Our Catlzolic Heritage in Texas
Changing the course to the north, they continued to Hacienda de Agua Nueva, where they came upon the main road from Chihuahua to El Paso del Rio del Norte on July 13. On the following day, they arrived in Carrizal, in the jurisdiction of New Mexico. A detachment of ten men and an officer from Presidio del Paso were stationed at this point to safeguard the small settlement, but they afforded scant protection. From here it took Rubi until July 19 to reach present El Paso. To the east of the presidio and the Pueblo de Guadalupe, along the river bank, were the pueblos of San Lorenzo, Real de San Antonio de Senecu, San Antonio de la Isleta, Purisima Concepcion del Socorro, and Hacienda de los Tiburcios, forming a continuous settlement for a distance of seven leagues. In San Lorenzo lived the Zumas, in Senecu the Prios, in Isleta the Tiguas, and in Socorro the Piros, with a total of about five thousand souls. Five Franciscans looked after the Indian missions. In the opinion of La Fora the neophytes were so far advanced that the missions were ready to be placed under the care of seculars. The inspection delayed Rubi until August 5, 1766, at which time he continued his march to Albuquerque, where he arrived on August 16. There were seventy Spanish families living at this post. He proceeded to Santa Fe, where he arrived on the 19th, remaining there until September 15. La Fora drew a map of the presidio and town, while Rubi conducted the inspection of the garrison of eighty men. From Santa Fe, Rubi retraced his route to El Paso and on to Carrizal, hence to Casas Grandes in present Chihuahua, and on west to Presidio de Janos in the jurisdiction of Sonora. Continuing west and north, he then visited Presidio de Fronteras, passed on to Presidio de Terrenate, and finally arrived in the Presidio de San Ignacio de Tubae on December 20, 1766. His party remained in Tubae until January 5, when they set out again for Presidio de Santa Gertrudis del Altar, thirty-six leagues to the southwest, and only thirty-two from the coast of the Bay of Cali- fornia, arriving at their destination on January 9. Having reached the westernmost post, they began their return march on January 23, traveled seventy-three leagues to the south and east, and arrived in San Miguel de Horcasitas on January 30. After a stay of three weeks, Rubi turned east again, and working his way through Coahuila, arrived in Monclova on June 15, 1767. It was from Monclova that Rubi began his careful inspection of the Province of Texas. He first went to Presidio de Santa Rosa, still within the jurisdiction of Coahuila, where a garrison of fifty-two men was main-
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