255
Founding of El Paso and Establislmzent of J11issions
that his fl!>rce was sufficiently strong to settle in El Paso with a fair degree of safcty. 21 Tigua Indians in El Paso i11 1680. It is important to note at this point that among the Indians who came with the Spaniards in 1680, there were some from Isleta, who, of course, were Tiguas. Some doubt as to the date of the establishment of Isleta at El Paso has arisen from the fact that the only two authoritative accounts of the retreat of the Spaniards from New Mexico and their subsequent establishment at El Paso, fail to refer specifically to the coming of Tigua Indians to El Paso until 1682. It should be kept in mind, however, that Isleta (New Mexico) was a Tigua pueblo, that these Indians did not join the revolt until after Garcia abandoned their town, and that when he set out from old Isleta some of these Indians accompanied him, as shown by the muster rolls made at La Salineta on October 1, 2, and 3, 1680. 22 Consequently there is no reason to allege that Isleta (near El Paso) could not have been founded before 1682, because there were no Tigua Indians in the region until that time. The facts seem to point out rather that Isleta (near El Paso) was founded in 1681 and that when more Tigua Indians were brought there in 1682, these were naturally settled with their kins- men, who were already established since the year before. Establislm1ent of refugees in El Paso. But the question that faced the survivors encamped temporarily at Salineta was whether the whole camp should establish a settlement at El Paso, near the monastery of Guadalupe, or whether a reconquest of New Mexico should be attempted. Father Ayeta, a most remarkable missionary, C1utodio of New Mexico, who had just brought a train of supplies from Mexico, explained that he and his companions were ready and willing to abide by the decision of the majority; that should they decide to undertake the reconquest, 21 Junta de Guerra; Muster Rolls, in Atttos Tocantes, A. G. M., Provincias lnternas, Vol. 37, ff. 60-61. Cf., Hackett, "The Retreat of the Spaniards from New Mexico in 1680, and the Beginnings of El Paso," Tire Quarterly, XVI, 268, and Hughes, op. cit., 315. There is an evident discrepancy in the figures given by l\-!iss Hughes. The original documents tally with the numbers given by Hackett, which are the same as those quoted above. 22 Lista made at Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe de! Paso, October 1, 2, 3, 1680, Autos Toca11tes, A. G. M., Provi11cias /11ler11as, Vol. 37, ff. 60-61. For a detailed account of the revolt of the various pueblos, showing that Isleta. (New Mexico) was a Tigua pueblo which did not join the rebels until after Garcia abandoned it, see Hackett, "Revolt of the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico in 1680," Tire Quarterly, 127-128.
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