Our Cat/10lic Heritage in Texas
the place where they came upon the Puerco (present Pecos) they dis- covered two salt water lakes, one on the east and the other on the west side of the stream. From the description of the country it seems the exploring party reached the vicinity" of the present city of Pecos, Texas. Here they declare they found a large settlement of Indians, who fled on their approach, leaving the pueblo deserted. But observing that the newcomers did not disturb the settlement, the Indians reappeared and told the Spaniards they had never seen men like them in this area. This statement should be taken with a grain of salt, for it seems strange that these roaming Indians of the plains should have never seen Spaniards before. Presents were exchanged and the natives promised to visit San Saba and to bring their wares to trade at the presidia. According to the report of the party, they first came upon a spring about five leagues after leaving San Saba (present Menard) and on five others in the succeeding thirty or forty leagues. This seems to indicate they first passed by the headwaters of the South Concho, almost due west from Menard, and inclining north, went to the headwaters of the Middle Concho, somewhat north of pres~nt Big Lake and Ranta. They declared that in this area they had counted as many as five springs, which joined to form the Florido River (present Concho) that flowed into the Colorado. From the headwaters of this river the party appears to have gone west to the Puerco which they found to be some twelve leagues beyond the headwaters of the Florido. They evidently followed the Pecos for some distance, having first come upon it in the vicinity of present McCamey." T/1e Presidio of San Luis de las Amarillas is rebuilt. While attempt- ing to induce the Apaches by every means in his power to congregate in regular missions, and trying to learn everything he could about the surrounding country, Captain Rabago did not overlook the material improvement of the Presidio of San Luis de las Amarillas, which he began to call the Royal Presidio of San Saba. A year and a month after his arrival he was able to report that he had completely rebuilt the tumble- down and half-rotten stockade and erected a casa fuerte (blockhouse) built entirely of stone and mortar. With pardonable pride he explained that the new fort resembled a veritable castle, with its strong stockade and a new moat dug around it as an addit_ional protection. All the work had been done by the soldiers themselves and a few stone masons. The woods in the vicinity had been felled and a good area cleared, which set
II Felipe de Rabago y Teran to the Viceroy, July J 2, 1761. A. G. M., Historia, Vol. 94, pt. 1, pp. 12-15.
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