Our Catliolic H eri tagc in Texas
Teran was instructed to return to Mexico and make a personal report to the viceroy . 37 The newly appointed governor was far from satisfied with the arrange- ments made for the expedition. In a letter to the king, written on January 30, 1691, he protested that the assignment of only fifty soldiers was far from adequate to accomplish the objects and overcome the difficulties that might be encountered in carrying out his instructions. The restric- tions placed upon his authority, which subordinated him almost completely to the Father Commissary, were unworthy of his rank. Nevertheless, he assured His Majesty that he was ready to sacrifice his person and his interests for the success of the expedition entrusted to him, that he would do everything in his power to attain the worthy end desired. 31 Marcli to East Texas. For various reasons, it was not until May 16, 1691, that the expedition was finally ready to start. On this day they set out from Monclova, following the route of the previous expeditions to the Rio Grande, which Teran, with a penchant for changing all names previously assigned, called Rio del Norte. There were fifty soldiers, ten missionaries, and three lay brothers in the party. Fortunately, Father Massanet made a list of the latter, who were Fathers Fray Francisco Hidalgo, Fray Nicolas Recio, Fray Miguel Estelles, Fray Pedro Fortuni, Fray Pedro Garcia, Fray Ildefonso Monge, Fray Joseph Saldana, Fray Antonio Miranda, and Fray Juan Garaiicochea. The names of the three brothers were not recorded . From the Rio Grande the expedition con- tinued along the old route; naming the Nueces the San Diego, and the Hondo the San Pedro. After crossing the last named river, in accord- ance with the instructions from the viceroy, Teran tried to follow a more direct course to the country of the Tejas by going more to the northeast. 39 37 Ynstruccionses dadas por el Superior Govierno pa. que se observen . .. January 23, 1691, A.G. N., H istor;a, Vol. 27. A copy is found also in the San Francisco El Grande Archives, Vol. 9, pp. 58-65. It was this copy which was used by the writer. 31 Teran to the King, January 30, 1691, A. G. I ., Audiencia de .Mexico, 61-6-21 (Dunn Transcripts, 1691-1693). J9There are three copies of Tera.n's diary known : one in H istoria, Vol. 27, one in Provi11c;as /11ternas, Vol. 182; and one in the San Francisco El Grande Arcl,ive, Vol. 1 o . It was not until 1932 that this diary and the principal documents connected with this expedition were made available in· an English translation by the Texas Catholic Historical Society in their Preliminary Studies. All references will be made to this edition as more accessible to the reader. " Itinerary and Daily Account .. ." in op. cit., Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 10-14 . "Diary kept by the Missionaries" in Ibid., 48-52.
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