The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 15, July 1911 - April, 1912 Page: 30

Texas Historical Association Quarterly

tales, Joseph de Arroyo, Pedro Oribe, and Juan Cantfl. Of these
P6rez de Almazn later became prominent as governor of Texas.
Great ceremony marked the initial steps of the expedition. Three
standards were blessed, one bearing a picture of Our Lady of
Pilar, San Miguel, and San Rafael, with the motto inscribed,
"PI'.gnqate pro Fide et Rege"; the second having a picture of our
Lady of Guadalupe, San Miguel, and San Francisco Xavier; while
on the third was their patron saint, James. Mass was duly cele-
brated, and the day was made a feast in general.1
Aguayo, detained by duties of his new office, in order to insure
the proper forwarding of provisions for the expedition from Mex-
ico after his departure, on November 16, 1720, sent forward his
train under his lieutenant Almazin. Its composition was as fol-
lows: a picket of veteran soldiers who were familiar with the road,
the equipage, the companies in the order of their seniority, the
baggage, provisions, munitions of war, and, finally, the droves of
animals.2
Delayed three weeks in crossing the Sabinas, the one consider-
able stream between Monclova and the Rio Grande, the expedition
did not reach the latter river" until December 20. On account of
its swollen condition, the passage was not begun until after Christ-
mas. Canoes had to be constructed, because those which the In-
dians made, of wood covered with skin, proved useless for lack of
resin. Finally a raft of ten beams floated on barrels was success-
fully used. Such was the excess of cold, sleet, and snow, Father
Pefia tells us, that in effecting the crossing the force had to take
advantage of rainy days, when the temperature moderated. The
passage was finally accomplished by fifty swimmers pulling the
raft after them and bearing but six "cargoes" at a time. The ex-
pedition was thus delayed till March 23, 1721. Aguayo and
Father Espinosa joined the expedition before its crossing, evi-
dently immediately after Christmas, and a few days later, Doctor
'Pefia, Derrotero, 2.
2Ibid.
"The Derrotero does not mention the place at which they crossed the
river, but it was probably at the Mission San Juan Bautista, for that mis-
sion was on the road usually followed, and the account mentions that the
expedition was joined by Benito Sanchez, a missionary "who was at thi
mission of San Juan Bautista of the Presidio of Rio Grande del Norte"
(Derrotero, 2).