The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 22, July 1918 - April, 1919 Page: 246
521 p. : ill. (some col.), ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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246 The Southwestern Historical Quarterly
first place was to go around the mountains-in military parlance
to "turn" them. The mountains lay before them to the westward;
they were told that they could not "get out" toward sunset, nor
along the coast, and they feared to return to the seashore because
of the bad character of its inhabitants. TIence they entered the
land inland "straight to the north," with the skirts of the moun-
tains, and continued in that direction until they came to the
plain "beyond the chain of mountains," from whence they imme-
diately sought to go, and eventually did go, toward the west.
From the region of Monclova, the most available route for a
northward journey for a time veers somewhat toward the north-
east. It approximates the route of the Mexican International
Railway from Monclova to Eagle Pass. Near Monclova it would
wind through beautiful valleys, which to this day are noted for
great abundance of game, and which from the earliest known days
were densely inhabited; and between mountains clad with pihion
trees. Some thirty or forty leagues beyond Monclova this route
crosses the Sabinas River, which comes from the north. The
Sabinas here is a large river, at least a hundred yards wide, beau-
tifully clear; and simply teems with fish. It is described by
a. recent traveler40 as much resembling the San Marcos River
'46Mr. Henry Edds of Hebbronville, who has extensive interests in
Coa'huila. I-Ie is confirmed by Mr. Frank C. Pierce of Brownsville.
Compare with the text the diary of Fernando del Bosque, who journeyed
northward from Monclova to the "Sierra Dacate" (Anacocho Mountains),
in Texas, in May, 1675. Bolton, "the Bosque-Larios Expedition" in
Spanish Explorations in the Southwest, 1542-1706.
Bosque says that from Monclova he traveled down the river toward the
north, having lon the right hand toward sunrise some large peaks of rocks
like sugar loaves. Passing beyond these, he crossed the Nadadores, sixteen
leagues north of Monclova. Beyond this river he journeyed toward the
north, keeping always on the left a high, long mountain range, which
forms what resembles a chain, and runs from south to north, and at four-
teen leagues north of the Nadadores, always keeping the mountain range
on the same hand, crossed the Sabinas river-"A large river, very beau-
tiful, with many groves of very large cedars, cottonwoods, and mesquite
brush, and with great plains of land which are very pleasing with greel
grass." On the following day he traveled northward twelve leagues and
camped at a watering-place, ,and on the next day seven leagues northward,
and arrived <at a watering-place where there was plenty of water and
wide plains, "In the middle of which there was much mesquite." The next
day's journey was about six leagues, through plains with mesquite groves,
to a camp among some low hills having oak trees. Three leagues beyond
this camp they found a stream "Very pleasing to the sight, having many
cottonwoods, willows, mesquites and guisaches, and wide plains with very
green grass," and after travelling three more leagues, through plains with
much mesquite and with fine pastures of green grass-thirty-one leagues
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 22, July 1918 - April, 1919, periodical, 1919; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117156/m1/260/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.