Diary of Father Pedro Font

Colonizing Expedition, 1775-1776


November l SP -- We set out from La Laguna at half-past nine in the morning, and, at one in the afternoon, arrived at the town of San Juan Capistrano de Uturituc, having travelled four leagues to the west-northwest. The Indians, whom I estimated at about a thousand souls, received us drawn up in two files (the men on one side and the women on the other) and when we alighted, they all came in turn to salute us and to give us their hands (first the men, and then the women) and manifested great pleasure at seeing us. They lodged us in a large shelter of boughs that they constructed on purpose, and, heathen as they were, planted a large cross in front of it, and then brought water to the camp for the people.

November 2 SP -- This being All Souls' Day, we, the three religious, said nine masses. We set out from the town of Uturituc at eleven o'clock in the morning, and, about three in the afternoon, halted at the banks of the Río Gila, near the town of Encarnación de Sutaquisón, having travelled some four leagues, west by north. The Indians of the town, whom I estimated at about five hundred souls, came out to receive and salute us with demonstrations of great pleasure. On the way, we passed through two other towns.

November 3 SP -- We set out from the town of Sutaquisón at a quarter to ten in the morning, and, at noon, arrived at a pond of bad water, (as some of us were made sick by it, we gave it the name of Laguna del Hospital), having travelled two leagues almost northwest. Toward the west of this place there is a mountain range which runs to the north, and ends at a distance of three leagues; beyond this termination, and farther down stream, the Río Gila joins with the Río de la Asunción, which is large, and about three times as great as the Gila.

November 4 SP -- This being the day of San Carlos, and the festival of our monarch, we sang the mass with all possible solemnity. It was decided to march after midday, but this was not done as a woman fell sick.

November 5 SP -- We remained here because the sick woman could not proceed; and at nightfall another was taken ill. I observed the latitude of this place and found it to be 33° 14 1/2'; so I say: At the Laguna del Hospital, November 5, 1775, meridian altitude of the lower limb of the sun, 40° 40'.

November 6 SP -- The women patients continued ailing, consequently we remained here. At noon another woman fell sick; and I myself, in addition to the ailment that I had previously, was taken today with the ague.

November 7 SP -- This morning the sick women were feeling better. We set out from the Laguna del Hospital at one o'clock in the afternoon, and, at a quarter past six, halted at a dry watercourse, having travelled some six leagues: about one to the southwest, two to the west-southwest, and the remainder to the west.

November 8 SP -- We set out from the dry watercourse at half-past eight in the morning, and, at four o'clock in the afternoon, halted beside the river, in the Opa town called San Simón y Judas de Uparsoitac, having travelled some nine leagues: two to the west-southwest, one to the west (in order to pass through a gap in the range), and the remainder to the west-southwest with some deviation to the west. These Opa Indians of Uparsoitac, -- whose enemies that were making war upon them are called Nanaxi and are neighbors of the Apaches -- showed themselves very docile, and received us well.

November 9 SP -- The horses arrived very lame from yesterday's march, as they were sick when they left the Laguna del Hospital; it was decided, therefore, to rest today. Beads and tobacco were distributed to the Indians -- I estimated that they numbered about a thousand souls.

November 10 SP -- We remained here today as this morning a woman and a soldier were found to be very sick.

November 11 SP -- We set out from the town of Uparsoitac at ten o'clock in the morning, and, about midday, arrived at some Opa villages situated on the banks of the river, having travelled some two short leagues to the west.

November 12 SP -- We set out from the Opa villages at half-past nine in the morning, and, at two in the afternoon, halted on the banks of the river at some ranches which, because it was St. James's day, we called the Ranchería de San Diego, having travelled five leagues, west by north.

November 13 SP -- We set out from the Ranchería de San Diego at a quarter past nine in the morning, and, about half-past one in the afternoon, halted, shortly after fording the river, at a place called Aritoac, having travelled some four leagues, west by south.

November 14 SP -- We set out from Aritoac at nine in the morning, and, about one in the afternoon, arrived at Agua Caliente, having travelled four leagues to the west-southwest.

November 15 SP -- It was decided to remain here today in order to rest the horses, as they had suffered greatly from lack of pasture. Many Cocomaricopa Indians gathered to see us; they are the same as the Opas. The commander, in the name of the king, our master conferred the title and baton of governor of the whole nation upon an Indian whom they themselves chose, and named him Carlos; to another one chosen by them, whom we called Francisco, he gave the baton of alcalde. When these were confirmed in their appointments, the other Indians present saluted them in turn, giving them their hands. Afterwards, tobacco and beads were distributed among all, and this place with its jurisdiction was entitled San Bernardino del Agua Caliente. I observed the latitude of this place (although the day was very cloudy) and found it to be 33° 2 1/2'; so I say: At Agua Caliente, November 15, 1775, meridian altitude of the lower limb of the sun, 38° 4'. The Indians that gathered here, and that I saw, I estimated might be about two hundred souls.

November 16 SP -- We set out from Agua Caliente at half-past nine in the morning, and, at half-past four in the afternoon, halted near the river, having travelled some nine leagues to the west-southwest.

November 17 SP -- We set out from the vicinity of the river about ten o'clock in the morning, and, at midday, halted beside the river, having travelled some two leagues to the west-southwest.

November 18 SP -- We set out from the bank of the river at ten o?clock in the morning, and, about two in the afternoon, halted near the river at the foot of the Cerro de San Pascual; having travelled some four leagues to the southwest. Midway of the road we forded the river a second time.

November 19 SP -- Last night a woman was delivered, and for this reason we remained here today. I observed the latitude of this place, and found it to be 32° 48'; so I say: At the Cerro de San Pascual, November 19, 1775, meridian altitude of the lower limb of the sun, 37° 20'.

November 20 SP -- We remained, because the woman just delivered was unable to travel.

November 21 SP -- We did not go forward today, because the woman who was delivered could not as yet take the road. I observed the latitude of this place again, and found it the same as on the 19th.

November 22 SP -- This morning the mother was better, and it was decided to continue the journey. We set out from the Cerro de San Pascual at half-past eleven in the morning, and, at half-past four in the afternoon, halted on the banks of the river at the foot of a hill that the Indians call El Metate, and we call Cerro de Santa Cecilia, having travelled some six long leagues to the southwest.

November 23 SP -- After the pack-animals had set out, the order was given for them to return, because it was after eleven o'clock and the horses had not been collected -- tbey had scattered because of the scarcity of pasture. We therefore remained here today.

November 24 SP -- This morning a pregnant woman was ill, and for this reason we stayed here today. I observed the latitude of this place and found it to be 32° 39'; so I say: At the Cerro de Santa Cecilia del Metate, November 24, 1775, meridian altitude of the lower limb of the sun, 36° 24'.

November 25 SP -- We set out from the Cerro de Santa Cecilia del Metate at a quarter to ten in the morning, and, at about two in the afternoon, halted beside a brackish pond about a league from the river, having travelled some five leagues, west by north. A Yuma Indian on horseback came to meet us on the road; he was sent by the chief Palma to tell us that he was waiting for us in peace, with all his Yumas and the Jalchedunes, who had come down to the junction of the rivers to see us in consequence of a message sent to them from Agua Caliente.

November 26 SP -- We set out from the brackish pond at a quarter past ten in the morning, and, at two in the afternoon, halted beside the river, having travelled some four leagues to the northwest.

November 27 SP -- We set out from the bank of the river at half-past nine in the morning, and, about twelve, halted at a pass through which the Río Gila runs narrowed, having travelled some two leagues to the west-northwest. A relative of the chief Palma came out to meet us on the road, and, as soon as we halted, the chief, Salvador Palma himself, came to see us, and another chief, to whom we gave the name of Pablo, accompanied by several young Indians; they greeted us with many demonstrations of pleasure.

November 28 SP -- We set out from the pass and the banks of the Gila at a quarter past nine in the morning, and, at two in the afternoon, halted on the shore of the Río Colorado after fording the Río Gila for the third time, having travelled some five leagues, west by south. The Yumas lodged us in a shelter of boughs that the chief Palma had ordered to be made here as soon as he knew of our coming. Many Indians of both sexes came to visit us, very festive and elated. About a league down stream from this place, the Río Gila joins the Río Colorado.

November 29 SP -- Search was made for a ford in the Rio Colorado, and when it was found a road was cut through the underbrush and trees along the banks, with the object of crossing on the following day.

November 30 SP -- After mass, Carlos, the governor of the Cocomaricopas, who had come with us to ratify peace with the Yumas, returned very contented to his home. We set out from the shore of the Río Colorado at nine in the morning, and, at one in the afternoon, the entire expedition, people and pack-animals, had completed the fording of the river without any particular accident. We crossed it where it was divided into three branches and a small backwater, and remained beside the Colorado, having travelled about one short league to the north. I estimated the width of the river, where we forded it, at some three or four hundred yards, and this at a time when the water is at its lowest, for when the river rises it is leagues wide.