165
Communications Between Santa Fe and San Antonio
They were located about one-half league apart. The Indians cultivated the land and had irrigated farms on which they raised corn, beans, watermelons, and pumpkins. Both Fernandez and Vial stayed in the villages until July 24, when the captain took leave of Vial and, guided by Sofais, departed for New Mexico. 21 Before continuing east to Natchitoches and hence to San Antonio, let us follow Fernandez on his return trip. Guided by Chief Sofais, the little cavalry troop set out due west from the pueblos of the Taovayas by a more direct route than the one previously followed. They went seven leagues, probably to the vicinity of Fleetwood, then turned due north for twelve leagues, and on July 26 turned west and arrived at the Comanche ranchena.s at or near the point where Beaver Creek enters the Red River near present Ryan. It was at this ranc/1eri.a that Fernandez and his men had left their tired horses. He returned the animals lent him and took those he had left on his march east. On July 28 the journey was resumed. Fernandez and his men followed a westward course with a slight inclination to the north, keeping generally close to the Red River. He must have crossed the Wichita above Witchita Falls, and, retracing in part the route followed before, passed by or near Electra, Vernon, and Childress to arrive at Estelline, or in its vicinity. Here he began following Prairie Dog Town Fork through Palo Duro Canyon to the site of modern Canyon, and going across the plains, he made his way to the Comanche rancltenas in the vicinity of Tucumcari. Following the well-established route, he now con- tinued to the Gallinas River which he crossed near Chapelle, hence to the old pueblo of Pecos, then to Santa Fe, where he arrived August 17, 1788. He had made the return trip in twenty-four days. According to his diary, he travelled 255 leagues on the way out to the Jumano pueblos, or approximately 637 miles. On his return trip, by following a more direct course, he covered 243 leagues, or about 610 miles, making a total of approximately 1,250 miles in all. 12 Return route of Fernandez to Santa Fe. Vial's route from Los lmnanos to Natchitoclies. But let us return to Vial who remained in the pueblos of the Taovayas. On July 25 he set %!Fernandez, Derrotero, diario :Y calendario, entry for July 20-23, and Fragoso, Derrotero, diario :Y calcu/acio11, same dates. 2ZFernandez, Derrotero, diario :Y cal,mdario. A. G. JJ/., Historia, Vol. 43. It should be noted that while the diary ends with the entry for August 17, 1788, it was signed and dated by him on December 1 7. Perhaps the latter date indicates the time when he made his report to the governor and when he turned over the diary to this official.
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