The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 35, July 1931 - April, 1932 Page: 71

Diary of Fray Gaspar Jose De Solis, in the Year 1767-68 71
very high, from wood to wood, and we had to cross it on a raft
with all of our cargo.
On the 22nd we came to the Neches River, which had a good
deal of water, but was not so high. We crossed it at a ford.
On the 23rd we came to the San Felipe River and the Santiago
River, where we said mass and set up a cross.
On the 24th we were stopped by a storm at the Creek of San
Juan; the storm lasted all day, though not very bad, and all the
baggage was wet.
On the 25th the water continued until mid-day and we were
occupied with drying things out.
On the 26th we said mass and set up the holy cross. When we
reached the bank of the Trinity River, it was very high. We
crossed this stream on a raft, with great danger to life. But God
delivered us, thanks to His mercy.
On the 27th the baggage was carried over on the raft without
damage, thanks to God.
On the 28th we came to the Lagoon of Cayman; here we stayed
until the next day. We said mass and set up the holy cross.
On the 29th we continued our journey. After walking a short
distance in the plain of Escaramuzas, a great crowd of Indian men
and women of the Vidais Nation came out to trade. They had a
lot of venison, buffalo meat and other things. We went on to the
Pielago de las Gallinas where many other Indian men and women
of the Vidays came out with an apostate Captain of that Nation,
called Antonio Abad. On the night of that day, by reason of a
total eclipse which took place, I had the opportunity of speaking
to those Indians about God principally to the apostate captain.
They were very much impressed and begged me very insistently to
send Fathers to them, saying that they wished to be christians and
to be baptized, and they asked me for a paper in which this might
be promised to them. On account of their natural inconsistency,
I think that all of this fervor will pass off.
On the 30th we reached the Navasoto River, which was very
high. We made a bridge of poles by cutting down the large, over-
hanging trees on the bank of the River, and tying these together
with ropes, the people and the baggage went over this way, and
the horses swam across. Later we came to a creek called Los
Patos, which has good water.