided to call the land Coahuila. Just where this rancl,erta was, destined to become the site of the first mission of Coahuila, cannot be accurately determined. But if we take into consideration that Father Larios traveled for twenty days in a general northeastern ·direction from a point two days' journey to the south of Durango, the place must have been some thirty miles north of present Monclova. If he traveled an average of six leagues a day, which is a liberal estimate of the daily march, he must have gone one hundred and twenty leagues from his starting point. This is equivalent to nearly three hundred miles, which would place him somewhat north of present Monclova. "The Coahuila Indians are barbarous, daring and warlike," says Mota Padilla. "They go about naked and are large of stature and well built. They are always armed with ·bow and arrows, for which reason they are feared." But Father Larios soon won their confidence and good will. After his arrival, he spent whole days making a vocabulary of their language, which he learned from the children to whom he tried to teach Spanish, that they might help him explain the doctrina to their parents. At the same time he directed the building of a temporary chapel out of branches and leaves. Indians from the neighboring tribes came to be instructed. Before long, about five hundred souls had been gathered in the newly constructed chapel. 6 For almost three years the indefatigable missionary labored not only among the Coahuilas but among the neighboring tribes of the Catzalez ( Coetsales), the Bausorigarnes, the Tocas, and the Tobosos. While engaged in his missionary endeavors the good friar undertook a visit to
6 Mota Padillo, op. cit., 376; Frejes, (1838 edition) 135-136.
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