The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 31, July 1927 - April, 1928 Page: 14

Southwestern Historical Quarterly

There the Spaniards first saw the mountains which swept down
from the direction of the North Sea and extended, according to
the information received from the Indians, to within fifteen leagues
of the ocean. This point is almost conclusively established; and
the color of the Indians in the pueblos found across in Mexico
with other characteristics different from the Texas Nomadic In-
dians is most interestingly discussed, quoting largely from the
studies of Judge Coopwood. From this point the route is fol-
lowed step by step. to a settlement of the Jumano Indians, where
were found the first permanent houses and near the present site
of the town of Presidio on the left bank of the Rio Grande op-
posite the mouth of the Rio Conchas; and thence up the left
bank of the river to the Pacific through New Mexico, where the
Pine Nuts were mentioned, crossing the path afterwards fol-
lowed by Coronado.
In this sketch it is impracticable to even outline the wealth
of local coloring, and physical facts which the industry and in-
telligence of these investigators bring to bear on this subject.
They greatly aid the reader by attaching an excellent map pre-
pared under the supervision of Dr. Herbert E. Bolton. Having
established the beginning point on San Luis Isle; the rivers, in-
lets, islands and general contour of the Texas Coast from Galves-
ton to Corpus Christi conform to the narrative. In this and all
preceding papers, the subject matter consists mainly in arguments
and citation of authority tending to establish the physical facts
mentioned in the narratives. None of this work was vain; the
end sought was worth while; but it was not complete. In seek-
ing for light, Messrs. Davenport and Wells had recourse to all
the original Spanish versions and corrected the translations of
Smith and Bandelier. Believing that it throws light on this sub-
ject, Mr. Harbert Davenport published a translation of the "Ex-
pedition of Panfilo de Narviez," by Oviedo y Valdez, the first
complete translation made in English (XXVII, 120, 276). This
gives Captain Andres Dorantes' independent account of the jour-
ney of the Mal-Hado survivors along the Texas Coast, 1529-1536.
In Dorantes' narrative, the names of the localities are given in
footnotes, as previously established by the editor, and now known
on our geographies. Where obscure in this text, Cabeza de Vaca's
account, and the official report of the three are used, being treated