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SEMICENTENNIAL  PUBLICATIONS 


OF  THE 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 


1868-1918 


SPAIN   IN   THE  WEST 

A  SERIES  OF  ORIGINAL   DOCUMENTS 
FROM   FOREIGN  ARCHIVES 

VOLUME  III 


Earliest  Prixt  of  Kino's  Map  of  Pimeria  Alta,  1705 


r  i 


K<56.7W 


KINO'S  HISTORICAL  MEMOIR 
OF  PIMERIA  ALTA 

A  CONTEMPORARY  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  BEGINNINGS  OF  CALI- 
FORNIA, SONORA,  AND  ARIZONA,  BY  FATHER  EUSEBIO 
FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J. ,  PIONEER  MISSIONARY 
EXPLORER,  CARTOGRAPHER,  AND 
RANCHMAN 

1683-I7  I  I 


PUBLISHED    FOR   THE    FIRST   TIME    FROM    THE    ORIGINAL    MANUSCRIPT 

IN  THE  ARCHIVES  OK  MEXICO;  TRANSLATED  INTO  ENGLISH, 

EDITED    AND    ANNOTATED,    BY 

HERBERT  EUGENE  BOLTON,  Ph.D. 

FROFESSOR    OF    AMERICAN    HISTORY    AND    CURATOR    OF    THE 
BANCROFT"    LIBRARY,     UNIVERSITY    OF   CALIFORNIX 


VOLUME   I 


THE  ARTHUR  IL  CLARK  COMPANY 
CLEVELAND:  1919 


COPYRIGHT,    I9I9l   BY 

HERBERT  E.  BOLTON 


CONTENTS 

Preface 21 

Introduction 27 

TABLE  OF   CONTENTS   AND   BRIEF   COMPENDIUM    OF   THIS 

HISTORY  OR  TREATISE  UPON  THE  CELESTIAL  FAVORS 

EXPERIENCED     IN    THE    NEW    CONVERSIONS    OF 

THIS  UNKNOWN   NORTH  AMERICA* 

Dedicatory  to  His  Royal  Majesty,  Philip  V,  in  Thanks- 
giving for  his  new  Royal  Cedula  which  so  greatly 
favors  these  new  (.(inversions,  and  which  is  the  mo- 
TIVE for  Writing  this  Treatise 85 

Prologue  to  the  charitarle  Reader;  that  these  Niw 
Conquests  and  New  Conversions  are  to  such  an  ex- 
tent DUE  TO  THE  CELESTIAL  FAVORS  OF  OUR  Ix>RD  THAT 
THEY   CANNOT    RE    ATTRIBUTED    TO    HUMAN    FORCES       .  .      97 

Part  I.  Niw  spiritual  and  temporal  Conquests  in 
Pimeria,  of  the  Kingdom  of  Ni  i  v  \  BlSCAYA,  during  the 
Suspension  of  the  Enterprise  of  the  Conquest  and  Con- 
version of  California:  and  the  EVENTS  of  the  twelve 

Years  from  1687  to  1699 
Book  I.     First  Entry  into  Pimeria,  in  Nucva  Biscaya,  and  the 
Beginnings  of  its  spiritual  and  temporal  Conquest,  and  of  its 
Conversion  to  our  Holy  Catholic  Faith  ....    105 

Chapter  L  Because  of  the  Suspension  of  the  Conquest  and 
Conversion  of  California,  two  Alms  arc  asked  and  ob- 
tained from  the  Royal  Treasury  for  two  Missionary  Fa- 
thers for  this  Coast  and  Mainland   nearest  to  California. 


a  In  the  original  manuscript  this  Table  of  Content*  is  placed  after  the  text, 
and  occupies  fourteen  unnumbered  pages,  written  in  double  columns.  The 
last  page  bears  the  signature  of  Father  Kino.  It  will  be  noted  that  the 
Table  of  Contents  is  not  an  exact  copy  of  the  headings  distributed  throughout 
the  text,  although  the  variations  are  unimportant  in  the  main.  In  one  or 
two  places  the  numbering  of  the  chapters  in  the  original  manuscript  vrai  in- 
consistent. This  defect  has  been  rectified  by  the  editor,  and  certain  other 
minor  liberties  have  been  taken. 


8  CONTENTS  [Vol. 

Chapter  II.    Royal  Provision  and  Royal  Cedula  which  favor 

the  new  Conversions. 
Chapter  III.     My  Arrival  at  these  Missions  of  Sonora,  and 

my  first  Entry  into  this  Pimeria  with  the  Father  Visitor, 

Maunel  Gonzales. 
Chapter  IV.     Expedition  to  San  Ygnacio  de  Caborica,  San 

Joseph  de  los  Ymeres,   and   Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Re- 

medios. 
Chapter  V.     First  Opposition  experienced  in  this  new  Con- 
version. 
Chapter  VI.     Second  Opposition  and  Discords  Sown  in  this 

Pimeria. 
Chapter  VII.     The  Father  Visitor,  Manuel  Gonzales,  visits 

the  three  new  Pueblos  of  this  Pimeria,   for  which  four 

other  Missionary  Fathers  are  asked  and  obtained. 
Book  II.     Visit  and  Triennium  of  the  Father  Visitor  Juan 

Maria  Salvatierra,  1690,  1691,  1692 117 

Chapter  I.     The  new  Father  Visitor,  Juan  Maria  Salvati- 
erra, comes  to  visit  the  four  Fathers  of  this  Pimeria  in 

their  new  districts. 
Chapter  II.    During  this  Visitation  the  Sobaipuris  and  other 

Natives  come  from  the  North  to  meet  us. 
Chapter  III.    Report  of  the  Condition  of  this  Pimeria  by  the 

Father  Visitor  to  the  Father  Provincial,  Ambrosio  Oddon, 

and  the  Reply  of  the  Father  Provincial. 
Chapter  IV.    Journey  northward  of  more  than  sixty  Leagues 

to  the  Sobaipuris. 
Chapter  V.     Expedition  or  Mission  westward  to  the  Nation 

of  El  Soba,  even  to  the  Sea  of  California,  until  California 

itself  was  seen. 
Chapter  VI.     Dedication   of  the   new  Church   of   Nuestra 

Senora  de  los  Dolores. 
Chapter  VII.     Second  and  third  Expeditions  to  the  Sea  of 

California. 
Chapter  VIII.     Expedition  or  Mission   to   the   North   and 

Northwest  for  more  than  one  hundred  Leagues,  as  far  as 

to  the  Rio  Grande  and  the  Casa  Grande,  and  the  Discovery 

of  the  two  new  Nations,  the  Opa  and  the  Coco-Maricopa. 
Book  III.     Arrival  of  the  Venerable  Father  Francisco  Xavier 


one]  CONTENTS 


Saeta  at  these  new  Conversions ;  his  Apostolic  Fervor,  Work, 
Zeal,  and  Holy  Letters;  his  Glorious,  Innocent  Death   .  130 

Chapter  I.     Expedition  of  the  Venerable  Father  Francisco 

Xavier  Saeta  to  his  new  Mission  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  la 

Consepcion  del  Cavorca. 
Chapter  II.     First  Holy  Fervor  and  Zeal,  and  one  of  the 

Holy  Letters  of  the  Venerable  Father  Francisco  Xavier 

Saeta. 
Chapter  III.     The  Venerable  Father  goes  out  to  seek  Alms 

for  his  new   Mission   and   for  the   Building  of  his   new 

Church. 
Chapter   IV.     Third   very   tender   Letter  of  the  Venerable 

Father  Francisco  Xavier  Saeta,  in  which  his  more  than 

paternal  Affection  for  his  Children  is  shown. 
Chapter  V.     The  Venerable  Father  returns  to  his  Mission 

and  in  another  Letter  declares  the  very  good  conduct  of 

his  Children. 
Chapter  VI.     Two  other  Letters   in  which   the  Venerable 

Father  declares  his  laudable  Desire  to  go  to  California 

also. 
Chapter  VII.     Letter  in  which  the  Venerable  Father  refuses 

to  leave  La  Consepcion,  in  order  to  stay  and  obtain  the 

Crown  of  Martyrdom  in  Holy  Week. 
Chapter  VIII.     Last  Letter  of  most  tender  Farewell  from 

the  Venerable  Father. 
Chapter  IX.     Concerning  three  other  Murders  committed 

in  San  Pedro  del  Tubutama. 
Chapter  X.     Happy  Death  of  the  Venerable  Father  Fran- 
cisco Xavier  Saeta  and  of  his  four  Servants,  and  the  Plun- 
dering of  his  House. 
Chapter  XL     Expedition  of  the  Garrison  of  this  Province 

of  Senora  to  punish  the  Malefactors  and  to  remove  the 

Body  of  the  Venerable  Father. 
Chapter  XII.     Second  Expedition  of  the  Garrison,  and  new 

and  greater  Disturbance  than  before. 
Chapter  XIII.     Third  Expedition  with  three  Garrisons  of 

One   Hundred   and  sixty b  men  and  with   many  friendly 

Indians  from  Everywhere,  even  from  Hyaqui. 


bThe  text  reads  "one  hundred  and  fifty." 


10 


CONTENTS  [Vol. 

Book  IV.     General  Peace-agreements  of  this  Pimeria,  and  Let- 
ters  of   various   Persons  who   prophesy   and   promise   Great 
Fruits  from  the  Innocent  and  Happy  Death  of  the  Venerable 
Father  Francisco  Xavier  Saeta      .         .         .         .         .         .148 

Chapter  I.     The  very  Catholic  Peace-agreements  of  this  Pi- 
meria. 
Chapter  II.     Sundry  Letters  of  principal  persons,  who  prog- 
nosticate and  promise  very  copious  spiritual  and  temporal 
Fruits  in  the  most  constant  Conversion  of  many  Souls. 
Chapter  III.     Other  Letters  from  other  prominent  Fathers 
who  promise   and   assure   the   same   blessed   and   copious 
Fruit. 
Chapter  IV.     Other  Letters  from  three  Lieutenants  of  this 
Pimeria  in  regard  to  the  Blessed  Death  of  the  Venerable 
Father  Francisco  Xavier  Saeta. 
Chapter  V.     Another  Letter  citing  the  Universal  Example 
of  the  other  new  Conversions,  which  likewise  began  with 
the  Shedding  of  the  Blood  of  their  Ministers. 
Chapter  VI.     Prophecies  of  the  Venerable  Father  Francisco 
Xavier  Saeta  himself,  of  his  glorious  and  greatly  desired 
Martyrdom. 
Book  V.     My  Journey  to  Mexico  and  my  Return  to  the  Mis- 
sions ;  Visitation  of  the  Father  Visitor,  Oracio  Police ;  various 
entries  to  the  North,  the  West,  and  the  Northwest;  Discov- 
ery and  Reduction  of  new  Nations       .         .         .         .         .158 

Chapter  I.     My  Journey   to   Mexico  to  obtain   missionary 

Fathers  for  this  Pimeria. 
Chapter  II.     My  Departure  from   Mexico  and  Arrival  at 

these  Missions  of  the  Pimeria. 
Chapter  III.     New  and  old  and  very  violent  Contradictions 
and  Opposition  which  hindered  the  Coming  of  the  mis- 
sionary Fathers  to  this  Pimeria. 
Chapter  IV.     Various  Entries  to  the   Northeast  by  Order 
of  the  Father  Visitor,  Oracio  Police ;  and  the  Delivery  of 
the  District  of  Cocospera  to  Father  Pedro  Ruis  de  Con- 
treras. 
Chapter  V.     The  principal  Captains  and  Governors  of  this 
Pimeria  go  to  Santa  Maria  de  Baceraca  to  see  the  Father 
Visitor  and  ask  for  Fathers,  a  Journey  of  more  than  one 


one]  CONTENTS  n 

hundred  and  then  of  more  than  one  hundred  and   fifty 
Leagues. 
Chapter  VI.     Great  and  peaceful  Entry  of  twenty-two  Sol- 
diers to  the  Rio  Grande  and  the  last  Sobaipuris. 
Chapter  VII.     Arrival  at  the  Rio  Grande  and  Casa  Grande 
and  the  Return  to  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores,  having 
Travelled  in  Going  and  Returning  more  than  two  hun- 
dred and  seventy  Leagues  in  Pimeria. 
Chapter  VIII.     Another  Entry  to  the  West  with  a  Father 

and  the  Senor  Lieutenant  of  this  Pimeria. 
Chapter  IX.     The   hostile  Jocomes  and   Xanos  attack  Co- 
cospera  and  burn  the  Church  and  the  Father's  House. 
Book  VI.     Victory  of  the  Pimas  over  the  Enemies  of  this  Prov- 
ince of  Sonora,  the  Jocomes,  Sumas,  Mansos,  and  Apaches     .   178 
Chapter    I.     The    hostile    Jocomes    and    Janos    attack    the 

Rancheria  of  Santa  Cruz  de  Quiburi. 
Chapter    II.     Captain    Coro   with    his    Pimas   comes   to   the 
Rescue,    and    they   kill    more   than    three   hundred   hostile 
Jocomes,  Sumas,   Mansos,  and  Apaches. 
Chapter   III.     The   Reports  of   this  Victory   were  well    re- 
ceived  in   all    Parts,  and   in   the  Real  de  San  Juan  with 
Ringing  of  Bells. 
Chapter  IV.     Another  great  Expedition  to  the  Coast  of  the 
Sea  of  California,   in   which   are  discovered   and   reduced 
more  than  four  thousand  new  Pima  Indians,  who  give  us 
four  hundred  and  thirty-five  Infants  to  baptize. 
Chapter  V.     Opinions  and  Reports  received  in  regard  to  the 

above-mentioned  happy  Entry. 
Chapter  VI.     Another  great  Entry,  in  which  arc  Discovered 
more  than  eighty  Leagues  of  new  Lands  and   new   Peo- 
ples: from  the  Rio  Grande  the  Rio  Azul  is  sighted:  de- 
tailed  Information  is  obtained  in  regard  to  the  very  pop- 
ulous and  very  large  Rio  Colorado  near-by;  and  the  new 
Yuma  Nation  is  reduced. 
Book  VII.     Visitation  by  the  Father  Visitor  Anttonio  Leal,  and 
new  Journeys  of  his  Reverence  to  the  Pimeria,  to  the  North, 
Northwest,    and   West  .......  200 

Chapter  I.  First  paternal  Letters  of  Father  Visitor  An- 
ttonio Leal  with  a  View  to  encourage  these  new  Conver- 
sions of  this  Pimeria. 


12 


CONTENTS  [Vol. 


Chapter  II.  First  News  of  the  Reduction  of  the  Apaches 
nearest  the  Rio  Colorado. 

Chapter  III.  Journey  or  Mission  of  the  Father  Visitor 
Antonio  Leal  through  the  Pimeria  to  the  Sobaipuris  of 
the  North,  and  to  the  northwest  and  the  west  Coasts, 
two  hundred  and  forty  Leagues  in  Going  and  Returning, 
from  October  24  to  November  28,  1699.  In  the  Course  of 
it  twenty-three  Baptisms  are  performed  and  about  seven 
thousand  Souls  are  seen  and  counted. 

Chapter  IV.  Return  of  the  Father  Visitor  Antonio  Leal 
from  the  Interior  by  the  northwestern  and  western  Coasts. 

Chapter  V.     Expedition  of  Captain  Coro's  Pimas  Sobaipuris 
against  the  Enemies  of  this  Province,  in  Company  with 
the  Garrison ;  and  the  good  Fortune  which  they  had. 
Book  VIII.     Of  the  great  Fruit,  spiritual  and  temporal,  which 

at  small  Cost  to  his  royal  Majesty  (God  preserve  him)  can 

be    garnered    among    the    surrounding    Nations    of    all    this 

North  America   .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .212 

Chapter  I.  Of  this  North  America,  in  general  almost  un- 
known. 

Chapter  II.     Of  the  neighboring  great  California. 

Chapter  III.  Father  Juan  Maria  Salvatierra,  availing  him- 
self of  the  Alms  of  the  Faithful,  crosses  over  from  Hyaqui 
to  the  Conversion  of  California  in   1697. 

Chapter  IV.  Various  Voyages  and  Expeditions  which  have 
been  made  to  California  since  the  Beginning  of  the  Con- 
quest of  New  Spain. 

Chapter   V.     Other    recent    information    in    Regard    to   the 
present  State  of  California,  derived  from  the  Letters  which 
Father  Juan  Maria  Salvatierra  writes  to  the  Father  Vis- 
itor Anttonio  Leal  on  September  2,  and  to  me  on  October 
17,   1699. 

Part  II.     New  Expeditions  of  more  than  200  Leagues, 

and  the  discovery  of  new  nations,  large  vol- 

umed  Rivers,  and  the  Land  Passage  to 

California  in  thirty-two  Degrees 

Book  I.     Of  the  Measures,  Dispositions,  and  Expeditions  which 
in  the  Year  1699  are  made  in  order  to  discover  the  Land 
Route  to  California      ........  227 

Chapter  I.     Letters  of  the  principal  Superiors,  and  the  very 


one]  CONTENTS  13 

Catholic  Royal  Cedula,  which  inspire  the  Writing  of  this 
second  Part  of  the  Celestial  Favors. 

Chapter  II.  In  various  Expeditions  Reports  of  the  Passage 
by  Land  to  California  are  obtained. 

Chapter  III.  Diary  of  the  Expedition  to  the  North  in  Order 
to  discover  a  Road  and  Route  by  Land  to  California,  as 
many  Persons  desire,  write  about,  and  request. 

Chapter  IV.  At  San  Francisco  Xavier  del  Bac  of  the 
Sobaipuris  I  called  the  principal  Governors  and  Captains 
from  more  than  forty  Leagues  around  to  find  out  whether 
the  blue  Shells  came  from  any  other  Region  than  the 
opposite  Coast  of  California. 

Chapter  V.  Letters  which  reach  me  from  the  Soldiers  who 
meantime  had  come  into  the  Pimeria  from  Cucurpe,  to 
San  Ygnacio  and  to  Tubutama. 

Chapter  VI.  My  Return  to  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores, 
and  my  Desire  and  Attempt  to  live  and  establish  a  Mis- 
sion at  San  Francisco  Xavier  del  Bac,  i^  order  to  be 
nearer  to  so  many  new  Nations. 

Chapter  VII.  Expedition  of  one  hundred  and  seventy  Leagues 
to  the  North  and  Northwest  in  Search  of  the  Land  Route 
to  California;  and  the  Discovery  of  the  very  large,  pop- 
ulous, and  fertile  Rio  Colorado  (which  is  the  true  Rio 
del  Norte),  and  of  its  new  Nations. 

Chapter  VIII.  We  descend  the  Rio  Grande,  to  the  West, 
and  after  a  Journey  of  fifty  Leagues  reach  the  Yuma 
Nation,  Discover  four  new  Nations,  and  sight  the  Cali- 
fornias. 

Chapter  IX.  Having  seen  that  the  Gulf  of  California  did 
not  extend  to  thirty-two  Degrees,0  when  we  set  out  on  the 
Return  to  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores  the  many  Na- 
tives from  farther  along  call  us  and  cause  us  to  return, 
and  we  go  on  to  the  large  Rio  Colorado. 

Chapter  X.  We  take  leave  of  the  many  People  of  the  Rio 
Colorado,  or  Rio  del  Norte,  and  return  by  the  other 
Route,  through  San  Marcelo. 

Chapter  XL     Setting  out  from  San  Marcelo,  after  a  Jour- 


cThis  figure  records  Kino's  final  conclusion  regarding  the  latitude  of  the 
head  of  the  Gulf.  The  text,  written  several  years  earlier,  reads  "thirty-five 
degrees." 


U 


CONTENTS  [Vol. 


ney  of  fifty  Leagues  we  arrive  at  Nuestra  Senora  de  la 
Conception  del  Caborca,  and  after  fifty  more  at  Nuestra 
Senora  de  los  Dolores. 
Chapter  XII.     Letters  which  the  Fathers  of  the  Company, 
as  well  as  others,  secular  Gentlemen,  write  me,  having 
heard  the  News  of  the  above-related  Expedition  and  Dis- 
covery. 
Chapter  XIII.     Letter  of  the  Father  Rector  Juan  Maria  de 
Salvatierra,   to   whom    in   the   Months    preceding   I    had 
written  of  the  very  great  Probability  of  the  Land  route 
to  California. 
Chapter  XIV.     About  seven  hundred  Beeves  and  other  Cat- 
tle are  collected  and  herded  in  these  Missions  of  Sonora, 
and  taken  to  Matape  and  Hyaqui  for  California. 
Book  II.     Expedition  or  Mission  with  the  Father  Rector,  Juan 
Maria  de  Salvatierra,  to  the  Head  of  the  Sea  of  California, 
at  thirty-one  Degrees  of  Latitude;  Hostilities  of  the  Apaches 
on  these  Frontiers  of  Sonora.     Good  State  of  the  New  Con- 
versions of  this  extensive  Pimeria  and  of  its  neighboring  new 
Nations        ..........  265 

Chapter  I.     The  coming  of  the  Father  Rector  Juan  Maria 
de   Salvatierra  from  the  Mission   of  Nuestra  Senora   de 
Loreto,  California,  to  these  Missions  of  Hyaqui,  Sonora, 
and  of  this  Pimeria,  to  go  by  Land  to  said  California. 
Chapter  II.     The  Coming  of  the  hostile  Apaches  to  these 
Frontiers  of  Sonora,  with  so  many  Hostilities,  Robberies, 
and  Murders,  that  it  seemed  that  it  was  going  to  prevent 
our  Expedition  to  the  Land  Passage  to  California. 
Chapter   III.     These   Hostilities  of   the  Apaches   are   attri- 
buted, although  very  falsely,  to  the  Pimas;  and  the  In- 
nocence of  this  Pimeria  is  clearly  shown  and  declared. 
Chapter  IV.     The  Father  Rector,  Juan  Maria  de  Salvatier- 
ra, comes  to  this  Mission  or  Pueblo  of  Nuestra  Senora 
de  los  Dolores,  and  we  undertake  the  Expedition  to  the 
Passage  by  Land  to  California.     His  Reverence  sets  out 
westward  for  San  Ygnacio,  and  after  a  Journey  of  fifty 
Leagues  arrives  at  Nuestra  Senora  de  la  Consepcion. 
Chapter  V.     My  Departure  from  Nuestra  Senora  de   Los 
Dolores,  to  overtake  Father  Rector  Juan  Maria  de  Sal- 


one]  CONTENTS  15 

vatierra,  drawn   from  the  Diary  of  this  Journey  to  the 
Land  Passage  to  California. 

Chapter  VI.  Having  performed  thirty-three  solemn  Bap- 
tisms at  La  Consepcion,  after  going  fifty  Leagues  along 
the  Coast  of  the  Sea  of  California  we  arrive  at  the  Ranch- 
eria  and  Ranch  of  San  Marzelo  del  Sonoidag. 

Chapter  VII.  Setting  out  from  San  Marzelo  del  Sonoidag 
to  the  Westward,  after  a  Journey  of  thirty-four  Leagues  d 
we  arrive  at  the  Head  of  the  Sea  of  California  at  thirty- 
one  Degrees  Latitude. 

Chapter  VIII.  On  Account  of  finding  a  Sand-dune  more 
than  sixty  Leagues  around,  situated  at  the  Head  of  the 
Sea  of  California,  and  because  our  Pack-animals  were 
growing  tired,  we  returned,  having  twice  sighted  Cali- 
fornia. 

Chapter  IX.  Setting  out  from  San  Marzelo,  after  a  fifty- 
three  Leagues'  Journey  we  arrived  at  San  Francisco  Xavier 
del  Bac  of  the  Sobaipuris.  The  Kindness  and  good  Con- 
dition of  the  Natives. 

Chapter  X.  Setting  out  from  San  Xavier  del  Bac,  after 
travelling  sixty  Leagues  we  arrive  at  Nuestra  Senora  de 
los  Dolores ;  Letters  from  the  royal  Justices  and  military 
Leaders  which  we  receive  on  the  Way  in  regard  to  the 
happy  Victory  of  these  Pimas  over  the  Enemies  of  this 
Province  of  Sonora. 

Chapter  XI.  Various  other  Letters  from  the  different  Mis- 
sionary' Fathers,  both  in  regard  to  the  above-mentioned 
Journey  to  the  Land-Passage  to  California,  and  in  regard 
to  the  Victory  of  these  Pimas  over  the  Enemies  of  this 
Province  of  Sonora. 

Chapter  XII.  Letters  from  other  secular  Gentlemen  and 
Ministers  of  his  royal  Majesty  in  regard  to  this  Journey 
and  the  Passage  to  California,  and  in  regard  to  this  Vic- 
tory of  the  Pimas. 

Chapter    XIII.     Four    new    Missionary   Fathers   enter   this 
Pimeria. 
Book  III.     Of  my  Expedition  of  two  hundred  Leagues  to  the 

Quiquima  Nation  of  California  Alta  and  to  the  very  large, 

d  Thirty-five  leagues  in  the  text. 


!6  CONTENTS  [Vol. 


very  fertile,  and  very  populous  Rio  Colorado,  which  is  the 
real  and  true  Rio  Del  Norte,  1701,  and  this  Journey,  going 
and  coming,  was  of  more  than  400  Leagues         .         .         .  305 
Chapter  I.     Letter  of  the  Father  Rector,  Juan  Maria  de 
Salvatierra,  in  regard  to  this  Expedition,  which  I  receive 
when  on  the  Point  of  Mounting  my  Horse  to  undertake  it. 
Chapter  II.     My  Departure   from   Nuestra  Senora  de  los 
Dolores  for  the  Quiquimas  of  California,  who  are  two 
hundred  Leagues  distant,  with  twelve  Servants,  and  my 
Arrival  at  San  Marzelo,  a  Journey  of  more  than  ninety 
Leagues. 
Chapter  III.     We  set  out  from  San  Marzelo,  and  after  a 
sixty  Leagues'  Journey  we  arrive  at  the  Yumas,  and  at 
San  Dionicio  at  the  Confluence  of   the  Rio  Grande  de 
Hila  and  the  large  Rio  Colorado,  or  Rio  del  Norte. 
Chapter  IV.     Setting  out  from  San  Dionisio,  and  from  the 
Confluence  of  the  Rivers,  we  arrive  at  the  Quiquima  Na- 
tion of  California  Alta. 
Chapter  V.     I  cross  the  very  large-volumed   Rio  Colorado 
or  Rio  del  Norte,  on  a  Raft,  with  a  Servant,  and  pene- 
trate   to    the    westward    three    Leagues,    through    many 
Rancherias  and  through  very  fertile  and  pleasant  Cham- 
paigns. 
Chapter  VI.     Having  seen  the  Land  Passage  to  California, 
we  turn  back  for  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores.     They 
give  us  Infants  to  baptize,  and  we  arrive  in  Safety  at  San 
Marzelo. 
Chapter  VII.     After  Returning,  Accounts  of  this  Expedition 
are  given  to  various  Persons,  in  particular  to  the  Father 
Visitor,  Anttonio  Leal,  in  the  following  Letter. 
Chapter  VIII.      Letter  from  the   three   Father   Rectors   in 
Reply  to  the  News  in  my  Letters. 
Book  IV.     Of  the  new  Discovery  of  the  evident  and  very  patent 
Passage  by  Land  to  California  in  32  Degrees  of  north  Lati- 
tude; and  that  California  is  not  an  Island  but  a  Peninsula; 
and  the  Discovery  of  the  very  large-volumed  and  very  pop- 
ulous Colorado  River,  which  is  the  true  Rio  del  Norte  of 

the  Ancients 329 

Chapter  I.     Doubts  and  Controversies  which  for  so  many 
Years   have  existed   in    regard   to  whether   California   is 


one]  CONTENTS  17 

continental,  or  Terra  Firma,  continuous  with  this  New 
Spain. 

Chapter  II.  The  Expedition  of  two  hundred  Leagues  is 
undertaken  with  Father  Rector  Manuel  Gonzales  to  the 
Quiquimas  from  the  fifth  of  February  to  the  middle  of 
April,  1702.  After  the  first  ninety  Leagues'  Journey  we 
arrive  at  San  Marzelo  del  Sonoidag,  and  later  at  the 
mouth  of  the  very  large  and  very  populous  Rio  Colorado, 
or  Rio  del  Norte. 

Chapter  III.  Setting  out  from  San  Marzelo  del  Sonoidag, 
after  more  than  sixty  Leagues'  Journey  we  arrive  at  the 
very  large  Rio  Colorado  of  the  Yuma  Nation. 

Chapter  IV.  Setting  out  from  San  Dionicio  and  the  Con- 
fluence of  the  Rivers  Colorado  and  Rio  Grande,  after 
fifty  Leagues'  Journey  to  the  Southwest  (between  South 
and  West)  we  arrived  at  the  Quiquima  and  Cutgana 
Nations,  and  at  the  Mouth  of  the  above-mentioned  Rivers. 

Chapter  V.  Having  gone  beyond  and  left  the  Sea  of  Cali- 
fornia to  the  eastward,  after  having  entered  about  twenty- 
five  Leagues  farther  than  in  the  preceding  Journeys  in- 
land we  turn  back  to  our  Mission  and  the  Province  of 
Sonora;  and  after  going  one  hundred  and  eleven  Leagues 
we  arrive  at  San  Marzelo. 

Chapter  VI.  Leaving  San  Marzelo,  after  about  seventy 
Leagues'  Journey  we  arrive  at  the  new  Pueblo  of  El  Tu- 
butama;  and   the  only  Misfortune  which  we  suffered. 

Chapter  VII.  Many  other  Things  relating  to  this  Journey 
inland  were  drawn  from  the  long  Letter  which  I  wrote 
to  the  Father  Visitor. 

Chapter  VIII.  Cogent  Reasons  and  clear  Arguments  which 
establish  the  Certainty  of  the  Land  Passage  to  California. 

Chapter  IX.  Letters  from  important  Personages  in  Regard 
to  these  new  Conversions,  which  I  received  on  my  Return 
from  this  Journey  inland. 

Chapter  X.  Means  for  these  new  Conversions  and  for  the 
total  Reduction  of  this  North  America,  which  hitherto 
has  been  unknown. 

Chapter  XL  Advantages  which  may  result  from  these  new 
Conversions  to  the  Benefit  of  all  this  unknown  North 
America. 


!8  CONTENTS 


Chapter  XII.     Certificate  of  the  Senor  Alcalde  Mayor,  Juan 
Matheo  Manje,  in  Regard  to  the  Letter  and  Report  of 
four  Sheets  to  the  Father  Visitor,  Anttonio  Leal ;  and  in 
Regard  to  the  Journey  inland  and  the  Land  Passage  to  Cal- 
ifornia. 
Chapter  XIII.     Other  Letters  from  different  Persons  in  Re- 
gard to  this  Journey  inland  and  to  the  Land  Passage  to 
California. 
Book  V.     The   Coming  of   Indians   from   remote    Parts  with 
Messages  from  very  distant  Rancherias  bordering  on  Cali- 
fornia Alta  and  living  on  the  Land  Passage  to  it,  all  of  whom 
ask  for  Fathers  and  Holy  Baptism.     Efforts  are  made  to  go 
to  negotiate  and  solicit  the  Coming  of  the  necessary  Fathers  .  370 
Chapter  I.     The  Governor  of  San  Marcelo,  with  other  Jus- 
tices, comes  ninety  Leagues'  Journey  to  Nuestra  Senora  de 
los  Dolores  with  Crosses  to  solicit  fathers  for  his  People 
and  for  the  Yuma  and  Quiquima  People. 
Chapter  II.     Happy  Death  of  a  recently  baptized  Indian. 
Chapter  III.     Of  two  other  Journeys  inland  which  I  made 
to  the  West  and  North,  looking  to  the  spiritual  and  tem- 
poral Welfare  of  the  poor  Natives. 
Chapter  IV.     Letters  from  the  Father  Visitor  and  from  the 
Senor  Alcalde  Mayor  in  regard  to  the  State  of  this  Pi- 
meria. 
Chapter  V.     There  is  Discussion  of  my  going  to  Mexico  to 
obtain  and  bring  Fathers  for  these  Harvests  of  Souls,  so 
extensive  and  so  ripe,  in  this  Pimeria  and  in  other  neigh- 
boring Nations. 
Chapter  VI.     Others,  and  I  also,  are  of  the  Opinion,  par- 
ticularly  because   neither   the   new   Government   nor   the 
Mission  of  European  Fathers  has  arrived,  that  my  Going 
to  Mexico  is  not  necessary.® 
Chapter  VII.     The  Building  of  two  good  spacious  Churches 
in  the  second  and  third  Pueblos  of  my  Administration  in 
this  Pimeria. 


eThe  manuscript  contains  a  heading,  just  preceding  this,  for  which  there 
is  no  corresponding  chapter  in  the  text.  It  reads  "Chapter  VI.  Many  others 
think  it  very  desirable  that  I  go  to  Mexico  to  obtain  fathers."  It  has  been 
omitted  by  the  editor  and  the  numbering  adjusted  to  that  of  the  text. 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Earliest  Print  of  Kino's  Map  of  Pimeria  Alta, 

1705       .........     Frontispiece 

Two  prints  of  the  famous  map,  evidently  from  the  same  plate, 
appeared  in  the  same  year.  One  was  in  the  Memoire  de  Tre- 
<voux  (May,  1705),  p.  746,  from  which  the  print  shown  here  is 
copied,  and  the  other  in  Lettrrs  Edijiantcs  et  Curieuses  (V. 
Recueil,  authorized  January  17.  1705).  The  Spanish  original  of 
the  map  has  never  been  printed.  The  assertion  frequently  made 
that   Kino's   map   was   published    in    1701    is   an   error. 

Plan  of  the  Settlement  at  San  Bruno,  1683       facing  page    40 

Drawn  by  Father  Kino  and  hitherto  unpublished.     Transmitted 
by    the    vicer<>\,    March    26,    1685.     A.    (i.    I.    1-1-3/21.     Torres 
Lanzas,   No.   77. 
Map  of  the  Part  of  Lower  California  where  Atondo 

and  Kino  labored,  1683-1685 49 

Drawn  by  Father  Kino,  1683.  Transmitted  to  the  King  by 
the  Viceroy,  March  26,  1685,  A.  (J.  1.  1-1-3/21.  Original  38  x  54 
centimeters.     Torres   Lanzas,    No.    76. 

A  Later  Version  of  Kino's  M  \p  of  Pi  mi  ri  a  Alta         .         331 

Hitherto  unpublished.  A.G.I.,  67-3-39.  Original  33  x  40 
centimeters.  Torres  Lanza^,  No,  93  ;  I  owerjr,  p.  215.  Certain 
data  on  the  map  shows  it  to  be  a  middle  or  later  18th  century 
reproduction. 


PREFACE 

In  publishing  this  great  memoir  left  by  Father  Kino 
I  am  carrying  out,  after  two  centuries,  a  hope  expressed 
in  1705  by  Father  Tamburini,  Father  General  of  the 
Society  of  Jesus.  Thanking  Kino  for  his  heroic  work, 
to  the  humble  missionary  in  the  wilds  of  the  Pacific 
Slope  the  dignitary  wrote: 

I  heartily  rejoice  that  your  Reverence  may  continue  your 
treatise  on  those  missions  entitled  Celestial  Favors,  the  first 
part  of  which  you  sent  us  here.  I  hope  to  receive  the  other 
two  parts  which  your  Reverence  promises,  and  that  they  may 
all  be  approved  in  Mexico,  in  order  that  they  may  be  published. 

The  hope  was  justified  by  the  merit  of  the  work. 
Indeed,  the  rediscovery  and  the  publication  of  this 
long  lost  manuscript,  whose  very  existence  has  been 
disputed,  puts  on  a  new  basis  the  early  history  of  a  large 
part  of  our  Southwest. 

The  problem  of  the  biographer  of  Father  Kino  will 
be  to  tell  much  in  little,  so  many  and  long  continued 
were  his  activities.  He  was  great  not  only  as  mission- 
ary and  church  builder,  but  also  as  explorer  and  ranch- 
man. By  Kino  or  directly  under  his  supervision  mis- 
sions were  founded  on  both  sides  of  the  Sonora-Ari- 
zona  boundary,  on  the  Magdalena,  Altar,  Sonoita,  and 
Santa  Cruz  Rivers.  The  occupation  of  California  by 
the  Jesuits  was  the  direct  result  of  Kino's  former  resi- 
dence there  and  of  his  persistent  efforts  in  its  behalf, 
for  it  was  from  Kino  that  Salvatierra,  founder  of  the 
permanent  California  missions,  got  his  inspiration  for 
that  work. 


22  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

To  Kino  is  due  the  credit  for  first  traversing  in 
detail  and  accurately  mapping  the  whole  of  Pimeria 
Alta,  the  name  then  applied  to  southern  Arizona  and 
northern  Sonora.  Considered  quantitatively  alone, 
his  work  of  exploration  was  astounding.  During  his 
twenty-four  years  of  residence  at  the  mission  of  Do- 
lores, between  1687  and  171 1,  he  made  more  than  fifty 
journeys  inland,  an  average  of  more  than  two  per  year. 
These  journeys  varied  from  a  hundred  to  nearly  a  thou- 
sand miles  in  length.  They  were  all  made  either  on 
foot  or  on  horseback,  chiefly  the  latter.  In  the  course 
of  them  he  crossed  and  recrossed  repeatedly  and  at 
varying  angles  all  of  the  two  hundred  miles  of  country 
between  the  Magdalena  and  the  Gila  and  the  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  miles  between  the  San  Pedro  and  the  Col- 
orado. When  he  first  opened  them  nearly  all  his  trails 
were  either  absolutely  untrod  by  civilized  man  or  had 
been  altogether  forgotten.  They  were  made  through 
countries  inhabited  by  unknown  tribes  who  might  but 
fortunately  did  not  offer  him  personal  violence,  though 
they  sometimes  proved  too  threatening  for  the  nerve  of 
his  companions.  One  of  his  routes  was  over  a  forbid- 
ding, waterless  waste,  which  has  since  become  the 
graveyard  of  scores  of  travelers  who  have  died  of  thirst 
because  they  lacked  Father  Kino's  pioneering  skill.  I 
refer  to  the  Camino  del  Diablo,  or  Devil's  Highway, 
from  Sonoita  to  the  Gila.  In  the  prosecution  of  these 
journeys  Kino's  energy  and  hardihood  were  almost  be- 
yond belief. 

All  the  foregoing  was  the  work  of  a  man  of  action, 
and  it  was  worthy  work  well  done.  But  Kino  also  found 
time  to  write.  Historians  have  long  known  and  had 
access  to  a  diary,  three  "relations,"  two  or  three  letters, 
and  a  famous  map,  all  by  Kino,  and  all  important  for 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  23 

the  history  of  the  region  where  he  worked.  His  map 
published  in  1705  was  the  first  of  Pimeria  based  on 
actual  exploration,  and  for  nearly  a  century  and  a  half 
was  the  principal  map  of  the  region  in  existence.  And 
there  has  now  come  to  light,  discovered  by  the  present 
writer  in  the  archives  of  Mexico,  this  vastly  more  im- 
portant work  -  a  complete  history,  written  by  Kino  him- 
self at  his  little  mission  of  Dolores,  covering  nearly  his 
whole  career  in  America.  It  was  known  to  and  used 
by  the  early  Jesuit  historians,  but  has  lain  forgotten 
ever  since.  It  is  now  found  to  be  the  source  of  prac- 
tically all  that  has  been  known  of  the  work  of  Kino  and 
his  companions,  and  to  contain  much  that  never  has 
been  known  before.  Kino,  therefore,  was  not  only  the 
first  great  missionary,  ranchman,  explorer,  and  geog- 
rapher of  Pimeria  Alta,  but  his  book  was  the  first  and 
will  be  for  all  time  the  principal  history  of  his  region 
during  his  quarter  century. 

The  original  of  the  manuscript  here  published  was 
discovered  by  the  editor  some  eleven  years  ago,  after 
it  had  suffered  a  century  and  a  half  of  oblivion.  It 
was  found  in  the  Archivo  General  y  Publico,  at  Mexico 
City,  where  it  comprises  nearly  the  whole  of  volume  27, 
Seccion  de  Misiones.  The  original  contains  four  hun- 
dred and  thirty-three  small  folio  pages  of  text  and  a 
fourteen  page  table  of  contents.  There  is  no  doubt  of  its 
authenticity,  for  it  bears  three  signatures  of  Father  Kino, 
which  correspond  to  those  in  original  letters  signed  by 
him.  More  convincing  still,  it  bears  certain  peculiari- 
ties of  Father  Kino's  orthography,  the  result  of  his 
early  education,  which  can  not  be  mistaken. 

The  manuscript  was  written  at  different  times  over  a 
long  period  of  years,  and  consequently  the  handwriting 


24  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

changes.  The  Prologue  and  Part  I  are  written  in  uni- 
form ink  and  hand,  which  are  the  same  as  those  of 
Father  Kino's  original  diary  of  1698,  also  discovered  by 
the  writer.  Part  II  to  page  214  is  written  in  paler  ink, 
with  a  coarser  pen,  and  in  a  slightly  different  style  of 
hand,  which  is  clearly  Father  Kino's,  nevertheless. 
From  page  215  to  page  264  the  ink  is  darker,  the  hand 
finer,  and  more  like  that  of  Part  I.  The  corrections  in 
Part  I  are  in  the  ink  and  hand  of  the  early  portion  of 
Part  II,  which  indicates  that  when  Father  Kino  wrote 
Part  II  he  revised  Part  I.  Pages  265-338  are  written 
in  two  different  hands,  clearly  not  Father  Kino's,  but 
bear  corrections  in  Kino's  hand.  The  remainder  of  the 
manuscript,  from  page  339  to  the  end,  including  the 
Indice,  is  again  in  Father  Kino's  handwriting. 

Great  care  has  been  taken  to  secure  a  faithful  copy  of 
Kino's  original  manuscript,  the  making  of  the  transcript 
being  personally  supervised  by  the  editor  himself  and 
Dr.  William  Edward  Dunn. 

In  preparing  the  manuscript  for  publication,  effort 
has  been  made  to  apply  the  best  rules  of  critical  schol- 
arship. Some  liberties,  perforce,  have  been  taken. 
The  paragraphing  of  the  original  has  been  retained  in 
most  cases,  but  in  a  few  instances  this  was  impracticable. 
The  placing  of  the  chapter  headings,  in  which  there 
was  varied  practice  in  the  original,  has  been  unified. 
Liberties  dictated  by  the  requirements  of  printing  have 
been  taken  in  the  matter  of  placing  the  marginal  head- 
ings. The  numerous  underscorings  of  words  and  pas- 
sages in  the  original  have  been  disregarded,  since  it  is 
not  certain  by  whom  or  under  what  circumstances  they 
were  inserted,  and  since  the  omission  in  no  wise  affects 
the  meaning  of  the  text.  The  original  has  been  fol- 
lowed in  the  matter  of  accents  and  in  the  spelling  of 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J. 25 

proper  names,  but  capitalization  and  punctuation  have 
been  modernized.  The  peculiarities  of  spelling  and 
the  corruptions  in  Kino's  Latin  quotations  have  been 
retained. 

The  making  of  the  translation  has  not  been  the 
smallest  part  of  the  editorial  work.  Indeed,  "mere 
translation"  is  lightly  regarded  only  by  those  who 
have  never  seriously  tried  it.  Great  care  has  been 
taken  to  make  the  English  version  both  accurate  and 
readable,  an  end  not  always  easy  of  attainment.  The 
translation  was  made  jointly  by  Miss  Elizabeth  How- 
ard West  and  the  editor.  A  preliminary  translation 
of  the  larger  portion  of  the  manuscript  was  first 
made  by  Miss  West.  With  this  draft  as  a  base  the 
editor  has  worked  over  the  entire  manuscript  numerous 
times,  and  is  responsible  for  the  final  form. 

The  Introduction  is  not  intended  as  an  exhaustive 
biography  of  Father  Kino,  but  rather  as  a  preparation 
for  the  reading  of  Kino's  personal  memoir,  which  fol- 
lows. It  falls  into  three  fairly  distinct  parts.  The 
early  pages  are  based  largely  on  new  materials  other 
than  those  here  published,  and  may  be  regarded  as  a 
contribution  to  knowledge,  since  they  for  the  first  time 
make  known  the  circumstances  of  Kino's  coming  to 
America,  and  follow  his  movements,  largely  unknown 
hitherto,  from  that  time  to  his  advent  in  Pimeria  Alta. 
From  that  point  Kino's  own  memoir  gives  his  career  in 
detail,  and  in  consequence  the  second  part  of  the  Intro- 
duction becomes  an  interpretation  rather  than  a  chron- 
ological narrative  of  the  great  missionary's  principal 
life-work.  The  third  portion  is  a  bibliographical  ex- 
position and  evaluation  of  Kino's  memoir.  The  foot- 
notes, besides  providing  the  necessary  aids  for  the 
student  and  giving  supplementary  information,  call  at- 


26  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA 

tention  to  frequent  errors  and  gaps  in  the  older  and  the 
standard  modern  histories  which  the  publication  of 
Favores  Celestiales  now  enables  us  to  correct  or  supply. 

The  preparation  of  this  work  for  publication  has 
been  under  way  for  some  ten  years.  Meanwhile  pressing 
duties  have  intervened  and  new  material  has  been  un- 
covered. It  was  planned  to  publish  the  original  Span- 
ish, but  owing  to  uncertainties  caused  by  the  Great  War, 
the  publishers  have  deemed  this  inadvisable.  The  edi- 
tor has  gathered  material  for  another  volume  or  more 
of  letters  and  diaries  by  Kino,  which  he  hopes  to  pub- 
lish later,  if  the  interest  in  and  support  for  the  present 
volumes  make  such  publication  possible. 

The  editor's  obligations  for  assistance  are  many  and 
deep.  The  aid  rendered  by  Dr.  W.  E.  Dunn  and  Miss 
Elizabeth  Howard  West  has  already  been  mentioned. 
Dr.  Charles  Wilson  Hackett  has  given  extensive  and 
most  valued  editorial  assistance.  The  Reverend  Fath- 
er D.  J.  Kavanagh,  S.J.  of  St.  Ignatius  College,  San 
Francisco,  has  revised  the  translation  of  the  scriptural 
passages.  The  Reverend  Father  Thomas  Lantry 
O'Neill,  of  Newman  Hall,  Berkeley,  has  assisted  in 
many  matters  relating  to  Catholic  practices.  The  Rev- 
erend Father  Th.  Pockstaller,  S.J.,  has  read  all  of  the 
proofs,  prepared  most  of  the  index,  and  given  valuable 
criticism  at  many  points.  Dr.  Charles  H.  Cunningham 
gave  important  aid  in  obtaining  materials  from  the 
Archives  of  the  Indies.  Professors  Herbert  I.  Priest- 
ley and  Charles  E.  Chapman  have  given  frequent 
counsel.  The  personal  interest  in  the  work  manifested 
by  His  Grace,  the  Most  Reverend  Edward  J.  Hanna, 
Archbishop  of  San  Francisco,  has  been  a  constant 
source  of  inspiration. 


INTRODUCTION 

One  of  the  anomalies  of  historical  study  just  now  is 
the  fact  that  the  oldest  fields  are  the  newest.  Ancient 
history,  once  thought  to  be  an  exhausted  topic,  is  at 
present  offering  the  freshest  materials  and  the  liveliest 
interests.  Similarly,  in  the  United  States,  the  South- 
west, once  the  best  known  and  then  an  almost  forgotten 
portion,  is  now  the  subject  of  a  "revival  of  learning." 
This  section  was  not  only  known,  but  books  were  writ- 
ten about  it  in  the  sixteenth  century.1  New  Mexico 
boasts  a  history  in  the  form  of  an  epic  poem,  filling  a 
volume,  and  printed  in  1610.2  Several  eighteenth  cen- 
tury works  dealt  largely  with  New  Mexico,  Arizona, 
and  California.  And  yet  the  serious  study  of  the  his- 
tory and  of  the  bibliography  of  historical  writings  re- 
lating to  this  region  is  still  in  its  infancy. 

Only  with  extreme  difficulty  can  we  of  the  twentieth 
century  comprehend  the  spirit  which  inspired  the  first 
pioneers  of  the  Southwest.  We  can  understand  why 
man  should  struggle  to  conquer  the  wilderness  for  the 
wealth  which  it  will  yield,  but  almost  incomprehen- 
sible to  most  of  us  is  the  sixteenth  century  ideal  which 
brought  to  this  region  its  first  agents  of  civilization - 
the  Jesuit  and  Franciscan  missionaries.  These  men 
came  single  minded,  imbued  with  zeal  for  the  saving  of 
souls.     Most  of  them  were  men  of  liberal  education. 


1  For   example,    Cabeza   de   Vaca's   Naufragios,   of   which    an    edition    ap- 
peared   at  Zamora   in    1542    and   another   at  Valladolid    in    1555. 

2  Reference  is  made  to  Villagra's  Historia  de  la  Nueva  Mexico    (Alcala, 
1610). 


28  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Many  of  them  were  of  prominent  families,  and  might 

have  occupied  positions  of  honor  and  distinction  in 

Europe. 

KINO  COMES  TO  AMERICA 

Peer  of  any  of  these  noble  spirited  men  was  Father 
Kino,  Apostle  to  the  Pimas.  Eusebio  Francisco  Kino, 
as  he  wrote  his  name,  was  born  in  the  Valley  of  Nons- 
burg,  near  Trent,  in  the  Austrian  Province  of  Tyrol, 
on  August  10,  1644.  It  is  an  interesting  coincidence 
that  his  birth  was  in  the  same  year  that  his  intimate 
friend,  disciple,  and  fellow  worker,  Juan  Maria  Salva- 
tierra,  was  born  at  Milan.3  It  has  generally  been  as- 
sumed that  Kino's  name  was  originally  Kuhn,  but 
German  scholars  themselves  claim  otherwise.  Som- 
mervogel,  whose  Bibliotheque  has  the  nature  of  an 
official  publication,  asserts  that  the  name  was  Chino,  as 
was  affirmed  to  Father  Melandri  in  1870  by  a  member 
of  the  Chino  family.  This  view  is  borne  out  by  several 
contemporary  letters  published  in  German  in  Stock- 
lein's  Neue  Welt-Bott,  where  the  name  is  given  as 
Chinus  and  Chino.  While  in  New  Spain  the  Jesuit 
himself  usually  wrote  his  name  Kino,  and  Spaniards 
sometimes  spelled  it  Quino,4  to  preserve  the  hard  sound 
of  the  ch,  no  doubt. 

In  point  of  nationality  Kino  is  typical  of  a  large  class 
of  the  early  Jesuit  missionaries  in  Arizona,  Sonora,  and 
California.  That  is,  although  he  was  in  the  service  of 
Spain,  he  was  non-Spanish  by  blood  and  breeding. 
Among  Kino's  companions  and  successors,  for  example, 

3  Sommervogel,  Bibliotheque  de  la  Compagnie  de  Jesus,  premiere  partie, 
vol.  iv,  1044;  Clavigero,  Historia  de  la  Baja  California,  39;  Beristain,  Bib- 
lioteca  Hispano- Americana,  1819.  Bancroft,  North  Mexican  States  and  Tex- 
as (vol.  i,  250,  footnote),  inexactly  gives  the  date  as  "about  1640." 

4  Sommervogel,  ibid.,  vol.  iv,  1044;  Stocklein,  Der  Neue  Welt-Bott  mit 
allerhand  Nachrichten  dern  Missionariorum  Soc.  Jesu,  erster  band  (Augsburg 
and  Gratz,   1726). 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  29 

we  find  Steiger,  Keler,  Sedelmayr,  and  Grashofer, 
whose  names  disclose  their  German  origin;  Goni,  Sal- 
vatierra,  Picolo,  and  Ripaldini,  bearing  in  their  names 
the  marks  of  their  Italian  extraction;  and  Januske  and 
Lostinski,  whose  surnames  stamp  them  as  Bohemians. 

Though  his  name  was  Italian  in  form.  Kino's  birth, 
education,  and  early  associations  were  altogether  Ger- 
man. His  early  education  was  acquired  at  Ala,  in 
Tyrol,  and  later  he  studied  in  the  universities  of  Ingol- 
stadt  and  Freiburg.  One  of  his  teachers  at  the  latter 
place  whose  instruction  was  long  remembered  and 
treasured  was  Father  Adam  Aygentler,  author  of  a 
world  map.  Another  of  his  instructors  was  Father 
Henry  Scherer,  author  of  the  Hierarchical  Geography'' 
published  at  Munich  in  1703,  in  which  some  of  Kino's 
writings  on  California  were  incorporated. 

The  primary  facts  of  Kino's  entry  into  the  Company 
of  Jesus  are  set  forth  in  the  following  extract  from  the 
original  manuscript  Libra  de  Profesiones  of  the  Prov- 
ince of  Mexico:  "Native  of  Trent,  born  August  10, 
1644;  entered  the  Company  in  the  Novitiate  of  Lans- 
perga  [Landsberg],  of  the  Province  of  Upper  Ger- 
many, Nov.  20,  1665;  he  made  his  vows;  he  finished  his 
studies,  made  his  third  probation,  and  has  taught 
grammar  three  years."6 

Had  he  chosen  to  do  so  Kino  might  have  enjoyed  an 
honorable  position,  and  perhaps  even  won  fame  in  Eu- 
rope, for  during  his  student  career  at  Freiburg  and 

5  Scherer,  P.  Henrico.  Geographia  llierarchica  sive  Status  Ecclesiastici 
Romano-Catholici  per  Or  hem  Universum  Distrihuti  Succincta  Descriptio 
Historico-Geographica.  Authore  P.  Henrico  Scherer,  Societatis  Jesu.  Sump- 
tibus  Joannis  Caspari  Bencard,  Bibliopolae  A  cadcmiac  Dilinaanae.  Mon- 
achii,  Typis  Maria;  Magdalene  Rauchin,  Vidua?.  Anno  MDCCIII.  40  pp.  8 
n.n.  257,  ind.  di  pp.  11,  n.n.  con  antiporta. 

*  Beristain,  Bihlioteca  Hispano  Americana  Septentrional,  Adiciones  y  Cor- 
recciones    (1898),   392. 


30  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Ingolstadt  he  greatly  distinguished  himself  in  math- 
ematics. In  1676,  when  the  Duke  of  Bavaria  and  his 
father,  the  Elector,  went  from  the  electoral  court  at 
Munich  to  Ingolstadt,  they  engaged  Kino  in  a  discus- 
sion of  mathematical  sciences,  with  the  result  that  he 
was  offered  a  professorship  in  the  University  of  Ingol- 
stadt. But  he  preferred  to  become  a  missionary  to 
heathen  lands.  To  this,  perhaps,  he  was  inclined  by 
family  tradition,  for  he  was  a  relative  of  Father  Mar- 
tini, famous  missionary  in  the  East  and  author  of  many 
works  on  China. 

The  decision  to  become  a  missionary  was  made  when 
Kino  was  twenty-five,  as  the  result  of  a  serious  illness. 
In  his  Favores  Celestiales  he  tells  us  that  "To  the  most 
glorious  and  most  pious  thaumaturgus  and  Apostle  of 
the  Indies,  San  Francisco  Xavier,  we  all  owe  very 
much.  I  owe  him  first  my  life,  which  I  was  caused  to 
despair  of  by  the  physicians  in  the  city  of  Hala,  of 
Tirol,  in  the  year  1669;  second,  my  entry  into  the  Com- 
pany of  Jesus;  and  third,  my  coming  to  these  mis- 
sions."7 Another  mark  of  Kino's  gratitude  for  his  re- 
covery was  the  addition  of  Francisco  to  his  name. 

He  had  hoped  to  go  to  the  Far  East,  literally  to  fol- 
low in  the  footsteps  of  his  patron,  but  in  1678  there 
came  a  call  for  missionaries  in  New  Spain,  and  thither 
he  was  sent  instead.  The  exact  date  of  Kino's  arrival 
in  Mexico  has  been  a  subject  of  conjecture  and  even  of 
error  by  secondary  writers,  1678,  1680,  and  1681  being 
variously  given.  It  will  be  seen  below  that  the  last 
date  is  the  correct  one.8 

7  See  volume  i,  96-97.  The  date  of  his  novitiate  was  1665.  Kino 
gives  the  date  of  his  illness  as  1669.  In  view  of  the  great  ease  with 
which  the  figures  5  and  9  of  the  seventeenth  century  Spanish  manuscripts 
became  interchanged  in  transcribing,  I  suspect  that  the  dates  are  one  and  the 
same,  and  that  his  becoming  a  Jesuit  followed  his  illness. 

8Thwaites   [Jesuit  Relations,  vol.  lxviii,  333],  gives  the  date  1678;   Ban- 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  31 

The  circumstances  of  Kino's  journey  to  America  can 
be  gleaned  from  Stocklein's  Neue  Welt-Bott,  a  valuable 
but  a  much  neglected  source  for  American  history.9  In 
that  work  is  published  a  letter  to  his  father  by  Adam 
Gerstle,  a  Jesuit  missionary  who  came  to  the  New  World 
in  the  same  mission  with  Father  Kino.  From  Sommer- 
vogel  we  learn  that  Kino  set  out  for  America  in  April, 
1678.  From  Father  Gerstle's  letter  we  learn  that  he 
and  eighteen  others,  including  Father  Kino,  left  Genoa 
on  June  1 2,  on  two  Genoese  vessels.  The  band  included 
Father  Carolus  Calvanese  and  Franciscus  Borgia,  Ital- 
ians; Theophilus  de  Angelis,  a  Welshman;  Andreas 
Mancker,  Carolus  Borango,  and  Adam  Gerstle,  Austri- 
ans;  Joannes  Tilpe,  Joannes  Strobach,  Josephus  Neu- 
man,  Mathias  Cuculinus,  Paulus  Klein,  Wenceslaus 
Christman,  and  Brother  Simon  Poruhradiski,  Bohemi- 
ans; Joannes  Ratkay,  Hungarian;  Thomas  Revell, 
Netherlander;  Mathias  Fischer  (country  not  named)  ; 
Antonius  Kerschbaumer  and  P^usebius  Franciscus  Chi- 
nus,  Tyrolese. 

The  vessels  reached  Alicante  on  the  twenty-fifth  of 
June.  Early  in  the  voyage  they  had  experienced  a  heavy 
storm,  and  when  near  port  were  becalmed  for  several 
days.  On  the  way  they  passed  numerous  vessels,  and  as 
each  hove  in  sight  they  prepared  to  give  it  battle,  but 
all  proved  to  be  friendly.  From  Alicante  the  com- 
panions went  to  Seville,  which  they  reached  too  late  to 
take  passage  in  the  fleet  sailing  to  the  West  Indies.10 

Father  Gerstle's  letter  gives  a  very  graphic  account 

croft  [North  Mexican  States,  vol.  i,  251],  gives  it  1680  or  1681;  Beristdin 
[Biblioteca  Hispano-A mericana),  and  Sommervogel  \Bibliolheque,  vol.  iv, 
1044],  say  1680;  Ortega  [Hist,  del  Nayarit,  284],  correctly  gives  the  date  as 
1681. 

9  Der  Neue  Jt'elt-Bott  mit  all er hand  Nachrichten  dern  Missionariorum 
Soc.   Jesu. 

10  "Brief  P.  Adami  Gerstl,  S.  J.  an  seinem  Vatter,"  Puebla,  July  14,  1681, 
in  Stocklein,  Neue  H'elt-Boti,  Theil  i,  num.  31. 


32  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA [Vol. 

of  some  phases  of  Seville  life.  He  was  especially  inter- 
ested in  the  monopoly  of  industry  and  commerce  by  the 
Dutch  and  the  French,  of  the  latter  of  whom  forty 
thousand  lived  in  Seville;  in  the  amazing  number  of 
clergy  and  monastic  houses  there;  in  the  prevalence  of 
poverty  and  the  multitude  of  beggars,  of  whom  the 
archbishop  regularly  fed  twenty-two  thousand  out  of 
his  income;  in  the  crude  skill  of  the  blood-letters,  at 
whose  hands  one  of  the  nineteen,  Father  Fischer,  suc- 
cumbed ;  in  the  depreciation  of  silver  on  the  arrival  of  a 
treasure  fleet  from  America;  in  the  crude  methods  of 
public  execution,  and  the  premature  burials;  and  in  the 
bull  fights,  in  which  the  nobles  participated  and  on 
which  the  Church  frowned. 

The  delay  in  Spain  was  unexpectedly  long.  In  1679 
some  royal  ships  sailed  for  America,  but  as  they  went 
by  the  African  coast  to  get  slaves  the  Jesuits  did  not 
embark.  Some  private  vessels  also  sailed,  but  their 
charge  for  the  passage  was  higher  than  the  Father  Pro- 
curator was  willing  to  pay,  consequently  they  awaited 
the  departure  of  the  next  royal  fleet  for  the  West  Indies. 

Late  in  March  (the  twenty-fifth)  Gerstle  and  his 
companions  returned  to  Cadiz,  and  on  the  eleventh  of 
July  the  West  Indian  fleet  sailed,  convoyed  by  two 
armed  galleons.  But  the  vessel  on  which  the  eighteen 
Jesuits  embarked  foundered  on  a  rock  shortly  after  sail- 
ing, and  they  returned  the  same  night  to  Cadiz  on  a 
small  boat,  the  Tartana.  The  Father  Procurator  now 
bent  every  energy  to  get  passage  on  one  of  the  other  ves- 
sels, and  hurried  back  and  forth  between  the  port  au- 
thorities and  the  admiral  of  the  fleet.  About  two 
o'clock  the  next  morning  the  sleeping  band  of  Jesuits, 
now  increased  by  two  or  three,  were  awakened  by  the 
Procurator,  put  on  board  a  boat,  and  taken  to  the  fleet, 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  33 

already  outside  the  harbor.  The  first  vessel  overhauled 
consented  to  take  Fathers  Calvanese  and  Borgia;  the 
second  refused  to  take  any;  on  the  third  embarked 
Fathers  Tilpe  and  Mancker;  on  the  fourth  Father 
Borango  and  Father  Zarzola,  superior  of  the  mission; 
on  the  fifth  Fathers  De  Angelis  and  Ratkay;  on  the 
sixth  Fathers  Strobach  and  Neuman.  Brother  Poru- 
hradiski,  who  had  remained  on  the  wrecked  vessel  with 
the  Jesuits'  baggage,  also  managed  to  find  passage  on 
the  same  ship  with  the  superior.  But  twelve  were  left 
behind,  among  them  being  Fathers  Cuculinus,  Klein, 
Christman,  Kerschbaumer,  Chinus  (Kino),  Revell,  and 
Gerstle.11  It  is  this  enumeration  by  Father  Gerstle 
that  gives  us  our  clue  to  Father  Kino's  movements. 

Father  Gerstle  and  seven  companions  now  returned 
to  Seville  to  wait,  and  to  minister  during  an  epidemic. 
Father  Kino  evidently  remained  at  Cadiz,  where  he 
observed  the  great  comet  which  was  visible  there 
between  December  and  February.  Meanwhile  the 
Father  Procurator  conducted  a  lawsuit  to  recover  six 
thousand  dollars  paid  in  advance  for  passage  in  the 
wrecked  vessel. 

On  January  16,  i68r,  Father  Gerstle  and  his  com- 
panions again  left  Seville  for  Cadiz,  arriving  on  the 
eighteenth,  and  on  the  twenty-ninth  they  at  last  set  sail 
for  America.  In  the  West  Indies  the  fleet  divided, 
according  to  custom,  and  eight  of  the  eighteen  compan- 
ions went  to  New  Granada,  the  rest  continuing  to  Vera 
Cruz,  which  they  reached  after  a  rough  voyage  of  over 
ninety  days. 

The  above  account  is  gleaned  from  the  letter  written 
by  Father  Gerstle  at  Puebla,  on  July  14,  168 r.     It  con- 

11  An  account  of  the  wreck  and  of  the  journey  of  some  of  the  Fathers  to 
America  is  given  in  "Brief  Patris  Mancker,"  Mexico,  January  25,  1681,  in 
Stocklein,  Neue  ff'elt-Bott,  Theil  i,  num.  30,  pp.  85-90. 


34  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

firms  Father  Ortega's  statement  that  Kino  arrived  in 
America  in  1681,  Sommervogel  and  others  to  the  con- 
trary, notwithstanding.  It,  in  turn,  is  circumstantially 
confirmed  by  the  entry  in  the  manuscript  Libro  de 
Profesiones  of  the  Province  of  Mexico,  which  says  of 
Fathers  Kino  and  Revell :  "They  came  from  the  Prov- 
ince of  Austria  and  arrived  at  Veracruz  on  May  3, 
1681."12 

The  band  of  devoted  Jesuits  who  had  set  out  from 
Genoa  together  were  destined  to  scatter  to  the  ends  of 
the  earth.  The  story  of  their  personal  experiences  in 
America  and  the  islands  of  the  western  seas  occupies 
large  space  in  the  pages  of  Stocklein's  Neue  Welt-Bott. 
As  has  been  stated,  eight  of  the  companions  were  sent 
to  New  Granada.  Ten  came  to  Mexico,  whence  some 
went  to  the  Philippines  and  others  to  the  Marianas 
Islands  and  to  China.  Fathers  Borango,  Tilpe,  Stro- 
bach,  De  Angelis,  and  Cuculinus  went  to  work  among 
the  heathen  of  the  Marianas  Islands,  Father  Tilpe  still 
being  there  in  1703.  Mancker  and  Klein  went  to  the 
Philippines  and  Gerstle  to  China.  Ratkay  worked  in 
Sonora,  Neuman  in  Nueva  Vizcaya,  Kino  in  Cali- 
fornia, Sonora,  and  Arizona.  Of  the  four  who  went  to 
Marianas  Islands,  three- Borango,  Strobach,  and  De 
Angelis -won  the  martyr's  crown.13 

Father  Kino's  mathematical  knowledge  brought  him 
into  prominence  as  soon  as  he  arrived  in  Mexico,  where 

12  Beristain,  Biblioteca  Hispano  Americana  Septentrional,  Adiciones  y 
Correcciones  (1898),  pp.  392-393.  Gerstle  says  that  the  voyage  lasted  ninety- 
six  days,  beginning  January  29.  Counting  to  May  3  would  give  only  ninety- 
five  days. 

13  See  Stocklein,  "Vorrede  des  ersten  Theils,"  and  missionary  letters  by 
Borango  (num.  2),  Tilpe  (num.  3,  64),  Strobach  (num.  4,  num.  5),  Cuculinus 
(num.  7,  num.  8),  Garzia  and  Bonani  (num.  9),  Mancker  (num.  12,  num. 
20),  Ratkay  (num.  28,  num.  29),  Gerstle  (num.  31),  Neuman  (num.  32), 
Gilg  (num.  33,  num.  35),  Klein  (num.  37). 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  35 

he  at  once  entered  into  a  public  discussion  with  the 
famous  Jesuit  scholar  Sigiienza  y  Gongora,  concerning 
the  recent  comet.  One  of  the  fruits  of  this  discussion 
was  a  pamphlet  published  by  Kino  in  Mexico  in  1681 
under  the  title:  "Astronomical  explanation  of  the  comet 
which  was  seen  all  over  the  world  during  the  months  of 
November  and  December,  1680,  and  in  January  and 
February  in  this  year  of  1681,  and  which  was  observed 
in  the  city  of  Cadiz  by  Father  Francisco  Kino,  of  the 
Company  of  Jesus."14 

As  a  result  of  this  debate  Kino  enjoyed  the  friendship 
of  Sigiienza  y  Gongora.  This  was  no  small  matter,  for 
Sigiienza  was  a  man  of  great  intellect  and  of  wide  influ- 
ence. The  impression  made  by  Father  Kino  on  Sigiien- 
za was  shared  by  the  viceroy,  the  Marques  de  la  La- 
guna,15  and  this  in  time  led  to  further  recognition. 

KINO   IN   CALIFORNIA 

Father  Kino's  first  important  missionary  work  in 
America  was  in  Lower  California.  For  two  centuries 
and  a  half  the  Spaniards  had  made  weak  attempts  to 
subdue  and  colonize  that  forbidding  land.     California 

14  Exposicion  Astronomica  de  el  Cometa,  que  el  Aho  de  16S0,  por  los 
meses  de  Xovicmbrc,  y  Diziemhre,  y  este  Aho  de  l6Sl,  por  los  Meses  de  Enero 
y  Febrero,  se  ha  visto  en  todo  el  mundo,  y  le  ha  observado  en  la  Ciudad  de 
Cadiz,  El  P.  Eusebio  Francisco  Kino  de  la  Compahia  de  Jesus.  Con  licencia, 
en  Mexico  por  Francisco  Rodriguez  Lupercio,  1681,  4.0  ffnc.  28,  1  carte. 
This  title  is  taken  from  Sommervogel  [Hibliotheque,  vol  iv,  1044],  who 
gives  also  the  circumstances  of  the  composition  of  the  work.  Bancroft  gives 
the  first  word  of  the  title  as  "Explicacion"  [North  Mexican  States  and 
Texas,  vol.  i,  251],  while  Beristain  gives  several  other  variations  from  the 
above  form.  The  title  alone  proves  that  Kino  arrived  in  Mexico  in  1681. 
He  saw  the  comet  in  Cadiz  between  November,  1680,  and  February,  1681, 
and,  by  implication,  only  in  Cadiz;  therefore  he  could  not  have  reached 
Mexico  while  the  comet  was   still  visible. 

15  For  the  impression  made  by  Kino  on  the  viceroy,  see  the  letter  by 
Father  Neuman,  from  Sisokitschik,  Nueva  Vizcaya,  July  29,  1686,  in  Neue 
Welt-Bott,  Theil   i,   106. 


36  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

had  been  discovered  by  one  of  Cortes's  sailors  in  1533. 
Two  years  later  the  great  conquistador  himself  led  a 
colony  to  the  Peninsula,  then  thought  to  be  an  island 
and  called  Santa  Cruz.  The  enterprise  failed,  but 
Cortes  continued  his  explorations,  and  Ulloa,  sent  out 
by  him  in  1539,  rounded  the  cape  and  proved  Santa 
Cruz  to  be  a  peninsula.  Henceforth  it  was  called  Cali- 
fornia. Three  years  later  Cabrillo,  in  quest  of  the 
Strait  of  Anian,  that  is,  the  northern  passage  to  the  At- 
lantic in  which  everybody  believed,  explored  the  outer 
coast  of  California  beyond  Cape  Mendocino. 

New  interest  in  California  followed  the  conquest  of 
the  Philippines  by  Legazpi  (1565-1571);  indeed,  in 
the  later  sixteenth  century  California  was  as  much  an 
appendage  of  Manila  as  of  Mexico.  Legazpi's  men 
discovered  a  practicable  return  route  to  America,  down 
the  California  coast,  and  thereupon  trade,  conducted  in 
the  Manila  galleon,  was  established  between  Manila 
and  Acapulco.  But  the  voyage  was  long,  scurvy  ex- 
acted heavy  tribute  of  crews  and  passengers,  and  a  port 
of  call  was  sorely  needed.  English  pirates,  too,  like 
Drake  and  Cavendish,  infested  the  Pacific,  and  were 
followed  by  the  Dutch  Pichilingues.  California,  there- 
fore, must  be  explored,  protected,  and  peopled. 

It  was  with  these  needs  in  view  that  Cermeno  in  1595 
made  his  disastrous  voyage  down  the  California  coast; 
that  Vizcaino  in  1597  attempted  the  settlement  of  La 
Paz,  and  in  1602  explored  the  outer  coast;  and  that  the 
king  in  1606  ordered  a  settlement  made  at  Monterey. 

The  Monterey  project  failed,  but  settlements  and 
missions  crept  up  the  Sinaloa  coast  across  the  Gulf,  and 
the  pearl  fisheries  of  California  attracted  attention, 
hence  new  attempts  were  made  on  the  Peninsula.    Hav- 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  37 

ing  little  cash  to  spare,  the  monarchs  tried  to  make 
pearl  fishing  rights  pay  the  cost  of  settlement  and  de- 
fense. In  the  course  of  the  seventeenth  century,  there- 
fore, numerous  contracts  were  made  with  private  ad- 
venturers. By  the  terms  the  patentees  agreed  to  people 
California  in  return  for  a  monopoly  of  pearl  gathering. 
With  nearly  every  expedition  went  missionaries,  to  con- 
vert and  help  tame  the  heathen.  In  pursuance  of  these 
agreements  several  attempts  were  made  to  settle,  espe- 
cially at  La  Paz,  where  Cortes  and  Vizcaino  both  had 
failed.  Other  expeditions  were  fitted  out  at  royal  ex- 
pense. The  names  of  Carbonel,  Cordova,  Ortega,  Por- 
ter y  Casanate,  Pinadero,  and  Lucenilla  all  stand  for 
seventeenth  century  failures  to  colonize  California. 

At  first  the  natives  of  California  had  been  docile,  but 
they  had  been  enslaved  and  abused  by  the  pearl  hunters, 
against  the  royal  will,  and  had  become  suspicious  and 
hostile,  as  later  pioneers  learned.  Through  various 
misunderstandings  and  incomplete  explorations,  in  the 
course  of  the  century  California  had  again  come  to  be 
regarded  as  an  island. 

In  spite  of  the  repeated  failures,  another  attempt  at 
settlement  was  decided  upon.  By  an  agreement  of  De- 
cember, 1678,  confirmed  by  a  royal  cedula  of  Decem- 
ber 29,  1679,  the  enterprise  was  entrusted  to  Don  Isidro 
Atondo  y  Antillon,  governor  of  Sinaloa,  who  was  now 
given  the  title  of  Admiral  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Cali- 
fornias.16  The  spiritual  ministry,  so  important  a  part 
of  every  Spanish  conquest,  was  assigned  to  the  Jesuits, 
by  agreement  with  the  Father  Provincial,  Bernardo 
Pardo. 

16  Venegas,  Noticia,  vol.  i,  219;  Autos  sobre  los  Parages  que  ha  descu- 
bierto  en  las  Yslas  Calijornlas  el  Almirante  don  Ysidro  de  Atondo,  in  El 
Virey  de  la  Nueva  Espana  da  cuenta,  etc.,  A.G.I.,  1-1-2/31. 


38  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

In  the  midst  of  Atondo's  preparations  Father  Kino 
arrived  in  Mexico  (in  May,  1681),  and  was  named, 
with  Father  Matias  Goni,  missionary  to  California. 
Again  Kino's  mathematical  learning  was  given  recogni- 
tion, for  the  viceroy  made  him  royal  cosmographer, 
that  is,  astronomer,  surveyor,  and  map  maker,  of  the 
expedition.  Before  leaving  Mexico  Kino  prepared 
himself  for  his  scientific  task  by  studying  California 
geography,  borrowing  maps  for  the  purpose  from  the 
viceroy's  palace  and  taking  them  to  the  Colegio  Max- 
imo of  San  Pedro  y  San  Pablo  to  copy.17 

It  was  expected  that  the  expedition  would  sail  in  the 
fall  of  1681,  and  before  the  end  of  the  year  Kino  left  the 
capital  for  his  new  field  of  labor.  On  November  15, 
presumably  on  his  way  through  Guadalajara,  he  was 
made  vicar  of  the  Bishop  of  Nueva  Galicia  for  Cali- 
fornia, Father  Goni  being  made  his  assistant.  As  the 
vessels  for  the  expedition  were  being  built  by  Atondo 
at  Pueblo  de  Nio,  near  Villa  de  Sinaloa,  thither  Kino 
made  his  way,  and  there  we  find  him  in  March,  1682. 18 

Kino  now  became  involved,  innocently,  in  a  dispute 
over  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction  in  California  between 
the  bishops  of  Guadalajara  and  Durango.19  Having 
already  a  commission  as  vicar  of  the  former,  because  of 
the  dispute,  it  would  seem,  he  applied  for  and  secured 

17  See  page  334.  Venegas,  Noticia,  vol.  i,  219,  conveys  the  im- 
pression that  the  royal  cedula  of  December  29,  1679,  named  Kino  cos- 
mographer, but  he  is  not  mentioned  in  that  document  [Baja  California 
Cedulas,  Ms.,  Bancroft  Library,  74].  The  selection  of  the  missionaries 
was  doubtless  made  by  the  Provincial  Father  Pardo  [Alegre,  Hist.,  vol.  iii, 
42-43].  See  also  Clavigero,  36;  Documentos  para  la  Historia  de  Mexico, 
cuarta  serie,  vol.  v,   n-12;   Bancroft,  North  Mexican  States,  vol.   i,   186-187. 

18  These  movements  of  Father  Kino  between  his  arrival  in  Mexico  and 
his  departure  for  California,  hitherto  unknown,  are  revealed  by  a  manuscript 
expediente  entitled  Sobre  pertenencia  del  Govierno  Espiritual  de  Californias, 
A.G.I.,  67-4-2. 

19 Expediente  sobre  pertenencia;  Alegre,  Hist.,  vol.  iii,  27-28. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  39 

a  similar  commission  from  the  latter.20  This  may  or 
may  not  be  the  reason  why  Father  Antonio  Suarez  was 
now  made  superior  of  the  California  mission,  but  so  he 
was.  Incident  to  the  contest,  Father  Kino  was  ordered 
by  the  Bishop  of  Guadalajara  to  relinquish  his  com- 
mission from  the  rival  bishop,  and  the  question  was  ter- 
minated by  the  viceroy  in  favor  of  Guadalajara.  By 
December  5  the  vessels  had  left  Sinaloa  and  were  at 
Chacala,  taking  on  supplies,  and  Fathers  Suarez,  Kino, 
and  Goni  were  there  ready  to  embark.  For  some  rea- 
son not  given  Father  Suarez  did  not  go  to  California, 
however,  and  Kino  went  as  superior.21 

At  last,  on  January  17,  1683,  the  expedition  sailed. 
The  voyage  was  difficult,  the  crew  raw,  and  the  vessels 
were  driven  into  the  harbor  at  Mazatlan.  Two  months 
after  setting  sail  they  entered  the  Sinaloa  River,22  well 
north  of  their  objective  point.  From  here  they  re- 
traced their  course,  crossed  the  Gulf,  and  reached  the 
coast  near  La  Paz,  already  the  site  of  so  many  failures. 
During  the  voyage  the  launch  was  lost  and  never 
reached  port.23 

On  April  1  anchor  was  cast  and  a  formal  proclama- 
tion issued  requiring  good  treatment  of  the  Indians  and 
regulating  the  gathering  of  precious  metals  and  pearls, 
the  two  primary  interests  of    the  expedition.     Next 

20  His  application  was  made  at  Pueblo  de  Nio,  March  25,  1682.  Expe- 
diente  sobre  pertencncia. 

21  Bancroft  [North  Mexican  States,  vol.  i,  187]  states  that  Father  Goni 
did  not  go  with  this  expedition.  This  is  a  mistake,  it  being  Father  Copart 
and  not  Goni  who  went  later. 

22  March  18. 

23  "A  Descent  made  by  the  Spaniards,  in  the  Island  of  California,"  in 
Lockman,  Travels  of  the  Jesuits,  vol.  i,  +08-420.  For  other  forms  of  this 
narrative  see  Bancroft,  North  Mexican  States,  vol.  i,  187,  footnote  24.  Some 
doubt  was  expressed  as  to  whether  or  not  this  was  the  old  Bay  of  La  Paz 
{ibid.,  410).     It  was  at  any  rate  clearly  the  one  now  so-called. 


4o  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA 

day  a  site  was  selected  and  a  cross  erected  near  a  fine 
grove  of  palm  trees  and  a  good  spring  of  water.  On 
the  fifth  all  disembarked  with  the  royal  standard,  a 
salute  was  fired,  three  vivas  were  shouted  for  Charles 
II,  and  the  admiral  took  possession  for  the  king,  calling 
the  province  Santisima  Trinidad  de  la  California.  At 
the  same  time  Fathers  Kino  and  Goni  took  ecclesiasti- 
cal possession.24 

A  small  fort  was  begun  at  once,  and  a  log  church  and 
huts  were  erected.  Sending  the  Concepcion  to  the  Rio 
Yaqui  for  supplies,  Atondo  and  Kino  made  minor  ex- 
plorations. The  Indians  near  the  settlement,  though 
shy  at  first,  soon  became  friendly,  and  Fathers  Kino 
and  Goni  began  to  study  their  language.  The  Guay- 
curos,  toward  the  south,  and  enemies  of  the  former, 
were  hostile  on  the  other  hand,  and  by  July  i  a  state  of 
war  existed.  The  soldiers  were  now  panic  stricken,  and 
clamored  to  abandon  the  settlement.  "It  is  plain,"  says 
Father  Venegas,  that  Atondo  "had  with  him  few  like 
those  courageous  and  hardened  men  who  at  an  earlier 
day  had  subdued  America."  Since  the  Concepcion  had 
not  returned,  and  supplies  were  consequently  short, 
Atondo  yielded,  and  on  July  14  the  San  Jose  weighed 
anchor,  with  all  the  Spaniards  on  board. 

Atondo  now  went  to  the  Sinaloa  coast  to  refit,  in 
order  to  make  a  new  attempt  farther  up  the  California 
coast,  where  more  promising  lands  and  Indians  had 
been  reported.  Setting  sail  again,  on  October  6  he 
landed  with  the  missionaries  and  men  at  a  bay  called 
San  Bruno,  a  few  leagues  north  of  La  Paz.    Here  a  new 

24  The  formal  act  of  possession  by  Atondo  is  preserved  for  us  in  Alegre, 
Hist.,  vol.  iii,  43-45;  that  by  Kino  and  Goni  is  contained  in  Sobre  pertenen- 
cia.  Kino  and  Goni  both  signed  acts  of  possession.  The  dates  given 
above  are  from  the  acts  of  possession,  there  being  some  discrepancy  in  the 
account  given  in  Lockman. 


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EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  43 

settlement  was  begun,  the  San  Jose  being  sent  for  sup- 
plies and  recruits  and  with  dispatches  for  the  viceroy.25 

The  routine  of  life  at  San  Bruno  from  December  21, 
1683,  to  May  8,  1684,  can  be  gleaned  from  the  detailed 
diary  kept  by  Father  Kino  and  preserved  to  us  in  the 
original  in  the  archives  of  Mexico.26  It  begins  with  an 
account  of  an  exploration  by  Father  Kino  and  Ensign 
Contreras  into  the  Sierra  Giganta,  to  the  west.  The 
principal  occupations  at  the  little  outpost  of  civilization 
were  those  connected  with  providing  food,  shelter,  pro- 
tection, and  the  conversion  of  the  natives.  The  docile 
Indians  labored  willingly  in  building  the  fort,  the 
houses,  and  the  church,  and  brought  such  supplies  as 
the  sterile  land  afforded. 

Father  Kino's  diary  gives  us  a  perfect  picture  of  a 
true  missionary,  devoted  heart  and  soul  to  the  one  ob- 
ject of  converting  and  civilizing  the  natives,  and  for 
whom  no  task  was  too  mean  and  no  incident  too  trivial 
if  it  contributed  to  his  main  end.  He  was  like  the 
artist,  or  the  true  scholar,  much  of  whose  labor  would 
be  unbearable  drudgery  to  one  not  inspired  with  the 
zeal  of  a  devotee. 

Kino  regarded  the  poor  natives  as  his  personal 
wards.  He  loved  them  with  a  real  affection,  and  he 
ever  stood  ready  to  minister  to  their  bodily  wants,  or  to 
defend  them  against  false  charges  or  harsh  treatment. 
He  dwelt  with  affection  on  all  evidence  of  friendship 
shown  by  the  Indians,  and  recorded  every  indication  of 
their  intelligence.  He  took  sincere  delight  in  instruct- 
ing them,  and  in  satisfying  their  childish  curiosity  re- 

25  Venegas,  Noticia.  vol.   i,  222-230;   Autos  sobre  los  Parages. 

26  Terccra  Entrada  en  2 J  de  Diciemkre  de  16S3  (printed  in  Documentos 
para  la  Historia  de  Mexiro,  cuarta  serie,  vol.  i,  405-458).  Original  manu- 
script in  the  archives  of  Mexico.  The  details  are  filled  in  by  the  Autos 
sobre  los  Parages. 


44  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

garding  such  things  as  the  compass,  the  sun  dial,  the 
lens  with  which  he  started  fires,  and  the  meaning  of  the 
symbols  used  in  his  maps. 

The  first  task  of  the  missionary  was  to  win  the  confi- 
dence of  the  natives,  and  the  direct  way  to  their  hearts 
was  through  their  stomachs.  Whenever  a  visit  was 
made  to  an  outlying  rancheria,  therefore,  gifts  of  maize, 
pinole,  and  other  eatables  were  carried  for  all  natives 
who  might  be  encountered.  When  strangers  came  from 
a  distance  they,  too,  were  given  presents.  Confidence  hav- 
ing been  secured,  the  Indians  would  leave  their  boys 
with  the  missionaries,  whose  house  was  usually  crowded 
with  them  over  night.  Thus  was  afforded  a  means  of 
teaching  them  the  Spanish  language,  and  the  rudimen- 
tary uses  of  clothing,  and  to  recite  the  prayers,  sing, 
and  perform  domestic  duties.  It  was  with  the  young 
that  Kino  was  especially  concerned,  and  whenever  he 
made  an  excursion  he  was  usually  followed  by  a  troop 
of  Indian  boys  running  by  his  side,  trying  to  keep  up,  or 
crying  if  left  behind.  Often  one  or  more  urchins 
might  be  seen  triumphantly  mounted  behind  the  Father 
on  the  haunches  of  his  horse.  Kino  tells  with  zest 
how  a  young  boy  who  was  living  at  the  mission  resisted 
the  efforts  of  his  parents  to  take  him  away,  calling  for 
help  on  "Padre  Eusebio." 

Nothing  gave  Father  Kino  such  true  pleasure  as 
some  sign  that  an  Indian  was  becoming  interested  in  the 
Faith.27  He  dwells  at  length  and  with  evident  delight 
on  the  story  of  a  little  native  girl  who  knelt  before  a 
picture  of  the  Virgin  and  begged  permission  to  hold  the 
Christ  Child;  on  the  progress  made  by  his  charges  in 
repeating  the  prayers,  singing  the  salve,  and  reciting  the 

27  On  the  other  hand  he  showed  little  interest  in  the  tribal  customs,  which 
so  engaged  the  attention  of  many  missionaries. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  45 

litanies;  and  on  their  zeal  in  helping  to  decorate  the 
crude  church  for  the  celebration  of  the  feast  days. 

Sometimes,  as  was  true  of  all  missionaries  among  the 
heathen,  his  ingenuity  was  put  to  the  test  to  explain 
Christian  concepts  in  the  simple  Indian  language.  A 
classic  example  is  his  own  story  of  how  he  explained  the 
Resurrection  by  reviving  some  apparently  lifeless  flies. 
When  the  astonished  Indians  shouted  Ibimu  huegite 
they  had  given  the  Father  the  native  term  for  which 
he  had  been  seeking. 

On  August  10  the  San  Jose  at  last  returned,  bringing 
twenty  additional  soldiers,  supplies,  and  dispatches 
from  the  viceroy.  At  this  time  Father  Juan  Bautista 
Copart  also  came,  and  on  August  15  Father  Kino  made 
final  profession  within  the  Jesuit  Order  in  Father  Co- 
part's  hands.  An  extended  exploration  across  the  moun- 
tains was  now  projected,  and  during  the  autumn  the 
San  Jose  plied  to  and  from  the  Yaqui  River,  bringing 
horses,  mules,  and  supplies.  On  the  first  expedition, 
made  between  August  29  and  September  25,  Father  Kino 
accompanied  Captain  Andres,  and  secured  aid  from 
the  mainland  missions,  particularly  from  Father  Cer- 
vantes at  Torin.  Bancroft  conjectures  that  Kino  "prob- 
ably remained  in  Sonora  a  year,"  but  such  was  by  no 
means  the  case.28  On  a  subsequent  trip  Kino's  place 
was  taken  by  Father  Gofii.  While  the  San  Jose  was 
making  her  supply  voyages  a  new  post  and  mission  were 
established  a  few  leagues  inland  from  San  Bruno  at  the 
fine  springs  of  San  Isidro. 

The  expedition  over  the  mountains  was  planned  for 
December,  but  when  it  was  ready  to  start  some  of  the 
soldiers  opposed  it.     The  year  had  been  one  of  extreme 

29  North  Mexican  States,  vol.  i,  251.  Bancroft's  whole  treatment  of  the 
subject  here  is  hazy  and  inaccurate.     Kino  returned  with  Andres  on  Sept.  25. 


46  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

drought,  both  in  California  and  on  the  mainland,  and 
there  was  a  serious  lack  of  supplies.  Both  the  Concep- 
cion  and  the  launch  had  failed  to  appear,  and  the  safety 
of  the  settlers  depended  on  one  small  vessel,  which  was 
now  about  to  leave  for  Mexico.  The  clamors  of  the 
faint-hearted,  however,  merely  served  to  bring  out  that 
optimism  which  was  one  of  Kino's  strongest  qualities, 
and  in  his  letters  to  the  viceroy  he  discounts  the  dismal 
prophesies  of  the  malcontents. 

The  San  Jose  sailed  on  December  14,  bearing  Father 
Copart,  whose  stay  in  California  was  therefore  short, 
and  on  that  day  Atondo  was  at  San  Isidro  ready  to 
start  on  his  expedition  on  the  morrow,  accompanied  by 
Father  Kino,  twenty-nine  soldiers  and  Indian  guides, 
and  taking  eighty  mules  and  horses.  This  expedition 
apparently  did  not  succeed,  but  either  it  or  another  did, 
for  Father  Kino  tells  us  that  in  1685  he,  with  Atondo, 
crossed  the  mountains  to  the  South  Sea,  in  latitude 
twenty-six  degrees,  where  he  saw  certain  blue  shells, 
which  fifteen  years  later  became  an  important  factor  in 
his  further  movements.  Meanwhile  the  complaints  of 
the  soldiers  grew  stronger,  and  the  tide  of  discontent 
could  not  be  stemmed  even  by  Father  Kino's  optimism. 
A  council  was  held,  and  on  May  7  Atondo,  his  men,  and 
the  missionaries  again  abandoned  their  settlement.29 

For  the  remainder  of  the  story  of  this  enterprise  we 
have  hitherto  been  dependent  chiefly  upon  Father 
Venegas's  history,  but  we  now  have  access  to  a  file  of 
contemporary  letters  by  Fathers  Kino  and  Goni30 
which  give  us  more  exact  information.  On  May  8 
Atondo  and  Father  Goni,  in  a  bilander,  set  sail  for 

29  For  the   above  events  see  Autos  sobre  los  Parages  que  ha  discubierta. 

30  No.  30.  El  Obispo  da  quenta  del  estado  en  que  esta  la  conquista  de  las 
Yslas  Californias.     A.G.I.  67-3-28. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  47 

the  port  of  San  Ignacio,  Sinaloa,  to  refit  for  a  pearl 
gathering  expedition  to  California.  A  few  hours  later 
Captain  Guzman  and  Father  Kino,  in  the  Concepcion, 
steered  for  the  Yaqui  River,  to  refit  for  an  expedition 
to  explore  the  California  coast  in  search  of  a  better 
site  further  north.  Equipping  his  launch,  Atondo, 
with  Father  Gofii,  recrossed  the  Gulf,  and  spent  the 
greater  part  of  August  and  September  in  pearl  hunting, 
but  with  very  slender  results.  By  September  22  he  had 
returned  to  San  Ignacio.31 

Landing  at  the  Yaqui  River  mouth  on  May  1 1,  Guz- 
man and  Kino  went  with  their  party  to  recuperate  at 
the  mission  of  Father  Cervantes  at  Torin,  and  on  the 
nineteenth  Kino  went  on  to  visit  the  Father  Rector, 
Diego  de  Marquina,  at  the  mission  of  Raun.  At  these 
missions  supplies  were  gathered,  and  in  June  Guzman 
and  Kino  sailed  up  the  Gulf  to  the  Seris  coast.  At  Sal- 
sipuedes  Father  Kino  spent  three  days  with  the  natives, 
who  begged  him  to  remain  among  them,  promising 
him  horses,  provisions,  and  aid  in  building  a  mis- 
sion. Xhis  visit  had  a  direct  connection  with  Father 
Kino's  advent  later  in  Pimeria  Alta.  On  the  way  down 
the  Gulf  they  explored  the  California  coast  for  a  short 
distance  above  San  Bruno,  where  they  stopped  late  in 
August,32  finding  the  country  now  green,  after  the  long 
drought,  and  the  Indians  anxious  for  their  return.  En- 
countering the  admiral  engaged  in  pearl  fishing,  on 
September  7  they  again  lost  sight  of  him,  and,  being 
short  of  provisions,  they  sailed  to  Matanchel,  arriving 

31  Father  Gofii  to  the  Bishop  of  Guadalajara,  on  board  the  bilander,  at 
San  Ignacio,  September  22,  1685,  manuscript  in  Xo.  30.  Venegas  [Noticia, 
vol.  i,  236]  makes  it  appear  that  the  settlement  of  San  Bruno  was  removed  by 
Atondo  during  this  voyage,  but  from  the  contemporary  correspondence  it  is 
clear  that  this  is  a  mistake.     It  had  already  been  abandoned  in  May. 

32  The  twenty-eighth.     Guzman,  Kino,  and  seven  or  eight  soldiers  landed. 


48  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

on  September  17,  and  finding  the  San  Jose  there  and 
well  equipped  for  California,  but  with  its  captain  dead. 
From  Matanchel  Father  Kino  went  to  Guadalajara, 
where  on  October  10  he  wrote  to  the  Bishop  a  long  re- 
port, and  made  a  fervent  appeal  for  California. 

Having  returned  to  San  Ignacio  in  September,  Aton- 
do  received  a  despatch  from  the  viceroy  ordering  him  to 
maintain  the  California  settlements  already  undertaken. 
But  as  the  Concepcion  had  gone  to  Matanchel  with  the 
soldiers  and  Father  Kino,  Atondo  could  do  nothing  but 
follow  them  thither. 

On  the  last  day  of  October  Kino  left  Guadalajara  to 
return  to  Matanchel  and  join  Atondo.  Just  outside 
Compostela  he  met  the  admiral  on  his  way  to  Mexico. 
When  Kino  reached  Matanchel  on  November  12,  he 
learned  that  by  a  despatch  of  October  31,  predicated  on 
the  assumption  that  California  had  been  abandoned, 
and  that  the  fleet  was  without  occupation,  Atondo  was 
ordered  to  go  to  meet  the  Manila  galleon,  warn  it 
against  Dutch  pirates,  and  escort  it  to  Acapulco.  This 
news  was  most  depressing  to  Father  Kino,  and  again  he 
addressed  to  the  Bishop  of  Guadalajara  an  appeal  for 
California.33 

Atondo  also  returned  to  Matanchel,  and  on  Novem- 
ber 29  he  and  Kino  sailed  in  the  fleet  to  meet  the  gal- 
leon. Falling  in  with  it  next  day,  they  convoyed  it 
safely  to  Acapulco.  Thence  they  proceeded  to  Mexico, 
where  Father  Kino  lodged  at  the  Casa  Profesa.  Early 
in  February  the  viceroy  held  a  council,  before  which 
reports  on  California  by  Atondo  and  Kino  were  read. 
It  being  concluded  that  California  could  not  be  subdued 

33  Father  Kino  to  the  Bishop  of  Guadalajara,,  Colegio  de  Guadalajara, 
October  10,  1685.  Kino  to  the  Bishop  of  Guadalajara,  Matanchel,  November 
15,  1685.  Kino  to  the  Bishop  of  Guadalajara,  Compostela,  November  5, 
1685,  in  No.  30.     El  Obispo  da  quenta. 


Map  of  the  Part.))-  Lower  California  where  Atondo  and 

Kino  i  vbori  d,   i68  j-  [685 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  49 

by  the  methods  hitherto  attempted,  it  was  decided  to 
relinquish  the  task  to  the  Jesuits,  with  an  annual  sub- 
sidy from  the  crown,  and  on  April  1 1  Kino  and  Atondo 
were  requested  to  report  the  amount  needed.  But  the 
vice-provincial,  Father  Marras,  rejected  the  offer,  on 
the  ground  that  the  Order  did  not  wish  to  undertake 
the  burden  of  temporal  administration.  It  was  now 
decided,  therefore,  to  furnish  Atondo  the  thirty  thou- 
sand dollars  a  year  which  he  and  Kino  had  reported  nec- 
essary. A  new  expedition  was  thus  about  to  be  under- 
taken by  these  two  veterans,  when  an  urgent  request  for 
half  a  million  dollars  came  from  Spain,  together  with 
an  order,  dated  December  22,  1685,  to  suspend  the  con- 
quest of  California  because  of  the  recent  revolt  of  the 
Tarahumares.34  Thus  was  the  California  enterprise 
put  aside,  to  be  revived  twelve  years  later  by  Kino  and 
Salvatierra. 

KINO  IN   PIMERfA  ALTA 

At  this  point  Father  Kino  takes  up  in  detail  the  story 
of  his  career  in  America  in  his  Favores  Celestiales, 
which  is  printed  hereinafter,  and  the  remainder  of  this 
sketch  will  therefore  be  brief.35  As  soon  as  he  learned 
that  the  conversion  of  California  had  been  suspended, 
he  asked  and  obtained  permission  to  go  to  the  Guaymas 
and  Seris,  with  whom  he  had  dealt  during  his  voyages 
from  California  to  the  mainland.  Leaving  Mexico 
City  on  November  20,  1686,  he  went  to  Guadalajara, 

34  Kino  to  the  Bishop  of  Guadalajara,  Casa  Profesa,  February  15,  1686; 
Venegas,  Noticia,  vol.  i,  236-240;  real  cedula,  December  22,  1685,  A.G.I. 
67-3-28.  Transcript  in  Bancroft  Library.  According  to  a  dispatch  from 
the  Audiencia  of  Guadalajara,  April  27,  1702,  the  abandonment  of  California 
cost  Father  Copart  his  reason,  which  at  that  date  he  had  not  recovered. 
A.G.I.    67-3-28.     Transcript   in    Bancroft   Library. 

35  Since  this  section  is  based  largely  on  the  Favores  Celestiales,  printed 
hereinafter,   numerous  specific   references  will   not  be  given. 


50  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA 

where  he  secured  special  privileges  from  the  Audiencia. 
Setting  forth  again  on  December  16,  he  reached  Sonora 
early  in  1687,  and  was  assigned,  not  to  the  Guaymas  as 
he  had  hoped,  but  to  Pimeria  Alta,  instead. 

Pimeria  Alta  included  what  is  now  northern  Sonora 
and  southern  Arizona.  It  extended  from  the  Altar 
River,  in  Sonora,  to  the  Gila,  and  from  the  San  Pedro 
River  to  the  Gulf  of  California  and  the  Colorado  of 
the  West.  At  that  day  it  was  all  included  in  the  prov- 
ince of  Nueva  Vizcaya ;  later  it  was  attached  to  Sonora, 
to  which  it  belonged  until  the  northern  portion  was 
cut  off  by  the  Gadsden  Purchase. 

Kino  found  Pimeria  Alta  occupied  by  different  divi- 
sions of  the  Pima  nation.  Chief  of  these  were  the  Pima 
proper,  living  in  the  valleys  of  the  Gila  and  the  Salt 
Rivers,  especially  in  the  region  now  occupied  by  the 
Pima  Reservation.  The  valleys  of  the  San  Pedro  and 
the  Santa  Cruz  were  inhabited  by  the  Sobaipuris,  now 
a  practically  extinct  people,  except  for  the  strains  of 
their  blood  still  represented  in  the  Pima  and  Papago 
tribes.  West  of  the  Sobaipuris,  on  both  sides  of  the  in- 
ternational boundary  line,  were  the  Papagos,  or  the 
Papabotes,  as  the  early  Spaniards  called  them.  On  the 
northwestern  border  of  the  region,  along  the  lower  Gila 
and  the  Colorado  Rivers,  were  the  different  Yuman 
tribes,  such  as  the  Yumas,  the  Cocomaricopas,  the  Co- 
copas,  and  the  Quiquimas.  All  of  these  latter  spoke 
the  Yuman  language,  which  was,  as  it  is  today,  quite 
distinct  from  that  of  the  Pima. 

When  Kino  made  his  first  explorations  down  the  San 
Pedro  and  the  Santa  Cruz  Valleys,  he  found  them  each 
supporting  ten  or  a  dozen  villages  of  Sobaipuris,  the 
population  of  the  former  aggregating  some  two  thou- 
sand persons,  and  of  the  latter  some  two  thousand  five 


EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  51 

hundred.  The  Indians  of  both  valleys  were  then  prac- 
ticing agriculture  by  irrigation,  and  raising  cotton  for 
clothing,  and  maize,  beans,  calabashes,  melons,  and 
wheat  for  food.  The  Papagos  were  less  advanced  than 
the  Pimas  and  Sobaipuris,  but  at  Sonoita,  at  least,  they 
were  found  practicing  irrigation  by  means  of  ditches. 
The  Yumas  raised  crops,  but  apparently  without  artifi- 
cial irrigation.  Much  more  notable  than  the  irrigation 
in  use  at  the  coming  of  the  Spaniards,  were  the  remains 
of  many  miles  of  aqueducts,  and  the  huge  ruins  of  cities 
which  had  long  before  been  abandoned,  structures 
which  are  now  attributed  by  scientists  to  the  ancestors 
of  the  Pimas. 

Father  Kino  arrived  in  Pimeria  Alta  in  March, 
1687,36  a°d  began  without  the  loss  of  a  single  day  a  work 
of  exploration,  conversion,  and  mission  building  that 
lasted  only  one  year  less  than  a  quarter  of  a  century. 
When  he  reached  the  scene  of  his  labors  the  frontier 
mission  station  was  at  Cucurpe,  in  the  valley  of  the 
river  now  called  San  Miguel.  Cucurpe  still  exists,  a 
quiet  little  Mexican  pueblo,  sleeping  under  the  shadow 
of  the  Agua  Prieta  Mountains,  and  inhabited  by  de- 
scendants of  the  Eudeve  Indians  who  were  there  when 
Kino  arrived.  To  the  east,  in  Nueva  Vizcaya,  were 
the  already  important  reales,  or  mining  camps,  of 
San  Juan  and  Bacanuche,  and  to  the  south  were  numer- 
ous missions,  ranches,  and  mining  towns;  but  beyond, 
in  Pimeria  Alta,  all  was  the  untouched  and  unknown 
country  of  the  upper  Pimas. 

On  the  outer  edge  of  this  virgin  territory,  some  fif- 
teen miles  above  Cucurpe,  on  the  San  Miguel  River, 
Kino  founded  the  mission  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Do- 

36  It  may  be  of  interest  to  note  that  this  was  the  very  month  of  La  Salle's 
assassination  in  the  wilds  of  Texas. 


52  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

lores  (Our  Lady  of  Sorrows),  at  the  Indian  village  of 
Cosari.  The  site  chosen  was  one  of  peculiar  fitness 
and  beauty.  It  is  a  commonplace  to  say  that  the  mis- 
sionaries always  selected  the  most  fertile  spots  for  their 
missions.  This  is  true,  but  it  is  more  instructive  to  give 
the  reason.  They  ordinarily  founded  their  missions  at 
or  near  the  villages  of  the  Indians  for  whom  they  were 
designed,  and  these  were  usually  placed  at  the  most 
fertile  spots  along  the  rich  valleys  of  the  streams.  And 
so  it  was  with  the  village  of  Cosari. 

Near  where  Cosari  stood,  the  little  San  Miguel 
breaks  through  a  narrow  canon,  whose  walls  rise  sev- 
eral hundred  feet  in  height.  Above  and  below  the 
canon,  the  river  valley  broadens  out  into  rich  vegas  of 
irrigable  bottom  lands,  half  a  mile  or  more  in  width 
and  several  miles  in  length.  On  the  east,  the  valley  is 
walled  in  by  the  Sierra  de  Santa  Teresa,  on  the  west  by 
the  Sierra  del  Torreon.  Closing  the  lower  valley  and 
hiding  Cucurpe,  stands  Cerro  Prieto;  and  cutting  off 
the  observer's  view  toward  the  north  rises  the  grand 
and  rugged  Sierra  Azul.  At  the  canon  where  the  river 
breaks  through,  the  western  mesa  juts  out  and  forms  a 
cliff,  approachable  only  from  the  west. 

On  this  promontory,  protected  on  three  sides  from 
attack,  and  affording  a  magnificent  view,  was  placed 
the  mission  of  Dolores.  Here  still  stand  its  ruins,  in 
full  view  of  the  valley  above  and  below,  of  the  moun- 
tain walls  on  the  east  and  the  west,  the  north  and  the 
south,  and  within  the  sound  of  the  rushing  cataract  of 
the  San  Miguel  as  it  courses  through  the  gorge.  This 
meager  ruin  on  the  cliff,  consisting  now  of  a  mere  frag- 
ment of  an  adobe  wall  and  saddening  piles  of  debris,  is 
the  most  venerable  of  the  many  mission  remains  in  all 
Arizona  and  northern  Sonora,  for  Our  Lady  of  Sorrows 
was  mother  of  them  all,  and  for  nearly  a  quarter  of  a 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  53 

century  was  the  home  of  the  remarkable  missionary 
who  built  them.37 

From  his  outpost  at  Dolores,  during  the  next  quarter 
century,  Kino  and  his  companions  pushed  the  frontier 
of  missionary  work  and  exploration  across  Pimeria 
Alta  to  the  Gila  and  Colorado  Rivers.  By  1695  Kino 
had  established  a  chain  of  missions  up  and  down  the 
valley  of  the  Altar  and  Magdalena  Rivers  and  another 
chain  northeast  of  Dolores.  In  April,  1700,  he  found- 
ed, within  the  present  state  of  Arizona,  the  mission  of 
San  Xavier  del  Bac,  and  within  the  next  two  years  those 
of  Tumacacori  and  Guebavi  within  the  present  state  of 
Arizona.  Kino's  exploring  tours  were  also  itinerant 
missions,  and  in  the  course  of  them  he  baptized  and 
taught  in  numerous  villages,  all  up  and  down  the  Gila 
and  the  lower  Colorado,  and  in  all  parts  of  northern 
Pimeria. 

Kino's  work  as  missionary  was  paralleled  by  his 
achievement  as  explorer,  and  to  him  is  due  the  credit 
for  the  first  mapping  of  Pimeria  Alta  on  the  basis  of 
actual  exploration.  The  region  had  been  entered 
by  Fray  Marcos,  by  Melchior  Diaz,  and  by  the 
main  Coronado  party,  in  the  period  1539-1541.  But 
these  explorers  had  only  passed  along  its  eastern  and 
western  borders;  for  it  is  no  longer  believed  that  they 
went  down  the  Santa  Cruz.  Not  since  that  day- a  cen- 
tury and  a  half  before -had  Arizona  been  entered  from 
the  south  by  a  single  recorded  expedition,  while,  so  far 
as  we  know,  not  since  1605,  when  Onate  went  from 
Moqui  down  the  Colorado  of  the  West,  had  any  white 
man  seen   the  Gila   River/*     The   rediscovery,   there- 

37  The  ruins  of  the  Mission  of  Dolores  are  on  Rancho  de  Dolores,  on  the 
hill  directly  overlooking  the  residence  of  the  owner.  They  were  visited  by 
the  writer  in  1911. 

38  Father  Kino  is  authority  for  the  statement  that  before  his  day  the 
Spaniards  of  New  Mexico  had  traded  with  the  Sobaipuris  of  the  San  Pedro 
Valley. 


54  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

fore,  and  the  first  interior  exploration  of  Pimeria  Alta 
was  the  work  of  Father  Kino. 

Not  to  count  the  minor  and  unrecorded  journeys 
among  his  widely  separated  missions,  he  made  at  least 
fourteen  expeditions  across  the  line  into  what  is  now 
Arizona.  Six  of  them  took  him  as  far  as  Tumacacori, 
Benson,  San  Xavier  del  Bac,  or  Tucson.  Six  carried 
him  to  the  Gila  over  five  different  routes.  Twice  he 
reached  that  stream  by  way  of  Santa  Cruz,  returning 
once  via  Casa  Grande,  Sonoita,  the  Gulf  of  California 
and  Caborca.  Once  he  went  by  way  of  the  San  Pedro, 
once  from  El  Saric  across  to  the  Gila  below  the  Big 
Bend,  and  three  times  by  way  of  Sonoita  and  the  Cam- 
ino  del  Diablo,  along  the  Gila  Range.  Two  of  these 
expeditions  carried  him  to  Yuma  and  down  the  Colo- 
rado. Once  he  crossed  that  stream  into  California,  and 
finally  he  reached  its  mouth. 

East  and  west,  between  Sonoita  and  the  eastern  mis- 
sions, he  crossed  southern  Arizona  several  times  and  by 
several  trails.  In  what  is  now  Sonora  he  made  at  least 
half  a  dozen  recorded  journeys  from  Dolores  to  Ca- 
borca and  the  coast,  three  to  the  Santa  Clara  Mountain 
to  view  the  head  of  the  California  Gulf,  and  two  to  the 
coast  by  then  unknown  routes  south  of  the  Altar  River. 
This  enumeration  does  not  include  his  journey  to  Mex- 
ico, nor  the  numerous  other  trips  to  distant  interior 
points  in  what  is  now  Sonora,  to  see  the  superior 
mission  authorities. 

After  1699,  aside  from  his  search  for  souls  in  the 
Pimeria,  Kino's  most  absorbing  quest  was  made  in 
search  of  a  land  route  to  California.  Since  the  days  of 
Cortes  and  Cabrillo  many  views  had  been  held  regard- 
ing the  geography  of  California,  some  regarding  it  as 
a  peninsula  and  others  as  an  island.     Kino  had  been 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  55 

taught  by  Father  Aygentler,  in  the  University  of  Ingol- 
stadt,  that  it  was  a  peninsula,  and  had  come  to  America 
firm  in  this  belief;  but  in  deference  to  current  opinion, 
and  as  a  result  of  certain  observations  of  his  own,  he 
had  given  up  the  notion,  and  as  late  as  1698  he  wrote 
of  California  as  "the  largest  island  of  the  world."  But 
during  the  journey  of  1699  t0  tne  Gila  occurred  an  in- 
cident that  caused  him  to  turn  again  to  the  peninsular 
theory.  It  was  the  gift,  when  near  the  Yuma  junction, 
of  certain  blue  shells,  such  as  he  had  seen  in  1685  on  the 
Pacific  coast  of  the  Peninsula  of  California,  and  there 
only.  If  the  shells  had  come  to  the  Yumas  from  the 
South  Sea,  he  reasoned,  must  there  not  be  land  connec- 
tion with  California  and  the  ocean,  by  way  of  the  Yuma 
country?  Kino  now  ceased  his  work  on  the  boat  he 
was  building  at  Caborca  and  Dolores  for  the  navigation 
of  the  Gulf,  and  directed  his  efforts  to  learning  more 
about  the  source  of  the  blue  shells.  For  this  purpose 
he  made  a  journey  in  1700  to  San  Xavier  del  Bac. 
Thither  he  called  the  Indians  from  all  the  villages  for 
hundreds  of  miles  around,  and  in  "long  talks1'  at  night 
he  learned  that  only  from  the  South  Sea  could  the  blue 
shells  be  had. 

This  assurance  was  the  inspiration  of  his  remaining 
journeys.  In  the  same  year,  1700,  he  for  the  first  time 
reached  the  Yuma  junction,  and  learned  that  he  was 
above  the  head  of  the  Gulf,  which  greatly  strengthened 
his  belief  in  the  peninsular  theory.  In  the  next  year  he 
returned  to  the  same  point  by  way  of  the  Camino  del 
Diablo,  passed  some  distance  down  the  Colorado,  and 
crossed  over  to  the  California  side,  towed  on  a  raft  by 
Indians  and  sitting  in  a  basket.  Finally,  in  1702,  his 
triumph  came,  for  he  again  returned  to  the  Yuma  junc- 
tion, descended  the  Colorado  to  the  Gulf,  and  saw  the 


56  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

sun  rise  over  its  head.  He  was  now  satisfied  that  he 
had  demonstrated  the  feasibility  of  a  land  passage  to 
California  and  had  disproved  the  idea  that  California 
was  an  island. 

In  estimating  these  feats  of  exploration  we  must  re- 
member the  meager  outfit  and  the  limited  aid  with 
which  he  performed  them.  He  was  not  supported  and 
encouraged  by  several  hundred  horsemen  and  a  great 
retinue  of  friendly  Indians  as  were  De  Soto  and  Coro- 
nado.  On  the  contrary,  in  all  but  two  cases  he  went 
almost  unaccompanied  by  military  aid,  and  more  than 
once  he  went  without  a  single  white  man.  In  one  ex- 
pedition, made  in  1697  t0  tne  Gila,  he  was  accompan- 
ied by  Lieutenant  Manje,  Captain  Bernal,  and  twenty- 
two  soldiers.  In  1701  he  was  escorted  by  Manje  and 
ten  soldiers.  At  other  times  he  had  no  other  military 
support  than  Lieutenant  Manje  or  Captain  Carrasco. 
without  soldiers.  Once  Father  Gilg,  besides  Manje, 
accompanied  him;  once  two  priests  and  two  citizens. 
His  last  great  exploration  to  the  Gila  was  made  with 
only  one  other  white  man  in  his  party,  while  in  1694, 
1700,  and  1 701  he  reached  the  Gila  with  no  living  soul 
save  his  Indian  servants.  But  he  was  usually  well  sup- 
plied with  horses  and  mules  from  his  own  ranches,  for 
he  took  at  different  times  as  many  as  fifty,  sixty,  eighty, 
ninety,  one  hundred  and  five,  and  even  one  hundred 
and  thirty  head. 

The  work  which  Father  Kino  did  as  a  ranchman,  or 
stockman,  would  alone  stamp  him  as  an  unusual  busi- 
ness man,  and  make  him  worthy  of  remembrance.  He 
was  easily  the  cattle  king  of  his  day  and  region.  From 
the  small  outfit  supplied  him  from  the  older  missions 
to  the  east  and  south,  within  fifteen  years  he  established 
the  beginnings  of  ranching  in  the  valleys  of  the  Mag- 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  57 

dalena,  the  Altar,  the  Santa  Cruz,  the  San  Pedro,  and 
the  Sonoita.  The  stock-raising  industry  of  nearly  twen- 
ty places  on  the  modern  map  owes  its  beginnings  on  a 
considerable  scale  to  this  indefatigable  man.  And  it 
must  not  be  supposed  that  he  did  this  for  private  gain, 
for  he  did  not  own  a  single  animal.  It  was  to  furnish 
a  food  supply  for  the  Indians  of  the  missions  estab- 
lished and  to  be  established,  and  to  give  these  missions 
a  basis  of  economic  prosperity  and  independence.  It 
would  be  impossible  to  give  a  detailed  statement  of  his 
work  of  this  nature,  but  some  of  the  exact  facts  are  nec- 
essary to  convey  the  impression.  Most  of  the  facts,  of 
course,  were  unrecorded,  but  from  those  available  it  is 
learned  that  stock  ranches  were  established  by  him  or 
directly  under  his  supervision,  at  Dolores,  Caborca, 
Tubutama,  San  Ignacio,  Imuris,  Magdalena,  Quiburi, 
Tumacacori,  Cocospera,  San  Xavier  del  Bac,  Bacoan- 
cos,  Guebavi,  Siboda,  Busanic,  Sonoita,  San  Lazaro, 
Saric,  Santa  Barbara,  and  Santa  Eulalia. 

Characteristic  of  Kino's  economic  efforts  are  those 
reflected  in  Father  Saeta's  letter  thanking  him  for  the 
present  of  one  hundred  and  fifteen  head  of  cattle  and  as 
many  sheep  for  the  beginnings  of  a  ranch  at  Caborca. 
In  1699  a  ranch  was  established  at  Sonoita  for  the  triple 
purpose  of  supplying  the  little  mission  there,  furnish- 
ing food  for  the  missionaries  of  California,  if  perchance 
they  should  reach  that  point,  and  as  a  base  of  supplies 
for  the  explorations  which  Kino  hoped  to  undertake 
and  did  undertake  to  the  Yumas  and  Cocomaricopas,  of 
whom  he  had  heard  while  on  the  Gila.  In  1700,  when 
the  mission  of  San  Xavier  was  founded,  Kino  rounded 
up  the  fourteen  hundred  head  of  cattle  on  the  ranch  of 
his  own  mission  of  Dolores,  divided  them  into  two 
equal  droves,  and  sent  one  of  them  under  his  Indian 


58  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

overseer  to  Bac,  where  the  necessary  corrals  were  con- 
structed. 

Not  only  his  own  missions  but  those  of  sterile  Cali- 
fornia must  be  supplied;  and  in  the  year  1700  Kino 
took  from  his  own  ranches  seven  hundred  cattle  and 
sent  them  to  Salvatierra,  across  the  Gulf,  at  Loreto,  a 
transaction  which  was  several  times  repeated. 

And  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  Kino  conducted 
this  cattle  industry  with  Indian  labor,  almost  without 
the  aid  of  a  single  white  man.  An  illustration  of  his 
method  and  of  his  difficulties  is  found  in  the  fact  that 
the  important  ranch  at  Tumacacori,  Arizona,  was 
founded  with  cattle  and  sheep  driven,  at  Kino's  orders 
one  hundred  miles  across  the  country  from  Caborca, 
by  the  very  Indians  who  had  murdered  Father  Saeta  at 
Caborca  in  1695.  There  was  always  the  danger  that 
the  mission  Indians  would  revolt  and  run  off  the  stock, 
as  they  did  in  1695;  and  the  danger,  more  imminent, 
that  the  hostile  Apaches,  Janos,  and  Jocomes  would  do 
this  damage,  and  add  to  it  the  destruction  of  life,  as 
experience  often  proved. 

Kino's  endurance  in  the  saddle  was  worthy  of  a 
seasoned  cowboy.  This  is  evident  from  the  bare  facts 
with  respect  to  the  long  journeys  which  he  made.  When 
he  went  to  the  City  of  Mexico  in  the  fall  of  1695,  being 
then  at  the  age  of  fifty-one,  he  made  the  journey  in 
fifty-three  days,  between  November  16  and  January  8. 
The  distance,  via  Guadalajara,  is  no  less  than  fifteen 
hundred  miles,  making  his  average,  not  counting  the 
stops  which  he  made  at  Guadalajara  and  other  impor- 
tant places,  nearly  thirty  miles  per  day.  In  November, 
1697,  when  he  went  to  the  Gila,  he  rode  about  seven 
hundred  or  eight  hundred  miles  in  thirty  days,  not 
counting  out  the  stops.     On  his  journey  in  1698  to  the 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  59 

Gila  he  made  an  average  of  twenty-five  or  more  miles  a 
day  for  twenty-six  days,  over  an  unknown  country.  In 
1699  he  made  the  trip  to  and  from  the  lower  Gila,  about 
eight  or  nine  hundred  miles,  in  thirty-five  days,  an 
average  of  ten  leagues  a  day,  or  twenty-five  to  thirty 
miles.  In  October  and  November,  1699,  he  rode  two 
hundred  and  forty  leagues  in  thirty-nine  days.  In  Sep- 
tember and  October,  1700,  he  rode  three  hundred  and 
eighty-four  leagues,  or  perhaps  one  thousand  miles,  in 
twenty-six  days.  This  was  an  average  of  nearly  forty 
miles  a  day.  In  1701,  he  made  over  four  hundred 
leagues,  or  more  than  eleven  hundred  miles,  in  thirty- 
five  days,  an  average  of  over  thirty  miles  a  day.  He 
was  then  nearing  the  age  of  sixty. 

Thus  we  see  that  it  was  customary  for  Kino  to  make 
an  average  of  thirty  or  more  miles  a  day  for  weeks  or 
months  at  a  time,  when  he  was  on  these  missionary 
tours,  and  out  of  this  time  are  to  be  counted  the  long 
stops  which  he  made  to  preach  to  and  baptize  the  In- 
dians, and  to  say  mass. 

A  special  instance  of  his  hard  riding  is  found  in  the 
journey  which  he  made  in  November,  1699,  with  Fath- 
er Leal,  the  Visitor  of  the  missions.  After  twelve  days 
of  continuous  travel,  supervising,  baptizing,  and 
preaching  up  and  down  the  Santa  Cruz  Valley,  going 
the  while  at  the  average  rate  of  twenty-three  miles 
(nine  leagues)  a  day,  he  left  Father  Leal  at  Batki  to 
go  home  by  carriage  over  a  more  direct  route,  while 
he  and  Manje  sped  "a  la  ligera"  to  the  west  and  north- 
west, to  see  if  there  were  any  sick  Indians  to  baptize. 
Going  thirteen  leagues  (thirty-three  miles)  on  the 
eighth,  he  baptized  two  infants  and  two  adults  at  the 
village  of  San   Rafael.     On  the  ninth  he  rode  nine 


60  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

leagues  to  another  village,  made  a  census  of  four  hun- 
dred Indians,  preached  to  them,  and  continued  sixteen 
more  leagues  to  another  village,  making  nearly  sixty 
miles  for  the  day.  On  the  tenth  he  made  a  census  of 
the  assembled  throng  of  three  hundred  persons, 
preached,  baptized  three  sick  persons,  distributed  pres- 
ents, and  then  rode  thirty- three  leagues  (some  seventy- 
five  miles)  over  a  pass  in  the  mountains  to  Sonoita,  ar- 
riving there  in  the  night,  having  stopped  to  make  a 
census  of,  preach  to,  and  baptize  in,  two  villages  on 
the  way.  After  four  hours  of  sleep,  on  the  eleventh  he 
baptized  and  preached,  and  then  rode,  that  day  and 
night,  the  fifty  leagues  (or  from  one  hundred  to  one 
hundred  and  twenty-five  miles)  that  lie  between  Sonoita 
and  Busanic,  where  he  overtook  Father  Leal.  During 
the  last  three  days  he  had  ridden  no  less  than  one  hun- 
dred and  eight  leagues,  or  from  two  hundred  and  fifty 
to  three  hundred  miles,  counting,  preaching  to,  and  bap- 
tizing in  five  villages  on  the  way.  And  yet  he  was  up 
next  morning,  preaching,  baptizing,  and  supervising  the 
butchering  of  cattle  for  supplies.  Truly  this  was  stren- 
uous work  for  a  man  of  fifty-five. 

Another  instance  of  his  disregard  of  toil  in  minister- 
ing to  others  may  be  cited.  On  the  morning  of  May  3., 
1700,  he  was  at  Tumacacori,  on  his  way  to  Dolores, 
from  the  founding  of  Mission  San  Xavier  del  Bac.  As 
he  was  about  to  say  mass  at  sunrise,  he  received  an  ur- 
gent message  from  Father  Campos,  begging  him  to  has- 
ten to  San  Ignacio  to  help  save  a  poor  Indian  whom 
the  soldiers  had  imprisoned  and  were  about  to  execute 
on  the  following  day.  Stopping  to  say  mass  and  to 
write  a  hurried  letter  to  Captain  Escalante,  he  rode 
by  midnight  to  Imuris,  and  arrived  at  San  Ignacio  in 
time  to  say  early  mass  and  to  save  the  Indian  from 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  61 

death.  The  direct  route  by  rail  from  Tumacacori  to 
Imuris  is  sixty-two  miles,  and  to  San  Ignacio  it  is  sev- 
enty. If  Kino  went  the  then  usual  route  by  the  Santa 
Cruz  River,  he  must  have  ridden  seventy-five  or  more 
miles  on  this  errand  of  mercy  in  considerably  less  than  a 
day. 

Kino's  physical  courage  is  attested  by  his  whole  ca- 
reer in  America,  spent  in  exploring  unknown  wilds  and 
laboring  among  untamed  savages.  But  it  is  especially 
shown  by  several  particular  episodes  in  his  life.  In 
March  and  April,  1695,  tne  Pimas  of  the  Altar  Valley 
rose  in  revolt.  At  Caborca  Father  Saeta  was  killed  and 
became  the  proto-martyr  of  Pimeria  Alta.  At  Cabor- 
ca and  Tubutama  seven  servants  of  the  mission  were 
slain,  and  at  Caborca,  Tubutama,  Imuris,  San  Ignacio 
and  Magdalena-the  whole  length  of  the  Altar  and 
Magdalena  Valleys -the  mission  churches  and  other 
buildings  were  burned  and  the  stock  killed  or  stamped- 
ed. The  missionary  of  Tubutama  fled  over  the  moun- 
tains to  Cucurpe.  San  Ignacio  being  attacked  by  three 
hundred  warriors,  Father  Campos  fled  to  the  same 
refuge,  guarded  on  each  side  by  two  soldiers.  At  Do- 
lores Father  Kino,  Lieutenant  Manje,  and  three  citi- 
zens of  Bacanuche  awaited  the  onslaught.  An  Indian 
who  had  been  stationed  on  the  mountains,  seeing  the 
smoke  at  San  Ignacio,  fled  to  Dolores  with  the  news 
that  Father  Campos  and  all  the  soldiers  had  been  killed. 
Manje  sped  to  Opodepe  to  get  aid;  the  three  citizens 
hurried  home  to  Bacanuche,  and  Kino  was  left  alone. 
When  Manje  returned  next  day,  together  they  hid  the 
treasures  of  the  church  in  a  cave,  but  in  spite  of  the 
soldier's  entreaties  that  they  should  flee,  Kino  insisted 
on  returning  to  the  mission  to  await  death,  which  they 
did.     It  is  indicative  of  the  modesty  of  this  great  soul 


62  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

that  in  his  own  history  this  incident  in  his  life  is  passed 
over  in  complete  silence.  But  Manje,  who  was  weak 
or  wise  enough  to  wish  to  flee,  was  also  generous  and 
brave  enough  to  record  the  padre's  heroism  and  his 
own  fears. 

In  1 701  Kino  made  his  first  exploration  down  the 
Colorado  below  the  Yuma  junction -the  first  that  had 
been  made  for  almost  a  century.  With  him  was  one 
Spaniard,  the  only  other  white  man  in  the  party.  As 
they  left  the  Yuma  country  and  entered  that  of  the 
Quiquimas,  the  Spaniard,  Kino  tells  us  in  his  diary, 
"on  seeing  such  a  great  number  of  new  people,"  and 
such  people -that  is,  they  were  giants  in  size -became 
frightened  and  fled,  and  was  seen  no  more.  But  the 
missionary,  thus  deserted,  instead  of  turning  back,  de- 
spatched messages  that  he  was  safe,  continued  down  the 
river  two  days,  and  crossed  the  Colorado,  towed  by  the 
Indians  on  a  raft  and  sitting  in  a  basket,  into  territory 
never  before  trod  by  white  men  since  1540.  Perhaps 
he  was  in  no  danger,  but  the  situation  had  proved  too 
much  for  the  nerve  of  his  white  companion,  at  least. 

And  what  kind  of  a  man  personally  was  Father  Kino 
to  those  who  knew  him  intimately?  Was  he  rugged, 
coarse  fibered,  and  adapted  by  nature  to  such  a  rough 
frontier  life  of  exposure?  I  know  of  no  portrait  of 
him  made  by  sunlight  or  the  brush,  but  there  is,  fortu- 
nately, a  picture  drawn  by  the  pen  of  his  companion 
during  the  last  eight  years  of  his  life,  and  his  successor 
at  Dolores.  Father  Luis  Velarde  tells  us  that  Kino  was 
a  modest,  humble,  gentle,  ascetic,  of  mediaeval  type, 
drilled  by  his  religious  training  to  complete  self  ef- 
facement.  I  should  not  be  surprised  to  find  that,  like 
Father  Junipero  Sierra,  he  was  slight  of  body  as  he 
was  gentle  of  mind. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  63 

Velarde  says  of  him: 

Permit  me  to  add  what  I  observed  in  the  eight  years  during 
which  I  was  his  companion.  His  conversation  was  of  the 
mellifluous  names  of  Jesus  and  Mary,  and  of  the  heathen  for 
whom  he  was  ever  offering  prayers  to  God.  In  saying  his 
breviary  he  always  wept.  He  was  edified  by  the  lives  of  the 
saints,  whose  virtues  he  preached  to  us.  When  he  publicly 
reprimanded  a  sinner  he  was  choleric.  But  if  anyone  showed 
him  personal  disrespect  he  controlled  his  temper  to  such  an  ex- 
tent that  he  made  it  a  habit  to  exalt  whomsoever  maltreated 
him  by  word,  deed,  or  in  writing.  .  .  And  if  it  was  to  his 
face  that  they  were  said,  he  embraced  the  one  who  spoke  them, 
saying,  "You  are  and  ever  will  be  my  dearest  master!"  even 
though  he  did  not  like  him.  And  then,  perhaps,  he  would  go 
and  lay  the  insults  at  the  feet  of  the  Divine  Master  and  the 
sorrowing  Mother,  into  whose  temple  he  went  to  pray  a  hun- 
dred times  a  day.39  After  supper,  when  he  saw  us  already  in 
bed,  he  would  enter  the  church,  and  even  though  I  sat  up  the 
whole  night  reading,  I  never  heard  him  come  out  to  get  the 
sleep  of  which  he  was  very  sparing.  One  night  I  casually  saw 
someone  whipping  him  mercilessly.  [That  is,  as  a  means  of 
penance].  He  always  took  his  food  without  salt,  and  with  mix- 
tures of  herbs  which  made  it  more  distasteful.  No  one  ever 
saw  in  him  any  vice  whatsoever,  for  the  discovery  of  lands  and 
the  conversion  of  souls  had  purified  him.  These,  then,  are  the 
virtues  of  Father  Kino:  he  prayed  much,  and  was  considered 
as  without  vice.  He  neither  smoked  nor  took  snuff,  nor  wine, 
nor  slept  in  a  bed.  He  was  so  austere  that  he  never  took  wine 
except  to  celebrate  mass,  nor  had  any  other  bed  than  the 
sweat  blankets  of  his  horse  for  a  mattress,  and  two  Indian 
blankets  [for  a  cover].  He  never  had  more  than  two  coarse 
shirts,  because  he  gave  everything  as  alms  to  the  Indians.  He 
was  merciful  to  others,  but  cruel  to  himself.  While  violent 
fevers  were  lacerating  his  body,  he  tried  no  remedy  for  six 
days  except  to  get  up  to  celebrate  mass  and  to  go  to  bed 
again.  And  by  thus  weakening  and  dismaying  nature  he  con- 
quered the  fevers. 


39  The    allusion    is   to   the   name    of   the    mission,    Nuestra    Senora   de    los 
Dolores. 


64  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Is  there  any  wonder  that  such  a  man  as  this  could 
endure  the  hardships  of  exploration? 

Kino  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-seven,  at  Magdalena, 
one  of  the  missions  he  had  founded,  and  his  remains  are 
now  resting  at  San  Ignacio,  another  of  his  establish- 
ments. His  companion  in  his  last  moments  was  Father 
Agustin  de  Campos,  for  eighteen  years  his  colaborer 
and  for  another  eighteen  years  his  survivor,  as  I  recent- 
ly learned  from  the  church  records  of  San  Ignacio. 
Velarde  describes  his  last  moments  in  these  terms: 

Father  Kino  died  in  the  year  171 1,  having  spent  twenty-four 
years  in  glorious  labors  in  this  Pimeria,  which  he  entirely  cov- 
ered in  forty  expeditions,  made  as  best  they  could  be  made  by 
two  or  three  zealous  workers.  When  he  died  he  was  almost 
seventy  years  old.  He  died  as  he  had  lived,  with  extreme  hu- 
mility and  poverty.  In  token  of  this,  during  his  last  illness  he 
did  not  undress.  His  deathbed,  as  his  bed  had  always  been,  con- 
sisted of  two  calfskins  for  a  mattress,  two  blankets  such  as  the 
Indians  use  for  covers,  and  a  pack-saddle  for  a  pillow.  Nor 
did  the  entreaties  of  Father  Agustin  move  him  to  anything  else. 
He  died  in  the  house  of  the  Father  where  he  had  gone  to  dedi- 
cate a  finely  made  chapel  in  his  pueblo  of  Santa  Magdalena,  con- 
secrated to  San  Francisco  Xavier.  .  .  When  he  was  singing 
the  mass  of  the  dedication  he  felt  indisposed,  and  it  seems  that 
the  Holy  Apostle,  to  whom  he  was  ever  devoted,  was  calling 
him,  in  order  that,  being  buried  in  his  chapel,  he  might  accom- 
pany him,  as  we  believe,  in  glory.39a 

The  words  of  that  eloquent  writer,  John  Fiske,  in 
reference  to  Las  Casas,  Protector  of  the  Indians,  are 
not  inapplicable  to  Father  Kino.     He  says: 

In  contemplating  such  a  life  all  words  of  eulogy  seem  weak 
and  frivolous.  The  historian  can  only  bow  in  reverent  awe 
before     .     .     .     [such]  a  figure.     When  now  and  then  in  the 

39a  1  have  seen  no  confirmation  of  Father  Benz's  story  that  Kino  was 
was  killed  by  rebel  Indians.  From  what  is  said  here  it  seems  altogether 
improbable.     See  Catholic  Encyclopedia,  vol.  viii,  660. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J. 65 

course  of  centuries  God's  providence  brings  such  a  life  into  this 
world,  the  memory  of  it  must  be  cherished  by  mankind  as  one 
of  its  most  precious  and  sacred  possessions.  For  the  thoughts, 
the  words,  the  deeds  of  such  a  man,  there  is  no  death.  The 
sphere  of  their  influence  goes  on  widening  forever.  They  bud, 
they  blossom,  they  bear  fruit,  from  age  to  age. 

THE  FA  FORES  CELESTIALES 

This  Introduction,  however,  is  not  concerned  alone 
with  the  history  of  Father  Kino's  work,  but  also  with 
the  bibliography  of  his  personal  writings  relating  to  his 
career  in  America.  My  investigations  in  foreign 
archives  have  enabled  me  to  improve  that  bibliogra- 
phy in  three  directions:  (1)  By  extension,  through 
bringing  to  light  items  not  hitherto  known  by  modern 
scholars,  or,  if  known,  not  known  to  be  extant;  (2)  by 
curtailment,  through  the  elimination  of  titles  ascribed 
to  Kino  which  should  be  accredited  to  others;40  and 
through  the  identification  of  titles  which  have  been  re- 
garded as  distinct  but  which  in  fact  refer  to  the  same 
work,  and  are  therefore  duplicates;  (3)  by  making 
known  the  original  manuscripts  in  cases  where  former- 
ly only  imperfect  copies  have  been  available.  But 
within  the  space  at  my  command  it  would  be  impos- 
sible to  treat  adequately  all  three  of  these  phases,  or 
even  one  of  them,  and  I  shall  therefore  devote  it  chiefly 
to  the  discussion  of  the  most  important  single  item  of 
Kino's  writings,  his  lost  History,  its  rediscovery,  iden- 
tification, and  value  as  an  historical  source. 

40  The  list  of  Kino  writings  has  been  unduly  lengthened,  for  example,  by 
the  inclusion,  as  diaries  by  Kino,  of  several  separate  chapters  of  Manje's 
Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  cited  below.  This  has  been  done  in  Som- 
mervogel's  Bibliothcque,  the  catalogue  of  the  British  Museum,  the  catalogue 
of  the  Buckingham  Smith  Collection  in  the  New  York  Historical  Society 
Library,  Quaritch's  trade  catalogue,  Hodge,  Handbook  of  American  Indians, 
vol.   ii,   253,   and    elsewhere. 


66  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Early  References  to  a  "History"  by  Kino 

In  the  works  of  the  early  Jesuit  historians  who  dealt 
with  New  Spain  there  are  certain  references  to  an 
"Historia"  (History)  or  "Relation"  (Relation)  by 
Father  Kino  which  have  not  been  satisfactorily  ac- 
counted for  by  any  of  the  bibliographies  of  Kino's  writ- 
ings which  have  come  to  my  notice.  Thus,  in  the  Pro- 
logue to  Venegas's  Noticia  de  la  California  completed 
in  Mexico  in  1739  and  published  at  Madrid  in  i757,40a 
it  is  stated  by  the  editor  that  "Father  Venegas,  to  write 
his  History,  had  present  .  .  .  the  Manuscript  His- 
tory of  the  Missions  of  Sonora  by  Father  Eusebio  Fran- 
cisco Kino,"  etc.  Similarly,  Alegre,  in  the  Prologue 
to  his  Historia  de  la  Compania  de  Jesus  en  Nueva  Es- 
pana,  which  he  left  incomplete  in  1767  at  the  time  of 
the  Jesuit  expulsion,  mentions  as  one  of  his  principal 
sources  "the  relation  of  Sonora,  by  Father  Francisco 
Eusebio  Kino."41  A  third  Jesuit  work,  falling  chron- 
ologically between  the  two  already  cited,  mentions  a 
Kino  manuscript  in  such  terms  as  to  suggest  at  once  the 
work  referred  to  by  Venegas  and  Alegre.  Allusion  is 
here  made  to  Father  Ortega's  Apostolicos  Afanes, 
which  was  completed  in  Mexico  in  1752  and  published 
at  Barcelona  in  1754.42     Ortega  cites,  as  his  main  reli- 

40a  Noticia  de  la  California  ....  sacada  de  la  Historia  Manuscrita, 
Formada  en  Mexico  ano  de  1739  for  el  Padre  Miguel  Venegas,  etc.  (Madrid, 
1757).  An  English  version  of  this  work  was  published  at  London  in  1759  as 
A  Natural  and  Civil  History  of  California,  two  volumes. 

41  "La  de  Sonora,  por  el  padre  Francisco  Kino,"  the  antecedent  of  la 
being  relacidn.  See  Historia  de  la  Compania  de  Jesus  en  Nueva  Espana  que 
estaba  escribiendo  El  P.  Francisco  Javier  Alegre  al  Tiempo  de  su  Espulsion 
(Mexico,   1841),  vol.   i,   "Prologo,"  p.   3. 

42  Apostolicos  A  fanes  de  la  Compania  de  Jesus  Escritos  por  un  Padre  de 
la  Misma  Sagrada  Religion  de  su  Provincia  de  Mexico.  This  work  was 
completed  in  Mexico  by  Father  Joseph  Ortega,  and  published  anonymously 
at  Barcelona  in  1754.  A  reprint  was  published  by  Manuel  de  Olaguibel  in 
Mexico  in  1887  as  Historia  del  Nayarit,  Sonora,  Sinaloa  y  ambas  Californias. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  67 

ance  for  his  treatment  of  Kino's  career,  what  he  several 
times  calls  a  "Relacion"  (Relation)  by  Father  Kino, 
and  to  which  he  once  refers  as  a  legajo  (bundle)  of 
Kino's  papers  "in  which  his  expeditions,  undertakings, 
and  discoveries  are  coordinated."43 

In  the  foregoing  works,  it  is  seen,  we  have  three 
specific  references  to  a  history,  or  relation,  by  Kino. 
The  editor  of  Venegas  calls  it  "the  Manuscript  History 
of  the  Missions  of  Sonora,"  Alegre  "the  relation  of 
Sonora,"  and  Ortega  a  relation,  or  papers,  "in  which 
his  expeditions,  undertakings,  and  discoveries  are  co- 
ordinated." No  such  work  has  been  known  to  modern 
scholars,  I  believe,  and,  so  far  as  I  have  been  able  to 
discover  with  the  resources  at  my  command,  the  refer- 
ences by  Venegas,  Ortega,  and  Alegre  are  the  only  ones 
to  a  history  of  Sonora  or  to  a  work  of  that  nature  made 
by  anyone  who  claims  to  have  used  it,  although  it  is 
possible  that  there  may  be  others  which  have  not  come 
to  my  notice.  It  will  be  seen  that  the  latest  of  these 
references  was  made  as  early  as  1767,  or  nearly  a  cen- 
tury and  a  half  ago.44 

For  the  identification  of  the  author,  see  the  "Prologo"  to  the  1887  edition. 
This  edition  does  not  contain  the  "Prologo  y  Protesta  del  Autor"  found  in 
the  original  edition,  copies  of  which  are  in  the  library  of  Santa  Clara  Col- 
lege, California,  and  the  Bancroft  Library  at  the  University  of  California. 
For  references  to  the  Kino  manuscript  used  by  Ortega,  see  Historia  del 
Nayarit,  301,  303,  etc. 

43  "A  la  Pimeria  Attn,  cuyas  malas  y  buenas  calidades  quedan  breve- 
mertte  dibujadas,  enviaron  los  superior es  al  padre  Eusebio  Francisco  Kino; 
y  habiendose  encontrado  un  legajo  de  sus  papeles  en  que  estdn  coordinados 
sus  viajes,  empresas  y  descubrimientos,  sera  muy  conveniente  que  su  memoria 
en  suscinta  relacion  se  conserve  en  esta  Historia'"  [Historia  del  Nayarit, 
301-302].  Again,  "El  mismo  apostolico  sdbio  jesuita  en  sus  papeles  se  refiere 
a  varios  que  de  sus  descubrimientos  ha  remitido,  6  a  Rom.i  .  .  .  6  a 
Mexico"    {ibid.,   302). 

44  A  reference  was  made  in  1792  by  one  who  had  seen  it.  This  was 
Father  Figueroa,  who  in  that  year  compiled  the  manuscript  collection  called 
Memorias  para  la  Historia  de  Nueva  Espana,  consisting  of  thirty-two  vol- 
umes.    In  volume  xvii  he  copied  Kino's  diary  of  1683-1685.     Incident  thereto 


68  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Conjectures  of  Modern  Writers 

Nevertheless,  a  few  modern  authors  have  noticed  the 
allusions  in  the  old  Jesuit  histories,  and  it  is  interesting 
to  see  what  they  have  thought  they  meant.  The  earliest 
conjecture  which  I  have  seen  as  to  their  meaning  is  that 
made  by  Beristain  y  Souza,  in  his  Biblioteca  Hispano- 
Americana  Septentrional,  first  published  in  Mexico  in 
the  period  1816-1821.  Commenting  in  that  work  up- 
on Alegre's  reference,  Beristain  conjectured  that  the 
so-called  "Historia"  by  Kino  was  "perhaps  nothing 
else,"  to  use  his  own  words,  than  Kino's  diaries,  letters, 
and  reports,  otherwise  known,  taken  collectively.  "Or," 
he  says,  "it  may  be  the  relation  which  was  brought  to 
my  notice  by  my  inquisitive  friend,  Don  Jose  Maria 

he  made  the  following  comment:  "Among  the  manuscript  papers  of  the 
secret  archive  of  the  extinguished  province  of  the  Company  of  Jesus  of  New 
Spain  we  found  some  in  the  very  handwriting  of  the  apostolic  man  Francisco 
Kino.  They  detail  at  great  length  some  of  the  expeditions  which,  on  various 
occasions,  this  same  father  undertook  for  the  discovery  and  conversion  of  the 
barbarian  heathen  living  in  the  barrancos  and  rancherias  which  extend 
toward  the  Sea  of  California.  The  greater  portion  of  the  papers  written  by 
Father  Kino  furnished  material  for  the  work  which,  under  the  title  of  A  fanes 
Apostolicos,  was  printed  in  Barcelona  by  the  Company  of  Jesus  in  1754. 
Since  they  were  communicated  to  the  public  in  this  way,  it  is  seen  that  they 
have  no  place  in  this  collection,  except  the  diary  that  follows,  which  is  not 
included  in  that  work.  It  contains,  indeed,  detailed  notices  of  the  discovery 
and  conversion  of  many  rancherias  of  heathen  which  are  not  distinctly  treated 
of  in  the  Apostolicos  A  fanes."  This  note  was  published  in  Documentos  para 
la  Historia  de  Mexico  (fourth  ser.,  Mexico,  1856,  tomo  i,  403),  as  an  intro- 
duction to  Kino's  "Tercera  Entrada,"  to  which  Figueroa  refers.  It  is  clear, 
therefore,  that  Father  Figueroa  saw  the  papers  to  which  the  other  authors 
referred,  but  that,  on  the  other  hand,  he  did  not  recognize  their  unity  or  their 
exact  relation  to  the  A  fanes. 

Clavigero,  Historia  de  la  Antigua  6  Baja  California  (Mejico,  1852),  in 
the  "Prefacio  del  Autor"  says  of  Venegas:  "approvechandose  de  las  cartas 
de  los  misioneros,  y  especialmente  de  los  padres  Salvatierra,  Piccolo  y 
Ugarte,  que  fueron  de  los  mas  celebres  y  antiguos[,~\  de  la  historia  manu- 
scrita  de  Sonora,  compuesta  par  el  infatigable  padre  Kino,  etc."  He  evi- 
dently took  this  from  the  "Prologo"  of  Venegas,  and  had  no  personal 
knowledge  of  the  "historia  manuscrita"  by  Kino. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  69 

de  la  Riba  y  Rada."  This  relation,  he  explains,  was 
the  "Relacion  diaria"  of  1698,  now  slightly  known 
but  which  Beristain  evidently  had  never  seen.45 

The  De  Backers,  in  their  monumental  Bibliotheque*6 
published  at  Liege,  1869-1876,  follow  Beristain,  and, 
favoring  the  latter  of  his  alternative  conjectures,  query 
with  respect  to  the  Kino  "Historia,"  as  cited  by  Alegre, 
"is  it  different  from  C  [the  "Relacion  diaria"]  ?"  The 
Sommervogel  edition  of  the  De  Backer,  printed  as  late 
as  1893,  contains  the  same  query  without  adding  new 
light. 

In  the  meantime  Bancroft,  writing  in  1884,  made  a 
somewhat  different  conjecture,  and  one  that  was  not 
without  some  shrewdness,  although  quite  wide  of  the 
mark.  It  will  be  remembered  that  Ortega  states  that 
in  writing  the  Apostolicos  Afanes  he  made  use  of  a 
'"relacion"  by  Father  Kino.  Noting  this  statement, 
Bancroft  says,  "Venegas  refers  to  a  Ms.  Historia  de  So- 
nora  by  Kino,  referring  to  the  letters  embodied  in  the 
Apostolicos  Afanes."  A  little  farther  on  in  the  same 
work  Bancroft  says  of  the  Afanes,  "Libros  ii  and  iii  re- 
late to  the  Jesuit  work  in  Pimeria,  and  the  former  al- 
most exclusively  to  Kino's  achievements  down  to  1710, 
being  in  substance  as  is  believed  Kino's  own  letters  on 
the  subject.  It  may  be  regarded  probably  as  the  His- 
toria de  Sonora  vaguely  alluded  to  by  several  writers 
as  having  been  left  in  Ms.  by  Kino."  Again,  he  says 
of  Manje:  "His  reports  have  fortunately  been  pre- 
served .  .  .  being  often  more  satisfactory  than 
even    Kino's   letters   as   embodied   in   the  Apostolicos 

45  The  evidence  that  he  had  not  seen  it  is  the  fact  that  he  copies  from 
another  source  a  peculiarity  of  title  which  is  not  found  in  the  original. 

46  Bibl'totheque  des  escrivains  de  la  Compagnie  de  Jesus  (Liege,  1853- 
1861),  vol.  v,  367-368.  See  Sommervogel,  Bibl'totheque  de  la  Compagnie  de 
Jesus,  Premiere  Partic,  vol.  iv,  1044,  and  Addenda,  xii;   and  vol.  ix,  548. 


70  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Afanes."  In  his  Arizona  and  New  Mexico,  published 
in  1888,  he  states  unequivocally  that  the  A  fanes,  or  a 
part  of  it,  is  made  up  "mainly  of  Kino's  letters."47 

And  thus,  to  summarize,  it  has  been  conjectured  that 
the  "Historia"  referred  to  by  the  early  writers  was  (1) 
merely  Kino's  letters  "as  embodied  in  the  Apostolicos 
Afanes"  or  (2)  his  letters,  diaries,  and  reports  taken 
collectively,  or  (3)  the  single  diary  of  1698.  In  all 
these  cases  there  is  an  implied  disbelief  in  the  existence 
of  a  History,  in  the  sense  of  a  compilation  or  treatise. 

The  Discovery  of  the  Favores  Celestiales 

This  word  of  Bancroft,  excepting  Sommervogel's 
repetition  of  the  De  Backers's  query,  seems  to  be  the 
last  that  has  been  said  upon  the  subject  up  to  the  pres- 
ent. But  now  mystery  is  dispelled  and  conjectures  are 
made  superfluous  by  the  discovery  in  the  archives  of 
Mexico  of  what  is  clearly  the  "Historia"  or  "Relacion" 
to  which  Venegas,  Ortega,  and  Alegre  referred.  The 
complete  title  of  the  work  is:  "Favores  Celestiales  de 
Iesus  y  de  Maria  Ssma.  y  del  gloriosissimo  Apostol  de 
las  Yndias  S.  Francisco  Xavier  experimentados  en  las 
nuevas  Conquistas  y  nuevas  Comversiones  del  nuevo 
Reino  de  la  Nueva  Navarra  desta  America  Septen- 
trional yncognita,  y  Passo  por  Tierra  a  la  California  en 
35  grados  de  Altura  con  su  nuevo  Mapa  cosmografico 
de  estas  nuevas  y  dilitadas  Tierras  que  hasta  Aora  ha- 
vian  sido  yncognitas,  dedicados  a  la  Rl.  Magd.  de  Feli- 
po.  V.  mui  Catolico  Rey  y  gran  Monarca  de  las  Es- 
panas,  y  de  las  Yndias."  It  is  referred  to  here  as  the 
Favores  Celestiales. 

The  "Mapa  Cosmografico"  is  not  filed  with  the  man- 

47  Bancroft,  North  Mexican  States  and  Texas,  vol.  i,  190,  253,  256;  Ari- 
zona and  New  Mexico,  254. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  71 

uscript  and  has  not  been  seen  by  the  present  writer,  un- 
less it  be  the  Kino  map  of  1701. 

General  Nature  of  the  Work 

The  general  nature  of  the  work  is  readily  gathered 
from  its  table  of  contents.  It  opens  with  a  dedication 
to  "the  very  Catholic  Majesty  of  Our  Lord  Philip  V 
and  the  conventional  "Prologue  to  the  charitable  read- 
er." The  body  consists  of  five  parts,  of  greatly  unequal 
lengths,  each  divided  into  books  and  chapters.  Part 
I  is  a  consecutive  account  of  the  spiritual  affairs,  the 
explorations,  the  Indian  troubles,  and  other  temporal 
interests  in  Pimeria  Alta,  with  considerable  attention 
to  California,  from  the  time  of  Kino's  arrival  in  March, 
1687,  to  November,  1699,  and  contains  near  the  end  a 
discussion  of  the  spiritual  and  temporal  advantages 
which  might  be  derived  from  further  conquests  in  "this 
most  extensive  northern  portion  of  this  North  America, 
which  is  the  largest  and  best  portion  of  the  earth." 
Parts  II,  III,  and  IV  cover  in  a  similar  way  the  pe- 
riod from  1700  to  1707,  with  particular  emphasis  upon 
Kino's  own  exploring  expeditions  in  Pimeria  Alta, 
along  the  Gila  and  Colorado  Rivers,  and  along  the  Gulf 
coast.  Here  the  chronological  narrative  ends.  Part 
V  was  not  originally  written  as  a  portion  of  the  "His- 
toria,"  but  was  incorporated,  in  Kino's  last  days,  as  a 
suitable  conclusion.  It  is  a  report  to  the  King,  finished 
in  1710,  the  year  before  Kino's  death,  and  consists  of 
an  extended  argument  in  favor  of  the  promotion  of 
further  conquests  in  California  and  other  parts  of  the 
northern  country,  with  a  view  to  the  establishment  of  a 
new  kingdom  to  be  called  "New  Navarre." 

In  short,  the  Favores  Celestiales  is  a  history  of  Pi- 
meria Alta  and  of  explorations  therein  and  therefrom, 


72  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

with  considerable  attention  to  California  affairs,  for 
the  twenty-three  years  between  1687  and  17 10,  written 
by  the  principal  personage  in  the  region  during  the 
period. 

From  internal  evidence  we  learn  the  essential  facts 
concerning  the  compilation  of  the  Favores  Celestiales. 
It  was  written  at  the  request  of  the  Father  General 
of  the  Jesuit  order,  and  is  therefore  official  in  character. 
The  various  parts  were  compiled  at  different  times, 
during  a  period  of  more  than  ten  years,  between  1699 
and  1 710,  and  different  portions  of  the  work  were  for- 
warded to  the  authorities  as  they  were  completed,  be- 
fore the  termination  of  the  whole  work.  In  fact,  no 
evidence  has  been  seen  that  the  completed  history  was 
sent  to  the  authorities.  One  striking  fact  is  that  it  was 
all  written  at  Kino's  remote  mission  of  Nuestra  Seftora 
de  los  Dolores,  in  the  intervals  between  the  absorbing 
and  fatiguing  labors  of  the  missionary  and  the  explorer. 

The  Identity  of  the  Favores  Celestiales  with  the 

"Historia" 

A  careful  study  establishes  beyond  the  shadow  of  a 
doubt  the  identity  of  the  Favores  Celestiales  with  the 
"History"  or  "Relacion"  used  by  Venegas,  Ortega,  and 
Alegre.  A  detailed  comparison  shows  that  in  the  part 
dealing  with  Kino's  life  work,  Ortega's  Apostolicos 
Afanes  is  little  else  than  a  summary  of  the  Favores  Ce- 
lestiales, and  not  always  a  critical  summary  at  that, 
though  in  general  very  good.  In  the  order  of  presen- 
tation, the  former  follows  the  latter  throughout,  while 
there  are  innumerable  evidences  of  word  and  phrase 
borrowing.  The  two  other  writers,  Venegas  and  Ale- 
gre. are  so  brief  in  the  ground  covered  by  the  Favores 
Celestiales  that  it  is  less  easy  to  detect  borrowing,  but  in 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  73 

Venegas  a  few  instances  are  so  palpable  as  to  leave  no 

doubt.     With  respect  to  Alegre,  it  appears  that  while 

he  had  the  Favores  Celestiales  at  hand,  in  the  main  he 

followed  Ortega's  condensation  of  it,  rather  than  the 

original. 

Its  Value  as  a  Source 

Our  primary  interest  in  the  Favores  Celestiales,  of 
course,  is  to  know  its  value  as  an  historical  source.  To 
determine  this,  it  is  necessary  to  analyze  its  contents  in 
the  light  of  the  hitherto  extant  sources  for  the  different 
periods  and  subjects  which  it  covers.  The  results  of  an 
exhaustive  examination  of  that  nature  can  only  be  in- 
timated here,  and  this  mainly  in  a  quantitative  way. 

i.  In  the  first  place,  the  Favores  Celestiales  is  a 
continuous  account  of  an  entire  historical  movement  of 
great  importance,  covering  a  period  of  more  than  twen- 
ty years,  from  the  pen  of  the  principal  actor.  In  this 
respect  it  has  no  known  rival,  and  its  value  is  obvious. 
Next  to  it  in  rank  from  this  standpoint  is  Libro  II  of 
Manje's  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  of  which  more  lat- 
er. Even  if  all  the  facts  which  the  Favores  Celestiales 
contains  could  be  gleaned  from  other  sources,  it  would 
still,  from  its  personal  associations,  have  the  highest 
intrinsic  value. 

The  worth  of  such  a  treatise,  to  be  sure,  is  greatly 
dependent  upon  the  author's  method  of  work.  That 
Kino  wrote  from  the  sources,  and  kept  close  to  them, 
and  thus  fulfilled  one  important  condition,  is  evidenced 
by  the  fact  that  in  the  Favores  Celestiales  he  quotes 
from  about  two  hundred  documents,  giving  some  in 
their  entirety,  and  citing  others.  He  must  have  had  at 
hand  and  drawn  upon  the  correspondence  of  many 
years.     Numerically,  the  larger  portion  of  the  docu- 


74  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

ments  quoted  are  letters  from  his  superiors  and  asso- 
ciates, but  there  are  also,  quoted  at  length,  seven  diaries 
of  exploring  expeditions,  chiefly  within  what  is  now  the 
United  States.  Nearly  all  of  these  diaries,  and  the 
whereabouts  of  quite  all,  I  believe,  have  been  hitherto 
unknown. 

2.  In  the  second  place,  the  discovery  of  the  Favores 
Celestiales  discloses  the  chief  source  from  which  the 
extant  secondary  works  are  drawn;  for,  as  it  has  been 
said,  it  now  appears  that  Ortega's  Afanes,  which  has 
represented  the  maximum  of  our  information,  is  mere- 
ly a  summary  of  the  Favores  Celestiales,  while  Vene- 
gas  and  Alegre,  still  briefer,  depended  directly  or  in- 
directly on  the  same  source.  More  recent  accounts  of 
Kino's  work  have  all  been  drawn  mainly  from  Ortega, 
Alegre,  Manje,  and  Venegas. 

Recurring  at  this  point  to  Bancroft's  conjecture,  it  is 
now  seen  that  while  the  Afanes  is  not  composed  of 
Kino's  own  letters,  to  any  important  extent,  and  that 
the  "Historia"  (i.e.  Favores  Celestiales)  is  by  no  means 
identical  with  the  Afanes  (or  with  Book  II  of  it,  if  that 
is  what  Bancroft  meant  to  say)  ;  yet  Bancroft  rightly 
concluded  that  the  Afanes  was  founded  on  a  wealth  of 
original  documents,  and  that  by  the  "Historia"  and  the 
"Relacion"  Ortega,  Venegas,  and  Alegre  all  referred 
to  the  same  thing,  whatever  it  was. 

3.  The  supreme  test  is  what  the  Favores  Celestiales 
contains  that  is  not  found  in  the  available  primary 
sources,  as  distinguished  from  the  secondary  works. 
This  question  must  be  considered  from  the  standpoint 
of  the  different  periods  covered  by  Kino,  for  no  single 
generalization  will  hold  for  all  periods. 

For  the  history  of  Pimeria  Alta  from  the  time  of 
Kino's  arrival  there  in  1687  to  the  coming  of  Manje  late 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  75 

in  1693,  our  main  reliance  has  hitherto  been  the  second- 
ary works  of  Ortega,  Venegas,  and  Alegre,  none  of 
whom  was  an  eye-witness  or  even  a  contemporary,  and 
the  earliest  of  whom  wrote  many  years  after  the  close 
of  the  period  designated.  Very  few  contemporary  doc- 
uments for  these  years -almost  none  by  Kino -have  been 
known.  Thus  the  Favores  Celestiales  is  not  only  the 
principal  source  of  our  secondary  accounts,  but  practi- 
cally the  only  important  primary  source  for  the  period. 
It  is  not  surprising,  therefore,  that,  besides  greatly  en- 
larging our  information,  it  corrects  many  errors  that 
have  become  current,  and  puts  on  a  solid  footing  a 
number  of  important  statements  hitherto  uncertain  or 
skeptically  regarded,  with  reference  to  early  explora- 
tions within  the  United  States.48 

For  the  period  extending  from  1694  t0  l7oli  inclu- 
sive, our  most  important  single  source  has  been  the  ac- 
count by  Manje,  commander  of  Kino's  military  escort 
on  several  expeditions.  For  this  compilation  Bancroft 
improvised  the  title,  Historic  de  Pimeria  Aha™  etc. 

48  To  this  period  Kino  devotes  two  books,  entitled  "Book  I,  First  Entry 
into  Pimeria,  and  the  beginnings  of  its  Spiritual  and  Temporal  Conquest, 
and  of  its  Conversion  to  Our  Holy  Catholic  Faith,"  and  "Book  11,  Visit  and 
Triennium  of  the  Father  Visitor  Juan  Maria  Salvatierra,  1690,  1691,  1692." 
From  the  founding  of  Mission  Dolores,  in  March,  1687,  to  January,  1691, 
very  little  has  hitherto  been  known  of  Kino's  doings.  Thus  Bancroft  writes 
that  his  "subsequent  movements  for  several  years  are  not  recorded  in  detail," 
and  that  "he  kept  on  alone  and  before  1690  had  fine  churches  in  each 
of  his  villages  (North  Mexican  States  and  Texas,  vol.  i,  253).  Again,  in  his 
Arizona  and  New  Mexico  [p.  352],  Bancroft  says:  "For  six  years  he  toiled 
alone,  till  fathers  Campos  and  Januske  came  in  1693."  But  the  Favores 
Celestiales  contains  several  chapters  on  this  dark  period.  It  tells  us,  too, 
that  Kino  did  not  work  alone  all  the  time,  as  has  been  supposed,  but  that 
Fathers  Luis  Maria  Pineli,  Antonio  Arias,  Pedro  de  Sandoval,  and  Juan  del 
Castillejo  "came  in  and  accomplished  some  good  in  this  Pimeria,"  stating  spe- 
cifically where  each  worked  (see  volume  i,  116).  These  are  but  illustrations 
of  numerous  ways  in  which  this  first  portion  of  the  Favores  Celestiales  will 
correct  and  enlarge  our  information  for  the  period. 

49  North  Mexican  States  and  Texas,  vol.  i,  256. 


76  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Of  it  he  says:  "This  work  is  composed  of  Manje's 
diaries  given  literally,  but  connected  apparently  by 
some  editor  whose  name  is  unknown."  But  the  orig- 
inal manuscript,  which,  also,  I  had  the  good  fortune  to 
discover,  shows  that  it  is  Libro  II  of  a  work  called  Luz 
de  Tierra  Incognita,  and  that  the  unknown  editor  was 
Manje  himself.  The  work  extends  to  1721,  but  is  rela- 
tively unimportant  for  the  current  of  events  after 
1701.50  Of  this  relation  it  has  been  said  that  its  only 
rival  for  the  period  under  consideration  is  the  Apos- 
tolicos  Afanes;51  and  in  the  absence  of  the  source  from 
which  the  Afanes  was  drawn,  this  opinion  was  correct. 
But  we  now  have  that  source,  and  the  assertion  no  long- 
er holds. 

A  careful  comparison  shows  that  the  Favores  Celes- 
tiales  supplements  the  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita  in  many 
important  particulars,  only  a  few  of  which  can  be  men- 
tioned. In  general,  it  emphasizes  mission  affairs,  while 
Manje's  work  gives  relatively  more  attention  to  mili- 
tary events.  With  Manje  at  hand,  Bancroft  was  con- 
strained to  say  of  Kino's  first  visit  to  Casa  Grande,  in 
1694- the  first  unquestioned  expedition  thither  on  rec- 
ord -"No  diary  was  kept,  and  our  knowledge  is  limited 
to  the  bare  fact  that  such  an  entrada  was  made."52  But 

50  A  copy  of  Libro  i  is  in  the  Biblioteca  Nacional,  Mexico  (1720,  1  vol. 
octavo,  Ms.).  This  work  covers  the  history  of  discovery  in  the  northwestern 
part  of  New  Spain,  and  particularly  in  Pimeria  Alta  before  Manje's  day. 
It  contains  at  the  end  a  copy  of  Kino's  diary  of  1698,  of  which  the  original 
was  discovered  by  me  in  another  archive.  Libro  11  published  in  Docu- 
mentos  para  la  Historia  de  Mexico,  ser.  iv,  tomo  i  (Mexico,  1856),  without 
title,  is  a  continuation  of  this  work,  a  fact  that  has  never  before  been  noted, 
so  far  as  my  knowledge  extends.  A  copy  of  Libro  I  is  in  the  Peabody  Mu- 
seum, and  is  listed  among  the  Bandelier  transcripts  in  Report  of  the  United 
States  Commission  to  the  Columbian  Historical  Exposition  at  Madrid,  1892- 
1893,  326. 

51  Bancroft,  Arizona  and  New  Mexico,  354. 

52  North  Mexican  States,  vol.  i,  259;  see  Arizona  and  New  Mexico,  355. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  77 

the  Favores  Celestiales  devotes  a  chapter  to  the  visit,53 
short,  it  is  true,  but  nevertheless  very  enlightening.  Kino 
embodies  in  his  account  of  the  period  designated,  and 
especially  of  the  events  of  1695,  manY  original  letters 
not  given  elsewhere,  to  my  knowledge,54  and  devotes 
several  chapters  to  important  happenings  of  1696, 
1697,  and  I09^  not  touched  at  all  by  Manje.  For 
one  exploring  expedition  of  1699  and  another  of  1701 
Kino  parallels  Manje's  diary  with  his  own,  while  for 
two  expeditions  of  1700  and  one  of  1701  not  treated  at 
all  by  Manje  he  gives  diaries.  It  has  already  been 
noted  that  most  of  these  diaries  have  not  only  been 
unavailable  but  also  unknown  to  modern  scholars. 
Manje,  on  the  other  hand,  supplies  diaries  of  three  ex- 
peditions made  in  1694,  one  m  1697,  and  one  m  I099 
of  which  Kino  gives  only  secondary  accounts,  based, 
apparently,  on  his  own  diaries. 

For  the  period  from  April,  1701,  to  Kino's  death,  in 
171 1,  the  lack,  hitherto,  of  primary  sources,  has  been  as 
great  as  for  that  before  1694,  while  the  Favores  Celes- 
tiales, fortunately,  is  much  fuller  for  this  period  than 
for  the  former.  Our  main  reliance  here,  as  there,  has 
been  the  older  secondary  histories  already  mentioned, 
especially  the  Afanes.  This  work,  hitherto  much  the 
fullest  account  of  the  period,  devotes  to  it  some  twelve 
thousand  words,  while  the  Favores  Celestiales,  besides 
being  the  source  of  all  that  the  Afanes  contains,  devotes 
to  the  same  period  some  seventy-five  thousand  words,  or 

53  Parte  i,  Libro  n,  Capitulo  vm:  "Entrada  0  Mision  at  Norte  y  al 
Nortueste  de  mas  de  loo  leguas  hasta  al  Rio  y  casa  grand*  y  descubrimiento 
de  las  dos  Nuevas  Naciones  la  opa  y  la  Coco  Maricopa."  The  spelling  of 
"Nortueste"  illustrates  one  of  Kino's  peculiarities  of  composition  alluded  to 
on  a  previous  page. 

54  Libros  m  and  IV,  comprising  thirteen  and  six  short  chapters,  respec- 
tively, are  devoted  entirely  to  the  work  and  martyrdom  of  Father  Saeta  and 
the  Indian  troubles  following  that  event. 


78  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

six  times  the  space.  It  is  here,  perhaps,  that  its  dis- 
tinctive value  for  narrative  history  is  greatest,  in  view 
of  the  brevity  of  other  accounts  of  the  events  of  these 
years.  The  chronological  treatment  of  events  extends 
in  the  Favor es  Celestial es  only  to  1707.  Among  the 
notable  source  items  incorporated  for  this  period  are 
four  diaries,  none  hitherto  accessible,  and  the  "In- 
forme"  of  1710,  which  is  cited  by  Ortega,  but  whose 
whereabouts  and  contents  apparently  have  been  un- 
known to  modern  scholars. 

The  Favores  Celestiales  will  not  be  studied  least, 
perhaps,  for  the  light  which  it  throws  upon  the  ques- 
tion of  the  peninsularity  of  California  and  upon  Kino's 
ambitious  visions  of  northward  progress  of  the  Jesuit 
missions  and  the  Spanish  arms.  In  addition  to  the  nar- 
ratives and  the  diaries  which  it  gives  of  numerous  ex- 
plorations made  to  get  new  light  upon  California  geog- 
raphy, the  Favores  Celestiales  devotes  a  chapter  to  the 
discussion  of  Kino's  conclusions  concerning  it. 


55 


LISTS  OF  FATHER  KINO'S  WRITINGS 

Having  made  the  foregoing  general  statement  re- 
garding the  writings  of  Kino  incorporated  by  him  in 
the  Favores  Celestiales,  their  relative  importance  may 
be  made  clearer  by  enumerating  them  in  a  list  beside 
one  of  those  hitherto  known  and  available  to  modern 
scholars.  A  tentative  list  of  such  writings,  eliminating 
all  duplications,  all  titles  of  doubtful  authenticity,  and 
all  unpublished  manuscripts  whose  whereabouts  has 
not  been  ascertained,  is  given  below.     The  process  by 

55  Parte  II,  Libro  iv,  Capitulo  I.  Mr.  I.  B.  Richman,  for  whose  California 
under  Spain  and  Mexico  the  present  writer  gathered  all  the  Mexican  archive 
materials,  made  some  slight  use  of  the  Favores  Celestiales  in  the  form  of 
the  writer's  translation.  His  statement  (op.  cit.}  387)  that  "portions  more  or 
less  complete  are  to  be  found  in  various  Ms.  collections  and  in  print"  is 
based  on  the  mistake  of  confusing  Manje's  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita  for  a 
work   by   Kino. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  79 

which  it  was  derived  need  not  be  stated  here.  A  num- 
ber of  titles  given  by  Sommervogel,  Beristain,  and 
others,  will  be  missed,  but,  as  has  been  indicated,  those 
lists  are  greatly  confused,  and  when  critically  studied 
many  of  the  items  disappear.  It  is  to  be  understood, 
however,  that  the  list  given  here  is  not  considered  as  by 
any  means  final. 

A.     Kino  writings  hitherto  available 

Exposicion  Astronomica  de  el  Cometa  (Mexico,  1681). 
Tercera  Entrada.  en  21  de  Diciembre  de  1683. 

Printed  in  Documentos  para  la  Historia  de  Mexico,  ser.  iv,  torn,  i,  405- 
468.     Original  Ms.  in  the  archives  of  Mexico. 
Une  lettre.     Oct.  5,  1684. 

So   cited   by    Sommervogel,    as   printed    in    Scherer's   Geographia   hier- 
archica.     Monachii,  1703.     As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  extract  is  not  a  single 
letter,  "but  a  gathering  of  several  letters"  of  Kino. 
A  letter  of  May  13,  1687,  "an  einen  unbenannten  Priester." 

Quoted   in  "Brief  Patris  Adami   Gilg,"   in  Stocklein,  Neue   Welt  Bott, 
1726. 
Relacion  del  estado  de  la  Pimeria  que  remitte  el  Pe.  Visitador  Ho- 
racio  Polici:  y  es  copia  de  Carta  que  le  escribe  el  Capitan  Dn. 
Christoval  Martin  Bernal.     Dec.  3  and  4,  1697. 

Printed   in  Documentos  para  la  Historia  de  Mexico,  ser.   iii,  torn,   iv, 

797-809.     Original  Ms.  in  the  archives  of  Mexico. 

Colocasion  de  nuestra  Sa.  de  los  Remedios  en  su  nueva  capilla  de  su 

nuevo  pueblo  de  las  Nuevas  Conversiones  de  la  Pimeria  En  15  de 

Setiembre  de  98  as.     Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores,  Sept.    16, 

1698. 
Printed  under  a  wrong  title  in  Documentos  para  la  Historia  de  Mexico, 
ser.  iii,  torn,  iv,  814-816.  The  title  given  above  is  that  of  the  original  Ms. 
in  the  archives  of  Mexico. 
Carta  del  padre  Eusebio  Francisco  Kino,  al  padre  visitador  Horacio 
Policio,  acerca  de  una  entrada  al  Noroeste  y  mar  de  la  California, 
en  Compania  del  Captain  Diego  Carrasco,  actual  teniente  de  esta 
dilatada  Pimeria,  que  fue  de  ida  y  vuelta  mas  de  trescientas  leguas, 
a  22   de  setiembre  de    1698.     Signed   at   Nuestra   Senora  de  los 

Dolores,  Oct.  18,  1698. 

Printed  in  Documentos  para  la  Historia  de  Mexico,  ser.  iii,  torn,  iv, 
817-819.  The  above  title  is  that  of  the  original  Ms.  in  the  archives  of 
Mexico. 


80  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Relasion  Diaria  de  la  entrada  al  nortuesta  que  fue  de  Yda  y  Buelta 
mas  de  300  leguas  desde  21  de  setiembre  hasta  18  de  Otubre  de 
1698.  Descubrimiento  del  desemboque  del  rio  grande  hala  Mar 
de  la  California  y  del  Puerto  de  Sa.  Clara  Reduction  de  mas  de 
4000  almas  de  las  Costas  Bautismos  de  mas  de  400  Parbulos  1698. 
Con  Ensefianzas  y  Experienzias. 

Unprinted.  The  above  title  is  from  the  original  in  the  archives  of 
Mexico.  Known  hitherto  only  in  the  form  of  a  Ms.  copy  at  the  end  of 
Libro  I  of  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita  in  the  Biblioteca  Nacional. 
Breve  relacion  de  la  insigne  victoria  que  los  Pimas,  Sobaipuris  en  30 
de  Marzo  del  Ano  de  1698  han  conseguido  contra  los  enemigos 
de  la  Provincia  de  Sonora.     May  3,  1698.     Post-dated  Oct.  25. 

Printed  in  Documentos  para  la  Historia  de  Mexico,  ser.  iii,  torn,  iv, 
810-813.    The   above  title   is  from  the   original   Ms.   in   the   archives  of 
Mexico. 
Paso  por  tierra  a  la  California  y  sus  Confinantes  Nuebas  Naciones, 

etc.     1 701. 

This  is  Kino's  famous  map  of  Pimeria  Alta,  which  has  been  printed  in 
many  editions. 

The  above  list,  including  ten  titles,  and  comprising 
three  letters,  two  diaries,  three  relations,  and  one  map, 
embraces,  as  has  been  said,  all  the  unquestioned  Kino 
items  available  to  modern  scholars,  so  far  as  I  have  been 
able  to  determine  up  to  the  present.50  To  these  can  now 
be  added,  from  those  incorporated  in  the  Favores  Ce- 
lestiales,  seven  diaries,  three  letters,  and  an  "informe," 
or  report.  None  of  these  items,  so  far  as  I  am  aware, 
has  been  available  to  modern  students.  Some  were 
referred  to  by  the  older  historians,  but  have  been  posi- 
tively declared  not  extant.  Others  have  never  been 
mentioned  to  my  knowledge.  It  will  be  seen  that  the 
new  list  is  longer  than  the  old.  Thus  the  Favores  Ce- 
lestiales,  regarded  merely  as  a  source  book,  doubles  our 
available  Kino  writings.  It  must  be  remembered,  of 
course,   that  though  they  are  given  in  documentary 

56  This  enumeration  does  not  account  for  all  the  manuscripts  listed  in  the 
Catholic  Encyclopedia,  vol.  viii,  660,  since  some  of  the  titles  listed  there  are 
of  uncertain  identity. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  81 

form,  they  may  not  be  exact  copies.  The  titles  here 
given  are  in  most  cases  chapter  headings.  The  list  is 
as  follows: 

B.     Additional  Kino  writings  incorporated  in  the 

Favores  Celestiales 

Entrada  o  Mission  del  Pe.  Visitador  Antonio  Leal  en  la  Pimeria  a 
los  Sobaipuris  del  Norte  y  a  la  costa  del  Nortueste  y  del  Poniente 
de  ida  y  buelta  de  240  leguas  desde  24  de  ottue.  hasta  28  de  No- 
viembre  de  1699  ans  hai  en  ella  23  Bautismos,  y  se  ven  y  quentan 
como  7000  almas. 

Translated   in   this   volume,    pages   203-210. 
Relacion  Diaria  de  la  Entrada  al  Norte  en  orden  a  descubrir  camino, 
y  passo  por  tierra  a  la  California,  segun  muchas  Personas  desean 
escriven,  y  piden. 

Translated    in    this    volume,    pages    230-240. 
Entrada  de  170.     leguas  al' Norte  y  Nortueste  en  Busca  del  Passo 
por  tierra  a  la  California,  y  Descubrimto.  del  Caudalosissimo  muy 
Poblado,   y  muy   fertil  Rio  Colorado    (que  es  legitimo   Rio  del 
Norte)  y  de  las  Nuevas  Naciones. 

Translated    in    this    volume,    pages    242-258. 
Entrada   (o  Mission)  al  Remate  de  la  Mar  de  la  California  en  34 
grados  del  [sic]  Altura  Con  el  Pe.  Rr.  Juan  Maria  de  Salvatierra. 
Translated   in   this   volume,    pages  265-292. 
Entrada  de  200.  leguas  a  la  Nacion  Quiquima  de  la  California  Alta 
y  al  muy  Caudaloso,  muy  fertil,  y  muy  poblado  Rio  Colorado,  que 
es  el  legitimo,  y  verdadero,  Rio  del  Norte.  1701. 
Translated   in  this  volume,  pages  307-322. 
Letter  to  Father  Leal,  describing  the  same  journey.     Dec.  8,  1701. 

Translated    in   this   volume,   pages   322-324. 
Entrada  de  200.  leguas  del  ano  1702.  con  el  muy  individual  Nuevo 
Descumbrimto.  del  muy  cierto  y  muy  patente  Passo  por  tierra  a 
la  California,  que  se  reconoce  no  ser  Ysla,  sino  Penisla,  Feb.-Apr., 
1702. 

Translated    in   this   volume,    pages   335-347. 
Letter    to    Father   Leal,    describing   the    above   expedition,    Apr.    8, 
1702. 

Translated    in    this    volume,    pages    347-362. 
Mission  Quaresmal  de  mas  de  50  leguas  Al  Nortueste  y  al  Poniente, 
desde  27  de  febrero  asta  20  de  Marzo,  de  1706  entrando  A  San 


82  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA 

Ambrosio  del  Busanic,  Al  Tibutama  y  a  Nra  ssa  de  la  Concep- 
cion  del  Caborca.     Feb.-March,  1706. 
Translated    in   volume   ii,    165-170. 
Ynforme  y  Relasion  de  las  nuevas  Comversiones  de  esta  America  Sep- 
tentrional, etc.  Feb.  2,  17 10. 

Translated   in  volume   ii,  227-271. 
Letter  to  King  Philip  V,  transmitting  the  foregoing.     Feb.  2,  17 10. 
Translated   in  volume   ii,  224-225. 

67.     Other  Kino  manuscripts  now  available 

Besides  the  foregoing  the  editor  of  this  work  has 
procured  from  the  Archivo  General  de  Indias  the  fol- 
lowing Kino  writings  hitherto  not  available,  it  is  be- 
lieved. They  all  relate  to  Kino's  early  career  in  Amer- 
ica. Transcripts  of  each  are  in  the  Bancroft  Library. 
The  location  of  the  originals  in  the  archives  is  indi- 
cated in  the  Bibliography  at  the  end  of  Volume  II. 

Letter  to  the  Bishop  of  Durango.     Pueblo  de  Nio.     March  25,  1682. 
Testimonio  de  la  Posecion  tomada.     Puerto  de  Nuestra  Sefiora  de  la 

Paz,   April   5,    1683.     By   Eusebio  Francisco  Quino  and   Pedro 

Mathias  Goni.     Signed  by  these  and  witnessed  by  Francisco  de 

Pereda  y  Arze,  Matheo  Andres,  Martin  de  Verastegui. 
Delineacion  de  la  Nueva  Provincia  de  S.  Andres  del  Puerto  de  la 

Paz,  y  de  las  Islas  circumvecinas  de  las  California,  6  Carolinas. 

Dec.  21,  1683. 
Description  de  la  Fortificacion  y  Rl.  de  S.  Bruno  de  Californias. 

i683[?]. 
Letter  to  the  viceroy.     San  Bruno,  Dec.  6,  1684. 
Letter  to  the  viceroy.     San  Bruno,  Dec.  8  [?]  1684. 
Letter  to  the  Bishop  of  Guadalajara,  Torin,  May  30,  1685. 
Letter  to  the  Bishop  of  Guadalajara,  Colegio  de  Guadalaxara,  Oct. 

10,  1685. 
Letter  to  the  Bishop  of  Guadalajara.  Compostela,  November  5,  1685. 
Letter  to  the  Bishop  of  Guadalajara.     Matanchel,  Nov.  15,  1685. 
Letter  to  the  Bishop  of  Guadalajara,  on  board  the  Almiranta,  Dec. 

2,    1685. 
Letter  to  the  Bishop  of  Guadalajara,  Casa  Profesa,  Feb.  15,  1686. 
Petition  asking  prohibition  of  taking  Indians  with  seals  to  work  in 

mines  from  his  prospective  mission.     Guadalajara,  Dec.  16,  1686. 


CELESTIAL   FAVORS   OF  JESUS, 

Most  Holy  Mary,  and  the  Most  Glori- 
ous Apostle  of  the  Indies,  San  Francis- 
co Xavier,  Experienced  in  the  New 
Conquests  and  New  Conversions  of 
the  New  Kingdom  of  Nueva  Navarra 
of  this  Unknown  North  America;  and 
the  Land-Passage  to  California  in 
Thirty-five  Degrees  of  Latitude,  with 
the  New  Cosmographic  Map  of  these 
New  and  Extensive  Lands  which  hith- 
erto have  been  unknown.  Dedicated 
to  the  Royal  Majesty  of  Philip  V,  Very 
Catholic  King  and  Grand  Monarch  of 
the  Spains  and  the  Indies. 


TO  THE  VERY  CATHOLIC  MAJESTY  OF 
OUR  SOVEREIGN,  PHILIP  V 

When,  six  years  ago,57  I  received  from  our  Father 
General,  Thirso  Gonsales,58  a  most  paternal  letter  of  the 
preceding  year,  very  urgently  charging  me  to  continue 
to  write  the  "Celestial  Favors  Experienced  in  These 
New  Conquests  and  New  Conversions,"  at  the  same  time 
the  father  provincial,  Francisco  de  Arteaga  (who  with- 
out my  meriting  it  named  me  rector  of  these  missions), 
sent  me  the  very  Catholic  royal  cedula  of  your  Majesty, 
dated  July  17,  1701,  in  printed  form,  and  inserted  in  the 
report  which,  upon  request  of  the  Royal  Audiencia  of 
Guadalaxara  and  by  order  of  your  Majesty,  was  made 
and  printed  by  Father  Francisco  Maria  Picolo,89  mis- 
sionary of  California,  concerning  the  prosperous  con- 
dition of  that  apostolic  conquest  and  conversion.  And 
since  the  royal,  very  Catholic,  and  most  Christian 
cedula  of  your  Majesty  so  greatly  favors  all  these  new 
conversions,  both  of  California  and  of  this  mainland  of 
Cinaloa  and  Sonora,  and  of  this  Pimeria,  through  your 
Majesty's  so  piously  ordering  that  they  be  maintained, 
extended,  and  encouraged  by  all  possible  means,  and 
through  your  Majesty's  so  tenderly  granting  the  benign 
license  which,  in  the  year  1697,  tne  Senor  Viceroy 
Don  Joseph  Sarmiento  de  Valladares  gave  to  Father 

57  That  is,   in   1702. 

68  Father  Tirso  Gonzales  was  general  of  the  Jesuits  from  July  6,  1687,  to 
October  27,  1705   (Catholic  Encyclopedia,  vol.  xiv,  85-86). 

59  Father  Picolo's  report  is  incorporated  by  Father  Kino  in  this  work. 
See    volume    ii,   46-67. 


86  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Rector  Juan  Maria  de  Salvatierra  and  me  to  go  to 
California  to  seek  the  conversion  of  those  heathen, 
charging  his  Royal  Audiencia  of  Guadalaxara  with 
preparing  the  necessary  reports,  in  order  that  in  view 
of  them  such  provisions  should  be  made  as  might  be 
considered  proper  in  order  to  perfect  the  work  which 
had  been  undertaken  so  many  years  before,  and  which 
is  of  such  great  service  to  God  and  to  the  increase  of 
our  holy  Catholic  faith,  resolving  that  there  should  be 
assigned  six  thousand  pesos  each  year  from  this  treas- 
ury, etc.,  in  view  of  all  this  I  recognize  this  royal  cedil- 
la of  Your  Majesty  to  be  one  of  the  chief  celestial 
favors  which  our  Lord  bestows  upon  us,  and  about 
which  I  have  here  to  write. 

And  having  present  this  royal  and  Catholic  cedula 
of  your  Majesty,  and  the  said  report  of  the  prosperous 
condition  of  California  and  of  the  neighboring  friends, 
lovers  of  the  new  conversions,  a  religious  pen60  an- 
swered me  that  it  was  even  more  important  to  report 
and  write  of  these  new  conversions  of  this  province  of 
Sonora  and  of  this  Pimeria,  since  they  have  more  prof- 
itable and  fertile  lands,  and  are  of  less  expense  to  the 
royal  estate. 

Because  of  this  very  Catholic  royal  cedula  of  your 
Majesty,  these  conquests  in  this  very  extensive  North 
America  might  be  called  the  New  Philippines  of 
America,  with  the  same  and  with  even  greater  proprie- 
ty than  that  with  which  the  conquered  islands  of  the 
East  Indies  in  Asia  were  named  Philippines  in  consid- 
eration of  the  great  Catholic  zeal  of  Philip  III;61  un- 
less your  Royal  Majesty  prefers,  as  has  been  and  is  the 

60  Father  Agustin   Campos,  missionary  at   San  Ignacio. 

61  Philip  III  reigned  1598-1621.  The  Philippines  were  so  named  as  a  re- 
sult of  the  Villalobos  expedition  of  1543,  and  in  honor  of  the  prince,  who 
became  Philip  II. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  87 

opinion  of  various  persons  very  zealous  in  the  service 
of  both  Majesties,  that  these  new  conquests,  which  are 
more  than  two  hundred  leagues  in  extent,  should  be 
decorated  with  the  name  of  the  New  Kingdom  of 
Nueva  Navarra,  as  others  are  called  kingdoms  of 
Nueva  Biscaya,  Nueva  Galisia,  etc.  For  this  New 
Kingdom  of  the  American  Nueva  Navarra  might  unite 
still  other  neighboring  kingdoms  which  are  being  con- 
quered with  those  already  conquered,  just  as  the  king- 
dom of  Navarra  in  Europe  lies  between  and  unites  the 
crowns  and  realms  of  France  and  Spain. 

With  all  my  heart,  I  wish  that  now  I  might  have  a 
small  part  of  the  good  fortune  which  Father  Andres 
Peres  de  Rivas  had  when  he  dedicated  to  Philip,  the 
fourth  of  this  so  happy  name,  and  your  Majesty's  im- 
mediate predecessor,  the  notable  volume  or  history  of 
the  Triumphs  of  the  Faith  among  barbarous  nations 6: 
(which  were  the  new  conquests  and  the  new  conversions 
of  Cinaloa  and  of  surrounding  tribes)  from  the  year 
1590  to  that  of  1645,  now  that  since  then  we  have  pene- 
trated more  than  one  hundred  leagues  further  this  way, 
as  far  as  this  province  of  Sonora,  and  more  than  one 
hundred  and  fifty  other  leagues  to  the  Taraumares,03 
and  now  that  I,  with  only  my  servants  and  fifty  or  sixty 
or  more  mules  and  horses,  in  more  than  fifty  journeys 
inland,  made  through  the  great  mercy  of  our  Lord  dur- 
ing these  twenty  years,  some  of  which  have  been  fifty, 
sixty,  and  one  hundred  leagues  and  some  one  hundred 
and  fifty  and  two  hundred  leagues  in  extent,  have  pene- 
trated to  the  north,  to  the  west,  and  to  the  northeast,  and 

62  The  reference  is  to  the  work  of  Andres  Perez  de  Ribas,  entitled  His- 
toria  de  los  Trivmphos  de  Nvestra  Santa  Fee  entre  gentes  las  mas  barbaras 
y  fieras  del  Nueuo  Orbe.     Madrid,  1645. 

63  The  Tarahumares  lived  east  of  the  Sierra  Madre,  mainly  in  the  present 
state  of  Chihuahua.  They  are  of  Piman  stock  (Hodge,  Handbook  of  Ameri- 
can Indians  North  of  Mexico). 


88  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

particularly  to  the  most  unknown  regions  of  the  north- 
west, as  far  as  the  land  passage  to  California,  which  I 
discovered  in  the  years  1698  and  1699,  and  which  is  in 
the  latitude  of  thirty-five  degrees,  where  I  discovered 
also  the  very  large,  extremely  fertile,  and  most  densely 
populated  Colorado  River  (the  true  Rio  del  Norte  of 
the  ancients),  which  flows  into  the  head  of  the  Sea  of 
California  and  reaches  to  the  neighborhood  of  the 
hither  borders  of  Gran  Quivira. 

By  means  of  these  many  and  repeated  journeys  and 
missions  which  I  have  made  to  all  parts,  without  spe- 
cial expense  to  the  royal  estate,  there  remain  reduced  to 
our  friendship  and  to  obedience  to  the  royal  crown,  and 
with  a  desire  to  receive  our  holy  faith,  more  than  thirty 
thousand  souls  in  this  vicinity,  both  in  this  Pima  na- 
tion, which  has  more  than  sixteen  thousand  souls,  and 
in  the  neighboring  lands  of  the  Cocomaricopas,  Yumas, 
Quiquimas,  Cutganes,  Bagiopas,  Hoabonomas,64  etc. 
And  there  are  many  more  tribes  with  more  souls  and 
people,  where  one  can  enter  with  all  ease;  for  I  have 
already  sent  them  messages  and  discourses  concerning 
Christian  doctrine,  and  they  have  informed  me,  and  we 
know,  that  if  missionary  fathers  come  they  will  follow 
and  imitate  these  other  nations  already  reduced. 

In  these  twenty-one  years,  after  having  been  mission- 
ary of  California  in  the  expedition  made  at  a  cost  of 
more  than  half  a  million  to  the  royal  estate  by  the  Ad- 
miral Don  Ysidro  de  Atondo  y  Antillon,  whom  I 
aided  in  taking  possession  of  California  (passing  to  the 
opposite  coast  and  the  South  Sea  in  the  latitude  of 

64  All  these  were  tribes  living  near  the  lower  Gila  and  lower  Colorado 
Rivers.  The  Yumas,  Quiquimas  (Quigyumas),  Cutganes  (Cuchan,  Kwi- 
chana),  and  Cocomaricopas  (Maricopas)  are  all  Yuman  tribes.  Hodge,  our 
best  authority  on  this  group,  regards  the  Hoabomomas  as  probably  of  Yuman 
and  the  Bagiopas  as  probably  of  Shoshonean  stock.  See  the  "Index"  for  each 
of  the  tribes. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  89 

twenty-six  degrees,  and  holding  the  offices  of  first  rector 
of  that  new  conversion,  vicar  of  the  Senor  Bishop  of 
Guadalaxara,  and  cosmographer  of  his  Majesty),  I 
have  baptized  here  in  these  new  conquests  and  new 
conversions  about  four  thousand  five  hundred  souls,65 
and  could  have  baptized  twelve  or  fifteen  thousand  if 
we  had  not  suspended  further  baptisms  until  our  Lord 
should  bring  us  missionary  fathers  to  aid  us  in  instruct- 
ing and  ministering  to  so  many  new  subjects  of  your 
Majesty  and  parishioners  of  our  Holy  Mother  Church. 
Since  afterwards  the  conquest  and  conversion  of 
California  was  suspended,  I  asked  for  and  obtained 
permission  to  come  to  these  neighboring  coasts  and  the 
heathen  people  of  this  province  of  Sonora,  which  be- 
gins in  the  latitude  of  thirty-two  degrees.  And  the 
father  provincial,  Anbrosio  Oddon,66  having  named  me 
rector  of  these  new  missions  and  of  those  of  San  Fran- 
cisco Xavier  de  Sonora,  and  Father  Juan  Maria  de 
Salvatierra  as  visitor  of  Cinaloa  and  Sonora,  when,  in 
the  year  1691,  his  Reverence  came  to  visit  these  new 
conversions  of  this  Pimeria,  we  went  inland  for  the 
space  of  a  whole  month  and  more  than  fifty  leagues 
of  travel.  And,  seeing  these  lands  so  pleasant,  so  rich, 
so  fertile  and  able  so  easily  to  lend  aid  to  the  scanty 
lands  of  California,  the  said  father  visitor,  Juan  Maria 
de  Salvatierra,67  and  I  agreed  to  foster  so  far  as  we  could 

65  It  has  been  customary  for  writers  to  state  that  Father  Kino  baptized 
more  than  40,000  natives,  instead  of  4,000.  This  was  due  to  a  misreading  of 
Kino  by  Ortega,  author  of  the  Apostolicos  Afanes,  and  whom  other  writers 
have  followed. 

66  Father  Ambrosio  Oddon  was  named  provincial  in  November,  1689,  to 
succeed  Father  Bernabe  de  Soto.  In  December,  1693,  he  was  succeeded  by 
Diego  de  Almonazir,  and  himself  became  rector  of  the  Colegio  Maximo  of 
Mexico   (Alegre,  Historia  de  la  Compania  de  Jesus,  vol.  iii,  68-69,  75)- 

67  Father  Juan  Maria  Salvatierra  was  the  leader  of  the  Jesuits  in  their 
great  missionary  work  in  Baja  California  from  1697  to  1717,  part  of  which 


go  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

the  continuation  of  that  new  conquest  and  conversion 
of  California,  his  Reverence  at  once  making  for  that 
purpose  a  very  favorable  report.  When,  seven  years 
afterwards,  we  obtained  the  desired  license,  which  is 
cited  in  the  said  royal  cedula  of  your  Majesty,  my  go- 
ing was  prevented  by  the  reports  which  the  royal  offi- 
cials of  this  province  of  Sonora  dispatched  to  Mexico, 
saying  that  I  was  needed  in  this  extensive  Pimeria,  and 
Father  Francisco  Maria  Picolo  was  sent  in  my  place. 
But  I,  always  encouraged  to  that  end  by  our  father 
general,  Thirso  Gonzales,  and  by  the  father  visitor, 
Orasio  Polise,68  from  here  have  tried  to  promote  the 
welfare  of  both  conquests,  and  of  their  new  conversions, 
in  this  most  extensive  and  unknown  North  America, 
which  seems  to  give  thanks  to  the  Lord  by  offering 
such  an  opportunity  for  its  complete  conquest  and  con- 
version, that,  God  helping,  we  shall  be  able  to  write 
new  treatises  and  volumes.  One  of  them  may  be  called : 

The  Seven  New  Kingdoms.  "The  seven  ancient, 
heathen,  and  fallen  cities69  of  this  unknown  North 
America,  which  are  being  changed  and  reduced  under 
the  most  Christian  protection  of  the  very  Catholic 
King  and  great  [monarch]  of  the  Spains  and  the  In- 
dies, Philip  V.,  may  God  preserve  him." 

These  seven  new  kingdoms,  in  place  of  the  seven  an- 
cient cities,  might  be:     I,  Nueva  Biscaya,  which  lies 

time  he  held  the  office  of  provincial  in  New  Spain.  For  his  work  see  Engel- 
hardt,  Missions  and  Missionaries  of  California,  vol.  i,  71-113;  Alegre,  His- 
toria  de  la  Compania  de  Jesus,  vol.  iii,  passim;  Venegas  (Burriel),  Noticia 
de  la  California,  vol.  ii,  1-307.  Bancroft,  North  Mexican  States  and  Texas, 
vol.  I,  chap,  xi,  xv.  A  portrait  of  Salvatierra  is  printed  in  Engelhardt,  vol. 
i,  facing  p.  80.     A  more  pleasing  one  is  in  Alegre,  vol.  iii,  facing  p.  96. 

68  Oracio  Polici  was  visitor  in  1696.  In  that  year  and  the  next  Kino  made 
several  journeys  into  Arizona,  at  Father  Polici's  order.     See  post,  page  164. 

69  The  allusion  is  to  the  old  belief  in  Seven  Cities  in  northwestern  Amer- 
ica. Columbus  heard  of  them  while  in  the  West  Indies,  Guzman  sought 
them  in  Sinaloa,  Fray  Marcos  identified  them  with  the  Zuni  pueblos  which  he 
discovered.     Coronado  conquered  them  in  1540. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  91 

to  the  south  and  southeast;  II,  Nuevo  Mexico,  which 
is  northeast  of  us;  III,  California  Baja,  which  lies  to 
the  southwest  and  west  of  us,  and  extends  as  far  as  the 
latitude  of  thirty-five  degrees,  with  the  Gulf  of  Cali- 
fornia between;  IV,  this  new  kingdom  of  Nueva 
Navarra,  scene  of  these  new  conquests  and  new  con- 
versions, which  are  between  the  other  new  kingdoms, 
and  about  in  the  center  or  heart  of  all  this  North  Amer- 
ica; V,  California  Alta,70  which  lies  to  the  west  and 
northwest  of  us,  from  the  latitude  of  thirty-five  degrees 
to  that  of  forty-five  or  forty-six;  VI,  Gran  Quivira,71 
which  lies  to  the  northwest  of  us,  where  the  pirate  Eng- 
lish captain  placed  his  pretended  Sea  of  California; 
VII,  Gran  Teguayo,72  or  Nueva  Borbona,  which  is  to 
the  north  of  us,  beyond  the  Moqui,  and  extends  from 
thirty-seven  or  thirty-eight  degrees  north  latitude  to 
the  Sea  of  the  North,  which  Hudson  discovered  in  the 
year  1612,  in  the  latitude  of  fifty-two,  fifty-three,  and 
fifty-four  degrees. 

COSMOGRAPHIC  PROOF  that  California  is  not  an  Is- 
land, but  a  Peninsula.  I  have  just  written  another 
small  treatise  called  "Cosmographic  Proof  that  Cali- 
fornia is  not  an  Island,73  but  a  Peninsula,  and  is  contin- 

70  It  is  sometimes  maintained  that  "California  Alta,"  as  used  early  in  the 
eighteenth  century,  referred  primarily  to  the  upper  part  of  the  peninsula.  It 
is  clear,  however,  that  Kino  here  meant  distinctly  the  country  north  of  the 
peninsula,  and  essentially  what  is  now  comprised  in  the  states  of  California 
and  Oregon. 

71  Gran  Quivira  originally  was  sought  toward  the  northeast  of  New  Mex- 
ico, but  later  it  was  placed  by  some  map  makers  northwest  of  New  Mexico. 
For  a  sketch  of  Gran  Quivira  in  history  see  Hodge,  Handbook  of  American 
Indians,    part    ii,    346-347. 

72  According  to  Hodge,  Teguayo  was  the  name  of  the  Tewa  (Tegua) 
country  of  New  Mexico.  In  the  seventeenth  century,  writers  {e.g.  Benavides) 
located  it  eastward  of  New  Mexico.  Escalante  located  the  "province"  in 
Utah   (Hodge,  Handbook)    part  ii,  718. 

73  I  have  never  seen  any  reference  to  this  document  other  than  the  present 
and  others  which  Kino  makes  in  this  work.     Evidently  it  was  never  printed. 


92  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

uous  with  this  New  Spain,  the  Gulf  of  California  end- 
ing in  the  latitude  of  thirty-five  degrees,"  and,  with  its 
map,  I  am  sending  it  to  Mexico  to  the  father  provincial, 
Juan  de  Estrada,74  as  his  Reverence  asks  me  to  do. 

The  purposes  of  these  new  conquests  and  new  conver- 
sions and  of  the  celestial  favors  that  we  experience  in 
them  are  very  much  and  very  particularly  promoted 
by  the  holy,  paternal  letter  which  I  have  just  received 
from  our  most  reverend  father  general,  Miguel  Angel 
Tamburini,75  who,  at  the  same  time  that  he  furnishes  a 
copy  of  most  of  these  writings  of  mine,  which,  by  order 
of  his  predecessor,  Father  Thirso  Gonzales,  went  to 
Rome,  among  other  paternal,  most  excellent,  and  holy 
things,  writes  me  the  following: 

Letter  of  Our  Father  General.  Hearing  of  the  new 
discoveries  and  of  their  condition,  I  find  much  to  praise  in  the 
mercies  of  God  towards  those  nations  that  are  being  discovered 
and  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  Him ;  and  our  Company  owes 
special  thanks  to  His  Divine  Majesty,  in  that  he  chooses  its  sons 
as  instruments  of  so  great  glory  to  Him.  I  await  the  other  two 
parts  of  the  Celestial  Favors  which  your  Reverence  promises.  All 
these  reports  are  such  as  fill  me  with  joy  and  with  a  desire  to  re- 
spond to  the  zeal  of  your  Reverence  and  of  your  companions. 
But  just  as  there  are  obstacles  there,  we  regret  that  here  wars, 
lack  of  intercourse,  and  the  dangers  of  the  seas  detain  our  mis- 
sionaries. But  we  all  trust  with  great  confidence  in  the  loving 
providence  of  God ;  for  since  it  has  been  His  will,  in  such 
troubled  times  as  these,  to  disclose  those  new  regions,  and  to  re- 
veal to  us  the  many  souls  that  are  scattered  outside  of  His  flock, 
it  can  not  be  in  order  that  we  may  see  them  perish,  but  instead 

74  Father  Juan  de  Estrada  became  acting  provincial  in  November,  1707. 
He  had  been  provost  of  the  Casa  Profesa  of  Mexico  (Alegre,  Historia,  vol. 
iii,  150).  He  was  succeeded  by  Father  Antonio  Jardon  (1708-1711)  ;  he  in 
turn  by  Alonso  Arrevillaga,   in  April,   1711    (Alegre,  Historia,  vol.  iii,   150- 

157)- 

75  Succeeding  Father  Tirso  Gonzalez,  Father  Michele  Angelo  Tamburini 

was  general  of  the  Jesuit  Order  from  January  31,  1706  to  February  28,  1730 
{Catholic  Encyclopedia,  vol.  xiv,  85-86). 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  93 

to  give  us  means  and  power  to  draw  them  from  their  forests  and 
reduce  them  to  pueblos  and  churches.  Thus,  I  beg  his  divine 
Majesty  to  guard  your  Reverence  the  many  years  which  I  desire. 
Your  Reverence's  servant,  Miguel  Angel  Tamburini. 

Rome,  September  5,  1705. 

Thus  far  the  letter  of  our  father  general,  from  Rome, 
so  laden  with  celestial  favors.  Here  follow  the  means 
and  forces  which  he  says  our  Lord  will  give  us  to  re- 
duce so  many  souls  to  pueblos  and  churches.  They 
are  those  which  by  divine  grace  we  already  have,  and 
are  as  follows : 

Means  for  these  New  Conversions.  I.  The 
very  rich  and  fertile  lands,  abounding  in  wheat,  maize, 
beans,  good  rivers,  groves,  etc.  We  already  have  made 
many  crops,  fields,  and  abundant  harvests.  II.  We 
already  have  prepared  many  ranches  of  cattle,  sheep, 
goats,  and  horses,  not  only  in  these  new  pueblos,  but 
also  very  far  inland,  at  distances  of  twenty,  thirty,  forty, 
fifty,  and  more  leagues.  III.  We  already  have  very 
good  orchards  and  vineyards  to  supply  wine  for  the 
masses.  IV.  The  temperature  of  these  new  lands  is 
similar  to  that  of  Europe.  V.  These  new  conquests 
are  inhabited  by  industrious  Indians.  VI.  The  lands 
are  mineral  bearing.  VII.  We  already  have  conquered 
these  Pima  Indians,  who  are  able  and  accustomed  to 
win  continual  victories  over  the  enemies  who  infest  this 
province  of  Sonora,  etc.  VIII.  These  natives  on  the 
neighboring  California  Gulf  have  very  good  salines, 
and  fisheries  of  all  kinds  of  palatable  fish,  oysters,  and 
shrimps.  They  also  have  bezoar,  the  medicinal  fruit 
called  jojoba,  blankets,  cotton  fabrics,  curious  and  very 
showy  baskets  or  pitchers,  macaws,  and  feathers;  and 
further  inland  there  must  be  other  means,  advantages, 
and  conveniences.     IX.     The  harvest  of  the  very  many 


94  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

souls  is  now  so  ripe  that  all  the  year  they  come  from 
distances  of  fifty,  one  hundred,  one  hundred  and  fifty, 
and  more  leagues,  to  see  me  and  to  ask  me  to  go  and 
baptize  them,  or  to  procure  for  them  priests  who  shall 
go  to  assist,  care  for,  and  minister  to  them. 

And  although  these  extensive  conquests  will  require 
about  fifty  missionary  fathers,  all  with  their  customary 
alms  or  necessary  supplies,  your  Majesty  can  furnish 
them,  without  its  causing  any  new  expense  to  the  royal 
estate,  by  merely  ordering  that  some  amounts  which 
are  now  being  spent  by  it  without  securing  the  ends  for 
which  your  Royal  Majesty  intends  them,  and  which  are 
therefore  not  profitable,  be  assigned  to  the  said  fifty 
missionary  fathers  of  these  new  conquests  and  new  con- 
versions, who,  God  willing,  will  better  achieve  both 
purposes,  as  I  will  state  in  another  and  separate  me- 
morial. 

I  conclude  with  what,  so  much  to  our  purpose  and 
to  the  purposes  of  all,  our  Holy  Mother  Church  says, 
prays,  and  sings  on  the  first  feast  day  in  May,  that  of 
San  Felipe  and  Santiago,  namely,  Gentiles  Salvatorem 
videre  cupientes  ad  Philipum  accesserunt™  that  is,  the 
Gentiles  who  wished  to  see  the  Saviour  of  the  world 
drew  near  to  Philip.  And  thus  we  see  and  happily 
experience  with  the  very  Catholic,  very  pious,  and  most 
Christian  royal  cedula  of  your  Majesty,  that  all  the 
innumerable  Gentiles  of  these  new  conversions  and  new 
conquests  of  this  very  extensive  and  formerly  unknown 
North  America  and  Nueva  Navarra,  etc.,  in  order  to 
see,  know,  and  love  the  Saviour  of  the  world  and  to  save 
themselves  eternally,  draw  near  to  the  most  pious  pro- 

76  "The  Gentiles,  desiring  to  see  the  Savior,  came  to  Philip."  Roman 
Breviary,  Lesson  iv,  Feast  of  Sts.  Philip  and  James,  Apostles.  Founded  on 
John,  xii,  20,  21.  Marginal  annotation  in  the  original  Ms:  1  Mai).  Noct. 
11  Led.  1. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  95 

tection,  happy  obedience,  and  fortunate  vassalage  of 
Philip  V,77  the  very  Catholic  and  most  happy  king  and 
grand  monarch  of  the  Spains  and  the  Indies,  whose 
royal  life  may  the  Sovereign  Divine  Majesty  preserve 
and  prosper  through  long  and  most  happy  years  with 
His  celestial  favors,  for  the  temporal  and  eternal  hap- 
piness of  the  European  and  American  worlds,  and  of 
the  universe  of  the  heavens  and  of  the  earth,  for  ever- 
more, amen.  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores,  of  these 
new  conquests  and  new  conversions  of  Nueva  Navarra, 
November  21,  1708.  From  your  very  Catholic  and 
humble  Chaplain,  Eusebio  FRANCISCO  Kino. 


77  Philip  V  was  king  of  Spain  during  the  years  1700-1746. 


PROLOGUE  TO  THE  CHARITABLE  READER 

Father  Alexandre)  Francisco  Tivipucci,  closely  imi- 
tating Father  Marcello  Mastrilli  in  tender  devotion  to 
San  Francisco  Xavier,  as  shown  in  the  novena  of  that 
glorious  holy  Apostle  of  the  Indies,  says  these  words: 

Before  Jesus  and  most  holy  Mary,  I  do  not  wish  to  owe  this 
health  of  mine  to  human  means  and  forces  or  to  the  virtues  of 
medicine,  but  solely  to  Thee,  O  my  most  glorious  protector,  San 
Francisco  Xavier. 

The  very  same  will  be  said  by  these  poor  sons  of  this 
Pimeria  and  of  this  mainland,  and  by  me,  and  by  the 
most  loving  fathers  and  sons  of  the  neighboring  Cali- 
fornia, et  nati  natorum  et  qui  nasentur.™  And  we  will 
attribute  these  new  spiritual  and  temporal  conquests  of 
these  new  conversions  to  the  celestial  favors  of  these 
above  mentioned  most  divine  protectors  of  ours  rather 
than  to  human  agencies  or  to  the  military  forces  of  the 
presidios  and  soldiers,  etc.;  and  we  will  repeat  with  the 
royal  prophet,  Dominus  virtutum,  ipse  est  rex  gloriae 
(Ps.  23)  ;  et  exaltare,  Domine,  in  virtute  tua,  cantavimus 
et  psalemus  virtutes  tuas™  (Ps.  20).  We  will  sing,  O 
Lord,  Thy  greatness,  Thy  virtues,  Thy  great  mercies, 
and  Thy  celestial  favors  and  those  of  Thy  Saints. 

To  the  most  glorious  and  most  pious  thaumaturgus 
and  apostle  of  the  Indies,  San  Francisco  Xavier,  we 
all  owe  very  much.    I  owe  him,  first,  my  life,  of  which 

78  "And  their  children's  children  and  those  yet  unborn." 

79  "The  Lord  of  Hosts  He  is  the  King  of  Glory"  (Psalm  xxiii,  10).  "Be 
Thou  exalted,  O  Lord,  in  Thy  own  strength;  we  will  sing  and  praise  Thy 
powers"    (Psalm  xx,   14). 


98  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

I  was  caused  to  despair  by  the  physicians  in  the  City  of 
Hala,  of  Tirol,  in  the  year  1669;  second,  my  entrance 
into  the  company  of  Jesus;  third,  my  coming  to  these 
missions  indicated.  And  because  I  know  that  I  owe 
and  do  not  know  whether  or  not  I  pay,  I  beg  and  en- 
treat all  the  celestial  court  and  all  the  earthly  universe 
to  aid  me  in  giving  him  due  thanks  for  so  many  celestial 
favors  bestowed  upon  the  most  unworthy  of  all  the 
earth. 

And  by  celestial  favors  I  mean  here  especially  the 
wonderful  mercies  which,  before  Jesus  and  Mary,  we 
receive  from  this  most  glorious  apostle  of  the  Indies,  in 
the  midst  of  such  great  human  obstacles  and  opposi- 
tion as,  through  Divine  disposition,  have  been  encoun- 
tered in  the  reduction  of  so  many  souls,  who  exceed 
twenty  thousand.  And  as  Father  Visitor  Juan  Maria 
Salvatierra  very  fittingly  said  during  his  visit  to  this 
Pimeria  in  the  middle  of  January,  1691,  when,  at  that 
time,  we  were  speaking  together  here  of  the  conversion 
of  California  (the  Holy  Church  includes  the  same 
words  in  the  prayer  of  the  three  holy  kings),  Apertum 
est  nobis  ostium  magnum  et  evidens;  et  adversarii  multi 
(Corint  ld).m  There  has  indeed  been  opened  to  us  a 
very  wide  and  very  obvious  gate  to  all  this  most  ex- 
tensive northern  part  of  this  North  America,  situated 
in  its  most  pleasant  and  most  fertile  temperate  zone; 
and,  moreover,  human  means  have  been  so  lacking  that 
many  times  those  whose  duty  it  was  to  aid  us  have  hin- 
dered us,  and  those  who  were  our  friends  have  become 
our  enemies,  placing  many  obstacles  in  the  way  of  ev- 
erything and  trying  to  make  light  of  the  whole  affair. 

All  the  good  is  due  to  spiritual  agencies:  to  these  ce- 

80  «a  great  and  evident  door  is  opened  unto  us ;  and  there  are  many  ad- 
versaries {Ostium  enim  mihi  apertum  est  magnum  et  evidens;  et  adversarii 
multi."    I   Cor.,  xvi,   9). 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  99 

lestial  favors  of  Jesus  and  Mary  and  San  Francisco 
Xavier;  to  all  of  the  holy  convent  of  Nuestra  Senora  de 
los  Reyes  of  Seville,  Spain;  and  to  all  of  the  holy  con- 
vent of  San  Joseph  de  Garcia  in  the  imperial  City  of 
Mexico,  as  is  attested  by  their  long  papers  and  cata- 
logues, prints,  and  vellums,  in  which  they  note  for  us 
the  holy  aids  of  fervent  and  continuous  prayers,  volun- 
tary penances  and  devotions,  and  pious  works,  by  which 
these  holy  communities  and  many  and  various  other 
servants  of  our  God,  both  men  and  women,  are  pleased 
to  commit  to  his  Divine  Majesty  the  good  and  happy 
promotion  of  these  new  conversions.  And,  thanks  to 
the  Most  High,  by  means  of  the  celestial  favor  of  this 
very  wonderful  and  pacific  Christian  charity,  more  will 
be  attained  now  than  by  ordinary  human  agencies  and 
by  the  military  labors  of  arms  and  of  wars,  just  as,  in 
speaking  of  Rome,  Pope  Saint  Leo,  in  the  first  sermon 
of  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul,  declares  in  these  words, 
Quamvis  enim  multis  aucta  victorijs  ius  ynpeni  tin 
terra  marique  protuleris  minus  tamen  est  quod  tibi 
bellicus  labor  subduxit  quam  quod  Pax  Christiana  sub- 
iecit*1 

During  all  these  years  the  Senor  commander  of  the 
arms  of  these  provinces  himself,  Don  Domingo  Jironza 
Petris  de  Cruzatte,82  has  wished  to  avail  himself  of  his 

81  "For  though  thou  (O,  Rome),  increased  by  many  victories,  didst  once 
spread  the  right  of  thy  power  over  land  and  sea,  still  the  toil  of  war  won  less 
for  thee  than  what  Christian  peace  subdued"  (Roman  Breviary,  Fifth  Lesson, 
Feast  of  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul).  The  entire  passage  refers  to  the  spread  of 
Christian  Rome's  influence.  The  substitution  of  subduxit  for  subdidit  shows 
that  the  quotation  was  from  memory. 

82  Domingo  Jironza  Petriz  de  Cruzat  (or  Cruzate)  was  sent  by  King 
Carlos  II  in  1680  as  visitador  of  the  Leeward  Island  with  a  force  of  fifty 
men  and  the  rank  of  captain  of  infantry,  and  with  orders  to  the  viceroy  to 
provide  him  an  office  in  reward  for  services  in  the  wars  against  Portugal. 
He  was  made  alcalde-mayor  of  Mestitlan,  a  province  near  Mexico  City,  and 
some  two  years  afterward  became  governor  of  the  revolted  province  of  New 


ioo  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

very  Christian  devotion  toward  his  great  patroness, 
Nuestra  Senora  del  Pilar,  and  of  other  pious  works, 
spiritual  exercises,  charitable  plans,  Christian  gifts,  and 
very  Catholic  reasoning  with  these  natives  of  Pimeria, 
rather  than  of  violent  and  bloody  wars.  By  the  former 
means  the  Pimeria  has  been  reduced,  and  at  the  same 
time  the  hostile  Jocomes  and  Janos  have  been  destroyed, 
and  this  tormented  province  of  Sonora  relieved,  re- 
paired, and  made  quiet  and  peaceful.  Who  can  doubt 
now  that  all  these  are  the  agencies,  unexpected  and  un- 
hoped for,  with  which,  as  a  few  years  ago  another  fath- 
er visitor  prophesied  so  correctly,  these  missions  of 
Sonora  were  to  reform  and  give  peace  to  these  prov- 
inces? 

Let  thanks,  then,  be  given  to  the  Most  Holy  Trinity, 
thanks  to  Jesus  and  most  holy  Mary,  thanks  to  the  most 
glorious  apostle  of  the  Indies,  San  Francisco  Xavier, 
and  to  all  the  celestial  court,  for  all  the  celestial  favors 
that  we  have  received  and  are  receiving  in  these  new 
spiritual  and  temporal  conquests  and  conversions; 
thanks  for  the  similar  matchless  benefits  that  we  hope 
to  receive  in  the  future,  in  the  highest,  the  most  lucra- 

Mexico.  He  ruled  "con  aplauso"  till  1686,  made  several  campaigns  against 
hostile  Indians,  but  failed  to  reconquer  the  province.  Again  becoming  gov- 
ernor of  New  Mexico  (1689-1691)  he  made  renewed  attempts  to  reconquer 
the  province,  but  failed,  although  in  the  struggle  at  Zia  he  left  six  hundred  In- 
dians dead  on  the  battle-field.  Before  the  king  had  heard  of  Jironza's  victory 
he  was  replaced  by  Diego  de  Vargas  Zapata.  In  a  royal  cedula  of  June  21, 
1691,  the  king  thanked  him  for  his  services,  conceded  him  the  robe  of  the 
three  military  orders,  and  ordered  that  he  be  retained  in  New  Mexico  if 
Vargas  had  not  taken  possession.  In  1693  he  was  made  commander  of  the 
newly  established  Compania  Volante  of  Sonora  and  alcalde-mayor  of  the 
province,  with  the  capital  at  San  Juan  Bautista.  His  nephew,  Juan  Matheo 
Manje,  was  made  ensign  of  the  company  and  later  lieutenant  alcalde-mayor. 
During  his  rule  (1693-1700)  Jironza  made  numerous  campaigns  against  the 
marauding  Indians,  and  was  much  esteemed  by  the  Jesuit  Fathers,  while 
Manje  became  Kino's  principal  soldier  associate.  See  Manje,  Luz  de  Tierra 
Incognita;  Bancroft,  North  Mexican  States  and  Texas,  vol.  i,  255-256,  262, 
272-274. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  101 

tive,  and  most  happy  ministry  of  all  ministries  in  the 
world.  This  is  the  happy  reward  for  preaching  the  gos- 
pel in  these  apostolic  undertakings,  as  was  put  so  clearly 
by  the  Venerable  Father  Pedro  de  Belasco,  on  being 
called  by  his  superiors  to  leave  the  new  conversions  of 
Sinaloa,  where  he  was  working  so  gloriously,  in  order 
to  go  to  Mexico  to  teach  the  arts.  He  told  them  that 
he  would  have  them  consider  the  injury  that  would  be 
done  to  the  Holy  Writ,  which  was  taught  by  the  Son  of 
God  and  read  by  His  apostles  and  disciples,  if  they  took 
him  away  from  teaching  and  reading  it  to  those  needy 
tribes  merely  to  employ  him  with  the  earthly  maxims 
of  a  heathen  philosopher;  that  it  would  be  a  mortifica- 
tion to  him  to  leave  the  book  of  the  Gospels  for  the 
books  of  Aristotle,  the  preaching  of  Christ  for  the 
teachings  of  Porphyry,  the  explanation  of  the  cate- 
chism of  sound  and  eternal  truths  for  the  categories  of 
vain  and  futile  sophistries;  that  they  should  consider 
before  God  whether  it  would  not  be  a  shame  if  the  lan- 
guages which  he  had  already  learned  and  which  anoth- 
er could  not  learn  so  quickly,  and  which  could  be  used 
in  catechizing  heathen  and  in  teaching  Christian  peo- 
ple, should  go  to  waste,  to  the  spiritual  injury  of  so 
many  people,  merely  in  order  to  occupy  himself  in 
reading  what  many  others  in  the  province  could  al- 
ready do;  that  he  was  not  needed;  that  he  had  come 
from  the  missions  not  to  leave  them,  but  to  make  known 
their  needs  and  his  strong  desire  to  return  to  them;  but 
that  he  was  ready  to  do  whatever  obedience  might  re- 
quire of  him,  before  God.  Thus  far  the  Venerable 
Father  Pedro  de  Velasco,  who  returned  to  his  famous 
missions. 

Now,  O  Sovereign  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth,  who, 
with  Thy  infinite  and  most  divine  love,  and  with  Thy 
most  high  celestial   providence,  ever  surest,  sweetest, 


ioa  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA 

and  gentlest  disposition,  hast  permitted  or  caused  these 
human  obstacles  and  contradictions,  ludens  in  orbe 
terarum,83  and  with  equally  loving,  pious,  and  fatherly 
affection  hast  protected  and  dost  protect  us  with  so 
many  celestial  favors,  permit  not  in  the  future  that 
there  should  be  so  great  forgetfulness  of  Thy  most 
divine  and  most  holy  name  in  these  extensive  unknown 
lands,  Nunquid  cognosentur  in  tenebris,  mirabilia  tua 
aut  justisia  tua  in  terra  oblivionis?  (Ps.  87). 84  Grant 
that  Thy  evangelical  workers  may  come,  and  that,  with 
Thy  celestial  favors  and  with  their  apostolic  toil,  all 
these  tribes,  especially  the  many  neighboring  ones  of 
this  North  America,  may  be  brought  to  holy  knowledge 
of  Thee  and  of  Thy  most  divine  love,  in  order  that  they 
may  praise  Thee  with  Thy  chosen  ones,  the  saints  of 
the  celestial  court  throughout  all  eternity,  Vt  cognos- 
camus  in  terra  viam  tuam,  in  omnibus  gentibus  salutare 
tuum,  confiteantur  tibi  populi,  Deus  confiteantur  tibi, 
populi  omnis  benedicatnos  Deus  Deus  noster  benedi- 
catnos  Deus  et  metuant  (et  diligant)  te  omnes  finis 
terrce  (Ps.  66). 85  And  may  these  benedictions  please 
my  charitable  reader,  as  is  my  wish.  Amen.  Nues- 
tra  Senora  de  los  Dolores,  December  3,  day  of  the  glo- 
rious apostle  of  the  Indies,  San  Francisco  Xavier,  1699. 

83  "Playing  in  the  world"  (Prov.,  viii,  31.  Ludens  in  orbe  terrarum  et 
delicia  mea  esse  cum  filiis  hominum).  The  scriptural  reference  is  to  wis- 
dom, but  in  Catholic  liturgy  the  whole  passage  is  applied  sometimes  to  the 
Word  of  God,  the  "Verbum,"  and  sometimes  to  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary, 
who  has  been  called  Seat  of  Wisdom. 

84  "Shall  Thy  wonders  be  known  in  the  dark,  and  Thy  justice  in  the  land 
of  forgetfulness?"  {Psalm  lxxxvii,  13).  The  aut  for  et  indicates  again  a 
quotation  from  memory.     We  should  now  write  cognoscentur  and  justitia. 

85  "That  we  may  know  thy  way  upon  earth,  thy  salvation  in  all  nations. 
Let  the  peoples  confess  to  Thee,  O  God;  let  all  the  peoples  confess  to  Thee. 
May  God,  our  own  God,  bless  us,  may  God  bless  us.  And  may  all  the  ends 
of  the  earth  fear  (and  love)  Thee"  (Psalm,  Ixvi,  3,  4,  8).  Populi  omnis  for 
populi  omnes,  as  now  written,  and  omnes  fines  for  omnes  finis.  The  metuant 
te  for  metuant  eum,  and  the  insertion  of  et  diligant,  show  intentional  freedom 
in  quoting. 


PART  I 

NEW  SPIRITUAL  AND  TEMPOR- 
al  Conquests  in  Pimeria,  of  the  King- 
dom of  Nueva  Biscaya,  during  the 
Suspension  of  the  Enterprise  of  the 
Conquest  and  Conversion  of  Califor- 
nia; and  the  Events  of  the  Twelve 
Years  from  1687  to  1699 


BOOK    I.     FIRST    ENTRY    INTO    PIMERIA, 
AND  THE  BEGINNINGS  OF  ITS  SPIRIT- 
UAL AND  TEMPORAL   CONQUEST, 
AND   OF   ITS   CONVERSION   TO 
OUR  HOLY  CATHOLIC  FAITH 

CHAPTER  I.     BECAUSE  OF  THE  SUSPENSION  OF  THE 

CONQUEST  AND  CONVERSION  OF  CALIFORNIA,  TWO 

ALMS  ARE  ASKED  AND  OBTAINED  FROM  THE  ROYAL 

TREASURY  FOR  TWO  MISSIONARY  FATHERS 

FOR  THIS   COAST  AND   MAINLAND 

NEAREST  TO  CALIFORNIA 

The  enterprise  of  the  conquest  and  conversion  of 
California,  in  which  I  took  part  for  more  than  two 
years,  with  two  other  fathers  of  the  Company,  with  the 
offices  of  superior,  or  rector,  and  of  cosmographer  of 
his  Majesty,  may  God  preserve  him,  having  been  sus- 
pended,86 for  twelve  years  and  going  on  thirteen  I  have 
been  in  this  extensive  Pimeria,  which  has  a  length  from 
north  to  south  of  more  than  one  hundred  leagues,  reach- 

86  The  reference  is  to  the  attempt  of  Atondo  y  Antillon  to  subdue  Cali- 
fornia, 1683-1685.  See  Venegas  (Burriel),  Noticia  de  California,  vol.  iii, 
218  et  seq.     See  also  references  in  the  "Index"  of  the  present  work. 

Important  new  material  concerning  the  abandonment  of  California  is  con- 
tained in  an  expediente  of  correspondence,  in  the  Archivo  General  de  Indias, 
at  Seville  (A.G.I.  67-3-28.  Audiencia  de  Guadalajara.  Copy  in  the  Ban- 
croft Library).  It  contains  a  report  on  California  by  the  Bishop  of  Guadala- 
jara, February  18,  1686;  Kino  to  the  Bishop  of  Guadalajara,  Torin,  May  30, 
1685;  id.  id.,  Guadalajara,  October  10,  1685;  id.  id.,  Compostela,  November 
5,  1685;  id.  id.,  Matanchel,  November  15,  1685;  id.  id.,  on  board  the  Almi- 
ranta,  December  2,  1685;  Father  Matias  Gones  (Goni)  to  Bishop  Garabito, 
Port  of  San  Ignacio,  Sinaloa,  September  22,  1685;  Kino  to  the  Bishop  of 
Guadalajara,  Casa  Profesa,  Mexico,  February  15,  1686;  Atondo  to  the  Bishop 
of  Guadalajara,  Mexico,  February  16,  1686.  These  letters  give  a  clue  to 
Kino's  itinerary  after  leaving  California. 


106  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

ing  from  the  province  and  valleys  of  Sonora  almost  to 
the  province  of  Moqui,  and  a  width  of  as  many  and 
even  more  leagues  from  east  to  west,  from  the  land  of 
the  Jocomes,  Janos,  Sumas,  Apaches,87  etc.,  to  the 
arm  of  the  Sea  of  California.  For,  on  the  occasion  of 
this  suspension,  I  asked  of  the  father  provincial,  who 
at  the  time  was  Father  Luys  del  Canto,88  permission  to 
come  to  the  heathen  people  of  these  coasts  nearest  to  the 
above  mentioned  California,  and  when  his  Reverence 
said  to  me  that  there  were  no  alms  from  his  Majesty  for 
this  purpose,  I  told  him  that  if  he  would  give  me  per- 
mission I  would  ask  them  of  his  Excellency.  He  re- 
plied that  I  should  make  a  report,  and  with  it  and  one 
of  his  own  his  Reverence  asked  and  obtained  two  alms 
for  two  persons.  With  one  I  came  at  once  to  this 
Pimeria,  and  with  the  other  Father  Adan  Gil 89  came 
later  to  the  neighboring  Seris.  When  these  alms  were 
conceded,  the  fiscal  of  his  Majesty,  Don  Pedro  de  la 
Bastilla,  may  God  preserve  him,  asserted  that  these 
coasts  would  afford  the  best  opportunity  possible  for 
continuing  afterwards  from  here  with  the  conquest 
and  conversion  of  California.  Leaving  Mexico  on 
November  20,  1686,  just  after  Father  Bernabe  de  Soto 
had  come  as  provincial,  I  went  to  Guadalaxara,  whence 

87  The  Janos  and  Jocomes,  now  extinct,  dwelt  between  Casas  Grandes, 
Chihuahua,  and  the  Gila.  Bandelier  regarded  them  as  the  most  southern 
band  of  Apaches,  and  as  a  composite  of  broken  down  tribes.  Missions  were 
early  established  among  them  at  Janos  and  Carretas.  See  Hodge,  Handbook, 
vol.  i,  628;  Hughes,  Anne,  Beginnings  of  Spanish  Settlement  in  the  El  Paso 
District  (University  of  California,  Publications  in  History,  vol.  i).  They 
became  absorbed  in  the  main  Apache  nation. 

88  Luis  del  Canto  was  provincial  in  New  Spain,  1683-1686.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Father  Bernabe  Soto,  long  a  missionary  among  the  Tepehuanes 
(Alegre,  Historia,  vol.  iii,  60-61).  Soto  was  still  ruling  in  November,  1689 
{ibid.,  pp.  66-67). 

89  Concerning  Father  Adam  Gilg  (or  Gil),  see  Stocklein,  Letters  no.  33 
and  no.  53.  In  both  he  speaks  of  Kino.  See  also  Huonder,  Anton,  Deutsche 
J esuiten-missionare  des  17.  und  18.     Jahrhunderts,   108. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  107 

I  set  out  on  December  16,  having  obtained  from  the 
Royal  Audiencia  the  royal  provision  and  the  inserted 
royal  cedula  which  is  given  in  the  following  chapter.90 

CHAPTER  II.     ROYAL  PROVISION  AND  ROYAL  CEDU- 
LA WHICH  FAVOR  THE  NEW  CONVERSIONS 

At  the  suggestion  of  the  father  provincial,  Luis  del 
Canto,  and  of  the  father  provincial  elect,  Bernabe  de 
Soto,  I  asked  for  and  obtained  from  the  Royal  Au- 
diencia of  Guadalaxara,  through  the  very  Catholic  zeal 
of  the  Senor  president,  Don  Alonso  Sevallos  y  Billa 
Gutierres,  and  of  the  Senor  judge  Don  Christobal  de 
la  Palma,  a  royal  provision  to  the  effect  that  during 
five  years  no  natives  whatever  should  be  taken  out  with 
seals  to  work,  from  the  places  where  I  should  go  for 
their  conversion.  I  requested  this  royal  provision  at  a 
very  opportune  time,  for  there  had  just  arrived  from 
Spain  the  very  Catholic  royal  cedula  which  orders  that 
for  twenty  years  recent  converts  to  our  holy  faith  shall 
not  be  taken  away  with  seals.  This  royal  cedula  is 
dated  at  Buen  Retiro,  May  14,  of  the  said  year  of  1686. 
It  is  so  very  Catholic  and  so  favorable  to  the  new  con- 
quests and  new  conversions  that  I  will  insert  here  some 
of  its  notable  paragraphs. 

90  Important  new  data  concerning  Father  Kino's  negotiations  with  the  au- 
thorities at  Guadalajara  is  contained  in  an  expediente  of  correspondence  in 
the  Archivo  General  de  Indias  {A.  G.  I.  Audiencia  de  Guadalajara,  67-1-36. 
Transcript  in  the  Bancroft  Library).  It  includes  a  report  by  the  Audiencia 
to  the  King,  July  23,  1686,  in  virtue  of  the  real  cedula  of  May  14,  1686 
(quoted  in  next  chapter)  ;  copy  of  the  cedula  of  May  1+,  1686,  by  which  we 
are  able  to  check  Kino's  copy;  report  to  the  Audiencia  by  Father  Joseph  de 
Azcarasso,  Franciscan,  concerning  frontier  missions,  October  9,  1686; 
negotiations  of  the  Audiencia  with  various  missionary  organizations;  petition 
of  Eusebio  Francisco  Kino,  "missionary  named  for  the  reduction  and  con- 
version to  our  Holy  Faith  of  the  Seris,  Huaymas,  and  Pimas  in  the  province 
of  Sonora,  Kingdom  of  Nueva  Vizcaya,"  regarding  taking  Indians  under  seal 
to  work  in  mines,  undated,  but  passed  on  by  the  Audiencia  December  16, 
1686;  and  petition  of  Father  Azcarasso,  undated,  but  considered  May  2, 
1687. 


108  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Well,  then,  our  most  Catholic  monarch,  Don  Carlos 
II,  may  God  preserve  him  many  most  happy  years, 
writes  as  follows: 

Royal  Cedula.  Whereas,91  in  my  Royal  Council  of  the 
Indies  information  has  been  received  that  twenty-four  leagues 
from  Mexico  the  tribes  of  heathen  Indians  begin  and  that  they 
continue  without  interruption  through  the  provinces  of  Nueva 
Espana,  Nueva  Galicia,  Nueva  Biscaya,  Nueva  Mexico,  etc.,92 
and  93  that  care  is  not  given  to  their  conversion ;  and  since  this  is 
the  first  and  principal  obligation  of  the  ministers,  to  whose  ful- 
fillment they  should  give  very  particular  care  and  attention,  so 
that  the  neglect  and  omission  which  even  here  have  been  noted 
and  experienced  may  not  continue;  since  for  this  conversion  no 
escort  of  soldiers  is  needed,  as  the  natives  show  no  resistance,  and 
as  some  nations  and  districts  assist  with  others ;  since  this  care  is 
the  first  obligation  of  the  Council,  and  is  kept  prominently  in 
mind  by  it,  as  in  the  eighth  ordinance  I  have  charged  it  to  do; 
and  wishing  to  satisfy  its  conscience,  in  so  far  as  it  may  be  con- 
cerned, as  I  have  satisfied  my  own  by  fulfilling  so  important  an 
obligation,  and  by  applying  all  means,  endeavors,  and  requests 
possible,  in  order  to  secure  the  execution  of  a  thing  that  is  so  ser- 
viceable to  God,  our  Lord,  who,  in  his  great  providence,  always 
returns  a  very  great  and  notable  increase  to  my  monarchy  for 
what  is  spent  from  my  royal  estate  in  these  new  conversions ;  and 
wishing  to  comply  with  this  obligation,  which  I  regard  as  the 
principal  one  of  my  great  desire,  I  have  agreed  to  issue  the  pres- 
ent cedula,  by  which  I  order  and  command  my  viceroy  of  Nueva 
Espana  and  the  presidents  and  judges  of  my  Royal  Audiencias  of 
Mexico,  Guadalaxara,  and  Guatemala,  and  the  governors  of 
Nueva  Biscaya,  that  as  soon  as  they  shall  receive  this  my  cedula 
they  shall  exercise  very  especial  care  and  application  to  the  end 

91  A  comparison  of  this  copy  of  the  cedula  with  the  official  copy  in  A.G.I. 
Aud.  de  Guad.,  67-1-36,  shows  that  Kino  has  omitted  numerous  phrases  of  the 
original,  as  non-essential  to  his  point,  and  has  paraphrased  others.  Two  ex- 
amples are  given  in  the  two  notes  following. 

92  "Y  pr.  el  nuebo  Rno.  de  Leon  asta  la  florida"  is  omitted  by  Kino 
here  (see  copy  in  A.G.I.  Aud.  Guad.,  67-1-36). 

93  "Y  que  entre  campeche  y  Guatemala  y  sus  costas  del  mar  del  Norte  ay 
otras  naciones  de  Yndios  Jentiles  y  que  teniendoles  a  la  puerta  y  tan  imme- 
diatos,"  omitted  by  Kino   (see  ibid.). 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  109 

that  all  the  tribes  of  heathen  Indians  which  may  be  found  in  the 
district  and  jurisdiction  comprised  in  the  government  of  each 
audiencia  and  government  district,  may  be  reduced  and  con- 
verted to  our  holy  Catholic  faith,  each  one  providing,  in  so  far 
as  concerns  him,  that  from  now  on  their  reduction  and  conver- 
sion be  undertaken  with  the  mildest  and  most  effective  means 
that  can  be  employed  and  contrived,  entrusting  it  to  the  ecclesi- 
astics most  satisfactory  to  them  and  of  the  virtue  and  spirit  re- 
quired for  so  very  important  a  matter,  giving  to  them  for  the 
purpose  the  assistance,  favor,  and  aid  that  may  be  necessary,  and 
encouraging  them  in  it  in  the  best  manner  possible,  and  promis- 
ing in  my  name  to  all  new  converts  that  during  the  first  twenty 
years  of  their  reduction  they  will  not  be  required  to  give  tribute 
or  to  serve  on  estates  or  in  mines,  since  this  is  one  of  the  reasons 
why  they  refuse  to  be  converted.  And  I  charge  my  ministers  to 
notify  me  at  once  of  the  receipt  of  this  dispatch,  of  what  may  be 
done  in  virtue  thereof,  and  of  the  condition  which  this  matter 
may  be  assuming,  so  that  upon  receipt  of  this  information  the 
orders  most  important  for  its  continuation  may  be  given,  because 
I  desire  that  all  time  possible  be  gained  in  a  matter  of  such  im- 
portance and  so  serviceable  to  God  and  to  me.  Done  at  Buen 
Retiro,  May  14,  1686.  I,  the  King. 

CHAPTER  III.     MY  ARRIVAL  AT  THESE  MISSIONS  OF 
SONORA,  AND  MY  FIRST  ENTRY  INTO  THIS  PIMERIA, 
WITH  THE  FATHER  VISITOR,  MAN- 
UEL GONZALES 

With  this  royal  provision  and  royal  cedula,  which 
by  its  admirable  Catholic  zeal  might  well  and  should 
astonish  and  edify  the  whole  world,  I  came  in  February 
of  1687  to  these  missions  of  Sonora,  and  went  to  Opos- 
sura  to  see  and  talk  with  the  father  visitor,  who  then 
was  Father  Manuel  Gonzales.94  I  found  in  his  Rev- 
erence such  charity  and  so  holy  a  zeal  for  the  welfare 

94  According  to  Bancroft  {North  Mexican  States  and  Texas,  vol.  i,  252) 
"Kino  went  first  to  the  Ures"  where  he  arrived  "early  in  1687,"  and  where  he 
secured  interpreters.  For  additional  data  concerning  his  arrival  in  Pimeria 
Alta  see  volume  ii,  76-77,  where  it  appears  that  Father  Belmar  entered  with 
him. 


no  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

of  souls,  that  his  Reverence  in  person  came  at  once 
more  than  fifty  leagues'  journey  to  this  pueblo  of  Nues- 
tra  Senora  de  los  Dolores,  which  is  five  leagues  from 
the  old  mission  of  Cucurpe,  of  the  rectorate  of  San 
Francisco  Xavier  de  Sonora.  On  the  way  we  passed 
by  the  mining  town  of  San  Juan95  and  saw  the  Senor 
alcalde  mayor,  who,  with  the  great  respectfulness  that 
characterizes  him,  gave  obedience  to  the  royal  cedula 
and  to  the  royal  provision.  Coming  by  the  valley  of 
Sonora  we  saw  the  father  rector  of  the  mission  or  rec- 
torate, who  then  was  Father  Juan  Munos  de  Burgos, 
and  by  the  valley  and  pueblo  of  Opodepe,  Tuape,  and 
Cocorpe,96  divisions  or  pueblos  then  administered  by 
Father  Josep[h]  de  Aguilar;  and  on  the  thirteenth  of 
March,  1687,97  we  three  Fathers  together  came  to  Nues- 
tra  Senora  de  los  Dolores  del  Bamotze,98  or  de  Cosari, 
having  the  day  before  notified  the  natives.  Their  gov- 
ernor was  absent,  but,  nevertheless,  they  received  us 
with  all  love,  for,  months  and  years  before  they  had 
asked  for  fathers  and  holy  baptism. 

95  Real  de  San  Juan  was  situated  some  forty  leagues  eastward  from 
Dolores,  and  an  equal  distance  southward  of  Arizpe.  It  was  at  this  time  the 
seat  of  government  of  the  alcaldia  mayor  of  Sonora. 

96  Cucurpe  was  thus  the  frontier  mission  of  Sonora  at  this  time.  Indeed, 
this  fact  is  stated  by  Kino  himself  in  his  letter  of  May  13,  1687.  The  place, 
still  in  existence,  is  a  few  miles  south  of  the  site  of  mission  Dolores,  in  the 
San  Miguel  River  Valley. 

97  Bancroft  states  that  the  mission  of  N.S.  de  los  Dolores  was  "founded" 
on  the  thirteenth  of  March.  This  may  be  true,  in  the  sense  of  going  through 
certain  formalities  of  the  founding.  But  none  of  the  sources  which  I  have 
seen  state  that  even  this  was  the  case.  Kino  does  not;  Ortega  states  that  on 
the  thirteenth  Kino  reached  the  place  where  he  founded  the  mission  (Apos- 
tolicos  A  fanes,  p.  246)  ;  Alegre  says  that  from  the  Real  de  San  Juan  he  went 
to  the  place  where  he  afterward  founded  the  mission  (Historia,  vol.  iii,  61). 
In  his  letter  of  May  13,  1687,  Kino  states  that  on  the  thirteenth  Father  Gon- 
zalez baptized  one  infirm  Indian,  but  says  nothing  of  the  founding  of  the 
mission.     See  Alegre,  Historia,  vol.  iii,  62,  for  more  light. 

98  In  his  letter  of  May  13,  1687,  Kino  calls  this  place  "Tschinnas  de 
Bamuschil"   (Stocklein,  Neue  fVelt-Bott,  Theil  i,  109). 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  in 

The  following  day"  the  father  visitor,  leaving  us 
fathers  and  the  children  with  a  very  paternal  goodbye, 
returned  toward  Oposura  to  the  necessary  occupations 
of  Holy  Week,  etc.,  suggesting  to  Father  Aguilar  and 
me  that  we  should  see  later  if  there  was  opportunity 
to  go  somewhat  further  inland  to  seek  and  find  a  place 
where  a  second  pueblo  might  be  founded. 

CHAPTER   IV.     EXPEDITION   TO   SAN   YGNACIO   DE 

CABORICA,  SAN  JOSEPH  DE  LOS  HIMIRIS,  AND 

NUESTRA  SExORA  DE  LOS  REMEDIOS 

Upon  this  advice  of  the  father  visitor  we  at  once,  the 
very  same  day,  went  inland  to  the  west,  and  after  going 
ten  leagues  found  the  very  good  post  of  Caborica,100  in- 
habited by  affable  people,  which  by  order  of  the  father 
visitor  we  named  San  Ygnacio.101  Then,  turning  to  the 
north,  we  found  another  good  post,  with  plenty  of  do- 
cile and  domesticated  people.  This  place  we  named 
San  Joseph  de  los  Himires.102    To  the  east  we  found  an- 

99  From  this  time  until  January,  1691,  Kino's  movements  have  been  little 
known  (see  Apostolicos  A  fanes,  247-249;  Alegre,  Historia,  vol.  iii,  61-73;  Ban- 
croft, op.  cit.,  vol.  i,  253),  and  the  contribution  of  the  Favores  Celestiales  at 
this  point  is  therefore  highly  important.  It  is  supplemented  by  some  details 
in  the  letter  of  May  13,  1687. 

100  Bancroft  says,  "It  seems  to  have  been  called  S.  Ignacio  Caborca  at  first, 
but  ...  as  there  was  another  pueblo  known  as  Caborca,"  etc.  (Bancroft, 
North  Mexican  States,  vol.  i,  253).  Is  it  not  an  error  of  the  A  fanes  that 
Caborica  was  called  Caborca?  Caborca  is  on  the  lower  Altar  River,  a 
few  leagues  from  the  Gulf.  For  frequent  references  to  this  place,  see 
"Index." 

101  In  his  letter  of  May  13  Kino  states  that  the  name  San  Ignacio  was  given 
to  the  village  which  the  natives  called  Himires.  Plainly  either  the  letter  or 
the  Favores  is  wrong,  and  there  is  no  doubt  that  it  is  the  letter.  In  that 
document  he  gives  Himires  as  the  first  of  the  three  places  visited.  It  seems 
that,  writing  two  months  after  the  visit,  he  got  the  names  of  the  places  con- 
fused. 

102  San  Jose  de  los  Hymeris  (Alegre,  Historia,  vol.  iii,  62);  San  Jose  de 
Imuris,  on  the  Rio  San  Ignacio,  some  twenty-five  or  thirty  miles  across  the 
mountains  from  Dolores  (Bancroft,  op.  cit.,  vol.  i,  253);  San  Joseph  and  Los 
Remedios  were  named  on  the  fifteenth   (Kino,  Letter  of  May  13,  1687). 


ii2  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

other,  likewise  of  industrious  Indians,  which  we  named 
Nuestra  Sefiora  de  los  Remedios.  It  is  distant  from 
Nuestra  Sefiora  de  los  Dolores  seven  leagues,  to  the 
north.103  In  all  places  they  received  with  love  the  Word 
of  God  for  the  sake  of  their  eternal  salvation.104  We 
returned,  thanks  to  the  Lord,  safe  and  rejoicing,  to 
Nuestra  Sefiora  de  los  Dolores.105  Father  Aguilar  went 
on  to  Cucurpe,  and  I  began  to  catechize  the  people  and 
to  baptize  children.  The  governor  of  Nuestra  Seiiora 
de  los  Dolores  came  from  inland  and  by  him  and  others 
I  sent  to  various  and  even  remote  parts  of  this  Pimeria 
divers  messages  and  friendly  invitations,  requesting  that 
they  should  endeavor  likewise  to  become  Christians, 
saying  that  for  them  would  be  the  good  and  the  ad- 
vantage, for  I  had  come  to  aid  them  in  order  that  they 
might  be  eternally  saved. 

CHAPTER  V.     FIRST  OPPOSITION  EXPERIENCED  IN 
THIS  NEW  CONVERSION 

Being  always  very  much  aided  in  everything  by  the 
great  charity  of  Father  Joseph  de  Aguilar,  by  Divine 
grace  everything  went,  on  the  part  of  the  natives,  with 
entire  prosperity,  pleasantness,  and  satisfaction,  and 
there  were  welcome  additions,106  but  on  the  part  of  oth- 

103  Alegre  says  "seven  leagues  east"  (Historia,  vol.  iii,  62)  ;  Ortega  (Apos- 
tolicos  A  fanes,  p.  246),  gives  it  as  north.  Bancroft  says  "between  Dolores 
and  Imuris"   (op.  cit.,  vol.  i,  253).     See  "Map"  and  "Index." 

10i  At  this  point  Alegre  falls  into  evident  error,  stating  that  later  N.S.  de 
los  Dolores  and  San  Ignacio  were  put  into  Kino's  charge,  the  other  places 
being  abandoned  (Historia,  vol.  iii,  62).  Ortega  (Apostolicos  A  fanes,  247) 
correctly  states  that  Los  Remedios  and  Dolores  remained  in  Kino's  charge, 
"que  siempre  hasta  su  muerte  administro  el  padre  Kino."  See  post,  page  118, 
where  Kino  states  that  he  had  already  taken  charge  of  Los  Remedios  in 
January,  1691. 

105  On  March  26  (Kino,  Letter  of  May  13,  1687). 

106  By  May  13,  1687,  Kino  had  baptized  at  Dolores  thirty  children  and 
youths,  including  two  sons  of  the  cacique.  Before  the  end  of  April  he  had 
built  a  chapel  (Bethaus)  and  "a  very  poor  parsonage  (Pfarrhof)."  (Kino, 
Letter  of  May  13,  1687). 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  113 

ers  there  was  no  lack  of  hostility,  which  has  endured 
up  to  the  present  day.  A  false  report  was  despatched 
to  the  Senor  alcalde-mayor  of  the  mining  town  of  San 
Juan,  that  these  natives,  on  the  coming  of  the  father 
missionary,  had  moved  far  away.  These  serious  but 
false  reports  reached  the  father  visitor,  Manuel  Gon- 
zales, troubling  his  Reverence  greatly,  and  he  wrote  to 
Tuape,  where  the  three  fathers,  Joseph  de  Aguilar, 
Antonio  de  Roxas,  and  I  were  holding  Holy  Week,10' 
with  more  than  one  hundred  Pimas  of  this  new  pueblo 
of  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores.  Of  the  Pimas  there 
were  about  forty107  recently  baptized  infants  and  chil- 
dren, whom  the  Spanish  ladies  of  the  mining  town  of 
Opodepe  dressed  richly  and  adorned  with  their  orna- 
ments and  best  jewels,  like  new  Christians,  for  the  Pro- 
cession of  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  to  the  great  delight  of 
all ;  nor  was  there  the  least  truth  in  the  pretended  with- 
drawal of  the  natives,  which  so  falsely  was  reported  to 
the  mining  town  of  San  Juan.  All  this  we  wrote  to  the 
father  visitor  for  his  consolation,  we  three  fathers  sign- 
ing the  letter. 

CHAPTER  VI.     SECOND  OPPOSITION  AND  DISCORD 

SOWN  IN  PIMERIA 

Returning  from  Holy  Week  and  Easter  at  Tuape  to 
Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores,  I  went  inland  to  San 
Ygnacio  and  San  Joseph  de  los  Himires,  where  in  all 
places  things  were  going  very  well,  in  spiritual  and 
temporal  matters,  in  Christian  teaching,  beginnings  of 
baptisms,  buildings,  planting  of  crops,  etc.,  but  in  Nues- 
tra Senora  de  los  Remedios  I  found  the  people  so  dis- 
consolate that  they  said  to  me  openly  that  they  neither 

106a  Holy  Week  in  1687  fell  between  March  23  and  March  30. 

107  It  seems  that  Kino  took  his  neophytes  from  Dolores  to  Tuape  to  cele- 
brate Holy  Week.  This  may  have  been  because  his  mission  was  only  im- 
perfectly established. 


ii4  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALT  A  [Vol. 

wished  to  be  Christians  nor  to  have  a  missionary  father. 
On  asking  them  why,  they  answered  me,  first,  because 
they  had  heard  it  said  that  the  fathers  ordered  the  peo- 
ple hanged  and  killed;  second,  because  they  required  so 
much  labor  and  sowing  for  their  churches  that  no  oppor- 
tunity was  left  the  Indians  to  sow  for  themselves;  third, 
because  they  pastured  so  many  cattle  that  the  watering 
places  were  drying  up;  fourth,  because  they  killed  the 
people  with  the  holy  oils;  fifth,  because  they  deceived 
the  Indians  with  false  promises  and  words,  and  because 
I  had  falsely  said  that  I  had  a  letter  or  royal  cedula  of 
the  king  our  Sovereign,  whereas  I  had  no  such  letter, 
for  if  I  had  I  would  have  shown  it  to  the  Senor  lieu- 
tenant of  Bacanuche.  These  chimeras,  discords,  and 
altercations  disturbed  me  very  much,  but  I  recognized 
at  once  whence  they  might  have  come;  and  although 
the  father  visitor  and  I  had  shown  the  royal  provision 
which  I  carried,  with  the  royal  cedula  inserted,  to  the 
Senor  alcalde-mayor  in  the  mining  town  of  San  Juan, 
which  was  sufficient  there,  within  two  days  (on  the 
tenth  of  May)  I  went  with  the  justices108  of  Nuestra 
Senora  de  los  Dolores  to  the  mining  town  of  Baca- 
nuche,109 which  is  twenty  leagues  away.  I  showed  the 
royal  provision  and  the  royal  cedula  to  the  Senor  lieu- 
tenant, Captain  Francisco  Pacheco  Zevallos,  in  whom 
I  found  all  kindness,  and  told  him  of  what  had  hap- 
pened in  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Remedios  because  of 
the  untruths  which  had  been  spread  so  falsely  during 
the  preceding  days  against  the  fathers.  And  gradually 
things  were  remedied  and  the  calumnies  of  the  mali- 
cious and  of  the  common  enemy  hushed,  and  although 

los  These  were  evidently  native  officials. 

109  Bacanuche,  a  real,  or  mining  camp,  about  twenty  leagues  northeast  of 
Dolores  and  the  same  distance  north  of  Arizpe  and  south  of  Cananea.  It  is 
situated   on   the   Bacanuche   River,   a  branch  of  the  Sonora. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  115 

there  was  no  lack  of  stories  and  pretended  dangers  from 
persons  of  little  loyalty,  the  natives  of  this  Pimeria  be- 
came so  inclined  to  our  holy  faith  that  from  places  fur- 
ther inland,  from  El  Tupo,  El  Tubutama,  and  other 
parts,  they  asked  for  fathers  and  holy  baptism. 

CHAPTER  VII.    THE  FATHER  VISITOR,  MANUEL  GON- 
ZALES, VISITS  THESE  THREE  NEW  PUEBLOS  OF  THIS 
PIMERIA,  FOR  WHICH  FOUR  OTHER  MISSION- 
ARY FATHERS  ARE  ASKED  AND  OBTAINED 

Because  of  the  news  of  the  good  beginnings  and  of 
the  baptisms  of  infants  at  this  new  mission  of  Nuestra 
Senora  de  los  Dolores,  the  father  provincial,  Bernave 
de  Soto,  who  had  been  missionary  for  many  years,  was 
so  much  comforted  that  his  Reverence  wrote  me  that  he 
would  very  willingly  exchange  his  office  of  provincial 
for  mine  of  missionary,  in  order  to  be  able  to  baptize 
children,  since  in  the  provincial  office  his  time  was  wast- 
ed, while  here  in  the  missions  there  was  profit. 

On  January  19,  1689,  the  father  visitor,  Manuel  Gon- 
zales, came  on  his  first  visit  to  these  new  pueblos.  He 
went  to  San  Ygnacio,  San  Joseph,  Cocospora,  Nuestra 
Senora  de  los  Remedios,  etc.,  and  would  have  gone 
much  further  inland,  even  to  the  tribe  of  El  Soba,  if 
the  bogs  caused  by  the  spring  rains110  and  those  of  the 
River  of  San  Ygnacio  had  not  spoiled  the  roads  for  us 
and  obstructed  the  passes.  In  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Do- 
lores he  was  so  pleased  by  the  structure  of  the  church 
and  the  house  which  had  been  begun,  the  Christian 
teaching,  the  devotion  at  prayers,  the  book  of  baptisms, 
the  singing  school,  the  rich  lands  and  crops,  etc.,  that 
his  Reverence  said  and  wrote  that  he  had  not  seen  a  new 

110  The  details  given  in  this  chapter  are  almost  entirely  omitted  from  the 
standard  authorities,  and,  as  will  be  seen,  Bancroft  falls  into  positive  error  in 
connection  with  the  matters  discussed. 


n6  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA 

mission  which  enjoyed,  in  so  short  a  time,  so  many  con- 
veniences and  such  progress  in  spiritual  and  temporal 
matters.  Moreover,  a  little  later  his  Reverence,  to- 
gether with  the  Senor  alcalde-mayor,  Bias  del  Castillo, 
asked  and  obtained  from  Mexico  four  new  fathers  for 
this  Pimeria,  and  assigned  them  to  the  following  four 
new  missions:111  Father  Luys  Maria  Pineli  to  San  Yg- 
nacio,  Santa  Maria  Magdalena,  and  San  Miguel  del 
Tupo ;  Father  Antonio  Arras llla  to  San  Pedro  del  Tubu- 
tama  and  San  Antonio  de  Uquetoa;  Father  Pedro  San 
Doval  to  San  Lorenzo  del  Saric,  and  San  Ambrosio  del 
Tucubabia;  and  Father  Juan  del  Castillejo  to  Santiago 
de  Cocospera,  San  Lazaro,  and  Santa  Maria.  They 
came  in  and  accomplished  some  good  in  this  Pimeria, 
but  the  opposition,  obstacles,  and  false  reports  to  the 
effect  that  so  many  fathers  were  not  needed,  since  the 
people  were  very  few,  very  much  retarded  and  almost 
entirely  put  a  stop  to  matters.  And  now  enter  the  new 
government,  the  new  father  provincial,  and  the  new 
father  visitor. 


111  Bancroft,  citing  the  Apostolicos  A  fanes,  writes  "but  from  the  very  first 
years  exaggerated  and  absurd  rumors  of  their  [the  Indians']  ferocity  are 
vaguely  alluded  to  as  having  kept  away  other  padres  and  greatly  troubled 
the  pioneer,  who,  nevertheless  kept  on  alone  [the  italics  are  mine],  and  before 
1690  had  fine  churches  in  each  of  his  villages;"  {North  Mexican  States  and 
Texas,  vol.  i,  253).  In  his  Arizona  and  Neiv  Mexico,  352,  Bancroft  writes: 
"For  six  years  he  toiled  alone,  till  fathers  Campos  and  Januske  came  in  1693 
to  take  charge  of  San  Ignacio  and  Tubutama ;  and  only  eight  padres  besides 
Kino  worked  in  this  field  during  the  latter's  life,  there  being  rarely,  if  ever, 
more  than  four  at  the  same  time."  Ortega  correctly  states  that  the  new  mis- 
sionaries arrived,  but  does  not  give  details.  He  adds  that  they  could  not 
remain  because  it  was  judged  that  they  were  more  needed  elsewhere  {Apos- 
tolicos A  fanes,  247).  Alegre  {Historia,  vol.  iii,  74)  puts  under  1690  the 
order  for  the  retirement  of  the  missionaries  from  "Los  Remedios  and  S.  Jose 
de  los  Hymeris."     For  both  of  these,  see  "Index." 

ma  "Arias."     See  post,  page  118  and  volume  ii,  141. 


BOOK  II.     VISIT  AND  TRIENNIUM  OF  THE 

FATHER  VISITOR  JUAN  MARIA  SAL- 

VATIERRA,  1690,  1 69 1,  1692 

CHAPTER    I.     THE    NEW    FATHER    VISITOR,    JUAN 

MARIA  SALVATIERRA,  COMES  TO  VISIT  THE  FOUR 

FATHERS  OF  THIS  PIMERIA  IN  THEIR  DISTRICTS 

The  new  government  having  entered,  and  Father 
Ambrosio  Oddon  having  come  as  provincial,  his  Rever- 
ence designated  Father  Juan  Maria  de  Salvatierra,  who 
was  stationed  in  Los  Chinipas,112  as  visitor  of  these  mis- 
sions of  Sonora  and  Sinaloa,  and  me,  though  unworthy, 
as  rector  of  this  rectorate  or  mission  of  San  Francisco 
Xavier  de  Sonora  and  of  this  Pimeria.  His  Reverence 
having  heard  so  many  reports  for  and  against  this  Pi- 
meria, he  ordered  Father  Visitor  Juan  Maria  Salva- 
tierra to  come  and  visit  it  and  acquaint  himself  with  it. 
The  father  visitor  came  to  this  district  of  Nuestra  Se- 
nora  de  los  Dolores  on  the  twenty-fourth  of  December, 
1690.113     He   held    Christmas   service   here   and    sang 

112  Bancroft  locates  the  old  mission  of  Chinipa  (Chinipas)  on  an  upper 
branch  of  the  Mayo  River  {North  Mexican  States,  vol.  i,  208).  Today 
Chinipas  is  the  name  of  a  branch  of  the  Fuerte  River  flowing  through  the 
same  general  mountain  region.  The  Chinipas  mission  was  Salvatierra's 
principal  station  before  he  went  to  California.  Chinipas  is  not  to  be  con- 
fused with  Chinapas,  north  of  Arizpe. 

113  Bancroft  {op.  cit.,  vol.  i,  254)  following  Alegre  {Historia,  vol.  iii,  73) 
states  that  Salvatierra  "met  Kino  at  Dolores  in  the  spring  of  1691."  The 
Favores  thus  corrects  this  slight  mistake.  At  this  point  Bancroft  falls  into  a 
more  serious  error,  refusing  to  follow  the  authorities  who  had  seen  the 
Favores  of  whose  existence  he  was  unaware.  Commenting  on  Salvatierra's 
visit  in  1691  he  says  that  Alegre  "strangely  speaks  of  Tubutama,  Saric,  and 
other  raficherias  as  missions  already  founded,  although  at  most  they  could 
only   have   been   visited    by    Kino    and    a   few   children    baptized.     Sill    more 


n8  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

mass  in  this  new  and  capacious  church,  although  it  was 
not  entirely  completed.  He  then  went  inland  for  more 
than  forty  leagues,  visiting  this  Pimeria  for  a  month.114 
We  went  in  from  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores  to 
Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Remedios,  a  distance  of  seven 
leagues.  I  was  already  taking  this  pueblo  under  my 
care,  for  the  people  were  still  much  deceived  because 
of  the  discord  that  had  been  sown  against  the  fathers. 
We  went  on  to  the  valley  and  pueblo  of  San  Joseph  de 
los  Himires,  a  distance  of  six  leagues,  at  which  place 
was  Father  Pedro  de  San  Doval,  for  the  time  being, 
with  seventy  families.  We  went  down  to  San  Ygnacio, 
a  distance  of  three  leagues,  and  to  Santa  Maria  Magda- 
lena  and  Tupo,  where  Father  Luys  Maria  Pineli  was. 
There  were  many  people  in  all  these  places. 

We  continued  to  San  Pedro  del  Tubutama,  a  journey 
of  ten  leagues  from  El  Tupo,  where  Father  Antonio 
Arias  was  stationed,  and  found  more  than  five  hun- 
dred souls.  Some  of  the  chief  men  of  the  neighboring 
tribe  of  El  Soba  also  came  to  see  the  father  visitor,  and, 
as  we  celebrated  there  the  Pascua  de  Reyes,  I  preached 
to  them  from  the  text  Reges  de  Saba  veniunt]115  and  we 
discussed  the  reduction  of  the  Pimas  of  El  Soba,  who 
extend  on  the  west  and  northwest  to  the  Sea  of  Califor- 
nia.    We  proceeded   to   El   Saric  and  Tucubavia,   a 

strangely  he  speaks  of  padres  being  ordered  to  retire  from  Remedios  and 
Imuris,  although  there  had  been  no  padres  there  at  all"  (op.  cit.,  vol.  i,  254). 
From  the  above  paragraph  and  the  statements  on  page  116  it  is  clear  that 
Bancroft  is  mistaken,  not  to  mention  his  temerity  in  trying  to  establish  a 
negative  by  mere  assertion. 

114  From  the  next  paragraph  it  is  clear  that  the  month  covered  Kino's 
trip  with  Salvatierra,  and  that  Kino  does  not  mean  that  Salvatierra  first 
made   a  trip   alone. 

115  "Kings  come  from  Saba"  (Isaias,  Ix,  6.  Omnes  de  Saba  venient. 
Psalm  Ixxi,  10.  Reges  Arabum  et  Saba  dona  adducent).  Both  passages  are 
used  in  the  "grace  at  meals"  on  the  feast  and  during  the  octave  of  the 
Epiphany.     The  intermingling  of  the  texts  is  therefore  quite  natural. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  119 

journey  of  ten  leagues,  where  we  counted  more  than 
seven  hundred  souls,  who  received  us  everywhere  with 
great  pleasure  to  themselves  and  to  us.  Almost  every- 
where they  gave  the  father  visitor  infants  to  baptize, 
and  presented  us  with  many  supplies,  etc. 

CHAPTER  II.    THE  SOBAIPURIS  AND  OTHER  NATIVES 
COME  FROM  THE  NORTH  TO  MEET  US  116 

It  was  our  intention  to  turn  back  from  El  Tucubavia 
to  Cocospera,  but  from  the  north  some  messengers  or 
couriers  of  the  Sobaipuris  of  San  Xavier  del  Bac,  more 
than  forty  leagues'  journey,  and  from  San  Cayetano  del 
Tumagacori,117  came  to  meet  us,  with  some  crosses, 
which  they  gave  us,  kneeling  with  great  veneration, 
and  asking  us  on  behalf  of  all  their  people  to  go  to  their 
rancherias  also.  The  father  visitor  said  to  me  that 
those  crosses  which  they  carried  were  tongues  that 
spoke  volumes  and  with  great  force,  and  that  we  could 
not  fail  to  go  where  by  means  of  them  they  called  us. 
Whereupon  we  ascended  to  the  Valley  of  Guebavi,118  a 
journey  of  about  fifteen  leagues,  and  arrived  at  the 
rancheria  of  San  Cayetano  del  Tumagacori,  where 
there  were  some  of  the  Sobaipuris  headmen,  who  had 
come  twenty  and  twenty-five  leagues  from  the  north. 
In  San  Cayetano  they  had  prepared  us  three  arbors, 
one  in  which  to  say  mass,  another  in  which  to  sleep,  and 

116  For  an  account  of  this  event  see  Alegre,  Historia,  vol.  iii,  73.  Ban- 
croft is  in  a  state  of  doubt  at  this  point.  He  says:  "Kino  may  have  crossed 
the  line  as  far  as  Tumacacori  with  Salvatierra  in  1691,  and  he  is  said 
to  have  reached  Bac  in  1692;  but  the  records  of  these  earliest  entradas  are 
vague"  {Arizona  and  New  Mexico,  355).  This  vagueness  is  now  dispelled 
by  Kino's   writings. 

117  Tumacacori  (Tumagacori)  is  located  in  the  Santa  Cruz  valley  between 
Mission  San  Xavier  del  Bac  and  Nogales.  The  ruins  of  the  old  mission  are 
still  there.     See  "Map"  and  "Index." 

118  For  the  location  of  Guevavi  see  the  "Map."  The  ruins  of  the  Guevavi 
mission  were  still  visible  when  the  spot  was  visited  by  the  editor  a  few 
years  ago. 


120  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

the  third  for  a  kitchen.  There  were  more  than  forty 
houses  close  together.  Some  infants  were  baptized, 
and  the  father  visitor  gave  good  hopes  to  all  that  they 
should  obtain  the  fathers,  the  holy  baptism,  and  the 
boon  of  their  eternal  salvation  which  they  requested. 
When  his  Reverence  had  seen  so  many  people,  so  docile 
and  so  affable,  with  such  beautiful,  fertile,  and  pleasant 
valleys,  inhabited  by  industrious  Indians,  he  said  to  me 
these  words:  "My  Father  Rector,  not  only  shall  the  re- 
moval from  this  Pimeria  of  any  of  the  four  fathers  as- 
signed to  it  not  be  considered,  but  four  more  shall  come, 
and  by  the  divine  grace  I  shall  try  to  be  one  ol  them." 
We  went  on  to  the  rancheria  of  Guebaui  and  to  the  val- 
ley and  rancheria  of  Santa  Maria,  a  journey  of  fifteen 
leagues,  where  we  remained  five  days,  catechizing  and 
baptizing  infants  and  adults.119  We  then  came  to  Co- 
cospera,  and  this  new  pueblo  was  given  over  to  Father 
San  Doval.  In  all  of  these  journeys  the  father  visitor 
and  I  talked  together  of  suspended  California,  saying 
that  these  very  fertile  lands  and  valleys  of  this  Pimeria 
would  be  the  support  of  the  scantier  and  more  sterile 
lands  of  California,  concerning  which  he  made  a  report 
to  Mexico.120 


119  This  passage,  or  more  probably  that  in  Apostolicos  A  fanes,  249,  seems 
to  be  the  basis  for  the  statement  of  Velasco  (Sonora,  139)  that  the  Guevavi 
mission  was  founded  during  this  trip  (Bancroft,  op.  cit.,  vol.  i,  254).  Manje 
makes  it  appear  that  Salvatierra  and  Kino  went  no  further  than  Tucubavia 
on  this  entrada.  As  Manje's  record  is  that  of  a  contemporary  diary,  it  should 
not  be  considered  lightly,  but  here  it  is  manifestly  wrong. 

120  Clavijero  states  that  Salvatierra's  interest  in  California  came  through 
information  given  him  by  Father  Kino  regarding  the  natives  {Hist,  de  la 
Antigua  6  Baja  California,  39).  Reference  is  evidently  made  to  the  confer- 
ences had  during  this  trip.  See  also  Apostolicos  A  fanes,  250;  Alegre,  His- 
toria,  vol.  iii,  74;  and  Bancroft,  op.  cit.,  vol.  i,  254. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J. 121 

CHAPTER  III.    REPORT  OF  THE  CONDITION  OF  THIS 

PIMERIA  BY  THE  FATHER  VISITOR  TO  THE  FATHER 

PROVINCIAL,  AMBROSIO  ODDON,  AND  THE 

REPLY  OF  THE  FATHER  PROVINCIAL 

January,  1691.  We  remained  in  Cocospera  five 
days  more,  at  the  end  of  January,  [ i6]9i,  catechizing 
and  baptizing  the  infants  and  the  adults  who  had 
learned  the  prayers  and  the  Christian  doctrine,  and  pre- 
paring and  writing  a  report  of  what  had  been  sent  to 
Mexico  and  to  the  father  provincial,  Ambrosio  Od- 
don.  He,  in  virtue  of  what  the  father  visitor  wrote 
and  reported,  and  of  my  letter,  replied  to  me  in  the 
following  words: 

I  thank  your  Reverence  from  my  heart  for  the  holy  zeal  with 
which  you  devote  yourself  to  the  welfare  of  those  souls,  as  shown 
by  the  relation  or  report  that  I  have  received  from  the  father  vis- 
itor, Juan  Maria  Salvatierra.  There  is  no  reason  for  growing 
weary  because  things  pertaining  to  the  service  of  God  have  their 
obstacles,  so  much  the  more  noticeable  when  they  are  vested 
with  zeal  and  founded  on  erring  judgment. 

The  father  visitor  having  left  us  all  instructed  and 
consoled  by  his  holy  visit  to  this  Pimeria,  his  Reverence 
went  to  visit  the  rectorate  of  the  Holy  Martyrs  of  Japan, 
commending  to  me,  with  his  holy  zeal,  the  reduction  of 
the  Sobaipuris  of  the  north  and  of  the  Sobas  to  the  west, 
and,  with  respect  to  California,  even  the  building  of  a 
small  bark  in  which  to  go  there.  His  Reverence  went 
afterwards  to  his  mission  of  Chinipas,  while  here  the 
customary  obstacles  and  opposition  were  so  great  that 
when,  as  usual,  the  Hocomes,  Janos,  and  Sumas  carried 
off  various  herds  and  droves  from  this  province  and  its 
frontiers,  these  offenses  were  imputed,  though  falsely, 
to  the  Pimas,  and  their  conversion  and  the  coming  of 
the  missionary  fathers  were  completely  prevented.121 

121  For  the  same  matter  see  Alegre,  vol.  iii,  72-73,  who  adds  the  Chinarras. 


122  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

CHAPTER  IV.    JOURNEY  NORTHWARD  TO  THE 

SOBAIPURIS 

AUGUST  23,  1692.  In  spite  of  the  obstacles  which 
were  present,  and  seeing  that  the  whole  of  Pimeria  was 
quiet,  during  the  last  part  of  August  and  the  first  part 
of  September,  1692,  I  went  in,  with  fifty  pack-animals, 
my  servants,  and  some  justices,  to  the  Sobaipuris,  both 
of  the  north  and  of  the  northeast.  The  latter  are  in  the 
valleys  of  the  river  of  Quiburi,  to  the  east,  and  the 
former  are  in  the  valley  and  river  of  Santa  Maria,  to 
the  west.  The  journey  to  the  former  was  more  than 
eighty  leagues  by  very  level  road.  I  found  the  natives 
very  affable  and  friendly,  and  particularly  so  in  the 
principal  rancheria  of  San  Xavier  del  Bac,  which  con- 
tains more  than  eight  hundred  souls. 

I  spoke  to  them  of  the  Word  of  God,  and  on  a  map 
of  the  world  showed  them  the  lands,  the  rivers,  and  the 
seas  over  which  we  fathers  had  come  from  afar  to  bring 
them  the  saving  knowledge  of  our  holy  faith.  And  I 
told  them  also  how  in  ancient  times  the  Spaniards  were 
not  Christians,  how  Santiago  came  to  teach  them  the 
faith,  and  how  for  the  first  fourteen  years  he  was  able 
to  baptize  only  a  few,  because  of  which  the  holy  apostle 
was  discouraged,  but  that  the  most  holy  Virgin  ap- 
peared to  him  and  consoled  him,  telling  him  that  the 
Spaniards  would  convert  the  rest  of  the  people  of  the 
world.  And  I  showed  them  on  the  map  of  the  world 
how  the  Spaniards  and  the  faith  had  come  by  sea  to 
Vera  Cruz,  and  had  gone  in  to  Puebla  and  to  Mexico, 
Guadalaxara,  Sinaloa,  and  Sonora,  and  now  to  Nuestra 
Senora  de  los  Dolores  del  Cosari,  in  the  land  of  the 
Pimas,  where  there  were  already  many  persons  bap- 

and  changes  Sumas  to  Yumas.     Also  Apostolicos  Afanes,  250-251,  and  Ban- 
croft, op.  cit.,  vol.  i,  253-254. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  123 

tized,  a  house,  church,  bells,  and  images  of  saints,  plen- 
tiful supplies,  wheat,  maize,  and  many  cattle  and 
horses;  that  they  could  go  and  see  it  all,  and  even  ask 
at  once  of  their  relatives,  my  servants,  who  were  with 
me.  They  listened  with  pleasure  to  these  and  other 
talks  concerning  God,  heaven,  and  hell,  and  told  me 
that  they  wished  to  be  Christians,  and  gave  me  some 
infants  to  baptize.  These  Sobaipuris  are  in  a  very  fine 
valley  of  the  Rio  de  Santa  Maria,122  to  the  west. 

I  then  passed  on  to  the  other  Sobaipuris,  of  the  east, 
on  the  Rio  de  San  Joseph  de  Terrenate,  or  de  Qui- 
buri,123  who,  in  their  chief  rancheria,  that  of  San  Sal- 
vador del  Baicatcan,  are  thirty  leagues  distant.  Cap- 
tain Coro  and  the  rest  of  them  received  me  with  all 
kindness.  It  is  true  that  I  found  them  still  somewhat 
less  docile  than  the  foregoing  of  the  west. 

CHAPTER  V.     EXPEDITION  OR  MISSION  WESTWARD 

TO  THE  NATION  OF  EL  SOBA,  EVEN  TO  THE  SEA  OF 

CALIFORNIA,  UNTIL  CALIFORNIA 

ITSELF  WAS  SEEN 

DECEMBER  ii  of  1693.  In  tne  meantime,  Father 
Diego  de  Almonazir  came  as  provincial  and  Juan 
Munos  de  Burgos  as  father  visitor,  and  from  the 
eleventh  until  the  twenty-fourth  of  December  I  went 
west  to  the  Pima  nation  which  they  call  that  of  El 
Soba,  who  is  their  chief  cacique,  or  head  and  captain  of 
these  more  than  four  thousand  Indians.124     He  has  al- 

122  The  modern  Santa  Cruz  River,  which  flows  north  from  the  Sonora 
border,  past  Guebavi,  Tumacacori,  and  San  Xavier  del  Bac,  and  is  lost  in 
the  Arizona  plateau  before  reaching  the  Gila. 

123  The  modern  San  Pedro  River,  a  branch  of  the  Gila. 

124  Ortega  [Apostolicos  Afanes,  251)  regards  this  entry  as  belonging  under 
1692,  evidently  considering  it  out  of  place  in  the  narrative.  Bancroft,  for 
reasons  which  he  does  not  state,  but  which  may  be  inferred,  suggests  that  the 
expedition    was    more    likely    made    early    in    1693     (op.    cit.,    vol.    i,    254). 


124  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

ways  been  very  valiant  in  various  wars  that  he  has  had 
with  the  Pimas  of  the  east,  and  since  the  time  when, 
ten  or  twelve  years  ago,  those  of  El  Soba  killed  the 
governor  called  El  Podenco,  of  this  rancheria,  now 
pueblo,  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores,  they  had 
been  very  hostile  to  each  other.  Our  Lord  was  pleased, 
however,  that  we  should  restore  peace  between  them. 
Thereupon,  I  entered  with  Father  Agustin  de  Campos, 
Capt.  Sebastian  Romero,  and  my  servants,  and  found 
the  people  affable,  except  that  in  some  places  they  ap- 
peared afraid,  wondering  at  the  new  and  white  faces, 
which  they  had  never  seen  before. 

After  about  eight  leagues'  journey  we  came  to  a  little 
peak  which  we  named  El  Nasareno,  and  from  its  sum- 
But  the  entry  is  evidently  correct  as  here  given,  the  trouble  being  with  that 
in  chapter  vi  referring  to  an  expedition  in  July.  Confining  ourselves  for 
the  present  to  the  Favores  text,  it  is  to  be  noted  that  in  chapter  vi,  Kino  uses 
the  phrase  "This  same  year  of  93,"  and  that  chapter  vii  is  headed  "Second 
and  Third  Expeditions  to  the  Sea  of  California."  From  these  two  items  we 
would  infer  that  Kino  meant  to  state  that  only  one  expedition  had  been  made 
to  the  gulf  before  that  of  February,  1694,  and  that  this  was  in  1693.  And 
there  is  no  doubt  that  this  was  the  case.  But  the  confusion  makes  a  some- 
what extended  explanation  necessary. 

For  the  expeditions  of  1694  to  the  coast  Manje's  diaries,  preserved  in  the 
Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  are  the  unquestioned  authority.  They 
make  it  clear  that  Kino  and  Campos  had  made  an  expedition  in  1693,  as 
Kino  relates,  but  that  only  one  had  been  made  (Capitulo  i)  ;  that  after  this 
trip  Kino  hastened  to  the  Real  de  San  Juan  to  get  military  support  for  the 
continuation  of  his  discoveries  and  missionary  work  on  the  coast  (Manje, 
Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  cap.  i)  ;  and  that  Kino  and  Manje  made  three 
expeditions  to  the  coast  in  1694.  The  first  of  these  was  made  in  February, 
by  Kino,  Kapus,  and  Manje,  when  they  [again?]  climbed  the  Cerro  de 
Nazareno  and  explored  the  coast.  In  March  Kino  and  Manje  made  a  second 
trip,  during  which  the  beginning  of  boat-building,  as  described  by  Kino,  was 
made,  while  Manje  explored  the  coast.  In  June  they  went  the  third  time, 
Kino  to  supervise  the  boat-building  while  Manje  explored.  But  the  building 
of  the  boat  was  suspended  by  order  of  the  Father  Visitor,  Juan  de  Burgos 
(Manje,  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  capitulos  ii  and  iii). 

Thus  I  conclude  that  Kino's  statements  in  chapter  v  are  correct;  that  in 
chapters  v-vii  he  gives  the  correct  number  of  expeditions  for  1693  and  1694, 
but  that  the  trip  spoken  of  in  chapter  vi,  as  of  July,  1693,  was  clearly  that  of 
June,  1694,  and  that  the  last  one  mentioned  in  chapter  vii  was  that  of  June, 
1694. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  125 

mit  on  the  fifteenth  of  December  we  saw  clearly  more 
than  twenty-five  continuous  leagues  of  the  land  of  Cali- 
fornia, for  it  is  not  more  than  fifteen  or  eighteen  leagues 
across  to  the  principal  rancheria.  At  the  request  of 
Father  Antonio  Leal,  who  was  in  Arispe,  we  named  it 
La  Consepcion  de  Nuestra  Senora  del  Caborca,  and  his 
Reverence  offered  to  our  Lady  the  mass  of  the  day  of 
San  Francisco  Xavier  for  the  good  success  of  this  ex- 
pedition to  Caborca. 

CHAPTER  VI.     DEDICATION  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF 
NUESTRA  SENORA  DE  LOS  DOLORES 

On  April  26  of  this  same  year  of  [i6]93,  this  new 
church  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores  was  solemnly 
dedicated.  To  this  ceremony  came  the  father  rector 
of  Matape,  Marcos  de  Loyola,  the  father  visitor,  Juan 
Mufios  de  Burgos,  who  said  mass,  and  Father  George 
Lostinski,  of  San  Ygnacio,  who  preached.  Likewise 
there  came  very  many  Pimas  from  the  north  and  from 
the  west. 

In  July,125  also,  I  went  inland  to  the  nation  of  El 
Soba  with  lieutenant  Juan  Matheo  Manje,  and  we  be- 
gan the  construction  of  a  bark,  cutting  the  timbers  and 
some  large  planks.120  The  rest  of  the  timbers,  flooring, 
and  futtocks  were  made  here  in  Nuestra  Senora  de  los 
Dolores,  with  the  idea  of  carrying  the  whole  bark  in 
four  parts  to  the  sea  by  mules,  and  there  to  put  it  to- 
gether, nail  it,  calk  it,  and  pass  to  the  nearby  Cali- 
fornia. But  afterward  opposition  likewise  delayed 
and  hindered  matters,  although  our  Lord  was  able  to 

125  As  stated  in  the  note  above,  this  was  clearly  the  expedition  of  March- 
April,  1694,  the  details  of  which  are  described  in  Manje's  diary  in  Luz  de 
Tierra  Incognita,  vol.  ii,  cap.  iii.  This  paragraph  in  Kino's  Ms.  is,  there- 
fore, out  of  place. 

126  The  details  of  this  expedition  are  described  by  Manje  in  his  diary, 
op.  cit.,  cap.    1. 


126  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

order  other  things,  even  better,  as  will  be  seen  later  in 
connection  with  what  is  already  being  done  in  Cali- 
fornia. 

CHAPTER  VII.     SECOND  AND  THIRD  EXPEDITIONS 
TO  THE  SEA  OF  CALIFORNIA 

February,  1694.  ^n  February,  1694,  I  made  an- 
other expedition  to  the  same  waters  of  the  Sea  of  Cali- 
fornia, in  company  with  Father  Marcos  Antonio  Ka- 
pus,126a  who  was  stationed  in  Cucurpe,  and  Lieutenant 
Juan  Matheo  Manje.  We  again  saw  very  clearly  the 
same  California  and  its  principal  and  larger  hills.  We 
named  them  San  Marcos,  San  Matheo,  San  Juan  (for 
the  name  of  San  Lucas  is  already  given  to  the  Cape  of 
California),  and  San  Antonio,  as  may  be  seen  on  the 
map.  The  natives  of  the  nation  of  El  Soba  we  found 
so  friendly  that,  having  come  thirty,  forty,  and  fifty 
leagues'  journey  from  the  north  to  see  us,  they  gave  us 
their  infants  to  baptize. 

A  few  months  later127  I  made  another  expedition 
with  Lieut.  Juan  Matheo  Manje,  to  this  nation  and  to 
the  sea,  and  we  discovered  the  good  port  of  Santa  Sa- 
bina  on  the  day  of  that  saint. 

During  these  months  and  the  preceding  ones  there 
was  built  in  La  Consepcion  del  Caborica  a  capacious 
earth-covered  hall  of  adobe  and  earth,  and  wheat  and 

126a  Marcus  Anton  Kapps  [Kapus,  Kappus,  Khappus]  was  an  Austrian,, 
born  at  Steinbiichel,  in  Krain,  1657.  He  entered  the  Jesuit  order  October 
27,  1676;  became  prominent  in  the  Sonora  missions;  died  November  20, 
1717.  A  letter  by  him  dated  at  Matape,  June  20,  1699,  is  in  Stocklein,  Der 
Neue  Welt-Bott,  num.  56,  Theil  ii,  86.  See  ibid.,  Theil  i,  100,  ii,  77,  vii,  78^ 
and  Huonder,  op.  cit.,  p.  no;  also  Sommervogel,  Bibliotheque. 

127  This  was  evidently  the  third  expedition  of  1694,  described  by  Manje, 
in  his  diary,  op.  cit.,  cap.  iii.  During  this  journey  Manje  explored  the  coast. 
Lumholtz  {Neiv  Trails  in  Mexico,  146-149)  gives  interesting  data  concern- 
ing Caborca,  including  a  picture  of  the  old  church.  The  title  of  this 
valuable  book  is  peculiarly  inappropriate,  since  Lumholtz's  travels  were 
chiefly  over  "old  trails,"  most  of  which  were  well  known  to  Father  Kina 
more  than  two  hundred  years  ago.     Compare  his  map  with  mine. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  127 

maize  were  sown  for  the  father  whom  they  were  asking 
for  and  hoping  to  obtain. 

CHAPTER  VIII.     EXPEDITION  OR  MISSION  TO  THE 

NORTH  AND  NORTHWEST  FOR   MORE  THAN   ONE 

HUNDRED  LEAGUES,  AS  FAR  AS  TO  THE  RIO  GRANDE 

AND  THE  CASA  GRANDE,  AND  THE  DISCOVERY 

OF  THE  TWO  NEW  NATIONS,  THE  OPA 

AND  THE  COCOMARICOPA 

In  November,  1694,  I  went  inland128  with  my  ser- 
vants and  some  justices  of  this  Pimeria,  as  far  as  the 
casa  grande,  as  these  Pimas  call  it,  which  is  on  the  large 
River  of  Hila  that  flows  out  of  Nuevo  Mexico  and  has 
its  source  near  Acoma.     This  river  and  this  large  house 

128  Manje  was  not  on  this  journey  with  Father  Kino,  but  in  June,  1694, 
while  Kino  was  at  Caborca,  Manje  had  explored  northward  from  San  Pedro 
del  Tubutama,  going  through  the  native  settlements  of  Gutubur,  Saric, 
Busanic,  and  Tucubavia.  fie  says  at  this  point,  "hasta  aqui  es  lo  mas  q 
havia  entrado  o  llegado  3  anos  antes  el  R.  Pe.  Juan  Maria  de  Salvatierra  en 
su  Visita"  (op.  cit.,  Ms.  p.  26).  But  note  ante  that  Kino  gives  circum- 
stantial details  of  a  visit  with  Salvatierra  to  Tumacacori  and  Guevavi. 
Neither  does  Manje  mention  Kino's  journey  of  August-September,  1692  (for 
what  reason  is  not  clear).  From  Tucubavia  Manje  continued  on  to  Gubo 
and  Cups,  where  he  heard  of  the  Casas  Grandes  to  the  north,  and  where  he 
turned  southward  through  Moicaqui  to  Caborca  (Diary,  in  Manje,  op.  cit., 
28). 

In  May,  1694,  Lieutenant  Antonio  Solis  went  north  among  the  Sobaipuris 
of  the  Rio  de  Terrenate,  and  crossed  the  Sierra  del  Comedio  to  San  Xavier 
del  Bac  (Manje,  op.  cit.,  pp.  30-31).  The  importance  of  this  chapter  in  the 
Favores,  as  placing  on  a  solid  foundation  the  assertion  that  Kino  made  the 
expedition,  and  as  giving  some  of  its  details,  is  considerable.  Manje  makes 
only  brief  mention  of  the  fact  that  the  trip  was  made,  and  Bancroft  is  skep- 
tical of  the  more  complete  account  in  the  Afanes.  Its  soundness  is  now 
established  (Manje,  Historia,  34;  Ortega,  Apostolicos  Afanes,  252-253;  Ban- 
croft, Arizona  and  Ne<w  Mexico,  355;  North  Mexican  States  and  Texas,  vol. 
i,  259). 

As  has  already  been  seen,  Manje,  in  1694,  had  made  an  excursion  north- 
ward to  Tucubavia,  where  he  had  heard  of  the  Gila  River  and  the  Casa 
Grande.  According  to  Manje,  Kino  was  skeptical  of  the  truth  of  the  story, 
until  it  was  verified  by  some  Pimas  of  San  Xavier  del  Bac  who  went  to 
Dolores  to  visit  him,  and  who  accompanied  him  as  guides  on  the  expe- 
dition  (Manje,  op.  cit.,  34). 


128  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

and  the  neighboring  houses  are  forty-three  leagues  be- 
yond and  to  the  northwest  of  the  Sobaipuris  of  San 
Francisco  Xavier  del  Bac.  The  first  rancheria,  that 
of  El  Tusonimo,  we  named  La  Encarnacion,  as  we  ar- 
rived there  to  say  mass  on  the  first  Sunday  in  Advent; 
and  because  many  other  Indians  came  to  see  us  from  the 
rancheria  of  El  Coatoydag,  which  was  four  leagues 
further  on,  we  named  the  latter  San  Andres,  as  the  fol- 
lowing day  was  the  feast  of  that  holy  apostle.128a  All 
were  affable  and  docile  people.  They  told  us  of  two 
friendly  nations  living  further  on,  all  down  the  river  to 
the  west,  and  to  the  northwest  on  the  Rio  Azul,  and  still 
further,  on  the  Rio  Colorado.  These  nations  are  the 
Opas  and  Cocomaricopas.  They  speak  a  language  very 
different  [from  that  of  the  Pimas],  though  it  is  very 
clear,  and  as  there  were  some  who  knew  both  languages 
very  well,  I  at  once  and  with  ease  made  a  vocabulary 
of  the  said  tongue,  and  also  a  map  of  those  lands, 
measuring  the  sun  with  the  astrolabe. 

The  casa  grande129  is  a  four-story  building,  as  large 
as  a  castle  and  equal  to  the  largest  church  in  these  lands 
of  Sonora.  It  is  said  that  the  ancestors  of  Montezuma 
deserted  and  depopulated  it,  and,  beset  by  the  neigh- 
boring Apaches,  left  for  the  east  or  Casas  Grandes, 
and  that  from  there  they  turned  towards  the  south  and 
southwest,  finally  founding  the  great  city  and  court  of 

128a  Bancroft's  mistrust  of  the  A fanes  leads  him  here  into  needless  error. 
He  states  (North  Mexican  Stales  and  Texas,  vol.  i,  259)  that  it  is  "implied"  by 
the  Afanes  that  Kino  named  these  two  rancherias.  But  the  Afanes  clearly 
asserts  this  fact,  and  does  not  merely  imply  it.  I  believe  that  the  Favores 
is  the  only  authority  which  identifies  these  rancherias  with  the  native  names. 

129  On  the  Ms.  of  the  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita  there  is  a  drawing  of  the 
Casa  Grande,  presumably  by  Manje  (p.  57).  There  is  also  one  made 
in  1776  on  one  of  the  original  diaries  of  Juan  Bautista  de  Anza.  Father 
Kino  evidently  had  more  knowledge  of  the  Coronado  expedition  than  Ban- 
croft gives  him  credit  for   (North  Mexican  States  and  Texas,  vol.  i,  259  ). 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J. 129 

Mexico.  Close  to  this  casa  grande  there  are  thirteen 
smaller  houses,  somewhat  more  dilapidated,  and  the 
ruins  of  many  others,  which  make  it  evident  that  in 
ancient  times  there  had  been  a  city  here.  On  this  occa- 
sion and  on  later  ones  I  have  learned  and  heard,  and 
at  times  have  seen,  that  further  to  the  east,  north,  and 
west  there  are  seven  or  eight  more  of  these  large  old 
houses  and  the  ruins  of  whole  cities,  with  many  broken 
metates  and  jars,  charcoal,  etc.  These  certainly  must 
be  the  Seven  Cities  mentioned  by  the  holy  man,  Fray 
Marcos  de  Niza,  who  in  his  long  pilgrimage  came  clear 
to  the  Bacapa  rancheria  of  these  coasts,  which  is  about 
sixty  leagues  southwest  from  this  casa  grande,  and 
about  twenty  leagues  from  the  Sea  of  California.  The 
guides  or  interpreters  must  have  given  his  Reverence 
the  information  which  he  has  in  his  book  concerning 
these  Seven  Cities,  although  certainly  at  that  time,  and 
for  a  long  while  before,  they  must  have  been  deserted. 
The  natives  and  children  of  the  Pimas,  Opas,  and  Co- 
comaricopas  were  very  well  pleased. ,29a 


129a  Manje  gives  the  following  description  of  the  ruins  about  Casa 
Grande  in  1697.  "We  continued  west,  and  after  going  four  leagues 
more  arrived  at  noon  at  the  'casas  grandes',  within  which  mass  was  said 
by  Father  Kino,  who  had  not  yet  breakfasted.  One  of  the  houses  is  a 
large  edifice  whose  principal  room  in  the  middle  is  of  four  stories,  those 
adjoining  its  four  sides  being  of  three.  Its  walls  are  two  varus  thick,  are 
made  of  strong  cement  and  clay,  and  are  so  smooth  on  the  inside  that  they 
resemble  planed  boards,  and  so  polished  that  they  shine  like  Puebla  pottery. 
The  angles  of  the  windows,  which  are  square,  are  very  true  and  without 
jambs  or  cross  pieces  of  wood,  and  they  must  have  made  them  with  a 
mold  or  frame.  The  same  is  true  of  the  doors,  although  they  are  narrow, 
by  which  we  know  it  to  be  the  work  of  Indians.  It  is  36  paces  long  and 
21  wide.  It  is  well  built,  as  is  seen  from  the  drawing  on  the  margin,  and 
has  foundations.  An  arquebus-shot  away  are  seen  twelve  other  half  fallen 
houses,  also  having  thick  walls,  and  all  with  their  roofs  burned."  (Luz 
de  Tlerra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  cap.  5).  See  also  Lumholtz,  op.  c\t.,  340-3+2; 
Hodge,  Handbook,  part  i,  209,  and   authorities  there  cited. 


BOOK  III.     ARRIVAL  OF  THE  VENERABLE 
FATHER    FRANCISCO   XAVIER    SAETA   AT 
THESE    NEW    CONVERSIONS;    HIS    APOS- 
TOLIC FERVOR,  WORK,  ZEAL,  AND  HOLY 
LETTERS;  HIS  GLORIOUS,   INNOCENT 
DEATH;     AND     VARIOUS     LETTERS 
PROPHETIC  OF  THE  GREAT  FRUIT 
OF  THESE  CONVERSIONS 

CHAPTER     I.     EXPEDITION     OF    THE     VENERABLE 

FATHER   FRANCISCO   XAVIER   SAETA   TO   HIS   NEW 

MISSION  OF  NUESTRA  SEnORA  DE  LA  CON- 

SEPSION  DEL  CABORICA  130 

Although  I  have  written  another  little  treatise131  of 
more  than  twenty  sheets  concerning  the  glorious,  in- 
nocent death  of  the  venerable  Father  Francisco  Xavier 
Saeta,  I  may  say  here,  in  brief,  that  this  very  zealous, 
apostolic  man  was  of  the  very  best  blood  of  Cicilia,132 
and  now  his  blood  is  very  glorious  and  most  fortunate, 

130  On  the  coming  of  Father  Saeta  to  Pimeria,  the  founding  of  the  mission 
of  Nuestra  Senora  de  la  Concepcion  de  Caborca,  and  the  events  there  before 
the  death  of  Father  Saeta,  the  following  eight  chapters  are  by  far  the  best 
account.  Hitherto  the  acount  by  Ortega  in  Apostolicos  A  fanes  (254-257), 
which  is  based  directly  on  these  chapters,  has  been  the  best.  Manje  (Luz  de 
Tlerra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  35-36)  gives  some  additional  details,  but  his  chron- 
ology is  defective.  By  following  him  instead  of  the  Afanes,  Bancroft  as- 
signs the  founding  of  the  mission  to  the  year  1695,  though  he  mentions  the 
contradictory  evidence  in  the  Afanes  in  a  footnote  {North  Mexican  States 
and  Texas,  vol.  i,  259).  The  authenticity  of  Kino's  account,  based  on  the 
original  letters  quoted  here,  is  unquestionable. 

131  So  far  as  the  editor  is  aware,  this  pamphlet  has  not  been  known  to 
earlier  students,  nor  is  its  present  whereabouts  known  to  the  editor.  See  the 
"Bibliography."     See  also  volume  ii,   158. 

132  The  Ms.  reads  "Guila";  the  Afanes  reads  "Cicilia,"  which  is  probably 
correct. 


EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J. 131 

since  it  was  shed  in  the  apostolic  ministry,  preach- 
ing and  spreading  our  holy  Catholic  faith.  The 
venerable  father  came  from  Mexico132  to  the  new 
conversions  of  this  Pimeria  about  the  middle  of  Oc- 
tober, 1694,  and  I?  setting  out  by  order  of  the  supe- 
riors from  this  district  of  Nuestra  Sefiora  de  los  Do- 
lores on  October  19,134  went  on  the  twenty-first  to  leave 
his  Reverence  in  the  new  district  that  was  assigned 
to  him,  which  was  that  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  la  Consep- 
sion  del  Caborica,  in  the  nation  of  El  Soba.  It  is  forty- 
four  leagues  west  from  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores 
and  only  twenty  from  the  Sea  of  California,  whither 
the  venerable  father,  to  his  own  great  pleasure,  aspired 
and  hoped  to  go  some  day.  Midway  between  Nuestra 
Senora  de  los  Dolores  and  La  Consepsion  there  are  two 
other  districts,  that  of  San  Ygnacio,  where  Father  Agus- 
tin  de  Campos  was  and  still  is  stationed,  and  that  of 
Tubutama,  administered  by  Father  Daniel  Ganusque. 
We  went  in  by  the  most  direct  road,  leaving  these 
two  districts  to  the  right.  And  it  was  a  particular  com- 
fort and  a  great  wonder  to  the  venerable  father  to  see 
the  great  affability  of  such  friendly  people  as  we  found 
everywhere,  for  they  immediately  gave  him  some  in- 
fants to  baptize.  The  first  one  that  he  baptized  he 
named  after  his  most  beloved  patron,  San  Francisco 
Xavier;  another  one  after  San  Ygnacio;  another,  after 
San  Pedro;  another,  Maria;  another,  Rosalia,  etc. 
Three  leagues  this  way  is  the  rancheria  or  newly  begun 

133  Manje  states  that  he  came  in  consequence  of  the  sending  to  Mexico  of 
his  own  reports  and  the  reports  of  others,  by  the  missionaries  and  General 
Domingo  Jironza,  in  consequence  of  which  alms  were  finished  by  the  royal 
treasury  (Manje,  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  35-36). 

134  Manje  makes  it  appear  that  Saeta  made  his  alms-gathering  trip  in 
Sonora  before  he  went  to  Caborca,  not  arriving  there  till  January,  1695. 
But  from  the  letters  which  follow  this  is  clearly  not  the  case  (Manje,  op. 
cit.,  36). 


i32  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

pueblo  of  San  Diego  del  Pibquin,134a  which  also  be- 
longed to  the  mission  of  La  Consepcion.  In  both  places 
the  children  received  us  with  great  pleasure  to  them- 
selves and  to  us,  and  with  many  crosses  and  arches 
placed  all  along  those  pleasant  and  level  roads. 

CHAPTER  II.     FIRST  HOLY  FERVOR  AND  ZEAL,  AND 
ONE  OF  THE  HOLY  LETTERS  OF  THE  VENER- 
ABLE FATHER  FRANCISCO  XAVIER  SAETA 

The  venerable  father  began  at  once,  with  admirable 
and  holy  fervor,  the  spiritual  and  temporal  adminis- 
tration of  his  new  mission,  teaching  the  Christian  doc- 
trine by  means  of  the  interpreter,  teaching  prayers  by 
means  of  a  temastidn,  and  beginning  at  the  same  time 
the  construction  of  a  chapel  or  little  church,  he  labor- 
ing personally  on  the  work  with  his  own  holy  hands, 
Laborantis  manibus  nostris™5  as  Saint  Paul  said.  He 
made  a  good  garden,  a  wheatfield,  and  later  a  farm,136 
etc.  Eight  or  nine  most  fervent  holy  letters  which  the 
venerable  father  wrote  me,  which  still  exist  and  are  in 
my  possession,  and  which  I  look  upon  and  preserve  as 
relics,  make  known  his  most  tender  and  most  exquisite 
apostolic  charity,  zeal,  and  holy  fervor.  Eight  days 
after  entering  La  Consepcion,  he  wrote  me  the  follow- 
ing: 

Through  the  mercy  of  God  I  have  sufficient  courage  to  endure 
joyfully  everything  for  His  love.  The  children,  because  of  their 
conduct,  give  me  a  thousand  comforts,  which  is  what  concerns 
me,  as  your  Reverence  can  read  in  the  enclosed  letter  for  the 
father  visitor,  from  which,  together  with  the  cited  report  of  our 

134a"Pitguio,"  Hist,  del  Nayarit,  317,  but  this  is  clearly  a  typographical 
error,  for  in  that  work  Pitquin  is  the  regular  form.  It  is  not  the  same  as 
Pitic,  now  Hermosillo. 

135  "Laboring  with  our  hands"  (I  Cor.,  iv,  12.  Et  Laboramus  operantes 
manibus  nostris.     "And  we  labor,  working  with  our  hands"). 

136  According  to  Manje  {op.  cit.,  36)  Saeta  at  first  occupied  the  old  house 
which  had  been  built  during  the  expeditions  of  1693  and  1694  to  Caborca. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  133 

coming  to  this  new  mission,137  you  can  learn  the  rest,  also.     The 
children  have  made  five  hundred  adobes,  etc. 

Thus  far  the  venerable  father.  At  the  same  time  the 
superiors  determined  that  the  new  missions  of  this 
Pimeria,  with  the  neighboring  district  of  Cocurpe, 
should  form  and  be  a  separate  rectorate,138  and  Father 
Marcos  Antonio  Kapus,  who  is  at  present  rector  of 
Matape,  was  named  its  rector.  It  is  called  the  recto- 
rate  or  mission  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores,  for 
this  district,  with  that  of  Cocospera,  already  had  six 
fathers. 

CHAPTER  III.     THE  VENERABLE  FATHER  GOES  OUT 

TO  SEEK  ALMS   FOR   HIS   NEW   MISSION   AND 

FOR  THE  BUILDING  OF  HIS  NEW  CHURCH 

NOVEMBER  15,  1694.     Afterward,  in  the  middle  of 

November,  the  venerable  father  determined  to  go  to 

collect  among  the  other  fathers,  of  the  old  missions, 

alms  for  his  new  district  and  the  building  of  his  church, 

etc.     I  had  promised  him  and  proceeded  to  give  him 

six[ty]138a  head  of  cattle  and  an  equal  number  of  sheep 

and  goats,  sixty  fanegas  of  wheat  and  maize,  a  drove  of 

mares,  etc.     His  Reverence  came  to  Nuestra  Senora 

de  los  Dolores,  and  went  on  to  Cucurpe,  whence  he 

wrote  me  the  following  letter  on  November  15. 

Second  Letter,  November  15,  1694.  The  father  rector 
has  taken  much  comfort  from  the  good  news  that  I  have  sent 
him  concerning  the  happy  beginnings  of  my  mission,  and  he  gives 
me  ample  authority  to  procure,  through  the  charity  of  our  fa- 
thers, its  temporal  advancement.     In  order  that  it  may  prosper 

137  Manje  refers  to  "un  Cuaderno  de  apuntes  del  Padre"  in  which  the 
success  of  the  mission  is  treated   (Manje,  op.  cit.,  36). 

138  The  erection  of  the  new  rectorate  is,  apparently,  not  mentioned  by  the 
other  authorities,  at  least  in  this  connection.  The  five  missionaries  in 
Pimeria  were  evidently  Kino  at  Dolores,  Saeta  at  Caborca,  Campos  at  Mag- 
dalena  and  San  Ignacio,  Janusque  at  Tubutama,  and  Sandoval  at  Cocospera. 

i38a  This  clearly  should  be  sixty.     See  page  136. 


134  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

in  a  spiritual  way,  your  Reverence,  with  your  fervent  charity 
and  zeal,  will  not  cease  asking  God  for  its  happy  success,  so  that 
all  may  redound  to  the  greater  glory  of  God  and  the  spiritual 
welfare  of  our  most  beloved  children.  If  there  should  be  an 
occasion,  give  them  my  warmest  greetings,  etc. 

Thus  far  the  venerable  father,  who  went  at  once  to 
the  other  three  extensive  rectorates,  that  of  San  Fran- 
cisco Xavier  de  Sonora,  that  of  San  Francisco  de  Bor- 
ja,  and  that  of  the  Holy  Martyrs  of  Japan,  and  every- 
where, especially  in  Matape,  his  very  fine  zeal  being 
recognized,  he  was  given  liberal  alms. 

CHAPTER    IV.    THIRD    VERY   TENDER    LETTER   OF 

THE    VENERABLE    FATHER    FRANCISCO    XAVIER 

SAETA,  IN  WHICH  HIS  MORE  THAN  PATERNAL 

AFFECTION  FOR  HIS  CHILDREN  IS  SHOWN 

THIRD  LETTER.  On  January  19,  from  the  district 
of  Guepaca,139  Sonora,  he  wrote  me  this  most  charitable 
and  loving  letter: 

I  send  your  Reverence  two  bundles.  I  am  leaving  for  Ma- 
tape, and  go  in  great  haste,  because  of  my  eagerness  to  give  your 
Reverence  a  thousand  most  cordial  embraces  and  to  be  among 
my  most  beloved  children,  whom  I  greet  and  embrace  with  all 
my  heart  and  with  all  my  love.  And  I  consider  well  spent  these 
labors  which  I  have  performed  in  their  aid.  Sit  nomen  Domini 
bene dictum. ,140  The  Senor  governor  and  captain,  Don  Pedro  de 
Almazan,  and  Father  Rector  Manuel  Gonzales  especially  com- 
mend themselves  to  your  Reverence.     Your  Reverence  will  par- 

139  On  the  map  in  Bancroft's  North  Mexican  States,  vol.  i,  251,  this  is 
given  as  Huepaca,  on  the  Sonora  River,  south  of  Arizpe  and  north  of  Ures. 
According  to  Manje,  Father  Saeta  was  at  San  Juan  Bautista  on  January  2, 
where  he  took  part  in  the  fiesta  of  N.S.  del  Pilar,  and  whence  he  set  out  to 
"found"  the  mission  of  Concepcion.  The  foregoing  letter  shows  that  Manje 
could  not  have  been  correct  on  this  point.  It  indicates  that  Saeta  must  have 
gone  south  from  San  Juan  Bautista,  instead  of  directly  to  his  mission. 
(Manje,  op.  cit.,  36.)  Ortega  (Apostdlicos  Afanes,  256),  although  following 
the  Favores,  gives  a  wrong  impression  as  to  the  date  of  the  alms-gathering 
journey. 

140  "Blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord"  (Job,  i,  21). 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J. 135 

don  this  very  miserable  note,  which  I  am  writing  with  a  scrawl. 
Goodbye,  my  most  loving  father.     Humilimus  ex  corde. 

Xaverius  Saeta.141 

The  venerable  father  had  already  passed  through 
Matape  some  weeks  before,  and  he  now  returned  to 
learn  what  was  to  be  given  him,  and  at  what  time,  etc. 
He  received  very  generous  and  considerable  alms  from 
Father  Rector  Marcos  de  Loyola,  most  perfect  and 
zealous  lover  and  great  benefactor  of  new  conversions. 

CHAPTER   V.     THE   VENERABLE   FATHER   RETURNS 
TO  HIS  MISSION  AND  IN  ANOTHER  LETTER 
DECLARES   THE   VERY   GOOD   CON- 
DUCT OF  HIS  CHILDREN 

JANUARY,  1695.  At  the  end  of  January,  1695,  tne 
venerable  father  returned  to  his  mission  of  La  Consep- 
cion  de  Nuestra  Senora  del  Caborca.  He  was  very 
well  content,  and  the  children  rejoiced  greatly  to  see 
that  the  few  servants  who  had  set  out  with  his  Rever- 
ence now  returned  very  well  clothed  and  were  telling 
many  new  things  about  the  missions  which  they  had  nev- 
er seen  before,  and  saying  that  wherever  they  had  gone 
they  had  been  shown  great  kindness,  even  more  than 
if  they  had  gone  among  their  own  relatives.  The  con- 
tentment of  the  venerable  father  is  shown  by  the  fol- 
lowing letter  of  March  4,  1695,  in  which  he  says: 

March.  My  children  place  themselves  at  the  feet  of  your 
Reverence,  to  whom  I  can  give  nothing  but  good  news  of  them. 
The  justices  came  running  along  the  road  to  receive  me,  with 
joy  and  happiness  equal  to  that  which  I  feel  at  seeing  and  em- 
bracing them  as  my  longed-for  and  most  beloved  children. 
They  continue  to  attend  mass  every  morning  and  catechism 
twice  a  day,  large  as  well  as  small.  They  work  with  all  love, 
and  have  become  aids  to  the  three  other  rancherias  of  the  vicin- 

141  "Truly  your  most  humble  servant,  Xavier  Saeta."  An  ordinary 
termination  of  a  Latin  letter. 


i36  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

ity,  which  are  those  of  Unuicat,  Bopota,142  and  Actum,  whose 
governors  have  promised  me  to  come  down  with  their  people  to 
live  with  me  in  this  pueblo,  as  I  have  urged  them  to  do.  If  they 
do  so,  it  will  surely  be  greatly  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  one  of 
the  largest  pueblos  in  this  province  can  be  formed.  It  will  not 
fail  through  lack  of  my  endeavours,  etc.  I  have  planted  a  very 
pretty  garden  plot,  in  which  the  little  trees  are  set  out  and  the 
vegetable  seeds  sown  for  the  refreshment  of  the  sailors  from 
California,  etc. 

He  adds  that  a  start  has  already  been  made  on  a  good 
ranch,  with  corrals,  and  plentiful  grass  and  water,  etc. 

CHAPTER    VI.     TWO    OTHER    LETTERS    IN    WHICH 
THE  VENERABLE  FATHER  DECLARES  HIS  GOOD  AND 
HOLY  DESIRE  TO  PROCEED  TO  THE  CON- 
VERSION OF  CALIFORNIA143 

How  much  the  venerable  father  desired  and  solicited 

even  the  new  transmarine  conversions  of  California 

may  be  judged  from  his  following  two  letters,  one  of 

the  fifteenth  and  the  other  of  the  twenty-first  of  March 

of  [i6]95.     In  one  he  writes  me  thus: 

Fifth  Letter.  Yesterday,  the  fourteenth  inst.,  I  received 
your  Reverence's  very  welcome  favor  of  the  second  of  this 
month,  through  the  Indian  Santiago,  who  brought  me  the  sixty 
head  of  sheep  and  goats  for  the  provisioning  of  this  new  mission. 
These,  together  with  the  thirty-five  [fifty-five]  preceding,  make 
one  hundred  and  fifteen.  The  fifteen  will  be  for  our  dear  Cal- 
ifornia, as  your  Reverence  suggests.  May  God  repay  your  Rev- 
erence for  the  charity,  while  on  my  part  I  give  you  due  thanks 
with  all  my  heart. 

Sixth  Letter.     In  the  other  letter,  of  March  21,  he 
writes  thus: 

With  inexpressible  pleasure  to  me  and  to  my  children,  the 
herdsmen  arrived  yesterday,  Passion  Sunday,  the  twentieth  in- 

142  Not  the  same  as  Santa  Maria  Bugota,  noted  elsewhere. 

143  This  item  seems  to  be  omitted  from  all  the  other  authorities. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  137 

stant,  with  the  cattle  which  your  Reverence  gives  for  this  mis- 
sion, to  the  number  of  one  hundred  head.  As  your  Reverence 
suggests  to  me,  the  other  five  spotted  cows,  with  your  Rever- 
ence's brand,  are  assigned,  as  is  your  wish,  to  our  most  beloved 
holy  hermitess,  Rosalia  de  las  Californias,  to  whom  I  am  con- 
tinually praying  Sit  partus  et  aura  suis,14i  in  order  that 
some  day  we  may  go  to  set  up  with  our  own  hands  her  image 
and  in  time  her  own  statue  on  that  innocent  and  happy  little 
hill,  dedicated  to  her,  etc. 

CHAPTER  VII.     LETTER  IN  WHICH  THE  VENERABLE 

FATHER  REFUSES  TO  LEAVE  LA  CONSEPCION,  IN 

ORDER  TO  STAY  AND  OBTAIN  THE  CROWN 

OF  MARTYRDOM  IN  HOLY  WEEK 

Now  follows  the  seventh  letter  of  the  venerable  fa- 
ther in  which  he  manifests  his  decision,  although  sent 
for,  not  to  leave  his  mission,  because  of  his  desire  to  stay 
to  receive  the  crown  of  martyrdom  in  the  holy  season  in 
which  the  Redeemer  of  the  world  and  King  of  Mar- 
tyrs obtained  it. 

Seventh  Letter,  1695.  Well,  on  the  ninth  of 
March,  the  venerable  father  says  to  me: 

I  received  your  Reverence's  very  dear  letter  of  the  twenty- 
fourth  ult.,  through  the  muleteers  who  brought  me  my  trunks 
and  who  arrived  on  the  fourth  of  this  month.  I  appreciate  very 
much  your  Reverence's  noble  attention,  shown  by  inviting  me  to 
enjoy  myself,  but  I  must  say,  my  father,  that  I  will  not  be  able 
to  enjoy  the  favors  of  your  Reverence,  for  really  I  am  already 
very  much  engrossed,  both  in  spiritual  and  temporal  matters; 
for,  foreseeing  that  these  difficulties  must  arise,  in  setting  out 
again  I  tried  to  dispose  once  for  all  of  all  the  affairs  that  I  could, 
because  then  I  was  not  needed,  while  now  I  believe  that  I  am 
very  much  needed  here.  In  fact,  I  have  excused  myself  also 
from  going  to  other  places  where  they  had  invited  me  for  Holy 

144  "May  she  be  a  port  of  safety  and  a  breeze  to  her  clients."  (See  Ovid, 
Vos  eritis  nostra  portus  et  ara  fuga,  "You  will  be  harbor  and  home  to  our 
exile"). 


138  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Week,  and  I  shall  hardly  be  able  to  go  to  San  Pedro  del  Tubu- 
tama  to  perform  the  duties  of  the  church.  But  occasions  will 
not  be  lacking,  etc.     Francisco  is  going,  etc. 

Thus  far  the  venerable  father  Francisco  Xavier 
Saeta. 

CHAPTER   VIII.     LAST   LETTER   OF   MOST   TENDER 
FAREWELL  FROM  THE  VENERABLE  FATHER 

I  add  the  eighth  and  last  letter,  which  the  venerable 
father  wrote  me  on  April  i,  a  few  hours  before  his 
glorious  death,  and  which,  without  his  knowing  or  sus- 
pecting it,  is  a  most  tender  farewell.  I  received  it 
twenty-seven  hours  after  his  holy  martyrdom  occurred, 
the  news  of  his  death  itself  having  come  two  hours 
before.     The  letter  is  as  follows: 

The  great  favor  of  your  Reverence  reaches  me,  with  the  rolls 
of  bread,  biscuit,  etc.,  for  which  I  return  to  your  Reverence  due 
and  cordial  thanks.  In  regard  to  the  question  of  our  seeing 
each  other  one  of  these  days,  your  Reverence  may  notify  me  by 
an  Indian  whenever  you  wish  me  to  go  to  the  post  of  Santa 
Maria;  for,  although  I  am  badly  needed  here  if  I  leave  for  a 
moment,  because  I  am  so  very  busy,  nevertheless,  I  will  steal 
that  short  bit  of  time  and,  like  fleet  Saeta,  will  fly  and  place  my- 
self at  the  feet  of  your  Reverence,  to  receive  your  commands  and 
discuss  many  things.  I  shall  be  glad  if  the  articles  of  clothing 
referred  to  can  be  brought  at  the  time  of  meeting  from  some  of 
these  mining  towns  for  my  children,  for  they  are  limited  to  sack- 
cloth, blankets,  tunics,  and  pisiete.  I  will  promptly  pay  what 
they  are  worth,  either  in  wheat  or  in  silver,  at  the  latest  at  wheat 
harvest,  for  here  work  proceeds  with  vigor  -  feruet  opus  145  — 
and  I  realize  that  these  attractions  are  very  helpful  for  the  spir- 
itualities as  well  as  for  the  temporalities.  I  cannot  spend  much 
time  on  this  letter,  as  the  bearer  wishes  to  return.  I  always 
remain  subject  to  the  orders  of  your  Reverence.  Vale,  pater 
optime,  et  in  tuis  sacrificiis,  tui  yndignisimi  famuli  ne  oblivis- 

145  "The  work  glows,"  i.e.  proceeds  with  vigor  (Virgil,  JEneid,  vol.  i, 
line  436.     Fervet  opus  redolentque  thymo  fragrantia  mella). 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  139 

caris  precor.1*6     Consepcion  de  Nuestra  Sefiora  del  Caborca, 
April  i,  1695.     Your  Reverence's  humblest  servant  in  Christ. 

Xavier  Saeta. 

P.S.  I.  Through  lack  of  vinegar  I  have  not  yet  tried  my 
very  pretty  garden.  I  appreciate  very  much  the  kindness  your 
Reverence  does  me  in  writing  in  my  behalf  to  the  superiors,  and 
although  I  merit  nothing  except  all  kinds  of  confusion  (for  what 
I  do  is  nothing  in  comparison  with  what  I  owe  to  the  divine 
Majesty  and  to  His  most  beloved  souls),  nevertheless  I  do  not 
fail  to  be  grateful  for  the  kindness.  Vale  iterurn  humanissime 
Pater  et  felix  vive.147 

P.S.  II.  The  bearer  of  your  Reverence's  letter  has  grieved 
me  unspeakably  by  the  news  he  brought  me,  to  the  effect  that  the 
Hocomes  attacked  San  Pedro  del  Tubutama  the  other  day  and 
killed  poor  Martin  and  the  boy  Fernando,  who  were  returning 
from  bringing  me  the  cattle.148  In  God's  name  your  Rever- 
ence will  tell  me  about  what  happened,  as  well  as  about  Father 
Daniel.149 

Thus  far  the  venerable  father  in  his  last  letter,  in- 
side; but  after  it  was  sealed  he  wrote  me  the  following 
on  the  outside: 

I  shall  be  very  much  pleased  if  your  Reverence  receives  the 
bundle  of  relics  and  other  little  things  which  I  sent  to  you  by 
Father  Daniel.  I  received  two  sacks  of  maize  by  hand  of  the 
governor  of  Bosna.  The  maize  could  not  be  brought  from 
Santa  Maria  on  account  of  the  enemies,  for  the  news  of  the 
deaths  of  Martin  and  the  boy  is  confirmed.  Let  your  Rever- 
ence not  lose  sight  of  me. 

Thus  far  the  venerable  father.  I  received  this  last 
long  and  most  tender  letter  at  eleven  o'clock  on  Easter 
day,  having  received  two  hours  before,  at  about  nine 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  the  sad  news  of  his  holy  death. 

146  "Farewell,  most  excellent  Father.  In  your  holy  sacrifices  do  not,  I  pray, 
be  unmindful  of  your  most  unworthy  servant"   (i.e.,  in  your  Masses). 

147  "Again,  farewell,  most  kindly  Father,  and  be  happy." 

148  For  accounts  of  the  uprising  at  Tubutama,  see  "Index"  and  Apostdlicos 
A  fanes,  256-257;   Manje,  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,   30-31. 

149  Father  Daniel  Januske. 


i4o  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

APRIL  2,  1695.  it:  occurred  at  sunrise  on  the  morn- 
ing of  Holy  Saturday,  or  Saturday  of  the  Gloria,  April 
2,  1695,  as  I  will  now  tell  in  chapter  nine.  The  news 
of  it  came  in  twenty-seven  hours,  a  distance  of  forty- 
six  leagues. 

CHAPTER   IX.     CONCERNING  THREE   OTHER   MUR- 
DERS COMMITTED  IN  SAN  PEDRO 
DEL  TUBUTAMA 

The  disturbances  and  murders  which  the  venerable 
father  mentions  in  his  last  letter,  and  which  were  attri- 
buted to  the  Jocomes,  were  not  committed  by  them,  but 
by  the  Tubutamas  themselves,  and  later,  by  some  oth- 
ers, disgusted,  very  much  stirred  up,  and  irritated  at 
certain  bad  treatment  and  new  and  old  severities,  and 
even  at  some  murders  in  the  west  and  in  the  north. 
Those  malcontents  went  to  take  vengeance  on  La 
Consepcion,  destroying  almost  all  the  mission.  It  is 
evident  that  the  three  murders  which  took  place  in  El 
Tubutama  on  March  29,  four  days  before  the  death  of 
the  venerable  father- namely,  those  of  three  Opata  In- 
dians, Antonio,  the  herdsman  of  El  Tubutama,  Martin 
and  the  boy  Fernando,  who  were  returning  from  La 
Consepcion,  were  committed  by  the  Tubutamas  because 
of  the  harsh  and  choleric  treatment  with  which,  many 
times,  the  said  Opata  Indian  Antonio  abused  and  beat 
the  Pima  Indians  of  El  Tubutama.  For,  on  the  same 
day,  March  29,  Holy  Tuesday,  he  knocked  down  on  the 
ground  and  wounded  with  spur  thrusts  the  overseer  of 
the  farm,  who  cried  out  to  his  relatives,  "This  Opata  is 
killing  me;"  whereupon  the  rest  of  the  Pimas  shot  two 
arrows  at  him.  Nevertheless,  he  mounted  a  horse  and 
fled  to  the  pueblo.  They  followed  and  killed  him, 
plundered  the  other  Opata  Indians  named,  burned  the 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  141 

house  and  little  church  of  the  venerable  father,  and 
killed  many  cattle,  etc.,  as  the  father  had  set  out  a  few 
hours  before  for  San  Ygnacio  and  Cucurpe  with  the 
news  of  all  this. 

And  it  seems  that  some  of  these  disturbers  went  to 
the  neighboring  rancheria  of  San  Antonio  del  Vquitoa, 
eight  leagues  to  the  southwest,  and  the  malcontents 
there,  together  with  others,  about  forty  in  all,  planned 
to  do  the  same  thing  [in  Pitquin],  which  is  distant 
about  twelve  leagues,  the  common  enemy  and  others, 
their  following,  cooperating  to  the  complete  obstruc- 
tion of  our  holy  faith.  On  the  first  day  of  April 
these  forty-odd  sinners  came  down  to  San  Diego  del 
Pitquin,  which  is  three  leagues  from  La  Consepcion, 
and  arranged  to  commit  very  early  on  the  following 
morning  the  sacrilegious  iniquities  which  in  fact  they 
so  barbarously  did  commit  against  the  person  of  the 
venerable  father,  his  property,  and  his  four  servants, 
Opatas  and  strangers. 

CHAPTER    X.     HAPPY    AND    GLORIOUS    DEATH    OF 

THE  VENERABLE  FATHER  FRANCISCO  XAVIER 

SAETA  AND  OF  HIS  FOUR  SERVANTS,  AND 

THE  PLUNDERING  OF  HIS  HOUSE 

At  sunrise  on  Saturday  of  the  Gloria,  April  2,  1695, 
these  forty-odd  malefactors  from  San  Antonio  del 
Vquitoa  entered  the  house  of  the  venerable  father,  ap- 
parently in  peace,  but  with  their  bows  and  arrows. 
They  talked  to  the  venerable  father  and  he  with  them, 
and  bade  them  good-bye  in  a  friendly  way.  They  went 
out,  the  venerable  father  accompanying  them  to  the 
door  of  the  spacious  hall,  where  he  at  once  discovered 
the  evil  purpose  of  the  sacrilegists,  and  although  the 
venerable  father  called  the  captain  of  La  Consepcion, 


142  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

through  fear  of  the  armed  people  he  failed  to  approach. 
Then  the  venerable  father  knelt  down  in  the  very  door 
of  his  hall  (which  was  the  one  that  still  served  as  a 
little  church)  to  receive,  as  he  did  receive,  the  two  ar- 
row shots,  and  arising  with  them  he  went  in  to  embrace 
a  very  pretty  crucifix  which  he  had  brought  with  him 
from  Europe,  and,  seating  himself  on  a  box,  on  account 
of  weakness  and  pain,  and  afterwards  on  the  bed,  bleed- 
ing, he  gave  his  happy  spirit  to  the  sovereign  Creator. 

These  cruel  barbarians  also  killed  the  four  servants 
of  the  venerable  father.  One  was  named  Francisco 
Xavier  and  was  a  native  of  Vris.  He  served  as  inter- 
preter and  was  married  to  a  Pima  woman  of  this  Pi- 
meria  named  Luisa,  a  native  of  the  great  rancheria  of 
Mototicachi,  which  was  so  unreasonably  destroyed  in 
the  year  1688.  More  than  twenty  captives  were  car- 
ried off  from  it  to  the  mining  town  which  they  call 
Los  Frayles,  and  more  than  fifty  natives  were  beaten, 
merely  because  of  the  malicious  suspicion  that  they 
were  stealing  stock  and  committing  the  hostilities  in 
this  province,  although  it  is  thoroughly  patent  now  that 
they  have  been  committed  by  the  Hocomes,  Xanos, 
Sumas,  and  Apaches  combined,  and  not  by  these  much 
persecuted  poor  Pimas  of  this  extensive  Pimeria  here- 
about. 

Therefore,  his  Excellency  ordered  that  these  cap- 
tives should  be  restored  to  their  liberty  and  to  their 
nation,  whereupon  the  said  Lucia  came  to  this  pueblo 
of  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores,  where  she  married 
the  above  mentioned  Francisco  Xavier.  The  second 
of  the  servants  was  Josep[h],  a  very  good  herdsman,  a 
native  of  Chinapa,  who  had  married  in  Cocospera. 
The  third  was  a  plainsman,150  a  native  of  Cumpas, 

150  Sabanero. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J. 143 

named  Francisco.  The  fourth  was  another  boy,  a 
native  of  Vres,  named  Fernando,  who  had  aided  in 
taking  the  cattle  to  La  Consepcion.  The  barbarians 
plundered  the  house  of  the  venerable  father,  killed  and 
stampeded  the  cattle,  sheep  and  goats,  and  the  horse- 
herd,  and  went  away  leaving  the  people  of  La  Consep- 
cion grief  stricken.  Four  or  five  days  afterward  the 
governor  of  El  Bosna,  whom  I  had  sent  to  find  out  in 
detail  about  all  that  had  happened,  arrived  at  La  Con- 
sepcion. As  he  found  that  the  bodies  of  the  dead  were 
decomposing,  he  burned  them,  not  being  able  to  give 
them  any  other  burial.  Near  the  body  of  the  vener- 
able father  he  found  the  holy  crucifix,  which  he  was 
bringing  to  me  when  he  met  the  soldiers  from  the  presi- 
dio, who  took  it  away  from  him. 

CHAPTER  XI.     EXPEDITION  OF  THE  GARRISON  OF 

THIS  PROVINCE  OF  SONORA  TO  PUNISH  THE 

DELINQUENTS    AND    TO    REMOVE    THE 

BODY  OF  THE  VENERABLE  FATHER 

Upon  receiving  the  news,  which  I  at  once  despatched 
to  the  superiors  and  to  the  royal  justice,  the  Senor  gov- 
ernor of  arms,  Don  Domingo  Jeronsa  Petriz  de  Cruzat, 
responded  and  came  at  once  with  the  soldiers  of  his 
presidio  and  with  many  friendly  Indians,  and  accom- 
panied by  Father  Agustin  de  Campos  and  Father  Fer- 
nando Bayerca,  for  the  purpose  of  redressing  the  in- 
juries and  to  remove  the  body  of  the  venerable  father  to 
La  Consepcion.  But  from  everywhere  around  there 
the  people  fled  through  fear  of  the  soldiers,  whom  they 
had  never  seen  before.  Having  killed  a  boy,  beaten 
an  Indian  woman,  and  taken  captive  three  little  chil- 
dren whom  they  encountered,  they  gathered  up  the 
bones  and  ashes  of  the  venerable  father,  and  various 


i44  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

papers,  books,  and  other  trifles.  Returning,  the  Senor 
governor  observed  the  day  of  the  Holy  Cross  in  May  in 
this  new  church  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores,  con- 
fessing and  partaking  of  the  holy  Sacrament  in  the 
morning,  and  in  the  afternoon  we  all  proceeded  to  the 
nearby  pueblo  of  Cucurpe.  We  bore  the  bones  and 
ashes  of  the  venerable  father;  and  the  Sefior  governor, 
to  the  great  satisfaction  of  all,  deigned  to  lead  by  the 
bridle  the  mule  which  bore  the  little  box  containing 
the  bones  of  the  venerable  father.  The  following  day 
the  burial  occurred,  the  father  rector  of  this  rectorate 
of  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores,  Father  Marcos  An- 
tonio Kappus,  singing  mass. 

CHAPTER  XII.     SECOND  AND  NEW  EXPEDITION  OF 

THE  GARRISON  AND  NEW  AND  GREATER 

DISTURBANCE  THAN  BEFORE 

As  all  the  people  of  El  Tubutama  and  its  vicinity, 
those  of  La  Consepcion,  and  especially  the  delinquents 
of  San  Antonio  del  Uquitoa,  etc.,  had  fled  afar  through 
fear  of  the  garrison,  the  Senor  governor  of  arms  was 
of  the  opinion  that  he  should  wait  a  little,  and  that, 
affecting  carelessness,  only  the  chief  criminals  should 
be  punished,  the  good  Pimas  who  were  not  guilty  of 
or  accomplices  in  the  crime  cooperating.  But  others 
urged  that  return  should  be  made  to  inflict  severe  pun- 
ishment at  once.  The  captain  of  the  presidio  returned 
with  more  supplies.  We  summoned  the  people,  with 
the  delinquents  of  El  Tubutama,  to  make  peace.  The 
innocent  ones  and  the  justices  went  inland  to  seek  out 
and  summon  the  malefactors,  and  all  came  with  crosses 
and  without  arms,  but  all  were  killed,  both  good  and 
bad,  to  the  number  of  more  than  fifty,  among  them 
being  the  governor  of  El  Bosna  and  the  governor  of 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  145 

El  Tupo,  who  with  great  friendliness  and  loyalty  had 
labored  so  hard  and  traveled  so  far  in  hunting  for  the 
criminals,  and  who  had  aided  in  their  punishment. 

At  so  many  murders  of  so  many  innocents,  for  there 
were  only  five  or  six  of  the  delinquents  there,  the  rela- 
tives of  the  dead  were  aroused  and  stirred  up  to  such  a 
degree  that  after  the  garrison  had  retired  or  gone  away, 
they  burned  the  houses  or  chapels  of  San  Ignacio,  San 
Joseph  de  los  Hymires,  Santa  Maria  Magdalena,  and 
La  Consepcion  (which  at  the  time  of  the  murder  of  the 
venerable  father  they  had  not  burned),  profaning  the 
holy  ornaments  and  destroying  all  the  supplies,  cattle, 
and  horses,  etc.  But,  happily,  Father  Agustin  de  Cam- 
pos with  the  six  soldiers  who  had  remained  with  him 
as  guard,  had  left,  fleeing  to  Cucurpe  and  Opodepe. 
We  were  all  in  great  straits,  but  I  sent  such  quieting 
messages  as  I  could  to  all  parts,  and  by  Divine  grace 
the  trouble  went  no  further. 

CHAPTER  XIII.     THIRD  EXPEDITION  WITH  THREE 

GARRISONS  OF  ONE  HUNDRED  AND  FIFTY  MEN 

AND  WITH  MANY  INDIAN  FRIENDS  FROM 

EVERYWHERE,  EVEN  FROM  HYAQUI 

JULY  AND  AUGUST,  1695.  Afterward,  in  July  and 
August,  there  went  inland  three  camps  or  garrisons, 
comprising  one  hundred  and  fifty  men,  with  two  hun- 
dred loads  of  supplies,  and  with  many  Indian  friends 
from  all  parts,  even  from  the  Pimeria  of  the  north  itself, 
for  besides  the  garrison  of  this  Presidio  of  Sonora,  that 
of  the  Presidio  of  Xanos  entered  under  General  Juan 
Fernandez  de  la  Fuente;  likewise,  the  garrison  of  the 
Presidio  of  El  Gallo,  under  General  Don  Domingo 
Theran.  These  two  garrisons  passed  through  the 
lands  of  the  Hocomes  and  the  hostile  Xanos,  in  order 


146  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

to  reach  Pimeria,  and  in  those  lands,  in  the  Serro  de 
Chiguicagui,151  they  found  almost  all  the  spoils  of  the 
many  robberies  which,  during  all  these  years  had  been 
committed  in  this  province  of  Sonora  and  on  its  fron- 
tiers, including  many  arquebuses,  swords,  daggers,  spurs, 
saddle-bags,  saddles,  boots,  etc.,  whose  theft  many  had 
so  falsely  imputed  to  the  Pimas  Sobaipuris. 

There  were  also  found  the  pieces,  very  recently 
broken,  of  the  bugle  which  they  took  away  from  the 
bugler  of  General  Quiros.  Among  these  Hocomes 
were  found  the  spoils  of  the  soldier  Juan  de  Ochoa, 
whom,  a  few  weeks  before,  they  had  captured  alive, 
killing  his  three  companions,  on  the  road  between 
Guachinera  and  Guasavas.  Many  of  these  spoils, 
guns,  saddles,  etc.,  were  redeemed,  and  truces  were 
made  with  the  enemy  until  they  should  come  to  the 
Pimeria,  whither  General  Don  Domingo  Theran  hur- 
ried, entering  Tubutama  at  night,  without  the  other 
two  garrisons  knowing  it,  and  killing  fifteen  or  sixteen 
Pimas.  Hereupon  the  people  fled  in  all  directions, 
just  as  they  were  about  to  deliver  up  the  criminals  to 
their  deserved  punishment. 

The  garrisons,  together  with  the  friendly  Indians, 
went  up  from  El  Tubutama  to  El  Saric,  and  then  de- 
scended to  La  Consepcion,  a  march  of  more  than  forty 
leagues,  consuming  fruitlessly  many  weeks'  time,  be- 
cause the  people  were  still  far  away,  until  with  great 
prudence,  experience,  and  very  Christian  zeal,  General 
Juan  Fernandez  de  la  Fuente,  realizing  that  there  was 

151  The  Chiricahua  (Chiguicagui)  Mountains  are  in  southeastern  Arizona, 
about  half  way  between  the  Rio  Gila  and  the  international  boundary  lint. 
Hodge  (Handbook  of  American  Indians,  vol.  i,  282)  says  that  the  Chiricahua 
Apaches  were  the  most  warlike  of  the  Arizona  Indians.  Chiricahua  is  a 
small  town  on  the  El  Paso  and  Southwestern  Railway  about  twenty  miles 
northeast  of  Douglas. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  147 

no  rebellion  among  these  Pimas,  since  in  all  this  time 
they  did  not  resist,  oppose,  or  make  war  on  any  one, 
anywhere,  but  merely  fled  through  fear  of  the  soldiers, 
and  remained  in  retreat,  endeavored  to  make  peace, 
with  the  stipulation  and  condition  that  the  Pimas  and 
their  chief  captains  and  governors  should  obligate 
themselves  to  deliver  up  the  principal  malefactors  in 
the  murder  of  the  venerable  Father  Francisco  Xavier 
Saeta,  and  the  Pimas  joyfully  accepted  the  proposal. 


BOOK  IV.     GENERAL  PEACE-AGREEMENTS 
OF  THIS  PIMERIA,  AND  LETTERS  OF  VARI- 
OUS PROMINENT  PERSONS  WHO  PROPH- 
ESY   AND    PROMISE    GREAT    FRUITS 
FROM  THE  INNOCENT  AND  HAPPY 
DEATH    OF   THE   VENERABLE    FA- 
THER FRANCISCO  XAVIER  SAETA 

CHAPTER   I.    THE   VERY   CATHOLIC   PEACE-AGREE- 
MENTS OF  THIS  PIMERIA 

General  Juan  Fernandez  de  la  Fuente,  seeing  that 
all  the  Pimas,  those  who  had  retreated  as  well  as  those 
who  had  not,  those  of  the  west  and  those  of  the  north, 
were  falling  in  so  amicably  with  his  very  generous  and 
very  Catholic  proposals  relative  to  the  peace-agree- 
ments, his  Grace  summoned  me  to  see  that  the  truces 
were  properly  drawn  up,  so  that  we  fathers  should  be 
safe,  content,  and  satisfied.  I  went  at  once  to  El  Tupo 
and  La  Consepcion,  whither  many  natives  of  six  dis- 
tinct rancherias,  or  pueblos,  presently  arrived,  on  the 
twenty-fifth  of  August.  Soon  we  came  to  the  plains  of 
La  Cienega  del  Tupo;  and  on  August  30,  day  of  the 
most  glorious  Saint  of  the  Indies,  Rosa  de  Santa  Maria, 
seven  other  rancherias  or  pueblos  and  many  governors 
went  down  thither. 

And  after  sundry  very  pacific  and  very  Catholic 
talks  on  the  part  of  the  Company,  and  especially  on  the 
part  of  the  generals,  some  very  friendly,  very  excellent, 
and  very  Christian  peace-agreements  were  drawn  up 
in  the  name  of  God  and  the  King,  the  Pimas  very  will- 


EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  149 


ingly  obligating  themselves  promptly  to  surrender  the 
principal  delinquents  to  their  merited  punishment. 
And  it  was  a  source  of  most  singular  comfort,  and  edi- 
fication, and  tenderness  to  see  those  generals  embracing 
those  poor  Pima  captains  and  governors  with  such  lov- 
ing, Christian,  Catholic  embraces  and  friendly  caresses. 
Thanks  to  the  Sovereign  Lord,  some  peace-agreements 
were  drawn  up  and  so  well  established  and  fixed  that, 
by  Divine  mercy,  they  remained  very  permanent,  to  the 
great  advantage  of  the  province  and  to  the  great  injury 
of  our  enemies,  the  Hocomes;  and  in  due  time  these 
captains  and  governors  fulfilled  their  promise,  surren- 
dering to  the  royal  justice  the  principal  delinquents. 
They  were  catechised,  baptized,  and  prepared  for 
death;  but  the  very  great  and  paternal  charity  of  the 
father  visitor,  Oracio  Polise,  seeing  them  so  humble  and 
so  repentant,  obtained  their  pardon. 

CHAPTER  II.     SUNDRY  LETTERS  OF  PRINCIPAL  PER- 
SONS, WHO   PROGNOSTICATE  AND   PROMISE  VERY 
COPIOUS    SPIRITUAL   AND    TEMPORAL    FRUITS    IN 
THE  MOST  CONSTANT  CONVERSION  OF  MANY 
SOULS;  AND,  IN  THE  FIRST  PLACE,  THE 
LETTERS  OF  THE  SUPERIORS 

Father  Rector  Marcos  Anttonio  Kapus.  The 
father  rector  of  this  mission  or  rectorate  of  Nuestra 
Senora  de  los  Dolores,  Marcos  Anttonio  Kapus,  with- 
out delay,  early  in  April,  while  we  were  still  somewhat 
in  doubt  in  regard  to  the  death  of  the  venerable  father 
(inasmuch  as  since  the  news  of  the  death,  which  was 
brought  by  an  Indian,  many  letters  had  come  from  the 
venerable  father),  wrote  me  the  following  words: 

I  constantly  feel,  sensirn  sine  sensu,  a  greater  and  greater  ven- 
eration for  this  our  glorious  protomartyr,  and  I  hope  that  our 
Lord  in  his  Divine  Majesty  will  look  upon  this  innocent  victim, 


150  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

for  the  furtherance  of  the  conversion  of  very  many  souls.  (And 
immediately  afterward  his  Reverence  adds:)  I  have  the  great- 
est hopes  that  all  these  evils  are  destined  to  bring  forth  much 
fruit  and  exceeding  great  good.  May  his  Divine  Majesty  grant 
it  and  may  she  [Nuestra  Sefiora  de  los  Dolores]  be  our  protector 
and  our  support. 

Father  Visitor  Juan  Munos  de  Burgos.  The 
father  visitor,  Juan  Munos  de  Burgos,  from  the  mining 
town  of  San  Juan,  through  which  his  Reverence  was 
passing  on  his  return  from  the  visitation,  wrote  me  the 
following: 

May  our  Lord  requite  your  Reverence  for  the  holy  zeal  with 
which  you  are  endeavoring  to  stay  the  fury  of  such  ungrateful 
people.  May  your  Reverence,  as  father  of  those  poor  souls, 
aid  them  with  your  counsels  and  holy  sacrifices,  for  I  hope  in  the 
Lord  that  in  the  future  the  blood  of  that  angel  will  be  the  means 
whereby  the  Pimeria  will  bring  forth  much  fruit  for  the  greater 
glory  of  God  our  Lord.  May  He  guard  your  Reverence  for  me 
in  much  comfort. 

In  another  letter,  of  April  15,  his  Reverence  writes 
to  me  thus:  "Be  of  good  cheer,  your  Reverence,  for  I 
hope  in  the  Lord  that  all  this  must  redound  to  the  great- 
er glory  of  God,  as  we  have  seen  in  other  new  con- 
quests where  our  brethren  have  shed  their  blood."  In 
another,  from  his  district  of  Guepaca,  his  Reverence 
writes  to  me  the  following: 

Your  Reverence's  health  has  given  me  great  concern,  since 
they  told  me  that  they  had  seen  your  Reverence  looking  very  ill, 
and  I  am  rather  inclined  to  think  that  in  the  present  case  your 
Reverence's  heart  and  holy  zeal  are  still  suffering  over  the  revolt 
of  that  new  Christendom.  God  well  knows  that  I  would  like 
to  see  your  Reverence  with  lively  hopes  in  our  Lord  that  soon 
we  shall  see  those  poor  misguided  beings  brought  again  into  the 
bosom  of  our  holy  mother  Church.  In  what  new  conversions 
have  we  not  seen  the  shedding  of  blood  of  apostolic  noblemen, 
whose  irrigation  has  fertilized  the  harvest  of  many  souls?  In 
God's  name,  your  Reverence,  be  of  good  courage  in  the  Lord, 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  151 

and  comfort  your  heart ;  and  with  the  same  zeal  continue  in  the 
conversion  of  those  poor  ingrates. 

Father  Provincial,  Diego  de  Almonazir.  The 
father  provincial,  Diego  de  Almonasir,  having  heard  of 
this  blessed  death  of  the  venerable  father,  Francisco 
Xavier  Saeta,  writes  to  and  consoles  the  rest  of  the 
fathers,  saying  that  we  should  have  a  thousand  desires 
to  obtain  the  same  fortune  as  our  companion;  but  that 
the  Lord,  content  with  Father  Saeta,  wished  the  others 
for  the  instruction  of  those  people,  and  that  their  mar- 
tyrdom should  be  without  blood,  but  more  prolonged 
in  the  continual  risk  of  life  and  the  difficult  task  of  our 
ministry  in  the  face  of  their  brutish  obstinacy.  Says 
the  father  provincial  to  the  father  visitor,  in  regard  to 
the  fathers  of  Pimeria:  "For  my  part,  commend  me 
to  and  signify  to  all  my  grateful  envy  of  their  blessed 
labors  and  happy  lot,  quite  in  keeping  with  the  apos- 
tolic life  and  travail."     Thus  far  the  father  provincial. 

CHAPTER  III.    OTHER  LETTERS  FROM  OTHER  PROM- 
INENT FATHERS  WHO  PROMISE  AND  ASSURE 
THE  SAME  BLESSED  AND  COPIOUS  FRUIT 

May  11,  1695.  Father  Rector  Manuel  Gon- 
zales.  The  father  rector  of  the  College  of  Oposura, 
Manuel  Gonzales,  on  May  11  wrote  thus: 

With  that  of  your  Reverence,  I  received  the  note  of  the  de- 
ceased father,  Francisco  Xavier  Saeta  —  may  he  be  with  God  in 
Glory-  a  very  edifying  note  written  a  few  days  before  his  death. 
I  have  thought  and  I  still  think  of  your  Reverence  in  as  grievous 
and  unhappy  a  case  as  that  of  our  children,  the  Pimas.  I  so  desire 
to  comfort  them  that  I  would  fain  declare  it  with  tears  of  my 
heart's  blood  instead  of  ink ;  but  I  am  consoled  by  my  knowledge 
of  your  Reverence,  who  knows  how  deep  and  hidden  are  the  just 
and  holy  judgments  of  God  our  Lord,  whom  we  ought  to  adore 
and  venerate  with  all  our  hearts  and  souls.  Good  courage,  my 
best  beloved  father,  for  God  our  Lord  is  able  to  bring  great 


i52  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

good  out  of  evil.  How  much  your  Reverence  has  worked  for 
the  good  of  those  poor  creatures,  how  well  you  were  conducting 
so  holy  a  work,  and  how  far  you  had  advanced  it,  all  the  world 
knows.  (And  afterwards  his  Reverence  continues:)  I  beg  of 
your  Reverence,  for  the  love  of  God  our  Lord  and  of  His  most 
holy  Mother,  our  Lady  of  Sorrows,  that  your  Reverence,  in  such 
sorrow,  cast  yourself  at  the  feet  of  this  our  Lady,  and  offer 
yourself  wholly  to  her,  conforming  yourself  in  everything  to  the 
Divine  will,  trusting  much  in  the  Divine  goodness  that  when  it 
shall  please  His  Divine  Majesty  all  will  be  rectified  to  His  great 
honor  and  glory  and  to  the  advantage  of  all  those  poor  sons  of 
our  heart.  May  God  have  pity  upon  them  and  guard  your  Rev- 
erence for  me. 

June  9,  1695.  Father  Rector  Anttonio  Leal. 
Thus  far  the  father  rector,  Manuel  Gonzales.  On  the 
ninth  of  June  the  father  rector,  Anttonio  Leal,  wrote 
me  from  his  holy  College  of  Guadiana  the  following 
letter. 

I  took  great  comfort  from  the  pleasing  reports  with  which 
the  father  visitor  favored  me,  of  the  progress  and  increase  of 
Christianity  in  the  Pimeria,  occasioned  by  the  entry  of  your  Rev- 
erence one  hundred  and  fifty  leagues  to  the  north,  and  of  the 
great  number  of  heathen  who  anxiously  sought  the  waters  of  holy 
baptism.  But  how  could  such  ease  be  free  from  envy;  and  how 
could  the  Devil  allow  so  many  souls,  which  he  held  as  his  own, 
to  escape  him,  without  doing  his  utmost  to  block  their  path- 
way? 

I  have  greatly  regretted,  and  all  greatly  regret,  that  that  re- 
volt should  have  occurred  among  those  poor  creatures,  although 
I  hope  in  our  Lord  that  it  has  not  been  in  all  parts.  However, 
my  father,  though  the  faith  of  our  God  has  had  such  a  setback, 
not  for  that  has  it  been  destroyed;  and  although  the  Apostles, 
disciples  of  Christ,  and  their  successors  in  all  ages,  have  died, 
si  caro  infirma  spiritus  promptus,152  those  who  have  remained 
have   again    promptly    kindled    the    fires   of   the    Holy    Spirit, 


152  "If  the  flesh  be  weak,  the  spirit  is  willing"  (i.e.,  "If  weak  in  body,  yet 
willing  in  spirit"  {Matthew,  xxvi,  41,  or  Mark,  xiv,  38.  Spiritus  quidem 
promptus  est,  caro  autem  infirma). 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  153 

reviving  it  from  the  deadest  ashes.  Your  Reverence,  whom  it 
behooves  not  to  give  up  -  for  the  blood  of  our  brother  is  to  be  the 
watering  by  which  those  new  plants  are  to  wax  greater,  and  in 
heaven  he  is  to  be  the  patron  of  those  poor  souls  —  your  Rever- 
ence has  been  and  must  be  their  apostle;  and  great  will  be  the 
compassion  which  for  some  is  suffered  by  others.  Then,  my 
father,  the  blood  of  Christ!  Be  not  cast  down,  your  Reverence, 
by  what  has  happened,  for  it  is  the  cause  of  God,  and  God  will 
return  for  its  sake  and  assist  your  Reverence,  whom  I  pray  Him 
to  guard  for  me  many  years.  Since,  your  Reverence,  I  have  ever 
been  your  companion  in  desires  whose  fulfillment  our  Lord  hath 
not  granted  me,  may  he  make  me  a  participant  in  your  labors. 

Thus  far  the  father  rector,  Anttonio  Leal,  with  his 

very  paternal  encouragement.     The  father  rector  of  the 

College  of  Matape,  Marcos  de  Loyola,  a  missionary 

very  experienced  as  well  in  new  as  in  old  missions, 

writes  me  almost  the  same.     He  says  that  our  Lord 

must  desire  this  Pimeria  for  some  great  thing,  since 

He    permits    it    to    be    attacked    and    impeded    with 

much  opposition.     And  in  another  letter,  of  February 

26,  1695,  even  preceding  these  disturbances,  with  more 

discerning  prophecy,  he  writes  as  follows: 

This  means  that  your  Reverence  will  not  lack  laborers  to 
win  the  crown  of  eternity.  Happy  your  Reverence,  who  has  an 
opportunity  to  gain  so  much  in  heaven ;  I  even  envy  your  Rever- 
ence, for,  as  things  are  going  you  should  take  comfort  in  every- 
thing, for  it  is  of  God's  law,  and  He  is  leading.  There  is  no 
reason  to  lose  heart  on  that  account,  but  rather  to  hope  in  God, 
for  He  will  bring  from  everything  great  fruit  and  good. 

Thus  far  the  father  rector  of  Matape,  Marcos  de 
Loyola;  and  much  of  this  nature  many  fathers  have 
written  and  said. 


154  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

CHAPTER  IV.     OTHER  LETTERS  FROM  THREE  LIEU- 
TENANTS   OF    THIS    PIMERIA    IN    REGARD    TO 
THE  BLESSED  DEATH  OF  THE  VENERABLE 
FATHER  FRANCISCO  XAVIER  SAETA 

Captain  Pasqual  de  Picondo,  who  a  few  months  be- 
fore had  been  lieutenant  of  the  Real  de  Bacanuche  and 
of  this  Pimeria,  writes  me  the  following: 

I  regard  the  death  of  the  venerable  Father  Francisco  Xavier 
Saeta  as  one  of  the  greatest  glories  that  could  be  desired,  for 
many  have  wished  to  die  for  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  like  min- 
istry and  have  not  obtained  their  wish.  Happy  once  and  a  thou- 
sand times  Father  Francisco  Xavier  Saeta,  who  obtained  from 
our  Lord  the  boon  that  his  stole  should  be  bathed  in  blood. 
And  I  regard  all  this  Pimeria  as  flourishing,  and  predict  that  it 
will  yield  ripened  fruit  for  the  granary  of  the  Church;  and  let 
the  reverend  fathers  of  Pimeria  rejoice  and  congratulate  them- 
selves likewise,  that  they  have  a  martyr  comrade  in  heaven  who 
is  and  will  be  their  advocate  with  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that 
their  holy  desires  and  labors  may  succeed. 

Another  and  similar  letter  his  successor  in  the  lieu- 
tenancy, Captain  Josepfh]  Romo  de  Vivar,  wrote  me 
from  Real  de  Bacanuche;  and  another,  from  the  Real 
de  San  Juan,  the  General  Don  Pedro  Garzia  de  Al- 
mazan,  who  had  been  a  very  great  admirer  of  the  vener- 
able Father,  since  the  latter  four  months  before  his  hap- 
py death  had  lodged  in  his  house  at  the  Real  de  San 
Juan,  when  he  preached  at  the  feasts  of  Nuestra  Senora 
de  la  Consepcion.  And  after  other  very  fine  letters  in 
reference  to  the  matter,  more  recently  the  present  lieu- 
tenant of  this  Pimeria,  Juan  Matheo  Manje,  nephew  of 
the  Sefior  military  commander  of  this  province  of  So- 
nora,  on  the  nineteenth  of  September,  1695,  wrote  me 
the  following: 

I  have  been  pleased  to  learn  of  your  Reverence's  going  to 
Mexico.  May  the  sovereign  Lord  grant  you  a  pleasant  journey 
and  complete  success  in  everything  and  bring  you  back  safe,  ac- 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  155 

companied  by  fervent  and  apostolic  ministers  for  this  Pimeria, 
vineyard  of  the  Lord  ;  for  by  the  blood  of  the  most  zealous  Father 
and  martyr,  Francisco  Xavier  Saeta,  that  harvest  of  souls  is 
being  fertilized,  and  in  time  will  be  the  most  flourishing,  just  as 
happens  in  the  fields  where  by  watering  the  land  is  fertilized  in 
order  that  it  may  make  the  harvest  of  wheat  luxuriant.  Nor 
will  this  innocent  blood  of  the  venerable  father  martyr  be  like 
that  of  Abel,  which  cried  for  vengeance,  but  it  will  be  a  foun- 
tain of  supplications  and  appeals  for  the  conversion  of  those 
heathen  tribes,  and  for  their  repentance,  for  they  know  not  what 
they  did  -  like  those  others  who  crucified  Jesus  the  Lamb  Him- 
self, and  who  crucify  Him  again  by  opposing  and  hindering 
those  new  conversions.  I  am  consoled,  however,  that  your  Rev- 
erence, by  going  to  Mexico,  will  arrange  for  ministers,  etc.  I 
rejoice  at  the  coming  of  the  governors  of  the  Soba  nation  from 
the  west  to  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores.  The  blood  which 
was  shed  is  beginning  to  bear  me  fruit. 

This  and  much  more  from  Captain  Juan  Matheo 
Manje,  present  lieutenant  of  this  Pimeria,  who  with 
very  Christian  zeal  and  like  valor  has  on  various  occa- 
sions made  divers  expeditions  with  me. 

CHAPTER  V.     ANOTHER  LETTER  CITING  THE  UNI- 
VERSAL EXAMPLE   OF  THE   OTHER   NEW  CONVER- 
SIONS, WHICH  LIKEWISE  BEGAN  WITH  THE 
SHEDDING  OF  THE  BLOOD  OF 
THEIR  MINISTERS 

Father  Antonio  Menendez,  July  2,  1695.    Fa- 

ther  Antonio  Menendes,  rector  of  the  mission  of  San 
Ygnacio  de  Mayo,  of  Hyaqui,  on  the  second  of  July, 
1695,  wrote  from  his  holy  College  of  Conicari 153  as  fol- 
lows: 

In  Hyaqui  I  received,  with  the  pain  which  may  be  imagined, 
your  Reverence's  report  of  what  had  happened  in  the  new  con- 
version; this  I  knew  already,  and  in  my  solitude  I  was  thinking 
that  your  Reverence's  heart  must  be  completely  broken,  since  at 

153  Conicari  is  on  the  Mayo  River  about  twenty-five  miles  northeast  of 
Alamos. 


156  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

every  avenue  the  common  enemy  opposes  himself  to  hinder  and 
embarrass  that  which  is  for  the  glory  of  God.  This  is  a  good 
sign,  my  father,  for  all  those  new  conversions  begin  with  min- 
isters' blood  for  their  fertilization,  and,  indeed,  is  a  sign  of  per- 
severance and  good  success.  Thus  was  the  conversion  of  Cina- 
loa  begun  with  Father  Tapia;  that  of  Chinipas  with  the  two 
fathers  Julio  Pascual  and  Manual  Martinez,  that  of  Tepeguanes 
with  seven  glorious  fathers,  that  of  Taraumares  Antiguos  with 
the  blood  of  fathers  Cornelio  and  Jacome  Basilio;  and  now  the 
new  conversion  of  Taraumares  Nuevos  with  Father  Coronda 
and  Father  Manuel  Zanches.  Therefore,  be  of  good  spirits 
my  father,  for  God  willed  that  the  first  fruits  of  that  conversion 
should  be  the  suffering  of  Father  Francisco  Xavier  Saeta. 

Thus  far  the  father  rector,  Antonio  Minendes.  And, 
indeed,  we  see  very  plainly  the  above-mentioned  fruits 
in  the  reduction  of  so  many  souls  who,  in  the  midst  of 
so  many  hindrances  cuce  spesificari  possent  mortes  quo 
ano,  quo  loco,  etc.  .  . 154  already  are  with  such  con- 
stancy coming  from  regions  so  remote  to  ask  for  holy 
baptism. 

CHAPTER    VI.     PROPHECIES    BY    THE    VENERABLE 

FATHER  FRANCISCO  XAVIER  SAETA  HIMSELF  OF  HIS 

GLORIOUS  AND  GREATLY  DESIRED 

MARTYRDOM 

Many  persons,  who  came  with  and  conversed  with 
the  Venerable  Father  in  the  passage  from  Spain  to 
Vera  Cruz  and  in  Mexico,  have  had  and  still  have 
memories  so  vivid  of  the  many  times  when  with  singular 
tenderness  he  used  to  speak  of  his  great  desire  to  shed 
his  blood  and  give  his  life  for  the  Faith  by  means  of  a 
blessed,  holy  martyrdom,  that  they  have  written  from 
Mexico  to  these  missions,  making  detailed  and  express 
mention  of  those  holy  prophecies  of  his.  One  long  let- 
ter from  a  person  of  this  class,  which  is  in  my  posses- 

154  "Whose  deaths  could  be  specified  as  to  year,  place,"  eta 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  157 

sion,  treats  very  expressly  of  these  holy  premonitions  of 
his.  It  arrived  several  weeks  after  his  blessed  death, 
but  was  written  in  Mexico  at  almost  the  same  time  at 
which  here  in  La  Consepcion  the  venerable  father  ob- 
tained his  desired  crown  of  martyrdom,  of  which  I  my- 
self have  heard  him  speak  with  singular  tenderness, 
adding  very  expressly  many  times  those  words  of  St. 
John  the  Baptist,  Posuit  me  [sic]  ut  sagitam  electam,15 
referring  to  his  surname,  Saeta,  which  in  Latin  is  sagi- 
ta,  and  in  Castilian  flecha 156  In  the  letter  which  the  ven- 
erable father  wrote  me  from  Guepaca  on  the  nineteenth 
of  January,  1695,  ne  closed  with  the  words :  "May  your 
Reverence  pardon  the  miserable  scrawl  which  I  am 
writing  with  this  arrow  stroke."  When  the  venerable 
father,  a  few  months  ago,  went  out  to  collect  alms  for 
his  mission,  in  taking  leave  of  various  persons  on  going 
to  the  interior  he  said  to  them,  as  if  he  were  going  to 
die,  "Adieu  till  we  meet  in  heaven."  And  thus  ever  our 
Lord  has  given  increase  to  his  holy  Church  with  His 
own  most  holy  blood  and  with  the  blood  of  His  well 
beloved  and  dearest  ministers.  Plantaverunt  Ecclesiam 
tuam  sanguine  sua,  et  sanguis  Martirum  semen  chris- 
tianorum.157  With  this  in  mind  a  father  visitor  well  said 
that  the  death  of  the  venerable  Father  Francisco  Xavier 
Saeta  was  a  pearl  for  the  Company. 


155  Isaias,  xlix,  2.  Posuit  me  sicut  sagittam  electam.  "He  hath  made  me 
a  chosen  arrow." 

156  I.e.,  arrow. 

157  "They  planted  the  Church  with  their  blood;  and  the  blood  of  Martyrs 
is  the  seed  of  Christians"  (Tertullian,  Apologeticus  adversus  Gentes,  cap.  1. 
Plures  efficimur,  quoties  metimur  a  vobis ;  semen  est  sanguis  Christianorum) . 
The  same  thought  is  expressed  in  several  passages  of  Tertullian. 


BOOKV.    MYJOURNEYTO  MEXICO  AND  MY 

RETURN  TO  THE  MISSIONS;  VISITATION 

OF  THE  FATHER  VISITOR,  ORACIO  POLICE ; 

VARIOUS    ENTRIES    TO    THE    NORTH, 

THE  WEST,  AND  THE  NORTHWEST; 

DISCOVERY    AND    REDUCTION 

OF  NEW  NATIONS 

CHAPTER  I.     MY  JOURNEY  TO  MEXICO  TO  OBTAIN 
MISSIONARY  FATHERS  FOR  THIS  PIMERIA158 

Since  the  year  before,  and  earlier,  when  from  these 
coasts  of  this  Pimeria  we  caught  sight  of  California 
nearby,  I  had  asked  and  obtained  permission  from  the 
father  provincial,  Diego  de  Almonacir,  to  go  to  Mex- 
ico to  discuss  with  his  Reverence  and  with  his  Excel- 
lency the  conversion  of  California  and  the  extensive 
new  lands  of  this  mainland;  but  my  going  had  been 
prevented  by  the  royal  justice  and  some  fathers,  the 
lieutenants,  and  citizens  of  this  province,  who  reported 
to  Mexico  that  I  should  be  needed  here,  and  that  I  was 
accomplishing  more  than  a  well  governed  presidio,  etc. 
This  year,  1695,  however,  in  view  of  the  very  Christian 
truces  which  had  been  drawn  up  on  the  thirtieth  of 
August  in  this  Pimeria,  and  since  the  harvest  of  souls 

158  For  an  account  of  this  trip  to  Mexico,  see  Bancroft,  North  Mexican 
States  and  Texas,  vol.  i,  262-263 ;  Alegre,  Historia,  vol.  iii,  88-89 1  Apos- 
tolicos  A  fanes,  263;  Manje,  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  cap.  iv  (45). 
The  account  given  by  Alegre  is  in  some  respects  better  than  that  given  here 
by  Kinc%  especially  with  respect  to  the  details  of  Kino's  efforts  while  in 
Mexico  to  secure  justice  for  the  Pimas.  He  says  nothing,  however,  of  Kino's 
efforts  in  behalf  of  California  during  this  journey.  In  fact,  none  of  the 
other   authorities   except  the   Afanes  mention   them. 


EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  159 

was  so  plenteous,  so  widespread,  and  so  ripe,  I  deter- 
mined, although  some  opposed  me,  to  avail  myself  of 
the  license,  almost  an  order,  which  I  had  from  the 
father  provincial,  and  to  go  to  Mexico  for  the  good  of 
so  many  souls  in  sore  need;  and  so,  setting  out  from 
these  missions  of  Sonora  on  the  sixteenth  of  November, 
1695, 159  in  seven  weeks  and  after  a  journey  of  five  hun- 
dred leagues,  I  arrived  at  Mexico  on  January  8,  1696. 

It  was  God's  will  that  I  should  be  able  to  say  mass 
every  day  of  this  trip;  and  the  three  masses  of  the  Feast 
of  the  Nativity  I  said  in  the  new  church  of  Nuestra 
Senora  de  Loreto  of  Guadalaxara.  The  same  day  on 
which  I  arrived  at  Mexico  Father  Juan  Maria  Salva- 
tierra100 arrived  by  another  route,  while  that  morning 
the  new  government  had  been  installed,  Father  Juan  de 
Palacios  having  entered  as  provincial.  I  took  with  me 
to  Mexico  the  son  of  the  captain  general  of  this  Pimeria, 
and  we  received  the  utmost  kindness  and  favors  from 
the  new  father  provincial  and  his  predecessor,  from  his 
Excellency  the  Conde  de  Galves,  and  even  from  her 
Ladyship,  the  viceroy's  wife,  who  were  delighted  at 
seeing  new  people  who  came  from  parts  and  lands  so 
remote. 

In  reference  to  California,  on  account  of  various  mis- 
haps, neither  I  nor  Father  Juan  Maria  Salvatierra  ac- 
complished our  purpose  at  that  time,  although  the  year 
following  Father  Juan  Maria  did  accomplish  it  at  the 
coming  of  the  new  viceroy,  Conde  de  Valladares,  etc. 
In  regard  to  fathers  for  this  Pimeria,  I  obtained  five 

159  The  details  given  here  with  respect  to  the  date  of  lea\  ing  for  Mexico, 
and  the  taking  of  the  chief's  son  with  him,  are  lacking  in  the  other  authori- 
ties except  the  A  fanes. 

160Alegre  says  that  Salvatierra,  Zappa,  and  Kino  all  three  arrived  on 
the  same  day  {op.  cit.,  p.  89).  The  Afanes  gives  January  6  as  the  day  of 
Kino's   arrival   in   Mexico. 


160  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

from  the  new  father  provincial,  Juan  de  Palacios, 
though  afterward  the  reports,  false  or  ignorant,  and  the 
contrary  opinions  of  those  less  interested,  delayed  every- 
thing, or  almost  everything,  as  usual. 

CHAPTER  II.     MY  DEPARTURE  FROM  MEXICO  AND 
ARRIVAL  AT  THESE  MISSIONS  OF  THE  PIMERIA 

February  8,  1696.  On  the  eighth  of  February,161 
1696,  I  set  out  from  Mexico  with  Father  Anttonio  de 
Benabides,162  who  came  to  prepare  himself  in  Guadi- 
ana163  for  this  Pimeria.  I  came  to  observe  Holy  Week 
and  Easter  at  Conicari,  whence  I  forwarded  the  de- 
spatch of  the  government  and  many  other  letters  which 
I  was  carrying  to  the  new  father  visitor,  Oracio  Po- 
lise,  and  to  other  fathers.  Afterward  I  passed  on  to 
Santa  Maria  de  Bazaraca164  to  see  the  father  visitor; 
and  I  found  in  his  Reverence  all  affection  and  a  very 
great  and  fatherly  love  for  these  new  conversions.  I 
had  to  return  in  the  company  of  Captain  Christobal  de 
Leon,  his  son,  and  his  men,  for  the  greater  security  of 
my  person ;  but  his  Divine  Majesty  saved  me  from  the 

161  This  detail  is  lacking  from  the  other  accounts  except  the  A  fanes. 

162  Alegre  (Historia,  vol.  iii,  89)  says  that  Kino  brought  with  him  Father 
Gaspar  Barrillas.  If  this  be  true,  it  is  strange  that  Kino  does  not  mention 
the  fact.  Could  Kino  mean  Barrillas  instead  of  Benavides?  According  to 
Manje,  upon  the  arrival  of  Barrillas,  he  was  conducted  to  Tubutama  and 
Caborca,  in  the  latter  of  which  places  he  reestablished  the  destroyed  mission 
(op.  cit.,  46).  Ortega  states  that  Kino  conducted  Barrillas  to  Caborca  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1697  (cited  in  Bancroft,  North  Mexican  States,  vol.  i,  263).  Kino 
shows  that  it  was  in  1698,  after  the  expedition  with  Bernal  {post,  page 
175).  It  may  be,  therefore,  that  Barrillas  did  not  return  with  Kino,  who 
reached  Dolores  in  May,  1696.  Ortega  implies  that  none  of  the  five 
missionaries  were  sent   (Apostolicos  A  fanes,  264). 

163  Guadiana  is  the  same  as  Durango,  where  there  was  at  this  time  a 
Jesuit  college.  It  was  long  the  capital  of  Nueva  Vizcaya,  and  is  now  the 
seat  of  government  of  the  state  of  Durango. 

164  Santa  Maria  Bazeraca  (now  Bacerac)  is  situated  on  the  north  flowing 
stretch  of  the  upper  Yaqui  River,  nearly  straight  east  of  Arizpe,  near  the 
Chihuahua  boundary,  and  high  in  the  mountains.     See  "Map"  and  "Index." 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  161 

great  misfortune  into  which  his  Grace  fell,  for  the  hos- 
tile Jocomes  killed  him165  and  all  his  people  on  the 
road  not  very  far  from  Oputo,166  while  I  went  to  say 
goodbye  to  the  father  rector,  Francisco  Carranco,  and 
Father  Pedro  del  Marmol.167  In  the  middle  of  May  I 
arrived  at  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores.  While  I 
was  gone  to  Mexico  Father  Agustin  de  Campos  had 
administered  the  mission;168  and  his  Reverence  upon 
my  return  went  to  his  mission  of  San  Ygnacio. 

In  June,  as  the  Pima  children  of  the  interior  had 
heard  of  my  return  from  Mexico,  their  principal  gov- 
ernors and  captains  came  to  see  me  in  such  numbers  and 
from  parts  so  remote,  from  the  north,  from  the  west,  etc., 
that  Captain  Don  Antonio  de  Estrada  Bocanegra,165 
who  had  been  an  eye-witness,  wrote  a  long  account  of 
them,  noting  the  fifty,  sixty,  seventy,  eighty,  ninety,  and 
one  hundred  or  more  leagues'  journey  which  many  of 
them  had  come,  all  for  the  purpose  of  asking  and  ob- 
taining holy  baptism  and  fathers  for  their  rancherias 
and  for  their  many  people.  All  received  the  very  pa- 
ternal and  very  Catholic  messages  of  the  father  pro- 
vincials and  of  their  Excellencies,  with  various  gifts 
which  meanwhile  they  had  sent  them;  and  I  sent  them 
away  comforted  with   fair  hopes  that  by  the  divine 

165  por  rne  details  of  this  massacre  see  Manje,  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita, 
libro  ii,  45-48  and  page  162,  footnote.  The  references  cited  give  the  geog- 
raphy of  the  event.     Alegre  gives  the  Apaches  as  the  aggressors. 

166  Oputo  is  on  the  upper  Yaqui  River,  just  north  of  latitude  300,  and 
southeast  of  Arizpe. 

167  These  details  are  omitted  from  the  other  accounts. 

168  That  is,  he  reestablished  his  mission,  which  had  been  destroyed  in 
1695.  (See  Manje,  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  46,  on  this  point). 
After  the  Pima  revolt  had  been  quieted  in  1695,  Father  Campos  served  as 
chaplain  in  a  campaign  against  the  Jocomes  and  Janos.  During  this  cam- 
paign General  Theran  de  los  Rios  lost  his  life  (Manje,  Luz  de  Tierra  In- 
cognita, libro  ii,  45). 

169  This  item  is  lacking  from  the  other  accounts. 


162  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Grace  they  should  accomplish  the  good  intent  and  pur- 
pose which  they  professed  of  obtaining  missionary 
fathers. 

CHAPTER  III.     NEW  AND  OLD  AND  VERY  VIOLENT 
CONTRADICTIONS  AND  OPPOSITION   WHICH   HIN- 
DERED THE  COMING  OF  THE  MISSIONARY 
FATHERS  TO  THIS  PIMERIA170 

Nevertheless,  so  great  were  the  obstacles  and 
the  opposition  against  this  Pimeria  that  they  caused 
even  the  most  friendly  father  visitor,  Oracio  Polise,  to 
falter.  It  was  again  reported,  but  very  falsely,  as  has 
since  been  seen,  that  the  Pimas  Sobaipuris  were  closely 

170  Accounts  of  the  Indian  troubles  of  the  later  months  of  1695  and  of  the 
year  1696  are  given  in  Manje,  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  45-48  and 
Alegre,  Historia,  vol.  iii,  92-93,  each  account  supplementing  the  other.  Either 
work  is  much  better  than  Kino's  on  this  point.  The  following  summary  is 
based  on  Manje  and  Alegre:  In  September,  1695,  tne  three  companies  which 
had  been  in  the  Pimeria,  with  Father  Campos  as  their  chaplain,  made  a 
campaign  against  the  Jocomes  and  Janos,  who  were  pestering  Sonora.  In 
this  campaign  they  killed  sixty  and  captured  seventy  of  the  enemy,  the  cap- 
tives being  distributed  as  slaves  among  the  soldiers.  In  the  course  of  the  ex- 
pedition most  of  the  soldiers  were  taken  ill,  from  drinking  poisoned  water,  as 
it  was  believed,  and  General  Theran  de  los  Rios  died.  In  January,  1696, 
Captain  Antonio  de  Solis  punished  the  Conchos,  and  put  to  death  three  leaders 
at  Nacori,  south  of  Oputo,  in  the  upper  Yaqui  Valley,  Father  Carranco  being 
present  at  the  execution.  In  March  the  Apaches,  Jocomes,  and  Janos,  who 
had  attacked  Tonibavi,  were  punished,  eighteen  being  killed.  Sometime 
before  May  (for  Kino  was  with  the  party)  the  same  Indians  attacked  the 
party  of  Captain  Cristobal  de  Leon,  in  the  Sierra  of  San  Cristobal,  while 
they  were  on  their  way  from  Cusiguriachi.  Father  Kino,  who  had  been  in 
De  Leon's  band,  fortunately  had  just  turned  aside  to  visit  Fathers  Carranco 
and  Marmol,  as  related  on  page  161.  To  avenge  this  attack  the  Compania 
Volante  went  to  the  Sierra  de  Batepito,  near  Corodeguachi,  but  had  little 
success.  Jironza  now  called  on  the  chiefs  of  the  Janos  and  the  Pimas  to  make 
a  general  campaign.  They  united  at  the  Sierra  Florida,  near  the  Gila,  and 
succeeded  in  killing  thirty-two  men  and  capturing  fifty  women  and  children. 
During  the  same  year  of  1696  a  general  uprising  was  attempted  in  Tarahu- 
mara,  Tecupeto,  and  Sonora,  under  the  influence  of  chief  Quigue,  or  Quihue, 
of  the  pueblo  of  Santa  Maria  Baseraca.  After  ten  leaders  had  been  hanged 
at  San  Juan  Bautista  and  Tecupeto,  and  chief  Quigue  had  lost  his  life  near 
Janos,  quiet  was  restored.  For  the  rebel  chief's  eloquent  speech  setting  forth 
the  grievances  against  the  Spaniards,  see  Alegre,  op.  cit. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  163 

allied  with  the  hostile  Jocomes,  and  with  the  other 
enemies  of  this  province  of  Sonora;  and  they  were 
charged  with  stealing  droves  of  horses,  etc.,  and  with 
having  many  large  corrals  full  of  them.  It  was  falsely 
reported,  also,  that  these  Pimas  were  involved  in  the 
tumults  and  revolts  of  Taraumara,  on  the  testimony  of 
the  Taraumares  themselves,  but  the  Taraumares  could 
not  have  been  speaking  of  the  Pimas  of  this  Pimeria, 
who  are  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  leagues  distant 
from  the  Taraumares,  but  only  of  the  Pimas  near  them, 
who  are  those  of  Tapipa  and  near  Yecora.171  It  had 
been  said  and  reported,  but  very  falsely,  that  the  Pimas 
of  the  interior  and  their  neighbors  were  such  cannibals 
that  they  roasted  and  ate  people,  and  that  for  this  rea- 
son one  could  not  go  to  them;  but  already  we  have  en- 
tered and  have  found  them  very  friendly  and  entirely 
free  from  such  barbarities. 

I  found  it  published  at  the  coming  of  his  Illustrious- 
ness  to  Matape  that  Father  Kino  was  asking  in  letters 
that  they  bring  him  with  soldiers  out  of  the  tumultuous 
Pimeria,  when  such  a  thing  had  never  entered  my 
thoughts.172 

It  was  said  and  written  to  Mexico  that  I  lived 
guarded  by  soldiers,  but  I  have  never  had,  nor  thanks  to 
the  Lord,  needed  such  a  guard. 

It  has  been  said  and  written  that  the  Sobaipuris  and 
others  farther  on  had  killed  Father  Kino  and  all  his 
people  who  went  with  him  in  the  entry  of  1698 ;  but  the 
fact  is  that  in  all  parts  they  received  us  with  the  utmost 
kindness  and,  thanks  be  to  the  Lord,  we  are  still  living. 

Toward  the  end  of  July  of  the  past  year  it  was  re- 

171  Yecora  is  on  an  upper  branch  of  the  Yaqui  River  in  western  Chi- 
huahua. 

172  Alegre  alludes  to  these  charges  in  his  Historia,  vol.  iii,  101.  The 
events  to  which  he  refers  took  place  in   1697. 


164  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

ported  that  the  Soba  nation  was  in  commotion,  and  that 
we  three173  fathers  were  in  great  danger  of  our  lives. 
Father  Barillas  was  taken  from  La  Consepcion,174  and 
the  garrison  was  summoned  and  came.  But  there  was 
not  then  nor  is  there  now  the  least  of  these  pretended 
dangers. 

Another  great  contradiction  and  opposition  and  very 
false  report  has  been  that  the  Pimeria  has  few  people 
and  does  not  need  many  fathers.  But  it  is  a  very  well 
established  fact  that  it  has  more  than  fifteen  thousand 
souls. 

CHAPTER  IV.     VARIOUS  ENTRIES  TO  THE  NORTH- 
EAST175 AND  TO  THE   NORTH   BY  ORDER  OF  THE 
FATHER  VISITOR,  ORACIO  POLISE;  AND  THE  DELIV- 
ERY OF  THE  DISTRICT  OF  COCOSPERA  TO 
FATHER  PEDRO  RUIS  DE  CONTRERAS 

Nevertheless,  in  order  that  conditions  might  be  in- 
vestigated and  the  facts  ascertained,  the  father  visitor, 
Oracio  Police,  bade  me  make  various  entries,  in  which 
talks  and  instruction  in  Christian  doctrine  and  in  life 
somewhat  civilized  were  given;  and  the  very  submis- 
sive natives  gave  me  many  little  ones  to  baptize. 

On  the  tenth  of  December  I  went  to  San  Pablo  de 
Quiburi,  a  journey  of  fifty  leagues  to  the  north,  passing 
by  Santa  Maria  and  by  Santa  Cruz,  of  the  Rio  de 
San  Joseph  de  Terrenate.  I  arrived  at  Quiburi  on  the 
fifteenth  of  December,  bearing  the  paternal  greetings 
which  the  father  visitor  sent  to  this  principal  and  great 

173  That  is,  Kino,  Campos,  and  Barrillas. 

174  This  statement  is  an  implied  contradiction  of  Manje's  assertion  that 
Caborca  was  occupied  only  at  times   (Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  46). 

175  This  chapter  is  very  important  as  giving  the  actual  details  of  the 
preparations  which  Kino  made  for  the  missionaries  in  the  San  Pedro  and 
Santa  Cruz  valleys.  Except  for  Ortega's  summary  of  it,  these  circumstances 
have  not  hitherto  been  clear.  (Bancroft  accepts  Ortega  at  this  point).  No 
other  authority  states  the  number  of  trips  made  to  these  places  by  Kino  in 
1696  and  1697.     See  Bancroft,  North  Mexican  States,  vol.  i,  263. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  165 

rancheria;  for  it  has  more  than  four  hundred  souls  as- 
sembled together,  and  a  fortification,  or  earthen  en- 
closure, since  it  is  on  the  frontier  of  the  hostile  Ho- 
comes.  As  a  result  of  the  Christian  teaching,  the 
principal  captain,  called  El  Coro,  gave  me  his  little  son 
to  baptize,  and  he  was  named  Oracio  Polise;  and  the 
governor  called  El  Bajon,175a  and  others,  gave  me  their 
little  ones  to  christen.  We  began  a  little  house  of 
adobe  for  the  father,  within  the  fortification,  and  im- 
mediately afterward  I  put  in  a  few  cattle  and  a  small 
drove  of  mares  for  the  beginning  of  a  little  ranch. 

On  the  thirteenth  of  January,  1697,  I  went  in  to  the 
Sobaipuris  of  San  Xavier  del  Bac.  We  took  cattle, 
sheep,  goats,  and  a  small  drove  of  mares.  The  ranch 
of  San  Luis  del  Bacoancos  was  begun  with  cattle.  Also 
there  were  sheep  and  goats  in  San  Cayetano,  which  the 
loyal  children  of  the  venerable  Father  Francisco  Xavier 
Saeta  had  taken  thither,  having  gathered  them  in  Con- 
sepcion  at  the  time  of  the  disturbances  of  1695.  At  the 
same  time,  some  cattle  were  placed  in  San  Xavier  del 
Bac,  where  I  was  received  with  all  love  by  the  many  in- 
habitants of  the  great  rancheria,  and  by  many  other 
principal  men,  who  had  gathered  from  various  parts 
adjacent.  The  word  of  God  was  spoken  to  them,  there 
were  baptisms  of  little  ones,  and  beginnings  of  good 
sowings  and  harvests  of  wheat  for  the  father  minister 
whom  they  asked  for  and  hoped  to  receive. 

On  the  seventeenth  of  March,  1697,  I  again  went  in 
to  San  Pablo  de  Quiburi.176     I  returned  by  way  of  San 

17Ga£/  Coro  means  "The  Chorus";  El  Bajon  means  "Tne  Bassoon." 
176Alegre  by  error  puts  in  at  this  point  the  account  of  the  Pima  victory 
over  the  Apaches  which  occurred  on  March  30,  1698.  He  not  only  puts  it 
under  the  date  of  1697,  but  before  the  visit  of  the  Pimas  to  Father  Polici, 
related  in  the  next  chapter  as  occurring  in  October,  1697,  and  before  the  ex- 
pedition of  Bernal  to  the  Gila,  which  was  in  part  a  result  of  the  visit  of 
Polici   (Alegre,  Historia,  vol.  iii,   100). 


166  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Geronimo,  San  Cayetano,  and  San  Luys,  looking  in  all 
places  after  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  natives,  bap- 
tising some  infants  and  sick  persons,  and  consoling  all 
with  the  very  fatherly  messages  from  the  father  visitor, 
and  even  from  the  Senor  alcalde  mayor  and  military 
commander,  notifying  them  at  the  same  time  to  be 
ready  to  go  with  the  soldiers  on  the  expedition  against 
the  enemies  of  the  province,177  the  Hocomes,  the  Xanos, 
Sumas,  and  Apaches.  With  the  same  intent  and  pur- 
pose I  again  went  in  to  San  Pablo  de  Quiburi  on  the 
seventeenth  of  April,  and  they  received  me  with  crosses 
and  arches  placed  in  the  road. 

At  this  time  I  gave  over  the  district  of  Cocospera178 
and  Santa  Maria  to  Father  Pedro  Ruis  de  Contreras, 
with  complete  vestments  or  supplies  for  saying  mass, 
good  beginnings  of  a  church  and  a  house,  partly  fur- 
nished, five  hundred  head  of  cattle,  almost  as  many 
sheep  and  goats,  two  droves  of  mares,  a  drove  of  horses, 
oxen,  crops,  etc.179 

CHAPTER  V.    THE  PRINCIPAL  CAPTAINS  AND  GOV- 
ERNORS OF  THIS  PIMERIA  GO  TO  SANTA  MARIA  DE 
BAZERACA  TO  SEE  THE  FATHER  VISITOR  AND  ASK 
FOR  FATHERS,  A  JOURNEY  OF  MORE  THAN  ONE 
HUNDRED  AND  THEN   OF  MORE  THAN 
ONE  HUNDRED  AND  FIFTY  LEAGUES  180 

So  great  were  the  desires  of  the  natives  of  this  Pi- 
meria  to  obtain  missionary  fathers  that  they  determined 

177  This  statement  illustrates  the  part  which  virile  missionaries  like  Kino 
played  in  the  defence  of  the  frontier. 

178  Notice  that  Kino's  language  implies  that  Cocospera  was  the  principal 
place  and  Santa  Maria  the  subordinate.  Bancroft  states  that  early  in  1697 
Father  Ruiz  arrived  and  was  put  in  Suamca,  with  Cocospera  as  a  insita. 

179  For  references  to  events  of  this  period  see  in  volume  ii,  page  157,  a 
letter  to  Kino  by  Father  General  Thirso  Gonzalez,  dated  December  27,  1698, 
in  reply  to  one  from  Kino  dated  June  3,  1697.  It  is  far  out  of  place,  and 
should  be  read  in  this  connection. 

180  por  another  account  of  some  of  the  events  of  this  chapter,  see  Alegre, 
Historia,  vol.  iii,  101.     He  supplies  a  few  details  not  given  here. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  167 

to  go  to  Santa  Maria  de  Baceraca181  to  ask  them  of  the 
father  visitor.  Some  had  come  the  fifty,  sixty,  eighty, 
ninety,  one  hundred,  and  more  leagues'  journey  to  reach 
Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores;182  and  as  there  was  still 
a  journey  of  about  one  hundred  leagues  to  Santa  Maria 
de  Bazeraca,  and  as  they  had  never  gone  so  many 
leagues  away  from  their  country,  I  went  with  them 
through  Sonora.  In  the  Real  de  San  Juan,  in  Oposura, 
and  in  Guasavas,  through  which  we  passed,  both  the 
seculars  and  the  fathers  received  us  with  all  kindness. 
On  the  sixth  of  October,  day  of  Our  Lady  of  the 
Rosary,  we  reached  Santa  Maria  de  Baceraca. 

We  were  received  with  a  thousand  tendernesses  and 
with  such  joy  by  the  father  visitor,  Oracio  Police,  that 
his  Reverence  on  the  following  day  chanted  a  solemn 
mass  to  the  three  holy  kings,  who  were  the  first  gentiles 
who  came  to  adore  the  Messiah -Frimitice  Gentium.16* 
And  his  Reverence,  through  various  inquiries,  even 
secret,  which  he  made  and  ordered  made,  was  so  well 
satisfied  with  the  great  loyalty  of  these  Pimas  that  he 
wrote  a  very  fine  letter  to  the  Senor  military  commander 
requesting  that  the  Pimeria  should  be  favored;  that  ef- 
forts should  be  made  to  secure  for  it  the  fathers  which  it 
needed  and  deserved,  since  thereby  the  province  would 
be  quieted  and  made  rid  of  the  hostile  Jocomes  and 
Xanos,  who  would  retreat  to  the  east  (all  of  which  was 

181  On  the  upper  Yaqui  River.     See  ante,  footnote  164.. 

182  Alegre  states  that  they  arrived  at  Dolores  toward  the  end  of  Septem- 
ber. This  may  be  merely  an  inference  from  the  foregoing,  but  it  is  evident 
that  he  had  access  to  documents  at  this  point  which  I  have  not  seen.  He 
states  that  chief  Pacheco  had  brought  his  wife  to  Bacar.utzi  (Bacanuchi), 
thence  to  Dolores,  thence  to  Toape,  where  she  was  baptized  as  Nicolasa, 
and  that  the  coming  in  September  was  a  second  visit  for  the  purpose  (His- 
toria,  vol.  iii,  101). 

183  "The  first  fruits  of  the  Gentiles"  (2  Thess.,  ii,  12.  Quod  elegerit  vos 
Deus  primitias  in  salutem:  "God  hath  chosen  you  first  fruits  unto  Salva- 
tion"). 


168  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

afterward  fulfilled  to  the  letter)  ;  and  that  some  soldiers 
should  come  into  this  Pimeria,  at  least  as  far  as  Qui- 
buri,  to  see  with  their  own  eyes  the  good  state  of  affairs 
and  the  ripeness  of  the  very  plentiful  harvest  of  souls.184 
Having  asked  when  the  soldiers  were  coming  to  Qui- 
buri,  I  was  told  the  7th  of  November.  And  the  same 
day  I  entered  also  from  Nuestra  Seiiora  de  los  Dolores, 
with  Captain  Juan  Matheo  Manje.185  Our  intention 
was  to  penetrate  forty  or  fifty  leagues  further  inland, 
down  the  Rio  de  Quiburi,  to  the  last  Sobaipuris  of  the 
northeast  and  to  the  Rio  de  Jila,  or  Rio  Grande,  which 
is  the  same,  for  up  to  that  time  we  had  not  penetrated  so 
far  inland  by  that  route. 

CHAPTER   VI.     GREAT   AND    PEACEFUL    ENTRY   OF 

TWENTY-TWO  SOLDIERS  TO  THE  RIO  GRANDE 

AND  THE  LAST  SOBAIPURIS  186 

I  arrived  at  Quiburi  with  Captain  Juan  Matheo 
Manje,  my  servants,  and  more  than  sixty  horses  and 
mules,  intending  to  penetrate  to  the  last  Sobaipuris. 
In  Quiburi  I  received  a  letter  from  the  captain  of  the 
soldiers  stating  that  they  were  on  their  way,  and  they 
arrived  on  November  9.     We  found  the  Pima  natives 

184  Credit  for  suggesting  an  expedition  by  soldiers  to  the  interior  Pimas 
is  here  given  to  Father  Polici.  Manje  takes  the  credit  to  himself.  See  Luz 
de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  cap.  5,  first  paragraph:  "y  por  estinguir  yo  el 
mal  Concepto,  con  q  nos  abrasavan  la  venida  de  Evangelicos  operarios  pa. 
su  Reducion  con  Cautela  suplique  al  Genl.  mi  tio  entrase  una  escuadra  de 
soldados  en  conpa.  del  Pr.  Kino  y  mia,  a  esta  descubrimiento"   (p.  49). 

185  Kino  and  Manje  left  Dolores  on  November  2,  with  ten  Indian  servants, 
thirty  horses,  and  presents  for  the  Indians.  They  went  via  Remedios,  Co- 
cospera  (where  Father  Pedro  Ruiz  de  Contreras  was  stationed)  San  Lazaro, 
Santa  Cruz  de  Gaybanipitea  (here  they  were  met  by  Bernal  with  the  sol- 
diers) and  Quiburi  where  they  arrived  on  the  9th  (Manje,  Luz  de  Tierra 
Incognita,  libro  ii,  cap.  15).  Bernal  in  his  diary  says  that  he  overtook  Kino 
at  Quiburi  on  the  ninth.  Kino  gives  circumstantial  evidence  to  show  the 
same  thing,  but  Manje  says  that  Bernal  joined  them  on  the  seventh  at  Santa 
Cruz  de  Gaybanipitea   (Diary,  Nov.  7). 

186  Thg  principal  authorities  for  this  entrada,  aside  from  the  present 
work,   are  Manje's   account  in   diary   form    (but  with   subsequent  additions) 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  169 

of  Quiburi  very  jovial  and  very  friendly.  They  were 
dancing  over  scalps  and  the  spoils  of  fifteen  enemies,18 
Hocomes  and  Janos,  whom  they  had  killed  a  few  days 
before.  This  was  so  pleasing  to  us  that  the  Sefior  Cap- 
tain Christobal  Martin  Bernal,  the  Senor  alferez,  the 
sergeant,  and  many  others,  entered  the  circle  and  danced 
merrily  in  company  with  the  natives.  More  and  more 
the  captain  was  disposed  to  penetrate  farther  with  me; 
but  many  were  of  the  opinion  that  it  was  impossible  to 
go  further  and  among  the  last  Sobaipuris  without  two 
hundred  men.  To  this  I  replied  that  one  could  pene- 
trate to  the  last  Sobaipuris  as  safely  as  one  could  go  to 
Sonora,  for  their  principal  captains,  El  Humari,  his 
two  sons,  and  others,  had  come  to  be  catechised  and 
baptized,  after  Easter,  during  the  previous  months;188 
that  Captain  Humari  had  been  named  Francisco  Eu- 
sebio,  and  his  sons,  now  well-grown,  one  Francisco 
Xavier  and  the  other  Oracio  Polise;  that  for  a  long 
time  they  had  been  inviting  me  most  amicably  to  go  to 
see  them  in  their  rancherias,  lands,  and  valleys,  which 
are   about  one   hundred   and   twenty   leagues189  from 

in  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  cap.  15,  and  the  reports  written  by 
Bernal.  These  include  a  letter  to  Father  Polici  declaring  the  quiet  state 
in  which  the  Sobaipuris  were  found,  dated  at  N.  S.  de  los  Dolores,  December 
2,  1697,  and  attested  by  Kino,  Escalante,  Acuna,  and  Barcelona.  With  this 
is  Bernal's  diary  of  the  expedition  beginning  November  4  at  Frontera  de 
Santa  Rosa  de  Corodeguachi,  and  ending  at  Dolores  December  4,  1697. 
This  also  is  witnessed  by  Kino  and  the  others  named.  My  copy  is  from  the 
original  Ms.  in  the  Archivo  General,  Mexico,  Misiones,  vol.  26,  and  is 
labled  "Vista  y  puesta  en  su  lugar.  X.A."  [Xavier  Alegre].  Secondary 
authorities  for  this  entrada  are  Ortega,  Apostolicos  Afanes,  book  ii,  chap,  vi, 
where  he  gives  a  brief  summary  of  the  Favores;  Alegre,  Historia  de  la  Com- 
pahia  de  Jesus,  vol.  iii,  102,  makes  brief  mention  of  the  expedition  and  quotes 
from  Bernal's  letter  to  Polici. 

187  Kino  says  fifteen  scalps,  but  Bernal  gives  the  number  as  thirteen. 

188  Manje  states  that  it  was  the  previous  year  that  Humari  was  baptized 
(see  Diary,  entry  for  November  13).  Kino  doubtless  knew  the  facts  in  the 
case. 

189  Manje   estimates   two  hundred   leagues.     Ibid. 


170  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores.     Thereupon  it  was  de- 
cided that  the  soldiers  also  should  go. 

The  following  day,  November  io,190  the  day  of  the 
Patronage  of  Most  Holy  Mary,  the  two  captains,  Chris- 
toval  Martin  Bernal  and  Juan  Matheo  Manje,  con- 
fessed and  received  communion,  and  we  all  together 
undertook  the  expedition191  of  about  thirty-five  leagues 
to  the  north,  by  the  same  river  and  valley  of  Quiburi. 
We  met  with  the  first  Sobaipuris  and  with  Captain 
Humari192  himself,  who  had  come  three  days'  journey 
to  meet  us.  Afterward,  in  seven  or  eight  large  ranch- 
erias  we  found  more  than  two  thousand  souls,  all  very 
friendly  and  industrious  Indians,193  who,  on  hearing  the 

190  Both  Manje  and  Bernal  say  that  they  stopped  at  Quiburi,  starting  on 
the  eleventh. 

191  Manje  gives  his  itinerary  as  Dolores,  Cocospora,  San  Lazaro,  Santa 
Maria,  San  Joachin  de  Basosuca,  Santa  Cruz  de  Gaybanipitea,  Quiburi, 
Paraje  de  los  Alamos,  Cusac,  Jiaspi,  Muyva,  Arivavia,  Tutoyda,  Comarsuta, 
La  Victoria  (Busac  and  Tubo  near-by),  San  Gregorio  Taumaturgo,  Casas 
Grandes,  Tusonimo,  San  Andres,  past  a  tank  or  Algive,  Santa  Catarina  de 
Cuituabagu,  Valle  de  Correa,  San  Agustin  de  Oiaur,  San  Xavier  del  Bac, 
San  Caietano  del  Tumagacori,  Guevavi,  Bacuancos,  San  Lazaro,  Santiago  de 
Cocospora,  Los  Remedios,  Dolores    (compare  names  given  by  Bernal). 

192  Manje  shows  that  Humari's  village  was  Victoria  de  Ojio,  the  last  on 
the  river  to  the  north.     Both  Kino  and  Venegas  place  it  east  of  the  river. 

193  Manje  gives  the  following  picture  of  the  Indian  settlements  in  the  San 
Pedro  valley:  Santa  Cruz  de  Gaybanipitea,  a  village  of  one  hundred  per- 
sons, west  of  the  river,  contained  twenty-five  houses.  They  had  irrigating 
ditches  and  raised  extensive  crops.  At  Kino's  request  they  had  built  a  house 
of  adobe,  beams,  and  terrado,  and  were  tending  for  him  about  one  hundred 
cattle.  A  league  below  was  Quiburi,  home  of  Captain  Coro,  head  Pima 
chief.  In  great  valleys  they  raised  by  irrigation  large  quantities  of  maize, 
frijoles,  and  cotton,  the  last  of  which  they  used  for  clothing.  Quiburi  had 
five  hundred  souls.  Coro  entertained  the  Spaniards  in  an  earth-covered 
house  of  adobe,  built  for  the  purpose.  For  twenty-five  leagues  down  the 
river  all  the  villages  had  been  abandoned  within  a  year,  on  account  of  war 
between  Chiefs  Coro  and  Humari.  At  the  end  of  that  stretch  was  Cusac,  of 
seventy  souls,  and  two  leagues  beyond,  Jiaspi,  or  Rosario,  a  village  of  one 
hundred  twenty  persons  and  twenty-seven  houses.  Here  they  were  met  by  Chief 
Humari,  who  had  already  been  baptized  at  Dolores.  The  visitors  were  re- 
ceived in  a  specially  prepared  house  of  poles  and  reeds.  Here  as  at  Cusac 
and  elsewhere,  plentiful  crops  were  raised  of  calabashes,  frijoles,  maize,  and 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ. 171 

Word  of  God  and  receiving  good  treatment  offered  us 
many  little  ones  to  baptize.  We  gave  many  staffs  of 
justices,  governors,  and  captains.  In  all  parts  they  gave 
us  many  of  their  eatables,  and  always  there  were  pro- 
visions enough  and  to  spare,  without  the  soldiers  having 
brought  them  from  the  presidio  for  so  long  a  journey. 
Nor  did  we  ever  find  the  least  trace  of  the  droves  of 
horses  which  so  falsely  had  been  charged  to  these  in- 
nocent Sobaipuris.  For  it  was  not  they  who  had  stolen 
them,194  but  the  hostile  Jocomes,  Xanos,  etc.,  a  vindica- 
tion as  worthy  of  being  known  as  it  is  plainly  set  forth 
in  the  two  long  relations 195  of  the  two  captains  who 
went  on  this  expedition. 

CHAPTER  VII.    ARRIVAL  AT  THE  RIO  GRANDE  AND 

CASA    GRANDE    AND    THE    RETURN    TO    NUESTRA 

SE5JORA  DE  LOS  DOLORES,  HAVING  TRAVELLED  IN 

GOING    AND     RETURNING    MORE    THAN 

TWO  HUNDRED  AND  SEVENTY 

LEAGUES  IN  PIMERIA 

Travelling  always  by  the  valleys  of  the  Rio  de  Qui- 
buri,  we  arrived  at  the  Rio  Grande,  or  Rio  de  Hila. 
And  following  its  bank  and  its  very  large  Cottonwood 

cotton,  which  was  dextrously  woven.  Through  the  mediation  of  the  Span- 
iards, Coro  and  Humari  now  became  reconciled.  A  league  below  Jiaspi 
was  Muyva  and  within  the  next  six  leagues  four  more  villages,  the  last  be- 
ing Arivavia.  The  four  aggregated  five  hundred  persons  living  in  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty  houses,  made  of  poles  and  reeds,  in  the  form  of  "dome  and 
gallery."  Three  leagues  below  was  Tutoyda,  of  one  hundred  souls;  three  more 
leagues  brought  them  to  Comarsuta,  of  eighty  souls,  and  three  to  La  Victoria 
de  Ojio,  a  village  of  three  hundred  and  eighty  persons,  and  home  of  chief 
Humari.  This  was  the  last  village  before  reaching  the  Gila,  but  off  the 
road  and  near  by  were  Busac  and  Tubo,  comprising  eighty-five  men.  Thus, 
in  the  valley  below  Santa  Cruz  lived  more  than  two  thousand  people  in 
fourteen  villages,  chief  of  which  were  Quiburi  and  La  Victoria,  headquarters 
of  Coro  and  Humari,   respectively.     Compare   Bernal's   account. 

194  Manje,  Luz  de  Ticrra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  53,  also  mentions  the  fact 
that  they  saw  no  indications  of  horses. 

195  He  refers  to  the  diaries  and  reports  of  Manje  and  Bernal. 


172  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

groves,  after  travelling  three  days'196  journey  to  the 
west,  we  arrived  at  the  Casa  Grande197  and  its  neigh- 
boring rancherias.  As  we  journeyed  we  always  had  on 
the  right  hand198  and  in  sight,  but  on  the  other  bank  of 
the  river,  the  very  extensive  Apacheria.  The  soldiers 
were  much  delighted  to  see  the  Casa  Grande.  We  mar- 
veled at  seeing  that  it  was  about  a  league  from  the  river 
and  without  water;  but  afterward  we  saw  that  it  had  a 
large  aqueduct  with  a  very  great  embankment,  which 
must  have  been  three  varas  high  and  six  or  seven  wide- 
wider  than  the  causeway  of  Guadalupe  at  Mexico.199 
This  very  great  aqueduct,  as  is  still  seen,  not  only  con- 
ducted the  water  from  the  river  to  the  Casa  Grande, 
but  at  the  same  time,  making  a  great  turn,  it  watered 
and  enclosed  a  champaign  many  leagues  in  length  and 
breadth,  and  of  very  level  and  very  rich  land.  With 
ease,  also,  one  could  now  restore  and  roof  the  house  and 
repair  the  great  aqueduct  for  a  very  good  pueblo,  for 
there  are  near  by  six  or  seven  rancherias  of  Pimas 
Sobaipuris200  all  of  whom  in  all  places  received  us  very 
kindly,  with  crosses  and  arches  erected  and  with  many 
of  their  eatables,  and,  with  great  pleasure  to  themselves, 
gave  us  many  little  ones  to  baptize.  On  one  occasion, 
when  several  of  our  horses  had  been  scattered  and  lost, 

196  As  a  matter  of  fact,  they  were  less  than  two  full  days,  according  to 
Manje.  On  the  sixteenth,  after  having  reached  the  junction,  they  went  three 
leagues  and  camped ;  on  the  seventeenth  they  went  ten  leagues ;  on  the 
eighteenth,  nine  leagues  to  camp.  Bernal  gives  the  same  report  as  to  the 
time,  making  the  distance  less. 

197  Manje,  entry  for  the  eighteenth  {Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii, 
57)  gives  a  detailed  description  of  the  Casas  Grandes.  The  largest  of  these, 
he  says,  was  three  stories  high,  except  the  principal  room,  which  was  four. 
The  walls  were  two  feet  thick. 

198  Both  Manje  and  Bernal  make  it  clear  that  they  journeyed  some  dis- 
tance south  of  the  river. 

199  See  Manje's  description. 

200  Manje  describes  a  rancheria  on  both  banks,  a  league  away,  numbering 
one  hundred  and  thirty  souls.  They  were  afraid  of  the  horses  and  soldiers, 
never  having  seen  any  before  (Manje,  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  58). 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  173 

they  at  once  went  in  search  of  them,  nor  did  they  give 
up  until  they  had  collected  them  all  for  us. 

We  very  promptly  passed  on  by  the  rancheria  of  la 
Encarnacion201  and  arrived  at  that  of  San  Andres,202 
where  the  excellent  Captain  Juan  de  Palacios  (who  had 
been  at  Santa  Maria  de  Baseraca,  travelling  in  going 
and  returning  four  hundred  leagues)  welcomed  us  with 
all  affection,  and  with  so  many  arches  and  crosses  that 
they  reached  for  more  than  two  leagues.  And,  having 
spoken  at  San  Andres  with  some  of  the  Cocomaricopas, 
and  even  sent  them  messages  that  they  might  carry 
them  to  the  not  very  distant  Moquis  of  New  Mexico, 
on  the  twenty-first  of  November,  1697,  we  began  the 
return  to  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores.  We  passed 
by  the  great  rancheria  and  great  valley  of  San  Xavier 
del  Bac,203  in  which  and  its  environs  we  saw  and 
counted  more  than  six  thousand  people,  all  very  do- 
mestic and  very  friendly.  We  found  and  killed  cattle, 
sheep,  and  goats,  and  found  even  bread,  fresh  and  very 

201  Manje  states  that  four  leagues  west  of  the  Casa  Grande  they  reached 
the  rancheria  of  Tusonimo,  where  there  was  a  mound  of  mountain  goat 
horns  like  a  hill,  the  goat  being  their  common  food.  Manje  estimated  one 
hundred  thousand  horns  in  the  pile  and  two  hundred  souls  in  the  village. 
This  is  the  rancheria  which  they  called  La  Encarnacion  (Manje,  Luz  de 
Tierra  Incognita,   libro  ii,  59;   Bernal,  Relacion,  12). 

202  Leaving  at  Tusonimo  (La  Encarnacion)  the  horses  and  soldiers  under 
Barzelona,  twelve  soldiers  went  down  stream  seven  leagues  (Manje,  Luz 
de  Tierra  Incdgnita,  libro  ii,  59).  Kino  was  still  with  them  (Bernal,  Re- 
lacion, 12).  Going  seven  leagues  they  came  to  the  rancheria  of  San  Andres, 
where  lived  Juan  de  Palacios,  who  had  gone  with  Kino  to  Bazeraca  and  been 
baptized,  being  named  in  honor  of  the  provincial  of  Mexico.  Four  hundred 
persons  lived  here   (Manje,  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  59). 

203  Manje  {Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  60)  states  that  they  started 
home  by  way  of  Santa  Catarina  de  Cuituabagu,  La  Valk  de  Correa,  San 
Agustin  de  Oiaur,  San  Xavier  del  Bac,  Tumagacori,  Guevavi,  Bacuancos, 
San  Lazaro,  Cocospera,  Los  Remedios,  and  thence  to  Dolores.  Bernal  gives 
the  same  list  except  that  he  omits  Bacuancos  and  San  Lazaro.  There  is  a 
slight  discrepancy  also  in  the  dates  given  by  the  two  accounts.  Manje  {op. 
cit.,  libro  ii,  63),  has  them  at  Guevavi  on  the  twenty-seventh,  then  passing 
on  to  Bacuancos.  Bernal  has  them  in  San  Gayetano  on  the  twenty-seventh, 
and  in  Guevavi  on  the  twenty-eighth. 


174  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

good,  which  they  baked  for  us  in  the  new  oven  which  I 
had  ordered  at  San  Xavier  del  Bac.  We  arrived  in 
time  to  celebrate  the  Feast  of  San  Francisco  Xavier  on 
the  third  of  December,204  in  the  church  of  Nuestra 
Senora  de  los  Dolores,  with  the  chanting  of  mass  and 
many  confessions  and  communions,  etc.,  in  thanksgiving 
for  so  successful  an  entry,  of  which  the  captains  and  I 
wrote  in  long  relations  of  four  or  five  sheets.205  This 
entry  was  well  received  by  all  good  men,  because  of  the 
abundant  and  very  clear  evidence  which  was  thereby  se- 
cured as  to  whether  the  farthest  Sobaipuris  were  good 
or  bad,  friends  or  enemies,  involved  and  culpable,  or 
innocent  of  the  robberies  and  hostilities  of  this  prov- 
ince. The  father  provincial  wrote  a  very  fine  letter,  and 
promised  fathers  for  this  Pimeria,  and  sent  them;  but 
the  usual  obstacles  were  not  lacking  to  delay  every- 
thing, or  almost  everything. 


206 


CHAPTER   VIII.    ANOTHER   ENTRY  TO  THE   WEST 
WITH  A  FATHER  AND  THE  SENOR  LIEU- 
TENANT OF  THIS  PIMERIA207 

Of  the  fathers  whom  the  father  provincial  sent  us, 
one  was  Father  Gaspar  de  las  Barillas,208  who  came 

204  According  to  Bernal  they  reached  Dolores  at  2  p.m.  of  December  2 
(18).  Manje  says  they  arrived  on  December  i,  but  the  preceding  paragraph 
indicates  that  it  was  the  second. 

205  He  clearly  refers  to  Bernal's  reports,  which  he  and  others  signed. 

206  Sommervogel  lists  a  map  of  New  Mexico  by  Kino  dated  1697,  which 
may  have  been  connected  with  this  expedition.  "Le  P.  Kino  dressa  en 
1697  une  carte  du  Nouveau-Mexique,  d'apres  la  relation  Ms.  du  P.  Estevan 
de  Perea.  De  L'Isle  s'en  servit  pour  la  sienne."  (Mem.  de  Tre<v.,  1703,  p. 
676).  Sommervogel,  Bibliotheque,  vol.  4,  cols.  1044-1045.  Quoted  by 
Lowery,  A  Description  List  of  Maps,  p.  216. 

207  The  principal  authorities  for  the  events  of  this  chapter,  aside  from  the 
present,  are  Manje,  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  6;  Ortega,  Apostolicos 
A  fanes,  270;  Alegre,  Historia,  vol.  iii,  89. 

208Alegre  {Historia,  vol.  iii,  89)  states  that  Kino  brought  Barrillas  back 
with  him  in  1696.  Manje  (Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  46)  implies  the 
same.     But  see  ante,  page  160. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  175 

from  Arispe  to  this  mission  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  los 
Dolores  at  the  end  of  January;  and  having  solemnized 
here  the  Feast  of  Candlemas,  on  February  3  209  we  went 
inland  to  the  Soba  nation  to  the  westward,  that  his  Rev- 
erence might  choose  one  of  the  three  new  posts,  Tubu- 
tama,  Consepcion,  or  Tucubabia,  where,  in  each  place, 
there  were  some  beginnings  of  amission,  some  baptisms, 
a  house,  cattle,  crops  ,etc.  With  us  went  the  present 
lieutenant  of  this  Pimeria,  Juan  Ramos  Sarmiento,  and 
his  predecessor,  Captain  Juan  Matheo  Manje.  In  all 
places  we  were  received  with  all  love  and  comfort,  both 
to  the  natives  and  to  ourselves.  Also,  we  counted  more 
than  three  thousand  souls.  Father  Barrillas  chose  La 
Consepcion  as  a  good  site  for  a  mission,  and  returned 
to  Arispe  for  his  baggage,  etc.,  and  to  keep  Holy  Week 
and  supply  himself  with  what  the  superiors  ordered 
given  him.  He  entered  La  Consepcion  in  June,  but  be- 
cause of  certain  pretended  dangers,  which  have  existed 
neither  then  nor  since,  as  the  soldiers  went  in  and  as- 
certained, he  left  in  July  and  has  not  returned. 

CHAPTER  IX.     THE  HOSTILE  HOCOMES  AND  XANOS 

ATTACK  COCOSPERA,  AND  BURN  THE  CHURCH 

AND  THE  FATHER'S  HOUSE210 

The  revolted  Hocomes,  Sumas,  and  Apaches,  who, 
ever  since  the  uprising  of  the  Xanos  have  been  the 
avowed  enemies  of  this  province  of  Sonora,  after  so 

209  Ortega  (Apostolicos  A  fanes,  270),  says  February  3,  1697,  instead  of 
1698. 

210  Accounts  of  this  event  are  given  in  Kino's  Breve  Relation  de  la  In- 
signe  Victoria;  Manje,  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  cap.  5  (65-66);  Ortega, 
Apostolicos  A  fanes,  270-271 ;  Alegre,  Historia,  vol.  iii,  ioo-ioi.  References 
are  made  to  it  in  Kino's  Colocasion  de  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Remedios.  It 
is  clear  that  both  Alegre  and  Ortega  used  the  Favores  for  their  accounts. 
Since  writing  the  foregoing  sentences  I  have  acquired  a  report  of  the  event 
by  Jironza  to  the  viceroy,  dated  at  San  Juan  Bautista,  Sonora,  May  16,  1698 
(A.G.I.  67-3-28). 

According  to  Bernal,  on  September  15,  1697,  the  Sobaipuris  of  the  north- 


176  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

many  robberies,  damages,  and  murders  which  they  have 
for  so  many  years  and  so  continuously  perpetrated  all 
over  the  province  and  on  its  frontiers,  on  the  twenty- 
fifth  of  February,  1697,211  made  an  attack  on  Coco- 
spora,212  at  a  time  when  the  pueblo  was  without  men, 
for  they  had  gone  inland  to  barter  maize;  and  al- 
though one  of  the  enemy  was  left  dead,  they  killed  two 
Indian  women,  sacked  the  pueblo,  burned  it,  the 
church,  and  also  the  house  of  the  father,  who  was  de- 
fended by  the  few  natives  who  had  remained.  The  en- 
emy carried  off  some  horses  and  all  the  small  stock,  and 
retired  to  the  hills.  A  few  from  Cocospera  followed 
him,  but  when  he  saw  them  coming  he  ambushed  them 
and  killed  nine  of  them.  The  garrison  planned  to  make 
an  expedition  inland,  and  we  notified  the  natives  that 

east  and  of  San  Xavier  del  Bac  attacked  the  Jocomes,  killing  four  and  taking 
two  children  prisoners ;  on  October  26  they  attacked  the  Jocomes  and  killed 
thirteen ;  and  in  December  reconnoitered  the  country  of  the  enemy  (Relation 
del  Estado).  It  would  seem  that  the  attacks  on  Cocospera  and  Quiburi  were 
in   retaliation  for  these  Pima   aggressions. 

211  This  date  should  be  1698,  although  Kino  elsewhere  gives  it  as  1697. 
Kino  correctly  gives  it  as  1698  in  his  Breve  Relation  written  May  3,  1698, 
just  after  the  event  and  in  his  Relation  Diaria  of  1698.  Manje  (Luz  de 
Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  65)  gives  the  date  1698;  Kino,  in  his  Colocasion, 
written  in  1698,  refers  to  the  attack  of  September  15,  1697,  as  the  first  attack 
of  the  Jocomes ;  and  refers  to  the  subsequent  fight  of  March  30,  "de  este 
presente  ano  de  98"  (2);  Alegre  erroneously  gives  the  date  as  1697;  Ban- 
croft gives  the  date  1698,  but  Ortega  (Apostolicos  A  fanes,  270-271)  careless- 
ly follows  Kino's  Favores;  Alegre  tells  of  a  previous  attack  on  the  pueblo  of 
Jesus  Maria,  but  puts  this  event  before  the  expedition  of  1697  to  the  Gila 
(Historia,  vol.  iii,  100).  Jironza,  reporting  the  event,  gives  the  date  as 
March  30,  1698    (letter  to  viceroy,  May  16,  1698.     A.G.I.  67-3-28). 

212  Manje  (Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  83)  in  recounting  this  at- 
tack on  Cocospera,  tells  of  Father  Ruiz's  brave  resistance,  aided  by  the  Indian 
governor,  Juan  Maria.  According  to  him  the  enemy  was  three  hundred 
strong.  He  tells  of  the  burning  of  the  house  but  not  of  the  church;  he  says 
that  the  presidials  and  Pimas  overtook  the  enemy  in  Sierra  de  Chiguicagui, 
killed  thirty,  captured  sixteen,  and  recovered  some  horses.  Kino's  account 
gives  a  different  impression.  Manje  adds  that  because  of  the  burning  of 
the  mission  Father  Ruiz  and  the  neophytes  abandoned  it  (Luz  de  Tierra  In- 
cdgnita,  libro  ii,  83). 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  177 

they  should  provide  themselves  with  arms  to  accom- 
pany the  soldiers.213  In  the  meantime,  while  the  enemy 
was  being  despoiled  of  the  supplies  which  he  had 
taken  from  Cocospera,  he  made  an  attack  on  the  ranch- 
eria  of  Santa  Cruz  de  Quiburi,  on  the  twenty-ninth  of 
March,  day  of  the  Feast  of  the  Resurrection  of  our 
Lord. 


213  Kino,  in  his  Breve  Relation,  mentions  the  same  preparation  for  a  cam- 
paign. Jironza  gives  more  detail.  He  tells  (letter  to  viceroy,  May  16, 
1698)  that  he  arranged  to  make  a  joint  expedition  with  two  hundred  or 
three  hundred  Pima  allies,  and  was  awaiting  them,  ready  to  set  out,  when 
he  heard  the  news  of  the  victory  of  March  30,  1698. 


BOOK  VI.    VICTORY  OF  THE  PIMAS  OVER 
THE  ENEMIES  OF  THIS  PROVINCE  OF 
SONORA,  THE  HOCOMES,  XANOS,  SU- 
MAS,  MANSOS,  AND  APACHES 


214 


CHAPTER  I.    THE  HOSTILE  JOCOMES,  XANOS,  ETC., 

ATTACK  THE  RANCHERIA  OF  SANTA 

CRUZ  DE  QUIBURI 215 

March  30,  i698.215a  The  avowed  enemies,  the 
Hocomes,  Sumas,  Mansos,  and  Apaches,  who  between 
great  and  small  numbered  about  six  hundred,  persuad- 
ing themselves  that  they  could  accomplish  in  Santa 
Cruz  del  Rio  de  Quiburi  what  they  had  done  the  month 
before  in  the  pueblo  of  Cocospera,  showed  their  arro- 
gance by  attacking  the  rancheria  at  daybreak  on  the 
morning  of  March  30.  They  killed  its  captain  and 
two  or  three  others,  and  forced  them  to  retreat  to  their 
fortification,  which  consisted  of  a  house  of  adobe  and 
earth  with  embrasures.216  But  the  enemy,  defending 
themselves  and  covering  themselves  with  many  buck- 
skins, approached  the  fortification,  climbed  upon  its 

214  For  other  accounts  of  this  episode,  see  Kino,  Breve  Relation;  Manje, 
Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  65-66;  Ortega,  Apostolicos  A  fanes,  270-271;  Ban- 
croft, North  Mexican  States,  vol.  i,  274;  Alegre,  Historia,  vol.  iii,  100-101 
(under  1697,  erroneously).  A  newly  discovered  source  is  Jironza's  letter  to 
the  viceroy,  May  16,  1698   (A.G.I.  67-3-28). 

215  Kino  calls  it  Santa  Cruz  de  Quiburi;  Manje  (Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita, 
libro  ii,  65)  Santa  Cruz  de  Taybanipitca ;  Alegre  (Historia,  vol.  iii,  100) 
Santa  Cruz  de  Cuervo. 

215a  xhe  text  reads  1697,  but  this  is  a  slip.  See  ante,  page  176,  footnote 
211. 

216  Manje  states  that  this  fortification  was  the  adobe  house  built  by  the 
Indians  at  the  instance  of  the  Spaniards- evidently  since  Kino's  visit  in  1697 

(op.  cit.).     Kino,  in  his  Breve  Relation,  states  that  they  "retreated  to  their 
corral   and  fortification  of  adobe  y  terrado." 


EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  179 

roof,  destroying  and  burning  it,  and  with  a  shot  killed 
one  man,217  for  they  had  one  of  the  arquebuses  which 
on  other  occasions  they  had  taken  from  the  soldiers. 
They  sacked  and  burned  the  rancheria,  killed  three 
cattle  and  three  mares  of  the  ranch  which  I  had  here, 
and  began  to  roast  and  stew  meat  and  beans,  and  to 
parch  and  grind  maize  for  their  pinole,  both  the  men 
and  the  women,  who  had  all  fought  as  equals,  consider- 
ing themselves  as  already  quite  victorious. 

CHAPTER    II.     CAPTAIN    CORO    WITH     HIS    PIMAS 

OF  QUIBURI   COMES  TO  THE   RESCUE,  AND  THEY 

KILL  MORE  THAN  THREE   HUNDRED   HOSTILE 

JOCOMES,  MANSOS,  SUMAS,  AND  APACHES 

But  meantime  the  news  reached  the  neighboring 
rancheria  of  Quiburi,  which  is  a  league  and  a  half  from 
Santa  Cruz,  and  immediately  its  captain,  called  El 
Coro,  came  to  the  rescue  with  his  brave  people,  together 
with  other  Pimas  who  had  come  from  the  west  to  barter 
for  maize,  and  who  contributed  to  the  fortunate  out- 
come of  the  event,218  for  they  were  supplied  with  the 
arms  which  we  had  bidden  them  to  provide  to  go  on  the 
expedition  with  the  soldiers  of  the  presidio.  The  cap- 
tain of  the  enemy,  called  El  Capotcari,219  proposed -for 
with  Captain  Coro  came  many  Pimas- that  they  should 
fight,  ten  on  one  side  and  ten  on  the  other.  Captain 
Coro  accepted  the  proposal,  and  selected  ten  Pimas, 

217  Manje  says  that  they  killed  three  Pimas.  Kino  accounts  for  four  or 
five  dead.     Jironza  says  that  four  were  killed  and  ten  wounded. 

218  Manje  says  that  five  hundred  came  to  the  rescue  of  Quiburi,  where 
they  had  gathered  to  go  with  the  soldiers  in  a  campaign  against  the  enemy, 
doubtless  the  campaign  referred  to  by  Jironza.  Kino  {Breve  Relacion)  says 
that  they  came  "From  the  environs  of  San  Javier  del  Bac."  When  near  the 
Gila  in  October,  1698,  Kino  learned  that  the  chief  of  San  Bonifacio,  whom 
he  met,  had  been,  with  his  braves,  among  those  who  aided  in  the  victory  at 
Quiburi    (Relacion  Diaria). 

219  Alegre  gives  the  name  "Capoteari." 


i8o  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 


while  Captain  Capotcari  selected  ten  others,  the  most 
valiant  of  all  he  had.  Five  were  Apaches,  as  was  also 
one  of  the  other  five. 

They  began  shooting  their  arrows,  and,  as  the  Pimas 
are  very  dexterous  in  shooting  and  also  in  parrying  the 
arrows  of  their  adversaries,  and  as  the  Apaches,  al- 
though dexterous  in  shooting  arrows  and  with  the  lance, 
are  not  dexterous  in  parrying  the  arrows,  five  Pimas 
soon  wounded  the  five  Apaches  who  were  their  antag- 
onists, as  did  four  other  Pimas  their  adversaries,  the 
Hocomes  and  Xanos.  Captain  Capotcari  was  very 
skillful  in  catching  the  arrows,  but  his  opponent,  a 
valiant  Pima,  grappled  with  him  and,  struggling,  threw 
him  to  the  ground  and  beat  his  head  with  stones.220 
Thereupon  all  the  rest  of  the  enemy  began  to  flee,  and 
the  Pimas  followed  them  through  all  those  woods  and 
hills  for  more  than  four  leagues,  killing  and  wounding 
more  than  three  hundred,  of  whom  fifty-odd221  re- 
mained dead  and  stretched  out  nearby,  and  the  rest,  as 
they  were  wounded  with  the  poisonous  herb,  died  along 

220Manje  does  not  tell  this  remarkable  tale,  nor,  strangely  enough,  does 
Kino  tell  it  in  his  Breve  Relacion,  written  May  3-October  25,  especially  to  re- 
port the  event.  Kino's  account  therein  of  the  victory  is  as  follows:  "And 
having  conferred  mouth  to  mouth  with  the  principal  captain  of  the  hostile 
Jocomes,  called  Copotiari  (Capotcari),  said  Copotiari  said  that  Captain  Coro 
and  all  his  Pima  men  were  not  men  but  women ;  that  the  Spaniards  with 
whom  he  had  been  joined  by  the  padres  were  not  brave;  that  he  frequently 
had  killed  many  of  them  and  of  the  soldiers  likewise.  Thereupon  the  Pimas 
became  so  angered  that  a  valiant  fellow  came  up  and  knocked  him  down  and 
pounded  him,  and  the  rest  proceeded  with  like  valor.  They  pursued  their 
companions  more  than  two  leagues,  killing  them,  so  that  there  escaped  only 
six,  who  were  riding  as  many  horses  belonging  to  Cocospera."  Jironza  tells 
the  story  of  the  individual  combat,  much  as  Kino  gives  it  here  in  the 
Favores   (Letter  to  viceroy,  May  16,  1698). 

221  Manje  (Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  66)  says  that  sixty  enemies 
were  killed  and  one  hundred  sixty-eight  died  of  poisoned  arrows.  Jironza 
says  that  thirty-two  men  and  twenty-two  women  were  killed,  and  many 
wounded,  all  of  whom  would  die,  "because  of  our  knowledge  of  the  very 
strong  poison  from  the  herb  with   which  they  prepare  their  arrows." 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  181 

the  trails.  The  remainder,  about  three  hundred,  went 
after  this  ill  fortune,  and  from  fear  of  the  Pimas,  as 
they  confessed,  to  ask  and  to  offer  peace  in  the  presidio 
of  Xanos  to  Senor  General  Juan  Fernandez  de  la 
Fuente,  in  El  Passo,  New  Mexico,222  to  Maestre  de 
Campo223  Luys  Granillo,  and  in  the  pueblo  of  Socorro, 
as  the  letters  and  authentic  reports  from  there  attested. 
And  there  have  remained  still  in  revolt  only  sixteen 
braves  and  twenty-seven  non-combatants. 


224 


CHAPTER    III.     THE    REPORTS    OF    THIS    VICTORY 

WERE  WELL  RECEIVED  IN  ALL  PARTS,  AND 

IN  THE  REAL  DE  SAN  JUAN  WITH 

RINGING  OF  BELLS  225 

Captain  Coro  and  the  natives  informed  me  immedi- 
ately of  the  occurrence  by  a  messenger,  sending  me  the 
news  and  the  count  of  the  dead  on  a  long  stick.  By  an- 
other messenger  I  advised  the  Senor  military  command- 
er and  other  fathers  and  seculars  in  the  Real  de  San 
Juan  and  in  other  parts,  of  the  fortunate  event,  and 
they  responded  with  great  joy  and  pleasure.  The  Senor 
military  commander  said  that  this  victory  would  serve 
for  the  complete  relief  of  all  the  province ;  and  he  agreed 
to  give  the  presents  which  his  Lordship  two  months 
before  had  promised  these  Pimas  if  they  would  strike  a 
good  blow.    The  father  visitor  wrote  that  he  was  giving 

222  Manje  (Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  66)  says  that  the  Janos 
separated  from  the  Apache  to  make  peace  at  El  Paso. 

223  A  militia  officer  of  superior  rank  commanding  a  division  of  troops. 
Compare  the  French  mestre  de  camp,  a  colonel  of  infantry  or  cavalry.  The 
maestre  de  campo  was  a  common  official  on  the  northern  frontier  in  the  sev- 
enteenth and  eighteenth  centuries. 

224  De  Chusma.  "Muchedumbre  de  familias  de  Indios,  excepto  los  hom- 
bres  de  guerra,  6  sea  conjunto  de  mujeres,  ninos,  y  viejos  que  componen  una 
tolderia  6  campamento  de  Indios."     I.e.  non-combatants. 

225  This  chapter  is  in  part  almost  an  exact  copy  of  Kino's  Breve  Relacion 
of  May  3,  1698. 


182  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

a  thousand  thanks  to  his  Divine  Majesty  for  the  very 
fortunate  event.  The  father  rector  of  Matape  dedi- 
cated a  mass  and  a  solemn  feast  to  the  Most  Holy  Trin- 
ity for  the  good  fortune.  The  Senor  lieutenant  of  the 
Real  de  San  Juan226  said:  "To  your  Reverence  and  to 
all  the  province  I  give  hearty  congratulations  for  so 
happy  a  victory  of  the  natives;  and  here  we  are  all 
felicitating  both  our  Lord  and  Most  Holy  Mary,  and 
ringing  the  bells  for  it."  Captain  Pedro  Garzia  de 
Almazan  gave  thanks  on  his  own  behalf  and  on  behalf 
of  the  citizens  of  the  Real  de  San  Juan  and  of  the  Real 
de  Nacosari;  and  he  offered227  and  gave  presents  for 
those  Pimas,  as  did  also  the  father  rector  of  Matape, 
Father  Juan  Munos  de  Burgos,  and  Captain  Francisco 
de  Escarsega. 

Nevertheless,  the  opposition  of  those  ill  disposed 
could  not  fail,  as  the  letter  of  a  certain  prominent  per- 
son indicates,  in  these  words:  "We  are  greatly  rejoiced 
at  the  good  news  and  the  victory  of  the  Pimas,  and  that 
the  excellence  of  their  work  may  be  seen  and  the  lie  be 
given  to  many  opponents  who  calumniated  them  with 
falsehoods."  Whereupon,  I  called  the  Senor  lieutenant 
of  this  Pimeria  to  draw  up  the  certificate  and  legalized 
investigation  of  what  had  happened.  I  went  in  the 
fifty  leagues  to  Santa  Cruz  de  Quiburi,  and  on  the 
twenty-third  of  April  we  viewed  the  dead  bodies  of  the 
enemy.  We  encountered  the  twenty-two  soldiers  who 
also,  because  of  the  incredulous,  had  come  in,  by  way 
of  Terrenate,  and  who  were  actually  investigating  the 

226  Antonio  Morales.     (See  Kino,  Breve  Relacion). 

227  They  offered  five  hundred  pesos  in  clothing  (Kino,  Breve  Relacion). 
Jironza  tells  us  that  before  this  victory,  through  his  lieutenant  and  "Padre 
Quino"  he  had  promised  the  Pimas  two  thousand  pesos  in  clothing,  and  that 
he  would  gladly  keep  his  promise  now,  since  a  campaign  would  cost  more 
than  that  amount  in  pinole,  meat,  and  tobacco  (letter  of  May  16,  1698). 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  183 

above  mentioned  and  contradicted  deaths.  We  saw  and 
counted  fifty-four  corpses  nearby,  thirty-one  of  men, 
and  twenty-three  of  women.  The  natives  gave  us  va- 
rious spoils,  which  we  brought  away  with  us,  among 
them  an  arquebus,  powder,  and  balls,  a  leathern  jacket, 
buffalo  and  deer  skins,  bows  and  arrows,  and  scalps  of 
the  above  mentioned  enemies.  Of  the  Pima  natives  in 
the  rancheria  of  Santa  Cruz  five  died,  and  nine  were 
wounded  but  recovered.228 


228  This  paragraph  is  taken  directly  from  Kino's  Breve  Relacidn.  Manje 
(Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  66)  states  that  it  was  Alferez  Juan  de 
Escalante,  who,  with  Manje  and  twenty  soldiers,  went  to  certify  to  the  deaths. 
He  states  that  for  seven  leagues  they  followed  the  battle-march,  counting  six- 
ty dead,  and  that  it  was  reported  that  one  hundred  and  sixty-eight  died  of  poi- 
soned arrows.  He  says  nothing  of  Kino's  part  in  spreading  the  news  nor  of 
his  going  to  count  the  dead.  Jironza  tells  us  that  he  sent  Escalante  with 
twenty-five  men  to  view  the  signs  of  the  victory  and  to  enlist  the  Pimas  to 
pursue  the  enemy.  The  Pimas  made  excuses,  and  he  did  not  urge  them, 
since  there  were  "recent  allies"  (letter  of  May  16,  1698).  Kino  took  ad- 
vantage of  the  victory  above  recounted  to  appeal  for  ten  or  twelve  new 
missionaries.  Indeed,  this  was  the  purpose  for  which  the  Breve  Relacidn 
was  written. 


184  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

CHAPTER   IV.    ANOTHER    GREAT   EXPEDITION   TO 

THE  COAST  OF  THE  SEA  OF  CALIFORNIA,  IN  WHICH 

ARE  DISCOVERED  AND  REDUCED  MORE  THAN  FOUR 

THOUSAND  NEW  PIMA  INDIANS,  WHO  GIVE  US 

FOUR   HUNDRED   AND   THIRTY-FIVE 

INFANTS  TO  BAPTIZE  229 

This  journey,230  or  mission,  I  relate  in  the  letter  which 
I  wrote  to  the  father  visitor,  and  is  as  follows : 

My  Father  Visitor  Oracio  Polise,  Pax  Christi: 
In  obedience  to  your  Reverence's  charge  that  I  should 

229  The  principal  original  authorities  for  this  first  exploration  of  a  route 
through  southwestern  Arizona  have  been:  Kino,  Relasion  Diaria  de  la  En- 
trada  al  nortueste  of  which  the  editor  discovered  the  original  (see  "Bibliog- 
raphy") ;  Kino,  Carta  del  Padre  Eusevio  Kino  al  Padre  visitador  H oracio 
Polici  acerca  de  una  entrada  al  Noroeste  (see  "Bibliography").  This  letter 
is  almost  identical  with  the  one  copied  by  Kino  in  the  present  chapter,  and, 
although  the  latter  is  dated  October  20,  yet  there  can  be  little  doubt  but 
that  it  should  be  the  eighteenth.  Bancroft  did  not  have  access  to  the  diary, 
and  asserted  that  it  was  not  extant,  this  being  another  example  of  an  un- 
forunate  tendency  of  that  author,  who  seemed  to  think  that  he  had  all  the 
material  that  could  ever  be  assembled.  He  says:  "accompanied  by  Captain 
Diego  Carrasco  instead  of  Mange,  an  unfortunate  substitute  for  the  his- 
torical student,  as  the  original  diary  is  not  extant"  {North  Mexican  States 
and  Texas,  vol.  i,  266)  ;  again:  "but  unfortunately,  Manje's  place  was  taken 
by  Captain  Carrasco,  and  no  particulars  affecting  Arizona  are  extant" 
{Arizona  and  New  Mexico,  357).  Alegre  {Historia,  vol.  iii,  103-104)  used 
Kino's  diary,  and  Ortega  {Apostolicos  A  fanes,  272-273)  summarizes  the 
Favor es,  but  does  not  use  the  diary,  for  which  Alegre  criticises  him  {op.  cit.). 
Bancroft  draws  a  wrong  inference  from  the  date  October  20,  copied  by 
Ortega  from  the  letter  of  October  18.  He  says  of  the  letter  of  the  eighteenth: 
"This  is  a  hasty  letter  written  before  he  had  time  to  copy  his  regular  diary, 
which  was  sent  on  October  twentieth"  {North  Mexican  States,  vol.  i,  266). 
It  seems  improbable  that  Kino  would  have  sent  two  identical  letters  two 
days  apart.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  copy  of  the  diary  contained  at  the 
back  of  the  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro,  i,  is  dated  December  8,  1698. 
This  copy  was  used  by  Bandelier  as  early  as  1890,  but  he  evidently  did  not 
study  Kino's  route  carefully.  (See  Final  Report,  vol.  i,  in).  The  editor 
was  the  discoverer  of  the  original  of  the  diary,  and  is  the  first  to  make 
extensive  use  of  it. 

Not  only  has  the  original  of  Kino's  diary  been  recovered,  but,  still  further 

230  Bancroft  follows  Kino,  Carta,  October  18;  Ortega,  Apostolicos  A  fanes, 
272-274;  Alegre,  Historia  Compania  de  Jesus,  vol.  iii,  203-204  (Alegre  saw 
Kino's  diary)  ;  Venegas,  Noticia,  vol.  ii,  91-92;  Lockman,  Travels,  vol.  i,  355. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  185 

go  inland  to  the  exploration  of  the  northwest  coast  and 
the  disemboguement  of  the  Rio  Grande  into  the  Sea  of 
California,  in  order  to  report  to  the  father  provincial 
and  his  Excellency,  who  command  that  the  new  con- 
versions be  encouraged  and  that  a  hand  be  given 2:L  to 
Father  Juan  Maria  Salvatierra  by  way  of  northwest,  I 
went  in,  travelling  in  going  and  returning  more  than 
three  hundred  leagues.  I  took  with  me  Captain  Diego 
Carrasco,  present  lieutenant  of  this  Pimeria,  who  also 
gives  an  account  of  what  has  happened  and  been  seen, 
to  the  Senor  alcalde  mayor  and  military  commander  of 
this  province.232     And  now  that  I  have  just  arrived  with 

setting  aside  Bancroft's  view,  the  editor  has  recently  secured  a  diary  of  the 
expedition  kept  by  Carrasco,  together  with  Jironza's  instructions  to  Carrasco 
and  his  report  to  the  viceroy.  These  new  materials  constitute  an  expediente 
in  the  Archivo  de  Indias  (67-3-28).  They  comprise  (a)  a  report  by 
Jironza  to  the  viceroy  on  May  16,  1698,  recounting  the  Pima  victory  of 
March  30;  (b)  Jironza's  instructions  to  Captain  Diego  Carrasco,  September 
15,  1698  (he  was  expressly  instructed  to  hunt  for  a  quicksilver  mine  reported 
to  be  in  the  Sobaipuris  nation,  to  give  staves  of  office  to  the  chiefs,  and  not 
to  leave  Kino  till  he  should  be  restored  to  his  mission)  ;  (c)  Carrasco's 
official  diary,  called  Diario  fecho,  etc.,  a  close  copy  or  pharaphrase  of  Kino's 
diary;  (d)  a  report  by  Carrasco  to  Jironza,  dated  at  Dolores,  October  18, 
and  giving  a  brief  account  of  the  expedition;  (e)  a  report  by  Jironza  to  the 
viceroy,  recounting  the  expedition,  San  Juan  Baptista,  March  8,  1699;  (f)  a 
dictamen  fiscal  concerning  the  matter  by  Lie.  Baltazar  de  Tobar,  Mexico, 
October  19,  1699. 

231  This  phrase  corrects  a  mistake  in  the  Memorias  version  of  the  Carta 
of  October  18.  That  reads  "y  se  le  demonsro  al  P.  Juan  Maria,"  etc.  This 
and  the  Relasion  Diaria  read  "y  se  le  de  mano  al  Pe.  Ju.  Maria,"  etc.  In 
the  Relasion  Diaria  Kino  states  that  the  journey  was  made  in  obedience  to  a 
letter  by  Visitor  Polici  to  Father  Mora,  rector,  and  transmitted  to  Kino,  who 
incorporates  part  of  Father  Mora's  letter.  Kino  notes  that  for  some  months 
he  had  been  in  poor  health,  but,  nevertheless,  he  assembled  the  necessary 
outfit  and  set  out  with  twenty-five  horses.  Forty  had  been  sent  ahead  five 
days  before  to  Bac  and  twenty  others  were  to  set  out  ten  days  afterward 
for  Caborca,  to  meet  them  for  the  return  journey. 

232  Domingo  Jironza  Petris  de  Cruzat.  It  is  interesting  to  note  the 
slightly  differing  emphasis  of  Kino  and  Jironza  (who  were  the  best  of 
friends)  in  speaking  of  the  aims  of  the  expedition.  In  his  instructions  to 
Carrasco  (September  15,  1698,  A.G.I.,  67-3-28)  Jironza  recites  that  "Quino" 
has  reported  that  he  is  "about  to  make  a  journey  to  explore  the  Rio  Grande 


186  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

all  prosperity,  thanks  be  to  the  Lord,  while  I  am  mak- 
ing a  fair  copy  of  the  daily  relation,  with  its  map,233  I 
report  to  your  Reverence  how,  on  the  twenty-second  of 
September,  day  of  the  most  holy  name  of  Most  Holy 
Mary,  we  set  out  from  this  pueblo  of  Nuestra  Senora 
de  los  Dolores  with  the  governor  of  this  place  and  seven 
other  persons,  my  servants,  and  with  more  than  sixty 
pack  animals,  going  inland  toward  the  north  and  north- 
west234 to  the  Rio  and  Casa  Grande,  a  journey  of  more 
than  one  hundred  leagues.235  In  the  rancheria  of  La 
Encarnacion,  that  of  San  Andres,  and  in  those  nearby, 
we  were  received  with  all  kindness,  with  crosses  and 
arches  erected,  and  with  many  of  their  eatables,  by  more 
than  one  thousand  souls,  men  and  women.  In  the 
rancheria  of  San  Andres  there  came  to  render  us  obedi- 
ence the  Opas236  and  Cocomaricopas,  who  are  a  people 
of  very  distinct  dress,  features,  and  language,237  though 
connected  by  marriage  with  the  Pimas,  and  very  affable 

and  its  disemboguement  into  the  California  Sea."  Therefore,  since  the 
journey  is  through  hostile  country  Carrasco  is  ordered  to  go  to  assist  Kino, 
keep  a  diary,  give  Saints'  names  to  the  Indian  villages,  count  the  inhabitants, 
make  note  of  water  supply  and  distances,  appoint  and  give  bastones  of  office 
to  governors  of  the  villages,  "and  especially"  to  do  his  best  to  discover  the 
quicksilver  mine  reported  among  the  Sobaipuris. 

233  I  have  not  seen  this  map,  nor  have  I  seen  any  other  mention  of  it. 

234  Kino's  Carta  has  it  "Norte  y  Noreste." 

235  The  Relasion  Diaria  gives  the  following  itinerary:  Dolores,  Los 
Remedios,  San  Lazaro,  Bacoancos,  Guebavi,  San  Cayetano,  San  Xavier  del 
Bac,  San  Augustin  del  Oyaut,  San  Clemente,  Santa  Catalina  del  Caitoabagum, 
the  Algive  (tank),  Encarnacion  (on  the  Gila)  ;  San  Andres,  San  Angelo  del 
Botum,  San  Bonifacio  del  Coati  y  del  Sibuoidag,  San  Francisco  del  Adid, 
Anagam,  Cubit  tubig  and  Gaga  near-by),  San  Serafin,  three  unnamed 
villages,  Nuestra  Senora  de  la  Merced  del  Batqui,  or  Bat  Ki  (Baggibuributa 
or  Babgiturituto  and  Ooteam  near-by),  San  Rafael  del  Actum  Grande, 
San  Marcelo  del  Sonoidag,  San  Serguio,  Santa  Brigida,  toward  the  sea, 
up  Cerro  de  Santa  Brigida  (Santa  Clara),  San  Marcelo,  San  Luis 
Bertrando  del  Bacapa,  San  Eduardo  del  Baipia,  Caborca,  San  Diego  del  Pit- 
quin,  Santa  Teresa  del  Addi,  Tubutama  (here  Kino  received  a  letter  from 
Captain  Bernal),  Tuputi,  Magdalena,  Dolores,  reached  October  18. 

236  The  Opas  are  not  mentioned  in  the  Carta. 

237  This  passage  corrects  the  Carta,  which  says :    "Que  es  gente  de  mas 
instinto  y  mejor  semblante  y  trage  como  en  su  h'idioma,  pero  muy  afable." 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  187 

and  docile.  They  desire  to  be  Christians  like  the  Pimas. 
We  comforted  them,  giving  them  a  captain,  a  governor, 
and  a  fiscal  mayor,  good  hopes  of  salvation,238  and 
friendly  messages  for  all  their  nation,  etc. 

Afterward  we  set  out  for  the  south,  the  southwest, 
and  the  west,  going  about  eighty  leagues,239  and,  arriv- 
ing at  the  Sea  of  California,  under  the  lee  of  the  estuary 
of  the  Rio  Grande  we  found  a  very  good  port  or  bay  in 
thirty-two  degrees'  latitude,  with  fresh  water  and  tim- 
ber. It  must  be  the  port  which  the  ancient  geographers 
called  the  Puerto  de  Santa  Clara.240  Its  entrance 
trends  from  southwest  to  northeast,  and  it  has  a  moun- 
tain chain  to  the  west.  We  came  from  the  Rio  Grande 
to  La  Consepcion,  reconnoitering  the  whole  northwest 
coast,  which  is  more  than  ninety241  leagues  long,  from 
north  to  south,  and  has  more  than  forty  rancherias, 
great  and  small  together,  all  the  people  so  friendly,  so 
docile,  and  so  affable,  that  in  all  places  they  received  us 
in  houses  made  ready,  with  crosses  and  arches  erected, 
giving  us  many  of  their  very  plentiful  pitajayas,  and 
hares,  deer,  rabbits,  etc.,  from  their  hunts,  and  with 
much  rejoicing,  feasts,  dances,  and  songs  by  day  and  by 
night.  We  counted  in  these  rancherias  more  than  four 
thousand  persons,  and  they  gave  us  to  baptize  four  hun- 
dred and  thirty-five  little  ones,  for  the  most  of  whom 
Captain  Diego  Carrasco  was  godfather.  In  the  single 
rancheria  of  San  Francisco  del  Adid,242  to  which  we 

The  Relation  Diaria  says:  "vimos  como  el  traje  hasi  en  los  tnugeres  y  la 
lengua  es  mui  diferente  de  la  de  los  pimas." 

238  Lacking  from  the  Carta. 

239  Several  words  here  omitted  from  the  Carta. 

240  Adair  Bay.  Lumholtz  (op.  cit.,  197)  remarks  that  although  the 
Jesuits  were  the  first  to  open  the  trail  from  Sonoita  to  the  Gila,  "there  is 
no  evidence  to  show  that  they  ever  traversed  the  country  to  the  south  of 
it,  at  least  west  of  Sonoita."  My  map  shows,  however,  that  Kino  made 
four  journeys  into  the  Sierra  del  Pinacate  (Santa  Clara)  region  over  the 
very  trails  followed  two  hundred  and  ten  years  later  by  Lumholtz. 

241  The  Carta  has  it  "ochenta." 

242  The  Carta  has  it  "Assis,"  manifestly  a  mistake. 


188  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

gave  the  name  of  this  most  glorious  patriarch  and  great 
patron,  San  Francisco  Xavier,242a  inasmuch  as  in  it  on 
the  fourth  of  October  we  kept  his  holy  day,  they  gave  us 
after  the  mass  of  the  saint  one  hundred  and  two  little 
ones  to  baptize. 

In  the  afternoon  we  went  two243  leagues  farther,  to 
another  rancheria,  which  we  named  San  Seraphin,  and 
they  gave  us  to  baptize  sixty-five  other  little  ones. 
From  there,  passing  by  La  Merced  del  Batqui  and  San 
Raphael  del  Actum,  a  journey  of  about  thirty-two 
leagues  to  the  west,244  we  arrived  at  San  Marzelo  del 
Sonoidag,  a  post  very  suitable  for  a  great  settlement,  be- 
cause it  has  very  good  pastures  and  rich  lands,  with 
their  irrigation  ditches,  and  with  water  which  runs  to 
the  port  above  mentioned,  from  which  it  is  only  twenty 
leagues  by  very  level  road.  From  San  Marzelo  I  dis- 
patched very  friendly  messages  to  the  north.  In  this 
entry  we  gave  more  than  forty  staves  of  captains,  gov- 
ernors, alcaldes,  and  fiscals.245  We  came  by  way  of  La 
Consepcion,  passing  at  fifteen  leagues  southward  from 
San  Marzelo  the  rancheria  of  Bacapa,  whither  came 
the  very  Reverend  Father  Fray  Marcos  de  Niza  in  his 
apostolic  peregrination,  and  where  he  had  reports, 
which  he  puts  in  his  book,  of  the  Seven  Cities  to  the 
north  and  northeast. 

After  about  forty  leagues'  journey  we  reached  La 

242a  Evidently  a  mistake  for  "Asis,"  a9  Oct.  4  is  the  feast  of  St.  Francis 
of  Asisi. 

243  The  Relasion  Diaria  gives  this  as  three  leagues. 

244  Most  of  these  place  names  are  omitted  from  the  Carta.  The  Relasion 
Diaria  does  not  give  the  direction  at  this  point. 

245  Kino  fails  to  mention  a  journey  which  he  made  at  this  time  from 
Sonoita  west.  On  October  8  they  left  Sonoita  for  the  Gulf.  On  the  way  they 
passed  San  Sergio,  and  reached  Santa  Brigida,  a  village  near  the  Gulf  coast. 
On  the  ninth  they  climbed  the  near-by  mountain  of  Santa  Brigida  or  Santa 
Clara,  and  viewed  the  Gulf.  On  the  tenth  they  returned  to  San  Sergio  and 
San  Marcelo    {Relasion  Diaria). 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  189 

Consepcion,  and  twenty-two  leagues  to  the  eastward  we 
came  to  El  Tubutama,  in  each  of  which  places  there 
are  cattle,  sheep  and  goats,  wheat,  maize,  and  a  house 
of  adobe  for  the  fathers  whom  they  hope  to  obtain. 
For  this  these  natives  as  well  as  those  of  Tucubabia  and 
those  of  San  Luys  supplicate  and  pray  very  fervently, 
tending  the  crops  for  that  purpose.  And  I,  for  the 
ease  of  my  conscience,  commend  them  strongly  to  the 
fatherly  protection  of  your  Reverence,  that  you  may  be 
pleased  to  contribute  to  their  receiving  this  full  and 
only  means  of  their  eternal  salvation.  It  has  been  an 
especial  comfort  to  us  that  I  have  been  able  to  say  mass 
every  day  therefor,  although  many  days  we  travelled 
twenty  and  twenty-two  leagues,  on  account  of  the  good 
pastures,  good  roads,  good  pack-animals,  and  super- 
abundant provisions,  all  these  natives  guiding  and  ac- 
companying us  with  all  love,  and,  if  the  occasion  de- 
manded, coming  to  meet  us  with  many  jars  of  water 
many  leagues'  journey.  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores, 
Oct.  20,  1698.    Your  Reverence's  humble  servant, 

Eusevio  Francisco  Kino.246 

CHAPTER  V.     OPINIONS  AND  REPORTS  RECEIVED  IN 

REGARD  TO  THE  ABOVE-MENTIONED 

HAPPY  ENTRY 

The  entry  which  I  have  just  related  was  the  occasion 
of  the  greatest  comfort  to  Father  Visitor  Oracio  Palise 
and  to  the  military  commander;247  and  they,  like  many 

246  At  the  end  of  his  Relasion  Diaria  Kino  wrote  a  several  page  report 
entitled  Del  estado,  gracias  al  Seiior,  Pasifico  y  quieto  de  esta  dilatada 
Pimeria  y  de  la  Prova.  de  Sonora,  1698  a.  It  is  an  emphatic  refutation  of 
the  charges  that  the  Pimas  are  hostile  and  that  the  population  of  Pimeria 
Alta  is  small.  By  actual  figures  he  shows  that  the  population  of  the  explored 
parts  was  more  than  sixteen  thousand.  He  closes  by  saying  that  Pimeria 
Alta  will  be  able  to  aid  in  converting  California,  "the  largest  island  in  the 
world." 

247  In  his  report  of  March  8,  1699,  to  the  viceroy,  Jironza  emphasized 
the  importance  of  the  victory  of  March  30,  the  great  number  of  Indians  en- 


190  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

others,  expressed  their  gratification  thereat  in  long  and 
very  fine  letters.  Especially  rejoiced  at  this  entry  were 
the  fathers  of  California,  who,  on  seeing  this  coast  al- 
ready so  well  subdued,  determined  with  the  other  con- 
querors of  California  to  ascend  higher;  and  their  rev- 
erences afterward  wrote  me  the  two  letters  given  here. 
Father  Juan  Maria  Salvatierra  speaks  thus: 

Quod  felix  faustum  fortunatumque  sit.2i8  Much  have  I  re- 
joiced and  much  has  Father  Francisco  Maria  Picolo  rejoiced  in 
the  new,  glorious  entry  from  the  Rio  Grande ;  and  we  are  desir- 
ous of  knowing  whether  from  that  new  coast  which  your  Rever- 
ence traversed  California  may  be  seen,  and  what  sign  there  is  on 
that  side  whether  this  narrow  sea  is  landlocked.  We  and  all 
the  people  of  this  camp  are  pleased,  and  all  salute  your  Rever- 
ence. I  have  just  now  received  two  letters  from  your  Reverence, 
the  first  being  dated  October  21,  shortly  after  you  had  returned 
from  your  apostolic  journey  in  this  direction.  Over  here,  if 
we  had  not  already  entered  and  set  foot  on  this  land  we  know 
not  what  next. 

But  this  now  depends  on  nothing  but  following  up  the  advan- 
tage gained,  there  being  Christmas  already.  I  tell  your 
Reverence  this  that  you  may  not  be  cast  down  with  contradic- 
tions and  rumors.  As  for  the  map,  it  will  be  made  by  Father 
Francisco  Maria  in  August,  after  a  voyage  of  discovery  has  been 
made  in  the  boats  as  far  as  latitude  thirty-five  degrees  or  a  little 
higher.  I  should  greatly  rejoice  if  your  Reverence  would  come 
on  this  voyage  of  discovery,  for  thus  you  could  disembark  on  the 
Rio  Grande,  by  coming  here  after  the  harvest  and  the  ingather- 
ing of  the  wheat.  Your  Reverence  might  embark  at  Hyaqui,249 
and  upon  your  arrival  here  we  should  all  set  sail,  your  Rever- 
ence, Sebastian  Romero,  and  one  of  us,  with  twelve  soldiers,  and 

countered  in  the  last  journey,  and  the  desire  of  the  Sobaipuris  for  mission- 
aries. The  fiscal,  Tobar,  on  October  16  recommended  that  Kino  be  asked  fof 
more  explicit  reports  regarding  the  need  of  missionaries  (A.G.I.  67-3-28). 

248  "May  it  be  happy,  joyful,  and  fortunate."  This  is  a  common  formula, 
e.g.  Quod  bonum,  faustum,  fortunatumque  esset  (Cic.  Div.  I,  45,  102)  ;  Ut 
nobis  haec  habitatio  Bona,  fausta,  felix,  fortunataque  eveniat  (Plaut.  Trin. 
ii  2,  3). 

249  Yaqui. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J. 191 

we  should  sail  well  up  this  coast,  after  going  up  to  thirty-six 
degrees  on  the  coasts  of  the  Pimeria. 

It  has  rained  much  here  all  this  winter,  and  this  whole  land 
is  as  fragrant  as  a  sweet-smelling  garden ;  and  if  there  had  been 
lands  prepared,  much  seed  could  have  been  sown,  and  all  would 
have  brought  forth  fruit;  but  one  can  not  do  everything.  I 
thank  your  Reverence  for  your  kindness  to  this  your  mission.  I 
have  been  greatly  pleased  to  learn  of  the  placing  of  the  image 
of  Our  Lady  of  Remedies  in  her  pueblo  so  persecuted ;  and  in- 
deed I  am  moved  to  tenderness  on  reading  of  it.  This  Lady  is 
to  be  the  remedy  for  everything.  With  this  I  close,  beseeching 
you  not  to  forget  me  in  your  holy  prayers  and  holy  sacrifices. 
Loreto  Concho,  March  28,  1699.  From  your  Reverence's  ser- 
vant in  Christ.  Juan  Maria  Salvatierra. 

Father  Francisco  Maria  Picolo  writes  thus: 

May  His  Divine  Majesty  preserve  for  me  my  well  beloved 
Father  Eusevio  Francisco  Kino  many  happy  years,  multiplied  in 
the  glorious  progress  of  your  work  of  conversion.  With  the 
greatest  pleasure  I  have  read  of  the  entry  which  your  Reverence 
made  from  the  Rio  Grande,  skirting  by  land  the  coast  of  the 
strait  of  our  California,  and  I  give  your  Reverence  a  thousand 
congratulations.  In  the  name  of  Jesus  may  you  snatch  from  the 
devil  all  those  souls,  and  in  spite  of  all  hell,  Ylluminareiis  qui  in 
tenebris  et  in  umbra  mortis  sedent.250  By  hearing  of  your  heroic 
deeds  I  in  my  humility  am  encouraged  to  do  something  for  the 
greater  glory  of  the  Lord,  whom  I  pray  to  grant  your  Reverence 
many  happy  Easters.  I  hope  on  another  and  more  favorable 
occasion  to  write  your  Reverence  at  greater  length,  reporting  to 
you  in  detail  the  state  of  things  here,  which,  because  they  are 
under  the  protection  of  our  Lady  251  are  prospering.  Cheer  me, 
your  Reverence,  with  your  most  welcome  news,  for  as  soon  as 
the  ships  arrive  we  shall  try  to  go  to  the  port  which  your  Rever- 
ence discovered ;  and  in  the  Holy  Sacrifices  do  not  forget  this 
your  useless  servant  and  brother,  Loreto  Concho,  March  27, 
1699.     Your  Reverence's  humble  servant  and  brother. 

Francisco  Maria  Picolo. 


250  "To  enlighten  them  that  sit  in  darkness  and  in  the  shadow  of  death" 
(Luke,  i,  79.  llluminare  his  qui  in  tenebris  et  in  umbra  mortis  sedent).  Kino 
doubtless  quotes  from  memory  here. 

251  Our  Lady  of  Loreto. 


i92  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Thus  far  the  fathers  of  California.  But  the  accus- 
tomed contradiction  and  opposition,  delayer  and  hin- 
derer  of  the  coming  of  the  fathers,  were  not  lacking. 
Although  from  their  beginnings  the  reports  to  Mexico 
and  Parral  had  been  favorable,  now  those  ill-disposed 
sent  other  and  very  contrary  reports,  which  made  it  im- 
possible to  send  the  fathers  necessary,  according  to  the 
accounts  which  from  Mexico  have  been  written  to  me  of 
the  opposition  and  these  false  and  very  hostile  stories. 
They  were  to  the  effect  that  the  Cocomaricopas  and 
other  new  nations  of  the  Rio  Grande,  to  the  westward 
of  La  Encarnacion  and  San  Andres,  and  of  the  Rio 
Colorado  to  the  northwest,  whither  we  did  not  pene- 
trate, were  so  barbarous  and  such  cannibals  that  they 
roasted  and  ate  people,  and  they  added  other  unheard 
of  chimeras. 

But  our  Lord  willed  that  in  another  entry,  even 
greater  than  that  related -the  next  chapter  tells  of  it- a 
few  months  afteiward,  we  found,  passing  through  all 
those  rancherias,  everything  quite  the  contrary,  and  the 
greatest  affability  and  friendship  on  the  part  of  all  those 
natives,  without  the  least  trace,  sign,  or  indication  of 
such  or  so  falsely  pretended  roastings  of  people.  And 
our  happiness  in  the  face  of  such  false  reports  was  that 
we  had  left  in  San  Andres,  as  in  San  Marzelo,  very 
good  messages  or  talks  for  all  the  new  nations  farther 
on,  asking  them  to  advise  me  whether  they  wished  me 
to  come  to  see  them,  and  saying  that  all  would  be  for 
their  good.  And  as  a  few  weeks  afterward  there  came 
to  me  from  all  parts  most  friendly  replies  and  invita- 
tions and  prayers  that  I  should  go  to  see  them,  and 
speak  to  them  of  their  eternal  salvation,  having  com- 
municated these  things  to  the  father  visitor,  I  deter- 
mined to  make  another  entry  or  mission,  and  to  pene- 
trate much  farther  than  hitherto. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  193 

CHAPTER  VI.    ANOTHER  GREAT  ENTRY,  IN  WHICH 
ARE  DISCOVERED  MORE  THAN  EIGHTY  LEAGUES  OF 
LANDS  AND  NEW  PEOPLES;  FROM  THE  RIO  GRANDE 
THE  RIO  AZUL  IS  SIGHTED;  DETAILED  INFOR- 
MATION  IS   SECURED   IN   REGARD   TO   THE 
VERY  POPULOUS  AND  VERY  LARGE  RIO 
COLORADO  NEAR-BY;  AND  THE  NEW 
YUMA  NATION  IS  REDUCED252 

February  7,  1699.  In  order  to  effect  a  clear  refuta- 
tion and  dispersion  of  the  calumny  which  had  been 
raised  against  those  new  nations  of  the  Rio  Grande, 
etc.,  and  having  gone  to  the  Real  de  San  Juan  to  secure 
from  the  alcalde  mayor  a  lieutenant  who  could  give  an 
authenticated  report  of  everything,253  on  February  7  we 
began  this  entry,  the  Serlor  Lieutenant  Juan  Matheo 
Manje,  Father  Adamo  Gilg,  and  I,  with  some  servants 
and  more  than  ninety  pack  animals.254  We  entered  by 
the  northwest  to  San  Marzelo  del  Sonoidag,255  where  a 

252  A  full  diary  account  of  this  expedition  is  given  by  Manje  in  Luz  de 
Tierra  Incdgnita,  libro  ii,  cap.  6,  entitled  Relacion  diaria  q  hice  con 
los  R.  Padres  Eusebio  Franco.  Kino  y  Adamo  Gilg  Jesuitas  pr.  el  norueste  a 
descubrir  los  Caudalos[os]  Rios  Colorado,  y  Jila,  y  Naciones  Pimas,  Yumas  y 
Cocomaricopas  en  q  sitan  sus  Pueblos,  desde  7  de  febrero  asta  catorce  de 
Marzo  de  i6qq  de  380  leguas  de  yda  y  buelta,  Campana  de  los  Soldados,  pp. 
66-84.  Brief  accounts  are  in  Bancroft,  North  Mexican  States  and  Texas,  vol. 
i,  269-271;  Bancroft,  Arizona  and  Neiv  Mexico,  357.  Ortega,  Apostolicos 
A  fanes,  282-285;  Alegre,  Hisloria  de  la  Compahia  de  Jesus,  vol.  iii,  117-118. 
In  his  report  of  March  8,  1699,  to  the  viceroy,  Jironza  states  that  Manje 
went  in  February  to  the  Colorado  where  the  quicksilver  mines  had  been  re- 
ported (A.G.I.  67-3-28). 

253  According  to  Manje  the  missionaries  asked  General  Jironza,  com- 
mander of  the  Compania  Volante  of  Sonora,  and  Captain  Ruiz  de  Avechuco, 
alcalde  mayor  of  Sonora,  for  the  services  of  Manje.  Manje  left  the  Real  de 
San  Juan  Bautista,  "capital"  of  the  province,  on  January  6,  1699,  with  title  of 
teniente  de  alcalde  mayor  y  capitan  a  guerra.  Traveling  the  forty  leagues 
intervening,  he  arrived  at  Dolores  on  January  9.  The  departure  thence  was 
delayed  by  rains   (Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  67). 

254  Manje  [ibid.,  67)  says  "eight  loads  of  provisions,  eighty  horses,  and 
vestments   for   saying   mass." 

255  Manje  gives  the  details.  On  the  seventh  they  crossed  the  Sierra  del 
Comedio,  ten  leagues,  to  San  Ygnacio  Caborica,  where  Campos  was  sta- 
tioned; on  the  eighth,  three  leagues  to  Santa  Magdalena  de  Buquivaba,  thence 


194  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

new  ranch  was  begun,  with  thirty-six  head  of  cattle 
which  I  ordered  sent  ahead  for  the  fathers  of  Cali- 
fornia, if  perchance  they  should  go  up  to  the  near-by 
port  of  Santa  Clara.256  Passing  very  near  it,  we  entered 
upon  the  more  than  forty  leagues  of  coast  and  new  road 
between  there  and  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  Grande257  and 
its  confluence  with  the  Rio  Colorado.  By  the  natives 
whom  we  found  along  this  road  we  were  received  with 
all  love.  We  spent  the  twenty-second  of  February,  the 
day  of  the  Chair  of  St.  Peter  in  Antioch,  on  the  Rio 
Grande,  whither  more  than  fifty  natives,  Pimas,  Yumas, 
Opas,  and  Cocomaricopas,  had  gathered;  and  we 
named  the  post  and  rancheria  San  Pedro,  as  another 
rancheria  lower  down  was  named  San  Pablo.258 
And  because  eighty  leagues  farther  to  the  east,  on  this 

past  Tupo  to  the  Laguna  del  Tupo,  nine  leagues  for  the  day.  Here  they 
found  flax  (lino)  growing.  On  the  ninth,  twelve  leagues  to  San  Pedro  del 
Tubutama.  Since  the  revolt  the  Indians  here  had  not  had  a  pastor  but 
Campos  visited  them  annually.  On  the  tenth,  seventeen  leagues  to  Saric,  then 
past  Busanic,  and  three  leagues  more  to  Tucubavia.  Here  and  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  Tubutama  there  were  two  thousand  Indians  suitable  for  a  good  mission. 
On  the  eleventh,  ten  leagues  west  to  El  Guvo  Verde,  so  called  because  of  a 
tank  of  rain  water  used  by  the  Indians.  On  the  twelfth,  five  leagues  west  to 
the  clear  spring  of  Santa  Eolalia,  with  a  village  near  by.  Here  they  were 
shown  a  great  cave,  formerly  inhabited  by  a  giant,  which  Manje  describes 
with  great  vividness.  Four  leagues  more  to  a  small  tank.  On  the  thirteenth, 
five  leagues  to  a  flowing  stream  near  a  high,  square  Penasco,  visible  for 
eighteen  leagues  like  a  castle.  They  called  it  Noah's  Ark.  Five  more 
leagues  to  an  arroyo.     Sonoita  was  reached  on  the  sixteenth. 

256  The  chief  here  was  made  governor,  and  he  and  others  went  with  the 
party  as  guides.  Setting  out  on  the  seventeenth,  they  passed  Carrizal, 
then  twenty  leagues  to  Aguaje  de  la  Luna;  twelve  leagues  to  another  good 
aguaje;  fifteen  leagues  to  Las  Tinajas;  six  leagues  to  the  Rio  Grande, 
reached  on  the  twenty-first  (Manje,  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  71  et  seq. 

257  The  Gila  River. 

258  Manje  gives  a  long  description  of  the  Indians  at  this  point  {Luz  de 
Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  72  et  seq.).  The  Opas  and  Cocomaricopas  are 
identical  with  the  Maricopas,  who  still  live  with  and  below  the  Pimas,  on 
the  Gila  River.  They  call  themselves  Pipasje,  but  are  called  Maricopa  by 
the  Pimas.  In  the  nineteenth  century  they  moved  up  the  Gila  on  account  of 
wars  with  their  kindred,  the  Yumas.     See  Hodge,  Handbook,  part  i,  805-806. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KIXO,  S.J. i£5 

same  river,  close  to  La  Encarnacion  and  Casa  Grande, 
there  was  the  rancheria  of  San  Andres,  afterwards,  at 
the  suggestion  of  Father  Adamo,  giving  other  rancherias 
the  names  of  the  other  holy  apostles,  this  Rio  Grande 
we  named  Rio  de  los  Santos  Apostoles.  To  this  it  may 
be  added  that  all  its  inhabitants  are  fishermen,  and  have 
many  nets  and  other  tackle  with  which  they  fish  all  the 
year,  sustaining  themselves  with  the  abundant  fish  and 
with  their  maize,  beans,  and  calabashes,  etc.  These 
people  so  new,  of  very  different  dress,  customs,  and 
languages,  all  received  us  with  the  utmost  friendship, 
affection,  and  pleasure  on  their  part  and  ours,  their 
chiefs  coming  out  to  meet  us  more  than  a  league's  jour- 
ney, giving  us  afterward  of  their  eatables,  etc.  We 
preached  to  them  the  word  of  God  in  the  Pima  lan- 
guage, and,  with  an  interpreter,  in  the  language  of  the 
Cocomaricopas,  which  is  that  spoken  by  the  Opas  and 
the  Yumas.  It  was  well  received,  and  they  would  have 
given  us  many  little  ones  to  baptize,  but  we  accepted 
and  baptized  only  a  few  sick  persons.  We  informed  our- 
selves in  regard  to  the  rancherias  and  people  farther  to 
the  north,  northeast,  and  northwest,  and  of  the  very 
populous  Rio  Colorado  near-by,  which  is  even  larger 
than  the  Rio  Grande,  and  they  told  us  that  the  Yumas, 
Cutganes,  and  Alchedomas259  came  next  in  order.  We 
dispatched  Christian  messages  and  talks  in  all  direc- 
tions and  occasionally  some  little  gifts  and  gewgaws; 
and  already  here  in  Nuestra  Sefiora  de  los  Dolores  I 
have  received  very  friendly  replies,  in  which  they  call 
me  to  go  to  treat  of  their  eternal  salvation. 

These  natives  of  San  Pedro  in  the  two  days  when  we 
were  with  them  gave  us  various  presents  of  the  unusual 
sorts  which  they  have  there.    Among  them  were  some 

259  A  branch  of  the  Yumas. 


i96  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

curious  and  beautiful  blue  shells,  which,  so  far  as  I 
know,  are  found  only  on  the  opposite  or  western  coast  of 
California.  Afterward  it  occurred  to  me  that  not  very 
far  distant  there  must  be  a  passage  by  land  to  near-by 
California;  and  shortly,  by  Divine  grace,  we  shall  try 
to  find  it  out  and  see  it  with  all  exactness.260  Father 
Adam  made  while  here  a  vocabulary  of  the  Cocomari- 
copa  language.  On  taking  our  leave,  February  23,  we 
left  messages  for  them  and  for  those  of  the  sea,  to  the 
effect  that  if  the  ships  or  fathers  of  California  should  ar- 
rive at  those  their  coasts  they  should  receive  them  with 
all  love  and  without  fear,  for  they  were  our  brothers 
and  men  of  very  good  heart. 

Leaving  the  natives  very  desirous  that  we  should  re- 
turn, we  took  our  course  eastward  up  the  Rio  Grande,261 
passing  by  various  rancherias,262  which  we  gave  the 
names  of  the  other  holy  Apostles,  San  Matias  del  Tu- 
magoidad  (because  on  this  holy  day  we  arrived  there), 
San  Mateo,  San  Simon,  San  Felipe  y  Santiago,  San 

260Manje  states  that  he  was  anxious  to  go  to  the  Gulf  of  California,  that 
he  had  come  expressly  for  this  purpose,  but  that  the  Indians  begged  them  not 
to  do  so,  and  that  the  missionaries  were  afraid  that  such  a  step  would  offend 
the  Cocomaricopas.  Manje  and  the  Indian  interpreter,  Francisco  Pintor, 
rode  to  a  hill  and  were  shown  the  junction  of  the  Gila  and  Colorado.  The 
camp  was  evidently  near  Dome  and  above  Blaisdell.  At  this  point  Manje 
records  that  the  natives  told  here  of  the  visit  of  a  white  woman  whom  he 
thought  might  be  Mother  Maria  de  Jesus  de  Agreda,  said  to  have  visited  the 
Indians  of  New  Mexico  and  Texas,  in  spirit,  earlier  in  the  century.  The 
Indians  told  of  the  visit  of  Onate  over  ninety  years  before. 

26i  They  started  on  the  twenty-third. 

262  According  to  Manje,  none  were  seen  for  thirty  leagues.  San  Matias 
Tutum  was  reached  at  that  distance,  San  Mateo  de  Cuat  at  thirty-four 
leagues.  Then  followed  San  Tadeo  de  Vaqui,  San  Simon  Tucsani,  and  two 
unnamed  villages  (San  Felipe  and  Santiago?).  On  March  i  the  Gila  Bend 
was  reached,  and  the  river  was  left  here.  Twenty-four  leagues  east  and 
three  from  the  junction  with  the  Rio  Verde  they  reached  a  Pima  village 
called  San  Bartolome;  ten  more  leagues  took  them  to  San  Andres  de  Coata, 
visited  in  1697.  After  passing  La  Encarnacion,  they  left  the  river  (on  the 
fifth)  and  the  Casa  Grande.  Passing  the  Algive  (tank)  made  by  the  ancients, 
they  went  via  San  Xavier  del  Bac  to  Dolores. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  197 

Bartolome,  etc.  After  eighty  leagues'  journey  along 
the  Rio  Grande  we  arrived  at  San  Andres,  La  Encarna- 
cion,  and  Casa  Grande,  having  received  in  all  parts  all 
kindness  and  many  of  their  provisions,  with  almost  the 
same  courtesy  as  if  we  had  journeyed  among  Christians. 
In  some  places  they  gave  us  so  much  and  so  very  good 
fish  that  we  gave  it  as  a  ration  to  the  men,  just  as  beef  is 
given  where  it  is  plentiful.  Likewise,  they  guided  us 
and  accompanied  us,  and  came  many  days'  journey  to 
meet  us,  with  the  utmost  friendship,  loyalty,  and  cour- 
tesy; and  although  those  of  the  west  had  always  lived 
at  great  enmity  and  in  very  bloody  wars  with  those  of 
the  east,  toward  us  all  were  very  friendly  and  most  lov- 
ing; and  God  willed  also  that  we  should  with  felicity 
establish  peace  between  them,  so  that  they  ceased  those 
conflicts,  since  I  said  to  them  that  God  our  Lord,  the 
best  beloved  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth  and  of  men 
did  not  wish  that  peoples  should  persecute  and  kill  each 
other  so  cruelly  in  that  way;  triat  only  the  devil,  the 
common  enemy  of  the  human  race,  tried  and  sought  to 
have  men  kill  one  another,  in  order  that  both  the  slain 
and  the  slayers  should  go  to  hell  and  to  the  eternal, 
never  ending  fire.  They  made  some  very  friendly 
peace-agreements  and  general  alliances,  and  they  still 
endure,  all  because  they  wish  to  be  peaceful  Christians, 
and  without  wars,  except  those  which  might  be  neces- 
sary against  the  enemies  of  the  faith;  for  in  such  cases 
even  though  one  should  die  fighting  to  the  last  extrem- 
ity he  is  saved,  and  such  blood  can  even  serve  as  bap- 
tism to  one  who  might  not  be  baptized  with  vvater. 

This  side  of  San  Felipe  y  Santiago  del  Oyadoibuise 
we  saw  the  Rio  Azul,263  with  its  pleasant  cottonwood 
groves,  which  comes  from  near  the  Moquis.     At  San 

263  Manje  mentions  Rio  Verde  but  not  Rio  Azul. 


198  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Andres  I  found  the  letter  and  the  cross  which  many 
months  before  I  had  despatched  to  the  Moquis,  inviting 
them  to  our  friendship  and  their  reduction,  and  urging 
that  they  reconcile  themselves  with  our  Holy  Mother 
Church,  returning  to  our  holy  faith.  Even  some  years 
before  I  had  urged  the  same  thing;  but  then  as  now  we 
found  the  obstacle  of  the  very  difficult  passage  through 
the  Apaches.  Therefore,  with  new  messages  and  new 
gifts,  and  with  promises  to  the  bearers  that  they  should 
be  escorted  by  armed  men  wherever  there  was  fear  of 
any  danger  from  the  Apaches,  I  again  despatched  the 
letter  and  the  cross  to  the  Moquis  and  to  their  principal 
justices,  for  some  knew  how  to  read  and  write.  And, 
as  I  shall  later  set  forth,  in  part  the  purpose  was  accom- 
plished. 

Thanks  to  the  infinite  goodness  of  the  Lord,  so  com- 
pletely did  we  effect  the  desired  proof  that  the  natives 
of  the  Rio  Grande,  or  Rio  de  los  Apostoles,  and  their 
environs,  did  not  roast  and  eat  people,  that  the  Senor 
Lieutenant  Juan  Matheo  Manje,  in  his  careful  and  well 
written  relation  that  he  wrote  of  this  entry,  said  that, 
because  there  was  so  much  affability,  love,  and  affection 
on  the  part  of  these  new  peoples,  he  was  of  the  opinion 
that  years  before  the  venerable  Mother  Maria  de  Jesus 
de  Agreda  had  come  to  domesticate  and  instruct  them, 
as  there  is  a  tradition  that  she  came  from  Spain  mirac- 
ulously to  instruct  some  other  nations,  of  New  Mex- 
ico, for  the  Reverend  Fathers  of  San  Francisco  found 
them  already  somewhat  instructed.  Others  have  been 
of  the  opinion  that  the  blessed  blood  of  the  venerable 
father  Francisco  Xavier  Saeta  is  fertilizing  and  ripen- 
ing these  very  extensive  fields.  Passing  by  San  Fran- 
cisco Xavier  del  Bac,  and  by  San  Cayetano,  we  arrived, 
thanks  to  the  Lord,  after  a  prosperous  return  trip,  at 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  199 

Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores,  on  the  fourteenth  of 
March,  having  traveled  in  going  and  coming  about 
three  hundred  and  sixty  leagues.26* 

In  this  entry  we  learned  that  on  the  third  of  March 
the  Sobaipuris  of  Captain  Humaric  had  dealt  a  blow 
to  the  Apaches  of  the  Rio  de  Hila,  killing  thirty-six265 
of  them  and  taking  captive  eight  little  children,  of 
whom  they  brought  me  five  to  Nuestra  Senora  de  los 
Dolores,  where  they  were  baptized.  A  little  after- 
ward came  also  the  very  friendly  replies  to  the  messages 
which  in  the  above-mentioned  entry  we  had  sent  to  the 
numerous  people  of  the  Rio  Colorado 


266 


264  San  Xavier  del  Bac  was  reached  March  7,  and  left  on  the  ninth.  That 
night  in  a  storm  Father  Kino  was  taken  ill,  his  limbs  swelling  badly.  Next 
day,  in  spite  of  continued  storm,  he  insisted  on  traveling,  but  after  going 
three  leagues  he  was  taken  ill  with  vomiting  and  again  they  stopped.  On 
the  eleventh  he  was  better,  and  they  continued  to  Tumacacori.  Bacoancos 
was  reached  on  the  twelfth,  Cocospera  on  the  thirteenth,  and  Dolores  on  the 
fourteenth. 

205  Manje  says  that  six  Apaches  were  killed. 

266  Manje  says,  at  the  end  of  his  account  of  the  journey,  that  it  will  be 
well  now  to  investigate  whether  the  rumored  quicksilver  mines  are  the  gold 
and  silves  mines  of  the  Sierra  Azul,  what  white  people  are  settled  on  the 
Gulf  of  California,  whether  Spaniards  or  strangers,  and  what  white  woman 
it  was  who  had  visited  the  Indians;  to  explore  the  "island"  of  California; 
and  to  ascertain  the  origin  of  the  Aztecs. 


BOOK  VII.    VISITATION  BY  THE  FATHER 

VISITOR  ANTTONIO  LEAL,  AND  NEW 

JOURNEYS  OF  HIS  REVERENCE  TO 

THE  PIMERIA,  TO  THE  NORTH, 

NORTHWEST,  AND  WEST 

CHAPTER  I.     FIRST  PATERNAL  LETTERS  OF  FATHER 
VISITOR  ANTONIO  LEAL  WITH  A  VIEW  TO 
ENCOURAGE  THESE  NEW  CONVER- 
SIONS OF  THIS  PIMERIA 

May  and  June,  1699.  In  May  and  June  of  1699 
the  father  visitor,  Antonio  Leal,  who  had  just  ceased  to 
be  visitor  of  the  missions  of  Cinaloa,  came  to  us  at  these 
missions  of  Sonora.  When  we  were  expecting  mission- 
ary fathers  from  Mexico  for  this  Pimeria,  it  was  writ- 
ten to  us  that  they  could  not  come  because  the  reports 
from  this  Pimeria  had  been  very  unfavorable  and  not 
at  all  uniform.  Nevertheless,  especially  because  the 
father  visitor  informed  himself  by  word  of  mouth  of 
his  predecessor,  God  willed  that  things  should  become 
cleared  up,  and  that  their  complete  remedy  should  be 
discussed.  His  Reverence  wrote  me  letters  so  paternal, 
and  so  tender,  so  zealous,  and  so  highly  charitable  to- 
ward these  poor  children  that  they  inspired  and  en- 
couraged me  to  write  this  little  book.  Especially  of 
most  singular  comfort  to  us  was  the  letter  which  I  re- 
ceived at  vespers  of  the  eve  of  San  Ygnacio267  in  the 
Pueblo  of  Our  Father  San  Ygnacio  as  I  was  return- 
ing from  a  little  journey  to  Tucubabia,  Tubutama,  and 

267  The  Feast  of  San  Ignacio  falls  on  July  31. 


EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  201 

La  Consepcion.  I  read  it  at  the  altar  of  our  Father 
San  Ygnacio  (which  is  in  the  hall,  because  there  is  no 
church  as  yet) ,  for  in  it  was  the  lighted  candle,  and  as  I 
received  the  letter  in  question  after  nightfall.  When, 
afterwards,  I  gave  those  affectionate  messages  to  the 
natives,  they  were  most  delighted,  very  much  pleased, 
and  very  desirous  of  seeing  his  Reverence. 

September  22,  1699.  On  September  22  his  Rever- 
ence writes  me  the  following: 

I  took  great  comfort  in  the  desires  and  the  constancy  of  those 
children;  and  since  they  repeat  their  petitions,  may  God  grant 
them  and  satisfy  their  wish  to  see  me,  which  I  share  in  equal  or 
perhaps  a  greater  degree.  And  I  beg  your  Reverence  that  if 
any  really  believe,  you  will  do  me  the  favor  to  salute  them  in 
my  name  and  commend  me  to  them. 

And  as  from  beyond  the  Yumas  to  the  northwest  and 
to  the  north,  from  the  Rio  Colorado,  various  new  na- 
tions and  rancherias,  as  a  result  of  the  messages  which 
I  sent  them  in  the  preceding  entries,  called  me  with 
very  friendly  and  tender  insistence  to  treat  of  their  con- 
version, when  I  asked  of  his  Reverence  permission  to 
go  upon  that  expedition,  he  answered  me  that  with 
much  pleasure  he  would  go  personally  with  me  on  the 
said  journey,  because  of  the  great  desire  which  he  had 
always  had  for  the  welfare  of  so  many  poor  creatures. 
And  when  afterward  I  asked  his  Reverence  to  please 
advise  me  as  to  what  I  could  provide  for  the  entry  in 
question,  he  wrote  me  these  words: 

But  of  me  or  for  me  take  no  thought,  your  Reverence,  nor 
may  you  take  thought,  because  I  can  eat  a  piece  of  jerked  beef, 
and  it  tastes  very  good  to  me  and  suffices  me.  What  I  really 
desire  is  that  the  journey  may  be  accomplished,  whereby  the  de- 
sire of  those  poor  people  may  be  fulfilled,  and  so  I  trust  in  our 

Lord,  etc. 


202  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

CHAPTER  II.     FIRST  NEWS  OF  THE  REDUCTION  OF 
THE  APACHES  NEAREST  THE  RIO  COLORADO 

AUGUST  6  AND  7,  1699.  On  the  sixth  and  seventh  of 
August  of  the  year  1699,  the  captain  of  San  Cayetano 
and  the  governor  and  twelve  or  thirteen  other  justices2' 
of  the  interior  came  to  this  pueblo  of  Nuestra  Senora  de 
los  Dolores,  saying  to  me  that  Captain  Humaric  and 
the  other  Sobaipuris,  of  La  Encarnacion  and  of  San 
Andres,  were  sending  to  advise  me  that  through  the 
cross,  letter,  gifts,  and  messages  which  at  the  beginning 
of  March  I  had  despatched  from  San  Andres  to  the 
Moquis,  the  Apaches  nearest  the  Rio  Colorado  were 
won  over  to  our  friendship,  for  the  messages,  letter, 
and  cross  which  I  sent,  the  Apaches  had  received  and 
applied  to  themselves,  making  peace  with  the  rest,  our 
friends;  and  that  the  Opas,  Cocomaricopas,  and  Pimas, 
were  sending  to  call  me  to  speak  and  treat  of  their  con- 
version, and  were  sending  me  four  buckskins  as  a 
present. 

I  imparted  this  good  news  to  the  father  visitor,  to  the 
Senor  military  commander,  and  to  others.  The  father 
visitor  on  the  twenty-ninth  of  August  answered  me  as 
follows : 

Great  comfort  have  I  received  from  your  Reverence's  letter 
of  the  seventeenth  instant,  because  of  the  pleasing  news  of  the 
Apaches,  which  is  the  best  which  this  province  could  have ;  and 
the  people  of  New  Mexico  must  receive  it  with  general  bell- 
ringing.  Already  it  appears  that  the  prophecy  of  Fray  Juan  de 
Jesus  is  being  fulfilled,  to  the  effect  that  the  Apaches  were  going 
to  be  reduced  and  embrace  our  holy  faith  in  very  truth  and  were 
going  to  form  a  choice  Christendom. 

And  afterward  his  Reverence  ends  the  letter  with 
these  very  paternal  words: 

I  trust  in  God  that  our  journey  will  be  for  His  holy  service, 
for  I  desire  in  the  extreme  to  see  those  poor  children,  to  whom  I 

268  I.e.   Indian   officials. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  203 

beseech  your  Reverence  to  commend  me,  and  I  commend  them 
to  our  Lord,  who,  I  trust,  will  take  away  all  the  obstacles  in  the 
way  of  their  healing. 

Thus  far  the  father  visitor,  Antonio  Leal.  In  re- 
gard to  the  Apaches,  almost  the  same  was  written  by  the 
father  rector  of  Matape  and  others;  and  although  the 
common  enemy  did  not  fail  to  oppose  this  also,  since 
some  would  have  it  that  these  reports  were  far  from  the 
truth,  on  the  first  of  October  Captain  Humaric  and 
others  from  the  Rio  Grande  came  and  confirmed  them, 
as  did  time  also,  thanks  to  the  infinite  goodness  of  our 
eternal  God  and  to  the  celestial  favors  of  his  most  holy 
Mother  and  of  the  most  glorious  apostle  of  the  Indies, 
San  Francisco  Xavier. 

CHAPTER  III.    JOURNEY  OR  MISSION  OF  THE  FATHER 
VISITOR  ANTONIO  LEAL  THROUGH  THE  PIMERIA 
TO  THE  SOBAIPURIS  OF  THE  NORTH,  AND  TO  THE 
NORTHWEST  AND  THE  WEST   COAST  TWO    HUN- 
DRED AND  FORTY  LEAGUES  IN  GOING  AND  RETURN, 
FROM   OCTOBER    24   TO    NOVEMBER   28,    1699.     IN 
THE  COURSE  OF  IT  TWENTY-THREE  BAPTISMS 
ARE   PERFORMED  AND  ABOUT  SEVEN  THOU- 
SAND SOULS  ARE  SEEN  AND  COUNTED269 

Father  Visitor  Anttonio  Leal,  with  Father  Francisco 
Gonzalbo,270  having  arrived  from  the  pueblo  of  Cu- 
curpe  at  this  pueblo  of  Nuestra  Serlora  de  los  Dolores 
on  the  twenty-first  of  October,271  on  the  twenty-fourth, 
day  of  the  most  glorious  archangel  San  Miguel  Raphael, 

269  A  full  account  of  this  expedition  is  given  by  Manje,  Luz  de  Tierra 
Incognita,  libro  ii,  cap.  7.  This  account  by  Kino,  which  is  practically  a  diary, 
is  the  only  other  first-hand  record  available.  It  supplements  Manje  in  many 
particulars.  See  volume  ii,  184  for  further  information  regarding  Manje's 
diary. 

270  Manje  gives  his  name  as  Golzalvo,  from  San  Joseph  and  La  Merced, 
in  Pimeria  Baja  (Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  87,  90).  See  "Index"  for 
other  references  to  Father  Gonzalvo. 

271  Manje  joined  them  at  Dolores  next  day. 


204  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

we  set  out  for  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Remedios.  Fifty272 
pack  animals  went  from  this  district,  sixty-six  others, 
for  the  most  part  mules,  having  been  despatched  a 
month  before  to  San  Xavier  del  Bac. 

October  25.  The  following  day,  the  twenty-fifth, 
having  said  mass,  we  three  fathers  set  out  for  Coco- 
spora,  where  at  midday  Father  Agustin  de  Campos 
overtook  us.  In  the  afternoon  we  passed  on  four 
leagues  farther  toward  San  Lazaro ;  and  at  eight  o'clock 
at  night  the  Senor  lieutenant  of  this  Pimeria,  Juan 
Matheo  Manje,  overtook  us,273  being  sent  by  the  Senor 
military  commander  of  this  province  of  Sonora,  Don 
Domingo  Jironsa  Petris  de  Crusat,  to  accompany  us  in 
this  entry  with  two  soldiers,  Antonio  Ortis  Cortes  and 
Diego  Rodrigues. 

26.  On  the  twenty-sixth,  after  nine  leagues'  journey, 
we  arrived  at  San  Luys  del  Bacoancos,  the  Indians  of 
Santa  Maria  having  come  to  see  the  father  visitor  in 
San  Lazaro.  In  San  Luys,  where  we  counted  forty 
houses,  as  also  in  the  following  posts  or  rancherias  of 
Guebabi  and  San  Cayetano,  they  received  us  with  all 
kindness,  with  crosses  and  arches  erected  in  the  roads, 
with  earth-roofed  adobe  houses,  which  they  have  pre- 
pared for  the  father  whom  they  hope  to  receive;  as  also 
for  the  said  father  they  have  and  care  for  a  ranch  with 
seven  head  of  cattle,  with  two  small  droves  of  mares 
and  eleven  this  year's  colts,  and  with  two  hundred  head 
of  sheep  and  goats;  also  crops  of  wheat,  maize,  and 
beans.    We  killed  one  fat  beef  and  two  sheep  for  food. 

27.  On  the  twenty-seventh  at  noon  we  arrived  at 
Guebavi  where  we  counted  ninety  souls.  There  are 
many  more  in  the  rancheria  of  Los  Reyes  to  the  east- 

272  Manje  says  60. 

273  Manje  makes  it  appear  that  he  set  out  from  Dolores  with  Kino.  The 
latter  must  be  right  in  this  detail. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  205 

ward,  about  four  leagues  away.  In  the  afternoon  we 
passed  on  to  San  Cayetano.  We  slept  in  the  earth- 
roofed  adobe  house,  in  which  I  said  mass  the  day  fol- 
lowing. 

28.  On  the  twenty-eighth  the  governor  of  San  Cay- 
etano gave  his  little  son  to  the  father  visitor  to  baptize, 
as  also  the  governor  of  San  Luys  had  given  him  his. 
Three  other  little  ones  they  gave  us,  Father  Gonzalvo 
and  me,  to  baptize.  In  the  afternoon  we  set  out,  to 
spend  the  night  at  a  watering  place  of  the  river  of  this 
valley,  six  leagues  distant. 

29.  On  the  twenty-ninth,  after  ten  leagues'  journey, 
we  arrived,  two  hours  past  noon,  at  the  great  rancheria 
of  San  Xavier  del  Bac  of  the  Sobaipuris.  More  than 
forty  boys  came  forth  to  receive  us  with  their  crosses  in 
their  hands,  and  there  were  more  than  three  hundred 
Indians  drawn  up  in  line,  just  as  in  the  pueblos  of  the 
ancient  Christians.  Afterward  we  counted  more  than 
a  thousand  souls.  There  were  an  earth-roofed  adobe 
house,  cattle,  sheep  and  goats,  wheat  and  maize,  and 
the  sixty-six  relay  pack  animals.  We  killed  three 
beeves  and  two  sheep.  The  fields  and  lands  for  sowing 
were  so  extensive  and  supplied  with  so  many  irrigation 
ditches  running  along  the  ground  that  the  father  visitor 
said  they  were  sufficient  for  another  city  like  Mexico. 

30.  On  the  thirtieth  the  governor  of  El  Ootcam,274 
to  the  west,  named  Tocodoy  Onigam,275  came  to  see  us, 
with  ten  other  Indians.  And  being  questioned,  he  told 
us  by  means  of  kernels  of  maize  that  he  had  in  his 
rancheria  two  hundred  and  sixty-six  sou's.27*  In  the 
years  preceding  he  had  given  me  to  baptize  his  little 

274  Manje  says  he  came  on  the  twenty-ninth. 

275  This  may  be  the  same  as  Anegam,  the  name  of  a  village  west  of  Bac. 

276  Manje  says  270. 


206  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

daughter,  who  was  named  Maria.     This  day  Father 
Gonzalvo  baptized  a  little  girl. 

Nov.  i.  On  the  first  of  November,  after  the  three 
masses  said  by  the  three  fathers,  we  passed  on  to  San 
Agustin  del  Oyaut,277  four278  leagues'  journey;  and  leav- 
ing on  the  left  the  rancheria  of  San  Cosme  del  Tucson, 
we  passed  by  its  splendid  fields,  similar  to  those  of  San 
Xavier  del  Bac.  The  natives  received  us  with  all  kind- 
ness, and  gave  me  four  sick  persons  to  baptize.  We 
counted  two  hundred  men,  who  represent  two  hundred 
families.  The  plan  had  been  that  we  should  go  on  to 
the  Rio  Grande,  the  Rio  Azul,  and  the  Rio  Colorado, 
to  the  Opas  and  the  Cocomaricopas,  etc.,  but,  as  two 
servants  of  the  father  visitor  fell  sick,  and  as  the  soldiers 
of  Captain  Christoval  Martin  Bernal,  for  whom  his 
Reverence  was  waiting,  did  not  come,  a  rest  of  two  days 
was  taken  here.279 

2.  Meantime,  on  the  second  of  November,  the  Senor 
lieutenant  and  Antonio  Ortis  Cortes  and  I  went  on  to 
Santa  Catarina  del  Cuytoabagum,280  a  journey  of  fif- 
teen leagues.  We  found  three  hundred  men,  who  rep- 
resent three  hundred  families,  and  more  than  one  thou- 
sand persons,  who  received  us  with  all  kindness,  giving 
us  many  kinds  of  their  food.  From  here  we  despatched 
friendly  messages  to  the  nations  of  the  Rio  Grande,  to 
the  Cocomaricopas,  and  to  the  Yumas  of  the  Rio  Colo- 
rado, saying  that  we  did  not  pass  on  to  see  them  because 
two  servants  of  the  father  visitor  had  fallen  sick.281 

3.  On  the  third  we  returned  to  San  Agustin,  and 
almost  at  midnight  the  father  visitor  and  I  received  let- 

277  Oiaur  (Manje). 

278  Six  leagues'  journey   (Manje). 

279  This  reason  for  not  going  to  the  Rio  Grande  is  not  given  by  Manje. 

280  Caytuabaga  (Manje). 

281  Manje  says  they  went  to  San  Clemente  also. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  207 

ters  from  Captain  Christoval  Martin,  notifying  us  that 
he  was  going  inland  to  the  east  with  the  Pimas  of  Cap- 
tain Coro  in  pursuit  of  the  hostile  Jocomes.  He  asked 
of  me,  and  I  gave  him  for  this  purpose,  ten  head  of  cat- 
tle at  San  Luys.5 


282 


CHAPTER   IV.     RETURN   OF  THE   FATHER  VISITOR 

ANTONIO  LEAL  FROM  THE  INTERIOR  BY  THE 

NORTHWESTERN  AND  THE  WESTERN  COASTS 

NOVEMBER  4.  On  the  fourth  we  returned  from  San 
Agustin  to  San  Xavier  del  Bac,  where  they  gave  us  four 
sick  little  ones  to  baptize.  Having  despatched  from 
San  Xavier  del  Bac  directly  to  Nuestra  Senora  de  los 
Dolores  the  two  sick  servants  of  the  father  visitor,  we, 
traveling  westward  on  the  fifth,  sixth,  and  seventh,  af- 
ter twenty-eight  leagues'  journey,  and  having  passed 
by  various  rancherias,  all  of  very  friendly  and  very 
docile  people,  arrived  at  the  rancheria  of  San  Seraphin 
del  Actum.283  There  came  out  to  welcome  us  more  than 
twenty  justices  who  had  assembled,  and  about  twenty 
boys,  who  received  us  on  their  knees,  with  crosses  in 
their  hands,  that  they  might  give  them  to  the  father 
visitor;  and  afterward  we  were  welcomed  by  more 
than  four  hundred  men  and  many  women  drawn  up  in 
a  very  long  line  with  their  little  ones  already  baptized, 
two  years  before.  They  comprised  about  twelve  hun- 
dred souls.     In  the  afternoon  we  passed  on  to   San 

282  Several  details  here  are  omitted  by  Manje.  He  does  not  say  that  the 
writer  was  met  at  San  Agustin. 

283  The  details  for  these  days  are  given  by  Manje.  The  Indians  asked 
for  Father  Golzalvo  (Gonzalvo)  as  missionary,  and  Father  Leal  promised 
them  that  he  should  be  sent  to  them.  Leal  expressed  the  opinion  that  the 
valley  would  support  a  city  of  thirty  thousand  inhabitants.  (It  has  one  with 
over  three-fourths  that  population  now.)  On  the  fifth  they  went  west  ten 
leagues;  on  the  sixth,  six  leagues  to  El  Tups  [Tupo],  then  three  to  El  Cupo 
or  El  Humo.     On  the  seventh,  eight  leagues  to  San  Seraphin  del  Actum. 


208  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Francisco  del  Adid,284  where  we  were  received  by  two 
hundred  men  and  about  eight  hundred  souls,  among 
them  being  many  of  the  one  hundred  and  two  little  ones 
whom  they  had  given  me  here  to  baptize  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  day  of  San  Francisco,  the  fourth  of  October, 
two  years  before.  All  were  much  pleased  to  hear  the 
word  of  God;  and  at  night  there  was  formed  a  circle 
of  twenty-five  governors,  among  them  being  the  prin- 
cipal one  of  the  four  Cocomaricopas  who  had  come  to 
see  us,  who,  with  the  governor  of  Nuestra  Serlor  de  los 
Dolores,  spoke  with  fervor  of  their  eternal  salvation, 
and  the  father  visitor  heard  that  new  language  for  the 
first  time.  And  these  Cocomaricopas  with  very  rare 
courtesy  and  loyalty  brought  me  a  very  fat,  pretty 
horse,  which  we  had  left  behind  lost  the  year  before. 

On  the  eighth,  having  left  friendly  messages  and 
some  little  gifts  for  the  people  of  the  north,  the  Apach- 
eria,  the  Moquis,  etc.,  we  set  out  from  San  Francisco, 
and,  turning  somewhat  to  the  south,  after  twelve  leagues' 
journey  we  arrived  at  Nuestra  Senora  de  la  Mersed 
del  Batqui,  where  we  found  more  than  eight  hundred 
souls,  who  had  assembled  to  receive  us  with  the  same 
kindness  as  those  preceding.  Because  another  servant, 
one  of  Father  Gonzalvo's,  fell  ill,  his  Reverence  and 
the  father  visitor  were  detained285  here.  Consequent- 
ly the  Senor  lieutenant  and  I  went  on  to  San  Raphael 
of  the  other  Actum,286  and  to  San  Marzelo  del  Sonoy- 
dag,  a  journey  of  twenty  leagues,  to  inform  ourselves 
better  in  regard  to  the  land  passage  to  California,  to  see 
if  there  were  any  sick,  and  to  bring  a  beef  from  that 
ranch,  which  has  fifty  head  of  cattle,  and  is  only  twenty 

284  Manje  calls  this  San  Francisco  de  Ati. 

285  Father  Leal  went  by  carriage  to  Tubutama. 

286  Lumholtz  (New  Trails  in  Mexico,  chap,  vi)  gives  an  account  of  most 
interesting  experiences  in  1909  in  some  of  the  very  villages  here  mentioned 
by  Father  Kino  two  hundred  and  ten  years  earlier. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  209 

leagues  from  the  good  harbor  of  Santa  Clara,  on  the  Sea 
of  California.  And  we  made  very  careful  inquiry  in 
regard  to  the  blue  shells  of  the  opposite  coast,  and  to  the 
passage  by  land  to  California.287  In  the  rancherias 
along  this  route  we  saw  and  counted  more  than  one 
thousand  souls.  I  baptized  three  sick  persons,  among 
them  a  Cocomaricopa,  who  gave  the  new  information 
regarding  the  Cuculatos,288  a  people  of  a  distinct  lan- 
guage, who  live  beyond  the  Rio  Colorado.  We  brought 
beef,  and,  as  the  fathers  had  set  out  from  La  Mersed, 
we  overtook  them  in  San  Ambrosio  del  Busanic,  where 
we  killed  two  other  beeves  and  two  sheep  of  the  large 
and  small  stock,  which,  with  wheat,  maize,  and  beans, 
and  an  earth-roofed  adobe  house,  these  more  than 
three  hundred  natives  tend  for  the  father  whom  they 
hope  to  receive.  On  the  way  they  brought  me  four 
little  ones  and  a  sick  adult  to  baptize.289 

On  the  fourteenth  we  arrived  at  El  Tubutama,  a  ten 
leagues'  journey.  We  found  three  hundred  and  thirty- 
two  souls  and  noted  that  at  the  stroke  of  the  bell  by 
their  temastidn  the  boys  and  girls  under  instruction 
come  to  say  prayers  morning  and  evening,  as  in  Sonora. 
We  found  cattle  and  small  stock,  about  one  hundred 
head  of  the  two  kinds,  wheat,  maize,  and  beans,  a  house, 
and  a  little  earth-roofed  adobe  church  for  the  father 
whom  they  hope  to  receive;  and  there  is  almost  the 

287  Manje  says  nothing  of  this  phase  of  the  matter. 

288  Mentioned  in  Venegas,  Noticia  de  California,  vol.  i,  58  (1759),  and  as 
Cuculates  by  Taylor  in  Browne,  Res.  Pac.  Slope,  app.  54,  1869. 

289  The  details  of  the  journey  are  given  by  Manje.  On  the  eighth  they 
went  thirteen  leagues  to  San  Rafael;  on  the  ninth,  nine  to  Baguiburisac,  and 
sixteen  to  El  Coat  y  Sibagoyda  (San  Bonifacio.  See  the  journey  of  1698)  ; 
on  the  tenth,  travelling  all  night,  thirty-three  leagues  to  Sonoita;  on  the 
eleventh,  travelling  day  and  night,  fifty  leagues  to  Busanic;  on  the  thirteenth 
to  Tubutama.  Manje  is  one  day  ahead  of  Kino  from  here  on  to  San  Ignacio, 
where  Manje  says  they  remained  two  days. 


210  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

same  outfit  twenty-two  leagues  farther  on  at  La  Con- 
sepcion  de  Nuestra  Senora  del  Caborca. 

On  the  fifteenth,  we  arrived  at  Santa  Maria  Magda- 
lena;  on  the  sixteenth  at  San  Ygnacio,  where  Father 
Agustin  de  Campos  welcomed  us;  on  the  seventeenth 
at  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Remedios;  and  on  the  eigh- 
teenth at  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores. 

CHAPTER  V.     EXPEDITION  OF  CAPTAIN  CORO'S  PI- 
MAS   SOBAIPURIS  AGAINST  THE   ENEMIES  OF 
THIS  PROVINCE,  IN  COMPANY  WITH  THE 
GARRISON;  AND  THE  GOOD  FOR- 
TUNE WHICH  THEY  HAD 

At  the  same  time  that  we  made  the  above  mentioned 
expedition  somewhat  further  to  the  west,  Captain  Chris- 
toval  Martin  Bernal,  who  had  asked  of  me  and  whom 
I  had  given  ten  beeves  from  the  new  ranch  of  San  Luys, 
made  an  expedition  to  the  Sobaipuris  of  the  east  and  of 
the  Rio  de  Quiburi,  with  the  soldiers  of  the  presidio; 
and  with  the  same  Sobaipuris  of  Captain  Coro  he  made 
an  expedition  to  the  enemies  of  this  province  of  Sonora 
who  live  even  farther  to  the  east;  and  on  his  return 
to  his  presidio  of  Coro  de  Guachi,  on  the  twenty- 
eighth  of  November,  1699,  he  wrote  me  the  following 
letter: 

For  what  I  owe  and  the  obligation  which  I  am  under  to  your 
Reverence  I  write  these  lines,  informing  you  how  our  Lord  was 
pleased  to  allow  me  to  make  an  attack  upon  a  little  rancheria  of 
enemies,  and  how  in  it  our  loving  excellent  Pimas  showed  great 
fidelity  in  their  friendship  to  us ;  for  three  of  the  enemy's  braves 
and  three  women  were  killed,  and  we  took  twelve  prisoners; 
wherefore,  I  give  infinite  thanks  to  the  divine  Majesty  for  our 
good  fortune,  and  to  your  Reverence,  since  by  means  of  your 
most  Christian  heart  and  great  zeal  so  many  souls  are  gained  for 
heaven,  and  so  many  rebels  against  our  holy  faith  are  punished. 
May  our  Lord  keep  them  in  peace,  that  we  all  may  have  the  rest 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  211 

which  we  desire,  and  grant  your  Reverence  the  health  which  my 
affectionate  love  desires  for  you,  at  whose  feet  I  offer  mine.  I 
received  the  ten  beeves  which  I  asked  of  your  Reverence. 

Thus  far  Captain  Christoval  Martin  Bernal.     The 
Senor  military  commander,  on  the  sixth  of  December, 
concerning  this  particular  wrote  me  the  following: 
I  thank  your  Reverence  for  the  news  of  the  victory  of  my 
arms  and  of  my  dear  Pimas  Sobaipuris ;  for  we  can  all  give  one 
another  hearty  congratulations  for  the  good  fortune  and  for  the 
defeat  which  they  inflicted  upon  the  enemy.      (And  afterward 
his  Lordship  adds:)  I  beg  that  your  Reverence  will  give  thanks 
to  Captain  Coro  and  to  the  other  natives  on  my  behalf  and  on 
behalf  of  my  soldiers,  for  Captain  Christoval  Martin  tells  me 
they  did  well.290 


290  At  this  point  Manje  records  an  expedition  made  in  1700  which  Kino 
omits  here  but  alludes  to  later  on.  In  December,  1699,  Father  Melchor  Bar- 
tiromo  requested  General  Jironza  to  send  a  squadron  of  soldiers  to  restrain 
the  Seris,  who  were  molesting  Tuape,  Cucurpe,  and  Magdalena,  which  he 
administered.  Alferez  J.  B.  de  Escalante  accordingly  set  out  in  January, 
1700,  with  fifteen  soldiers,  going  to  the  rancheria  of  Santa  Magdalena  de 
Tepocas,  then  to  Nuestra  Senora  del  Populo,  where  Father  Gilg  was  sta- 
tioned. Accompanied  by  Gilg,  he  then  pursued  the  Seris  to  the  Gulf,  but 
they  escaped  to  the  islands.  He  now  returned  to  Tuape  and  Santa  Magda- 
lena, then  went  to  the  Gulf  by  a  different  route  and  gathered  one  hundred 
and  twenty  Tepocas,  whom  he  turned  over  to  Father  Bartiromo.  Late  in  March 
Escalante  returned  to  the  coast,  pursued  the  Seris  to  the  islands,  and  took 
some  of  them  to  Father  Bartiromo,  returning  to  Cucurpe  in  April.  Being 
called  to  San  Ignacio  by  Father  Campos,  he  made  a  foray  northward  in 
which  he  captured  one  hundred  and  twelve  delinquent  Indians  whom  he  de- 
livered to  Father  Campos.  He  then  went  south  through  Pimeria  Baja  to  Be- 
len  and  Yaqui,  recovering  apostates.  At  the  end  of  six  months  and  after  a 
journey  of  two  hundred  leagues,  he  returned  to  his  presidio.  These  activities 
of  Escalante  are  a  good  illustration  of  the  cooperation  usual  between  the  sol- 
diers and  the  missionaries  in  controlling  the  frontier  Indians.  Kino  alludes 
to  Escalante's  expedition  on  page  234,  post,  and  on  pages  238-239,  post, 
quotes  a  letter  from  Escalante  giving  added  light  on  it. 


BOOK  VIII.     OF  THE  GREAT  FRUIT,  SPIRIT- 
UAL AND  TEMPORAL,  WHICH  AT  SMALL 
COST  TO  HIS  ROYAL  MAJESTY  (GOD  PRE- 
SERVE HIM)  CAN  BE  GARNERED  AMONG 
THE  SURROUNDING  NATIONS  OF  ALL 
THIS  NORTH  AMERICA 

CHAPTER  I.    OF  THIS  NORTH  AMERICA,  IN  GENERAL 

ALMOST  UNKNOWN 

Among  the  above-mentioned  favors  which  our  Lord 
has  granted  us  in  these  expeditions,  or  missions,  conver- 
sions, discoveries,  reductions,  conquests,  spiritual  and 
temporal,  and  baptisms,  it  can  be  inferred  that  one  is 
the  great,  good,  and  abundant  fruit  which,  in  the  ser- 
vice of  the  two  Majesties,  can  be  secured,  not  only  in 
the  discovered  parts,  but  also  in  all  this  very  extensive 
northern  district  of  all  this  North  America,  which  is 
the  greatest  and  best  remaining  portion  of  the  world, 
because  the  discovery  and  conquest  have  just  been  ef- 
fected, both  on  this  mainland  and  on  the  very  extensive, 
great  and  populous  California  near-by,  that  in  all  parts 
the  very  many  souls  may  be  saved  and  redeemed  by 
the  most  precious  blood  of  our  Redeemer  Jesus,  and 
all  at  small  cost  to  the  royal  treasury.  For  most  of 
these  lands  are  very  rich  and  fertile,  most  of  the  Indians 
industrious,  many  of  the  lands  mineral  bearing,  and 
most  of  them  of  a  climate  so  good  that  it  is  very  similar 
to  the  best  of  Europe,  to  that  of  Castilla,  to  that  of 
Andalucia,  to  that  of  Italy,  to  that  of  France,  to  that  of 
Germany;  because  most  of  this  North  America  is  in  the 


EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  213 

same  degrees  of  altitude  of  the  north  pole  or  geographi- 
cal latitude  as  Europe  itself,  that  is,  in  36,  37,  38,  39,  40, 
41,  42,  43,  44,  45,  46,  47,  48,  49,  50  degrees  and  upward; 
also  because  this  North  America  is  so  extensive  that  it 
exceeds  all  kingdoms  and  empires  and  provinces  of  all 
Europe;  and  little  by  little,  with  good  management, 
and  if  some  conquests  already  made  lend  a  hand  to 
those  which  may  be  in  progress,  as  the  royal  cedulas 
suggest,  through  these  spiritual  and  temporal  conquests 
to  the  west  and  to  the  northwest  it  will  be  possible  to 
cross  to  the  opposite  coast  of  the  Sea  of  California  and 
to  its  cape  of  Mendosino,  and  to  the  harbor  of  Monte 
Rey;  and  there  will  be  possible  a  port  of  call  for  the 
ship  of  China  or  the  Philippine  galleon,  and  at  the  same 
time  some  commerce  for  these  provinces  of  Sonora, 
Nueva  Biscaya,  and  Nueva  Galizia,  etc.  And  to  the 
north  and  northeast  it  will  be  possible  to  penetrate  to 
Gran  Quibira  and  to  Gran  Teguayo,  etc.,  and  to  the 
Strait  of  Anian;291  and  perhaps  also  in  that  direction  it 
will  be  possible  to  open  a  way  and  shorter  water  route 
to  Spain. 

CHAPTER  II.     OF  THE  NEIGHBORING  GREAT 

CALIFORNIA 

In  the  very  extensive  neighboring  California,  which 
is  about  six  hundred  leagues  long  from  southeast  to 
northwest,  and  about  one  hundred  leagues  wide  from 
east  to  west,  I  lived  almost  two  years  continuously,  at 

291  All  through  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries  there  was  wide- 
spread belief  in  the  existence  of  a  northern  passage,  called  the  Strait  of 
Anian,  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  Ocean,  and  all  the  leading  nations 
made  efforts  to  find  it.  This  was  one  of  the  permanent  aims  of  Spanish  ex- 
ploration on  the  western  coast  of  America.  See  Bancroft,  History  of  the 
Northwest  Coast,  for  an  excellent  chapter  on  "The  Northern  Mystery  and 
Imaginary  Geography,  1500-1595." 


214  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

the  time  of  the  enterprise  and  conquest  by  the  admiral 
Don  Ysidro  de  Atondo  y  Antillon,292  in  the  years  83,  84, 
and  85,  having  with  me  Father  Pedro  Matias  Goni 
and  Father  Juan  Baptista  Copart,  and  holding  the  of- 
fice of  rector  of  the  mission,  although  unworthy;  and 
with  the  commission  of  cosmographer  of  his  Majesty 
(God  guard  him),  I  made  a  map,  which  was  printed. 
And  in  latitude  twenty-six  degrees  we  crossed  to  the 
opposite  coast  from  the  Real  de  San  Bruno,  with  more 
than  eighty  horses,  a  journey  of  about  sixty  leagues, 
finding  in  all  parts  many  people,  friendly,  docile  and 
affable.  This  was  all  at  the  very  great  and  Catholic 
expense  of  the  royal  treasury,  which,  with  the  construc- 
tion of  the  three  ships,  Capitana,  Almiranta,  and 
Patache,  and  with  the  seamen  and  soldiers,  provisions, 
munitions,  etc.,  exceeded  half  a  million.293 

In  the  Real  de  San  Bruno,  in  San  Ysidro  and  San 
Dionisio,  and  in  their  vicinity,  we  left  the  people,  more 
than  four  thousand  souls,  very  submissive,  very  docile, 
very  friendly,  somewhat  instructed  in  the  principal 
mysteries  of  our  holy  faith,  and  with  great  desire  to 
receive  holy  baptism,  although,  because  of  lack  of  au- 
thority we  baptized  only  thirteen  sick  or  dying,  of 
whom  three  recovered,  inasmuch  as  in  the  month  of 
May  this  enterprise  was  abandoned  or  suspended,  for 
reasons  which  our  Lord  knoweth,  and  because  after- 
ward from  Matanchel  we  set  out  in  the  South  Sea  in 
November,  1685,  by  order  of  his  Excellency,  with  two 
of  the  ships  of  California  to  meet  and  warn  and  rescue 
the  China  galleon   from   the  hostile  pirates,   for   the 

292  por  0ther  references  to  Kino's  expedition  to  California  with  Atondo, 
see  the  "Index"   under  "Atondo." 

293  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  cost  was  only  a  quarter  of  a  million,  as  is  fre- 
quently stated  on  official  authority.  Kino  evidently  had  not  access  to  official 
sources  of  information  on  this  point. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  215 

Pichilingues294  with  many  pirogues  were  lying  in  wait 
for  it,  to  rob  it,  in  the  port  of  Navidad.295 

The  holy  zeal  of  Father  Juan  Maria  Salvatierra  was 
so  moved  to  compassion  that,  as  has  already  been  stated, 
on  hearing,  in  his  visit  to  this  Pimeria,296  of  the  ripeness 
of  so  great  a  harvest  of  souls,  he  made  a  report  to 
Mexico  as  early  as  the  year  1691,  in  order  that  the  con- 
quest and  conversion  of  the  said  Californias  should  be 
continued;  and  although  his  purpose  was  not  immedi- 
ately accomplished,  his  Reverence  did  accomplish  it 
afterward. 

CHAPTER  III.     FATHER  JUAN  MARIA  SALVATIERRA, 

AVAILING  HIMSELF  OF  THE  ALMS  OF  THE 

FAITHFUL,  CROSSES  OVER  FROM  HYA- 

QUI  TO  THE  CONVERSION  OF 

CALIFORNIA  IN  1697  29T 

By  his  untiring  and  holy  zeal,  Father  Juan  Maria 
Salvatierra  succeeded  with  such  felicity  and  efficacy, 
thanks  to  the  sovereign  Lord,  to  most  holy  Mary  and 
to  the  most  glorious  apostle  of  the  Indies,  San  Francis- 

294  The  name  given  the  Dutch  pirates  on  the  West  Coast. 

295  Navidad  is  a  port  on  the  coast  of  Mexico  in  latitude  190  13'  and 
twenty  miles  northwest  of  Manzanillo  harbor.  In  the  sixteenth  century  it 
was  one  of  the  most  important  western  harbors,  and  was  the  port  for  the 
Manila  galleon  before  that  of  Acapulco  was  opened. 

From  Kino's  own  letters,  just  obtained  from  Seville,  we  now  know  that  on 
May  30,  1685,  he  was  at  Torin,  Sinaloa;  on  October  10  he  was  at  the 
Jesuit  College  of  Guadalajara;  on  November  15  he  was  on  board  the  Al- 
miranta  at  Matanchel  ready  to  go  to  meet  the  Manila  galleon;  on  February 
15,  1686,  he  was  at  the  Casa  Profesa,  Mexico  (A.G.I.  67-3-28). 

296  See  ante,  pages  117-121,  for  Salvatierra's  visit  to  Pimeria  Alta  and 
his  journey   into   Arizona  with  Kino. 

297  The  details  of  Salvatierra's  expedition  to  California  are  given  in 
Father  Picolo's  report,  volume  ii,  46-67.  Other  original  authorities  are 
Salvatierra's  letters  printed  in  Doc.  Hist.  Mex.,  segunda  serie,  vol.  i,  103-157. 
Some  newly  discovered  manuscript  sources  are  listed  in  the  "Bibliography." 
For  secondary  accounts  see  Bancroft,  North  Mexican  States,  vol.  i,  and  Vene- 
gas,  Noticia. 


216  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

co  Xavier,  in  crossing  over  to  California,  that  on  the 
tenth  of  October,  1697,  he  accomplished  his  glorious 
purposes,  embarking  in  Hyaqui  with  the  necessary 
men  and  funds  by  means  of  the  alms  which  his  Rever- 
ence obtained  from  the  faithful  and  from  various  pious 
persons,  especially  Don  Juan  Cavallero.298 

I  was  also  to  go  on  this  enterprise  with  his  Rev- 
erence, but  the  superiors  here,  the  royal  justice,  and  the 
citizens  of  this  province,  through  reports  which  they 
sent  to  Mexico,  prevented  me.299  Afterward  Father 
Francisco  Picolo  crossed  over,  and  the  most  glorious 
fruit  which  their  Reverences  are  producing  merits  oth- 
er separate  treatises  by  a  better  pen,  for  mine  is  very 
clumsy;  for  now,  with  the  other  conquerors,  they  have 
three  large  ships  of  their  own,  and  other  small  ones; 
this  year  of  1699  they  have  already  found  very  rich 
lands  in  latitude  twenty-six  degrees,  and  are  beginning 
three  excellent  missions,  one  called  Nuestra  Senora  de 
Loreto  de  Concho,  on  the  east  coast,  another  called 
San  Francisco  Xavier  del  Nipe300  on  the  sierra  and 
inland;  (and  another,  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Do- 
lores) 301  they  intend  to  found  on  the  opposite  coast. 
From  the  lofty  sierra  which  we  named  La  Giganta 
they  see  both  seas,  that  of  California  to  the  east,  and 
the  South  Sea  to  the  west.  Everything  inspires  very 
great  hopes  that  where  there  had  been  so  many  and 

298  The  beginnings  of  the  Pious  Fund  are  set  forth  by  Engelhardt,  vol.  i, 
73-75.  Don  Alonso  Davalos,  Conde  de  Miravalles,  and  Don  Matheo  Fer- 
nandez de  la  Cruz,  Marques  de  Buena  Vista,  each  promised  $1,000.  Others 
followed  their  example,  and  $15,000  were  soon  raised.  Don  Pedro  Gil  de  la 
Sierpe,  treasurer  of  Acapulco,  donated  a  launch.  The  Cofradia  de  N.S.  de 
los  Dolores,  in  Mexico,  gave  $10,000,  and  Rev.  Juan  Cavallero  y  Cosio,  a 
wealthy  priest  of  Queretaro,  gave  $20,000. 

299  In  1698  Kino  was  granted  a  license  to  spend  half  his  time  in 
California.     See   volume   ii,    157-158. 

300  A  mis-copy  for  Vigge. 

301  In  the  margin  of  the  original. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J. 217 

almost  insuperable  obstacles,  the  infinite  goodness  of 
our  Lord  with  His  celestial  favors  is  going  to  establish 
a  very  flourishing  Christendom  and  bring  about  the 
eternal  salvation  of  very  many  souls. 

CHAPTER  IV.    VARIOUS  VOYAGES  AND  EXPEDITIONS 
WHICH  HAVE  BEEN  MADE  TO  CALIFORNIA 
SINCE  THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE  CON- 
QUEST OF  NEW  SPAIN  302 

During  the  eighteen  years  that  I  have  lived  in  New 
Spain  I  have  tried  to  acquire  all  the  information  pos- 
sible in  regard  to  those  who  have  gone  to  California, 
and  in  what  years,  and  I  have  obtained  the  following: 

The  first  who  went  to  discover  California  and  to 
enter  the  port  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  la  Paz  was  the 
Marques  del  Valle,  Don  Fernando  Cortes,  who,  hav- 
ing conquered  Mexico  in  the  year  1522,  eleven  years 
afterward,  in  1533,  with  twelve3'3  ships  undertook  and 
accomplished  this  discovery  of  California.304 

In  the  year  1535  the  new  and  first  viceroy  of  New 

302  Excellent  chapters  on  the  subject  are  found  in  Bancroft,  North  Mexican 
States  and  Texas,  vol.  i,  chaps,  iii,  iv,  vi,  vii,  and  viii.  On  the  whole,  the 
summary  by  Kino  is  remarkably  good,  as  compared  with  other  accounts 
written  at  so  early  a  date.  A  valuable  summary  of  the  various  attempts  to 
subdue  California  was  made  by  the  Council  of  the  Indies  on  July  9,  1701,  in 
a  document  bearing  the  title:  Consejo  de  Indias  a  g  de  Jullio  de  1701. 
Representa  a  V.  Mgd.  lo  que  ha  passado  en  la  conquista  poblazion  y  reduzion 
de  las  Calif ornias  desde  su  principio;  El  Estado  que  oy  tiene,  y  las  provi- 
denzias  que  combendra  se  den  para  acalorar  a  los  Religiosos  de  la  Compania 
que  se  han  encargado  de  esta  empresa  y  la  tienen  muy  adelantada.  Eleven 
Ms.  pages  (A.G.I.  Aud.  de  Guadalajara,  67-1-37).  The  document  notes  a 
pearl  fishing  permit  before  that  of  Vizcaino,  namely,  one  given  in  1585,  by 
the  Viceroy  Moya  de  Contreras,  to  Fernando  de  Santo  Ortiz. 

303  Apparently  a  slip  for  two  —  dos. 

304 The  reference  is  to  the  expedition  of  Becerra  and  Grijalva  in  the  Con- 
cepcion  and  the  San  Ldzaro,  from  Tehuantepec,  in  1533.  The  crew  of  the 
Concepcion  murdered  Becerra,  and,  under  command  of  Fortun  Jimenez,  dis- 
covered California.  Jimenez,  in  turn,  was  murdered  by  his  crew  (Bancroft, 
North  Mexican  States  and  Texas,  45-47,  and  works  there  cited). 


218  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Spain,  Don  Antonio  de  Mendoza,  sent  to  continue  this 
enterprise  General  Francisco  de  Alarcon  with  other 
ships  with  high  decks,  which  were  all  lost,  and  the 
soldiers  and  mariners  barely  escaped  with  their  lives, 
but  reached  the  port  of  Navidad.  Hereupon  explorers 
were  discouraged  for  many  years.305 

In  the  year  1597  Sebastian  Biscaino  went  at  his  own 
expense  to  the  Californias  with  five  religious  of  San 
Francisco,  but  shortly  afterward  returned  to  Acapul- 
co.306 

In  the  year  1602,  in  the  time  of  Feliphe  III,  the 
Conde  de  Monte  Rey  being  viceroy,  he307  went  at  the 
expense  of  the  royal  treasury  with  three  ships  and  with 
three  religious  of  Nuestra  Senora  del  Carmen  and 
traced  all  the  west  coast.308 

In  the  year  1606  there  came  a  royal  cedula  to  the 
Senor  viceroy,  Conde  de  Montes  Claros,  ordering  that 
the  above  named  Sebastian  Biscaino  should  go  to  settle 
in  the  port  of  Monte  Rey. 

In  the  year  161 5,  Captain  Yturbide,309  with  the  li- 
cense which  he  had  secured  from  Felipe  III,  and  after 
the  Pichilingues  had  taken  away  one  of  his  two  ships, 
went  to  California  with  the  other.  He  went  up  to 
thirty  degrees  of  latitude,  and  the  Senor  viceroy,  the 
Marques  de  Guadalcazar,  sent  him  to  advise  the  ship 

305  Kino  has  apparently  confused  the  expedition  of  Cortes  in  1535  with 
that  of  Alarcon  in  1540.  Cortes  led  a  colony  to  California  but  it  soon  failed. 
Alarcon's  expedition  of  1540  was  a  part  of  the  Coronado  expedition  to  New 
Mexico. 

306  The  Vizcaino  expedition  started  in  1596  and  returned  in  1597. 

307  Vizcaino. 

308  por  diaries  of  this  expedition,  see  Bolton,  Spanish  Exploration  in  the 
Southwest,  154.2-IJ06,  42-133.  The  three  Carmelites  were  friars  Andres  de  la 
Asumpcion,  Antonio  de  la  Ascension,  and  Tomas  de  Aquino. 

309  Iturbe.  See  Chapman,  The  Founding  of  Spanish  California,  9-10; 
Bancroft,  North  Mexican  States  and  Texas,  vol.  i,  163-164. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  219 

from  China  that  the  Pichilingues,  Dutch  pirates,  were 
lying  in  wait  for  him. 

In  the  year  1632,  Captain  Francisco  de  Ortega,31 
with  a  ship  which  he  had  built  at  his  own  expense, 
went  from  Masatlan  on  the  first  of  March  to  the  bays 
of  the  Californias  which  they  call  Bahia  de  San  Ber- 
nabe  and  Bahia  de  la  Paz;  and  in  the  month  of  Septem- 
ber returned  to  Cinaloa.311 

In  the  following  year,  1633,  this  Captain  Francisco 
de  Ortega  went  a  second  time  with  two  clerics  named 
Don  Diego  de  las  Navas  and  Don  Juan  de  Zuniga,  who 
in  the  harbor  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  la  Paz  solemnized 
one  hundred  and  six  baptisms.  He  went  up  to  thirty- 
two  degrees  latitude,  and  returned  to  New  Spain;  and 
although  he  went  three  times  to  these  Californias,  their 
conquest  was  not  effected. 

A  few  years  afterward,  about  1636,  Captain  Car- 
boneli,  who  had  been  a  pilot  of  Captain  Ortega,  went 
to  the  Californias.  He  went  up  to  thirty-six  degrees 
latitude.  Also,  the  new  governor  of  Cinaloa,  Luys 
Sestin  de  Canas,  went  in  a  little  ship.  He  took  with 
him  Father  Jasinto  Cortes,  of  the  Company  of  Jesus, 
who  on  his  return  wrote  to  the  father  provincial,  Luys 
de  Bonifas,  of  the  docility  and  meekness  of  the  natives 
of  the  Californias,  offering  himself  as  missionary 
there.312 

In  the  years  1643  and  1644  Phelipe  IV  sent  the  Ad- 
miral Don  Pedro  Portel  de  Casanate  to  the  Califor- 
nias, at  the  same  time  charging  the  Sefior  Conde  de 

310  For  the  Ortega  voyages  see  Bancroft,  North  Mexican  States,  vol.  i, 
170-176. 

311  The  dates  given  by  Bancroft  {North  Mexican  States,  vol.  i,  171-172) 
vary  slightly  from  those  given  here. 

312  For  Carbonel,  see  Bancroft,  North  Mexican  States,  vol.  i,  175-176. 
The  expedition  of  Cestin  de  Canas  was  in  1642.     Ibid.,  181. 


220  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Salvatierra  with  their  conquest  and  conversion;  and 
said  Admiral,  having  built  two  ships,  set  out  to  meet 
the  China  ship  at  the  Island  of  Zeniza.313  In  going 
and  returning  he  merely  entered  in  passing  the  Bay  of 
San  Bernabe;  and  having  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Rio  de  Santiago,  whence  he  sent  a  post  to  his  Excel- 
lency, the  villains  burnt  his  two  ships.314 

In  the  year  1647  the  same  Admiral  built  two  other 
ships  in  the  Villa  de  Cinaloa;  and  in  the  years  1648  and 
1649  he  went  in  them  a  second  time  to  the  Calif ornias, 
taking  with  him  Father  Jasinto  Cortes  and  Father 
Andres  Baes.  He  discovered  many  harbors  and  coves, 
and  in  all  parts  many  natives.  Later  he  was  sent  to 
warn  the  China  ship,  and  soon  afterward  entered  upon 
the  governorship  of  Chile.315 

In  the  year  1664  Admiral  Don  Bernardo  Bernal  de 
Pinadero  went  to  California  at  his  Majesty's  expense316 
with  two  ships  which  he  had  built  in  the  Valle  de  Van- 
deras;  but,  although  some  pearls  were  obtained,  be- 
cause of  the  discord  and  the  deaths  which  occurred  the 
purpose  of  the  conquest  was  not  accomplished,  neither 
then  nor  when  three  years  afterward317  came  the  order 
for  him  to  go  again  to  California,  as  he  did  in  the  year 
1667,  with  two  other  ships,  which  he  had  built  in  the 
Puerto  de  Chacala  with  money  which  he  had  borrowed. 

In  the  year   1668   Captain   Francisco  de  Lusenilla 

313  An  island  north  of  Cerros  Island,  near  the  outer  coast  of  Lower  Cali- 
fornia.    See  Bolton,  Spanish  Exploration  in  the  Southwest,  1542-1706,  Index. 

314  They  were  burned  in  the  harbor  of  the  Santiago  or  Tololotlan,  the 
deed  being  charged  to  the  Portuguese  competitor  of  Casanate.  Bancroft,  ibid., 
182-183. 

315  Kino  gives  data  here  that  Bancroft  did  not  have.  See  ibid.,  183.  The 
accounts  by  Venegas  and  Alegre  are  evidently  taken  directly  from  this 
passage. 

316  Bancroft  does  not  give  the  date.     Ibid.,  184. 

317  The  text  reads  "eight  years  afterward"  but  is  corrected  in  the  margin 
to  read  "three  years  afterward."  See  Bancroft,  North  Mexican  States,  vol. 
i,  183-184. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  221 

went  to  the  Californias  with  two  ships  which  he  had 
built  at  his  own  expense,  and  with  two  religious  of  San 
Francisco  he  reached  the  Cape  of  San  Lucas  and  the 
port  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  la  Pas.  Finally,  he  re- 
turned to  the  port  of  San  Francisco  Xavier  de  los 
Guaimas,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  de  Hyaqui.31 

In  the  years  1681,  1682,  1683,  1684,  and  1685,  by  or- 
der of  his  Majesty  Don  Carlos  II  (God  guard  him), 
in  the  time  of  the  viceroys  Don  Fray  Payo  and  the 
Marques  de  la  Laguna,  Admiral  Don  Ysidro  de  Aton- 
do  y  Antillon  built  in  Cinaloa  to  go  to  the  Californias 
(at  a  cost  of  more  than  half  a  million319  to  the  royal 
treasury)  three  ships,  the  Capitana,  Almiranta,  and 
Balandra ;  and  on  the  twenty-fifth  of  March  of  the  year 
i684,319a  we  went  and  reached  the  Puerto  de  la 
Paz,  and  higher  up,  in  latitude  twenty-six  degrees, 
the  Real  de  San  Bruno.  By  land  we  crossed  over  to 
the  opposite  coast,  discovering  the  Rio  de  Santo  Thom- 
as, and  in  all  parts  many  natives,  docile  and  peaceable. 
Three  fathers  of  the  Company  of  Jesus  went  also,  and 
in  the  eighteen  months  that  we  were  in  said  California 
we  left  many  of  the  natives  instructed.  In  the  year 
1685  we  were  sent  to  meet  the  China  ship,  and  we 
convoyed  it  in  safety  to  the  port  of  Acapulco.32  In 
Mexico  his  Excellency  granted  us  an  appropriation  of 
thirty  thousand  dollars;  but  because  at  the  time  when 
it  was  about  to  be  paid  requests  came  from  Spain  for 
five  hundred  thousand  dollars,  the  conquest  was  sus- 
pended. Recently  we  have  had  a  glimpse  of  it  on  three 
occasions  by  way  of  the  Pimeria;  in  the  years  1693  an(^ 
1694,  in  latitude  thirty  degrees,  from  the  very  shores 

318  See  Bancroft,  North  Mexican  States,  vol.  i,   184-185. 

319  The  cost  was  a  quarter  of  a  million  in  fact.     See  ante,  page  214. 
319a  a  mistake  for  1683. 

320  For  accounts  of  Atondo's  attempt,  see  ante,   pages  35-49,  213-214. 


222  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

of  the  arm  of  the  sea  which  divides  the  land  of 
California  from  that  of  this  Pimeria,  which  is  no  more 
than  eighteen  leagues  wide.321 

Captain  Francisco  de  Ytamarra  went  to  Califor- 
nia in  the  month  of  October,  1694,  ana*  found  that 
the  natives  of  the  Island  of  San  Bruno,  of  San  Dionisio, 
and  of  San  Agustin  asked  with  insistence  for  the  fathers 
of  the  Company  of  Jesus.322 

On  the  tenth  of  October,  1697,  Father  Juan  Maria 
Salvatierra  went  to  California  with  alms  from  the 
faithful,  and  I,  who  was  appointed  as  his  companion,  re- 
mained for  the  present  in  this  Pimeria  by  order  of  the 
Senor  viceroy  and  of  the  father  provincial,  Father 
Francisco  Maria  Picolo  going  in  my  place. 

CHAPTER  V.     OTHER  RECENT  INFORMATION  IN  RE- 
GARD  TO   THE    PRESENT   STATE   OF   CALIFORNIA, 
DERIVED  FROM  THE  LETTERS  WHICH  FATHER 
JUAN    MARIA    SALVATIERRA    WRITES    TO 
THE     FATHER    VISITOR    ANTTONIO 
LEAL,  ON  SEPTEMBER  2,  AND  TO 
ME  ON  OCTOBER  17,  1699 

Since  the  time  when  I  was  in  California,  at  the  port 
of  Nuestra  Senora  de  la  Paz  and  at  the  Real  de  San 
Bruno,  I  have  been  aided  and  succored  with  all  liberal- 
ity and  charity  by  Father  Gaspar  Thomas,  rector  of  the 
College  of  Matape,  and  the  father  visitor,  Juan  Bau- 
tista  de  Anzieta,  visitor  of  these  missions  of  Cinaloa 
and  Sonora,  and  many  other  fathers.  The  long  letter 
of  the  Father  Visitor  Juan  Maria  de  Salvatierra  to  the 
Father  Visitor  Antonio  Leal  says  in  substance  the  fol- 
lowing: 

The  father  provincial  Luis  de  Bonifas  prophesied  that  the 

321  See  ante,  pages  123-126. 

322  Venegas  and  Alegre,  on  whom  Bancroft  depends  for  data  on  Itamarra, 
follow  Kino.     See  Bancroft,  North  Mexican  States,  vol.  i,  194. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J. 223 

missions  of  California  would  be  colonies  of  those  of  Nueva  Bis- 
caya  and  that  one  would  aid  another.  As  Father  Andres 
Peres  323  relates,  with  the  coming  of  the  China  ship  to  the  op- 
posite coast  and  with  the  development  of  water  transportation, 
in  time  not  a  few  things  which  are  very  dear  in  the  province  will 
become  cheaper.  Let  these  missions  of  California,  so  small  and 
new,  be  aided  for  two  or  three  years,  and  afterward  they  will 
sustain  themselves. 

That  province  of  Sonora  has  been  the  mother  of  all  the  mis- 
sions for  the  last  thirty  years,  since  in  Sonora  (and  in  the  visita- 
tion of  the  Pimeria  in  the  year  1691)  were  born  the  strong  de- 
sires whence  has  resulted  the  birth  of  this  mission  of  California. 
In  it,  thanks  be  to  the  Lord,  is  the  pueblo  of  Loreto  Concho,  and 
in  it  are  fifty-four  persons  from  the  other  side,  from  New  Spain, 
soldiers,  women,  and  salaried  servants.  On  the  sea  I  have 
thirty-two  mariners  in  three  vessels,  all  salaried.  On  land  the 
Indians  are  at  peace  and  in  subjection.  We  have  good  land, 
and  the  opposite  coast  has  been  reconnoitered  and  explored. 
And  if  we  are  not  deserted,  sometime  we  shall  make  an  expedi- 
tion by  land  and  by  sea  to  the  opposite  shore  for  the  discovery  of 
a  good  harbor  (in  the  vicinity  and  latitude  of  this  post  of 
Loreto),  suitable  to  shelter  the  China  ship  and  succor  any 
that  comes  into  it  in  great  distress,  for  mere  lack  of  a  landing- 
place,  a  long  standing  want,  and  motive  enough  for  our  Com- 
pany, mother  of  the  sick  and  disabled,  to  take  in  hand  any  enter- 
prise. We  two  fathers  here  have  four  new  pueblos,  the  adults 
being  catechumens,  and  many  little  ones  and  sick  adults  be- 
ing Christians;  and  they  subject  themselves  to  receive  punish- 
ment without  mutinies  or  revolts.  Here  every  kind  of  animal 
multiplies;  and  already  there  are  here  eight  species  of  animals 
from  the  other  side,  now  acclimated  to  Loreto.  With  two  years 
only  of  encouragement  it  appears  to  me  this  will  be  altogether 
assured. 

I  have  no  lack  of  means  for  the  payment  of  the  soldiers,  ser- 
vants, and  sailors,  nor  for  merchandise.  They  receive  their  pay 
whenever  they  wish,  indeed,  they  have  received  five  thousand 
pesos  by  appropriation  in  Mexico  in  royal  securities  this  year; 


323  The    reference    is   to   Perez   de   Ribas,   Historia   de  los    Trivmphos  de 
Nvestra  Santa  Fee. 


224  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA 

and  the  goods  are  cheap  here.  The  only  lack  I  have  suffered  is 
of  provisions,  and,  because  of  this  shortage,  some  worries  and 
danger  of  mutiny  among  the  people.  But  the  most  holy  Virgin, 
conqueror  and  colonizer,  has  been  present  with  us  in  all  and  has 
brought  us  succor  not  on  one  occasion,  but  on  many,  when  least 
we  expected  it,  as  is  the  case  now  with  the  return  of  the  bark,  by 
which  I  have  received  twenty-four  loads,  twenty-three  of  flour 
and  one  of  pinole,  a  fine  present,  all  of  which  comes  to  me  from 
the  province  of  Sonora.  The  natives  not  yet  conquered  tremble 
before  our  arms,  directed  by  the  arm  of  Mary.  And  we  hope 
that  in  the  first  expedition  to  San  Xavier  del  Vigge,  which  is  in 
the  centre  of  the  sierra,  those  of  the  opposite  coast  will  come  to 
render  obedience,  to  facilitate  matters,  and  that  they  them- 
selves may  be  the  ones  to  call  us  to  go  to  their  land  and  pre- 
vent so  far  as  possible  the  outbreak  of  war  or  confusion. 

Thus  far  Father  Juan  Maria  Salvatierra  to  Father 
Visitor  Antonio  Leal;  and  to  me,  on  October  17,  his 
Reverence  writes  the  following: 

Father  Francisco  Maria  Picolo  is  at  present  in  the  pueblo  of 
San  Xavier  Biaontom,  within  the  sierra,  a  very  pleasant  land. 
Eusebio,  your  Reverence's  son,  Andresillo's  nephew,  is  well,  and 
salutes  your  Reverence,  to  whom  because  of  haste  I  write  no 
more.  Loreto  Concho. 

October  17,  1699. 


PART  II 

OF  THE  CELESTIAL  FAVORS  OF 

Jesus,  Most  Holy  Mary,  and  the  Most 
Glorious  Apostle  of  the  Indies,  San 
Francisco  Xavier,  experienced  in  the 
New  Conversions  of  this  North  Amer- 
ica, or  New  Philippines,  in  the  Years 
1699,  1700,  1 70 1,  1702;  and  the  New 
Discovery  of  the  Passage  by  Mainland 
to  California  in  Thirty-two  Degrees 
of  Latitude,  by  which  it  is  found  to  be 
not  an  Island,  but  a  Peninsula,  with 
very  Fertile  Lands,  with  Very  Large, 
Rich,  and  Populous  Rivers,  with  Many 
Gentle,  Docile,  and  Friendly  New  Na- 
tions. 


BOOK    I.     OF    THE    MEASURES,    DISPOSI- 
TIONS, AND  EXPEDITIONS  WHICH  IN  THE 
YEAR  1699  ARE  MADE  IN  ORDER  TO 
DISCOVER   THE    LAND    ROUTE 
TO  CALIFORNIA 

CHAPTER    I.     LETTERS    OF   THE    PRINCIPAL    SUPE- 
RIORS,   AND    THE    VERY    CATHOLIC    ROYAL 
CtDULA,  WHICH  INSPIRE  THE  WRIT- 
ING OF  THIS  SECOND  PART  OF 
THE  CELESTIAL  FAVORS 

Having  written,  by  order  of  our  father  general, 
Thyrso  Gonzales,  the  account  of  the  celestial  favors, 
which  I  have  set  forth  in  the  First  Part,  and  having 
sent  it  from  the  Real  de  San  Juan  to  Mexico  by  Bach- 
elor Don  Joseph  Moreno  that  it  might  be  taken  to 
Rome,  as  it  was  taken  by  the  father  procurators  Ber- 
nardo Rolandegui  and  Nicolas  de  Vera,324  his  Rever- 
ence answered  me  in  a  letter  of  December  24,  1701, 
which  I  received  December  26,  1702,  that  he  had  re- 
ceived it  and  read  it  with  such  pleasure  that  most  af- 
fectionately he  charged  me  to  write  this  Second  Part. 
At  the  same  time  the  father  provincial,  Francisco  de 
Arteaga,  also  wrote  me  a  very  paternal  holy  letter,  with 
the  superscription  of  the  rector325  of  these  missions  of 
Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores,  asking  me  for  informa- 
tion in  regard  to  them,  to  give  to  our  father  general. 
And  soon  afterward,  by  the  hand  of  the  father  visitor, 

324  See  post,  page  375. 

325  I.e.,  forwarded  by  the  rector. 


228  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Antonio  Leal,  his  Reverence  sent  me  the  printed  report 
on  the  state  of  California  which  Father  Francisco 
Maria  Picolo  drew  up  and  printed,326  with  the  in- 
serted very  Catholic  and  most  Christian  royal  cedula 
of  the  King  our  Lord  Felipe  V  (God  preserve  him 
many  most  happy  years)  dated  July  17,  1701,  which  so 
greatly  favors  the  new  conquests  and  new  conversions, 
not  only  of  California,  but  also  of  Cinaloa  and  Sonora 
and  of  this  Nueva  Biscaya  where  we  live,  enjoining 
their  encouragement  and  advancement,  at  the  same 
time  with  that  of  the  new  conversions  of  California, 
and  containing  these  most  pious  words  to  his  Royal 
Audiencia  of  Guadalaxara: 

I  ask  and  charge  you  to  inform  me  very  minutely  in  regard  to 
the  region  in  which  the  uncivilized  Indians  are  found,  and  the 
present  state  of  the  conversions  in  Cinaloa,  and  Sonora,  and 
Nueva  Biscaya,  that  in  view  of  these  reports  and  your  opinion  I 
may  proceed  to  adopt  the  measures  which  I  may  deem  expedi- 
ent,327 etc. 

The  royal  cedula  as  well  as  the  letters  of  the  prin- 
cipal superiors  will  be  put  in  their  place  at  the  time 
when  they  were  received,  that  is,  at  the  close  of  1702, 
as  most  singular  celestial  favors  which,  in  the  midst  of 
such  contradictions,  we  have  experienced  in  these  new 
conversions.  All  these  things  impel  me  with  great 
force  to  write  this  second  part,  as  my  continued  and 
multitudinous  occupations  may  permit. 


326  Printed  in  this  work,  volume   ii,  46-67. 

327  A  transcript  of  this  cedula,  from  the  Archivo  General  de  Indias 
(A.G.I.  67-3-28)  is  in  the  Bancroft  Library.  Kino  does  not  quote  exactly 
here,  but  paraphrases  the  paragraph. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  229 

CHAPTER   II.     IN   VARIOUS   EXPEDITIONS   REPORTS 

OF  THE  PASSAGE  BY  LAND  TO  CALIFORNIA 

ARE  OBTAINED328 

When,  ten  years  ago,  setting  out  from  Nuestra 
Senora  de  los  Dolores  for  the  west,  and  passing  through 
the  lands  of  El  Soba,  I  arrived,  after  sixty  leagues' 
journey,  on  three  different  occasions  with  different  per- 
sons at  the  coast  of  the  Sea  of  California,  we  saw  plain- 
ly that  that  arm  of  the  sea  kept  getting  narrower,  for 
in  this  latitude  of  thirty-three  degrees  we  already  saw 
on  the  other  side  more  than  twenty-five  leagues  of  Cali- 
fornia land  in  a  stretch  so  distinctly  that  we  estimated 
the  distance  across  or  width  of  that  arm  of  the  sea  to  be 
no  more  than  fifteen  or  eighteen  or  twenty  leagues.329 

Therefrom  arose  the  desire  to  ascertain  the  width 
higher  up;  and  in  the  year  1698,  at  thirty-five  degrees 
latitude,  and  at  one  hundred  and  five  leagues  by  a 
northwest  course  from  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores, 
on  the  very  high  hill,  or  ancient  volcano,  of  Santa 
Clara,  I  descried  most  plainly  both  with  a  telescope 
and  without  a  telescope  the  junction  of  these  lands  of 
New  Spain  with  those  of  California,  the  head  of  this 
Sea  of  California,33'  and  the  land  passage  which  was 
there  in  thirty-five  degrees  latitude.  At  that  time, 
however,  I  did  not  recognize  it  as  such,  and  I  persuaded 
myself  that  farther  on  and  more  to  the  west  the  Sea  of 
California  must  extend  to  a  higher  latitude  and  com- 
municate with  the  North  Sea  or  Strait  of  Anian,  and 
must  leave  or  make  California  an  island.  And  it  was 
with  me  as  with  the  brethren  of  Joseph,  who  ate  with 
him  and  made  merry  with  him,  he  giving  them  the 

328  This  chapter  summarizes  the  genesis  of  Kino's  idea  of  the  peninsu- 
larity  of  California. 

329  See  ante,  pages  123-126. 

330  See  ante,  pages  184-189. 


230  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

wheat  and  provisions  which  they  required,  and  talked 
with  him  but  knew  him  not,  until  his  time.331 

A  year  afterward,  at  the  suggestion  of  the  father  vis- 
itor, Oracio  Police,  I  penetrated  one  hundred  and  sev- 
enty leagues  to  the  northwest,  and  went  beyond  thirty- 
five  degrees  north  latitude,  with  Father  Adamo  Gilg  and 
Captain  Juan  Mateo  Manje,  and  almost  reached  the 
confluence  of  the  Rio  Grande  de  Hila  and  the  Colo- 
rado, where  the  natives  gave  us  some  blue  shells.332 
And  still  it  did  not  occur  to  us  that  by  that  way  there 
was  a  land-passage  to  California,  or  to  the  head  of  its  sea ; 
and  not  until  we  were  on  the  road  returning  to  Nuestra 
Senora  de  los  Dolores  did  it  occur  to  me  that  those  blue 
shells  must  be  from  the  opposite  coast  of  California 
and  the  South  Sea,  and  that  by  the  route  by  which  they 
had  come  thence,  from  there  to  here,  we  could  pass 
from  here  thither,  and  to  California.  And  from  that 
time  forward  I  ceased  work  on  the  bark,  twelve  varas 
long  and  four  wide,  which  we  were  building  at  La  Con- 
cepcion  del  Cabotca  near  the  Sea  of  California,  and 
here  at  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores,  intending  to 
carry  it  afterward,  entire,  to  the  sea. 

CHAPTER  III.     DIARY  OF  THE  EXPEDITION  TO  THE 

NORTH  IN  ORDER  TO  DISCOVER  A  ROAD  AND 

ROUTE  BY  LAND  TO  CALIFORNIA,  AS 

MANY  PERSONS  DESIRE,  WRITE 

ABOUT,  AND  REQUEST 333 

MARCH  29,  1700.  The  expedition  of  which  I  write 
in  this  and  the  three  following  chapters  I  made  from 
the  twenty-first  of  April  to  the  sixth  of  May,  1700;  and 

331  Genesis,  chaps.  42-45. 

332  See  ante,  pages   193-199. 

333  So  far  as  I  am  aware,  there  is  no  other  first  hand  account  of  the  expe- 
dition which  gives  the  story  of  the  founding  of  Mission  San  Xavier  del  Bac. 
Ortega  wrote  his  brief  account  from  this,  and  others  have  followed  him. 


one] EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J. 231 

the  father  visitor,  Antonio  Leal,  saw,  read,  and  signed 
the  account,  with  these  words:  "I  have  seen  this  ac- 
count and  the  letters  which  in  it  are  cited,  and  the  origi- 
nals are  as  they  are  quoted." 

Being  in  the  pueblo  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Re- 
medios  on  the  twentieth  of  March,  a  governor  from  near 
the  Rio  Grande,  and  other  Pima  natives,  brought  me  a 
holy  cross,  with  a  string  of  twenty  blue  shells,  which 
were  sent  me  by  the  principal  governor  of  the  Coco- 
maricopas,  who  lives  in  the  great  rancheria  of  Dacoy- 
dag,  with  a  very  friendly  response  to  some  messages 
which  I  had  sent  him,  inviting  him  to  receive  our  holy 
faith,  in  imitation  of  many  others.  This  rancheria  is 
on  the  Rio  Colorado,  and  is  one  hundred  and  seventy 
leagues  to  the  northwest  of  this  pueblo  of  Nuestra 
Senora  de  los  Dolores.  And  again  reflecting  that  those 
blue  shells  were  from  the  opposite  coast,  as  I  had  seen 
them  there  when  I  was  in  California,  I  informed  sev- 
eral fathers  of  them,  sending  them  afterward,  together 
with  the  holy  cross,  to  the  Father  Visitor  Antonio  Leal ; 
for  his  predecessors,  Father  Visitor  Manuel  Gonzales, 
Father  Visitor  Juan  Maria  de  Salvatierra,  and  Father 
Visitor  Oracio  Police,  had  very  strongly  urged  the 
exploration  of  those  lands,  seas,  and  rivers  of  the  north 
and  of  the  northwest. 

In  the  middle  of  April  his  Reverence  replied  to  me 
as  follows:  "The  cross  and  shells  came  with  your  Rev- 
erence's letter  to  Arispe,  and  I  greatly  rejoice  at  seeing 
them,  because  of  the  distance  whence  they  sent  them, 
which  is  an  indication  of  friendliness."  And  Father 
Marcos  Antonio  Kappus,  rector  of  the  College  of 
Matape,  on  the  tenth  of  April  wrote  me  the  following: 
"God  bless  me!  And  what  great  news  and  how  rare  is 
that  which  your  Reverence  imparts  to  me,  and  which  the 


232  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

people  of  the  north  and  the  northwest  bring  you,  to  the 
effect  that  it  is  possible  to  pass  overland  to  California, 
news  truly  the  greatest,  if  it  is  verified,  but  which,  al- 
though desired  so  long,  it  has  never  been  possible  to 
confirm.  May  our  Lord  grant  that  the  news  may  be 
verified,  since  for  Father  Juan  Maria  de  Salvatierra  it 
will  be  most  gratifying,  etc." 

Also,  the  reverend  father  rector  of  this  mission  of 
San  Francisco  Xavier,  Adamo  Gilg,  wrote  me  that  it 
was  expedient  to  employ  means  to  verify  these  things, 
etc. ;  and  the  Senor  military  commander,  Don  Domingo 
Jyronza  Petris  de  Cruzatt,  informed  me  that  he  had 
the  same  very  anxious  zeal  for  those  discoveries; 
while  at  this  very  same  time  came  to  me  the  desired 
license  from  our  father  general,  Tyrso  Gonzales,  to  oc- 
cupy myself  six  months  of  the  year  in  this  Pimeria  and 
six  in  California.  For  this  reason  and  in  order  at  the 
same  time  to  cast  a  glance  at  the  spiritual  and  temporal 
condition  of  the  three  newly  begun  missions  of  the 
north  and  the  northwest,  I  determined  to  go  inland  for 
a  few  days  to  find  out  and  obtain  all  possible  informa- 
tion in  regard  to  these  matters. 

April  21,  1700.  And,  setting  out  on  the  twenty-first 
of  April  from  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores,  with 
three  justices  of  this  pueblo,  seven  servants,  and  fifty- 
three  sumpters,  some  being  mules  and  others  horses,  we 
arrived  at  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Remedios. 

22.  On  the  twenty-second,  having  in  the  morning 
given  orders  as  to  what  the  natives  were  to  do  in  the 
building  of  the  new  church,  in  the  afternoon  we  reached 
Cocospora,  where  we  were  received  by  one  hundred  and 
fifty  natives,  who  had  just  returned  to  settle  this  pueblo, 
and  had  just  rebuilt  and  roofed  a  hall  and  a  lodge  for 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  233 

the  father's  house,  with  orders  soon  to  roof  the  little 
church  also,  for  three  years  before,  on  the  twenty-fifth 
of  February,  1697,  tne  hostile  Hojomes  and  Janos  had 
sacked  and  burned  this  pueblo,  although  soon  after- 
ward, on  the  thirtieth  of  March,  near  Quiburi  Captain 
Coro  with  his  Pima  people  routed  and  destroyed  them, 
killing  more  than  two  hundred  of  them,  as  is  related  in 
the  First  Part.334 

23.  On  the  twenty-third,  three  infants  having  been 
given  us  to  baptize,  we  set  out  for  San  Lazaro,  where 
we  took  our  siesta,  and  where  they  gave  us  a  little  girl 
to  baptize,  and  on  the  way  to  San  Luys  they  gave  us 
two  others,  one  little  girl,  and  one  adult,  a  sick  woman; 
and  another,  a  little  boy,  on  our  arrival  at  San  Luys, 
where  the  five  justices  of  Guebavi  came  to  meet  us,  with 
those  of  San  Luys.  We  killed  one  beef  of  the  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  which  they  were  tending  there,  with  a 
drove  of  mares,  and  with  one  hundred  and  seventeen 
head  of  sheep  and  goats,  with  a  good  field  of  wheat, 
maize,  and  beans  which  they  had,  and  with  an  earth- 
roofed  adobe  house,  all  for  the  father  whom,  with  the 
other  neighboring  rancherias,  or  incipient  pueblos,  they 
hoped  to  receive. 

24.  On  the  twenty-fourth  we  set  out  for  Guebavi 
and  San  Cayetano.  In  Guebavi,  where  we  took  a  siesta, 
there  were  about  two  hundred  souls;  in  Los  Reyes  de 
Sonoydag,  five  leagues  farther  eastward,  Captain  Coro 
had  gathered  with  all  his  people,  who  numbered  more 
than  five  hundred  souls.  Thirteen  days  before,  at 
Easter,  here  at  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores,  he  had 
been  instructed  and  baptized,  naming  himself  Antonio 
Leal.  In  all  places  there  were  many  more  people,  and 
more  houses  than  when  we  entered  here  six  months  be- 

334  This  was  in  1698,  as  has  been  made  clear,  ante,  page  176,  footnote  211. 


234  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

fore  with  Father  Visitor  Antonio  Leal  and  the  Senor 
lieutenant  of  this  Pimeria,  Juan  Mateo  Manje.335  Here 
at  Guebavi  there  were  also  eighty-four  head  of  sheep 
and  goats,  a  good  field  of  wheat,  maize  and  beans  ready 
for  harvest,  and  an  earth-roofed  adobe  house  for  the 
father  whom  they  hoped  to  receive.  In  the  afternoon 
we  arrived  at  San  Cayetano. 

25.  On  the  twenty-fifth  we  set  out  for  San  Xavier 
del  Bac,  of  the  Sobaypuris,  about  twenty  leagues'  jour- 
ney, arriving  at  nightfall,  and  being  welcomed  with  all 
kindness  by  many  natives  of  this  great  rancheria.  We 
gave  them  here,  as  in  other  places,  the  paternal  greet- 
ings which  the  father  visitor  sent  to  all,  and  they  were 
very  grateful  for  them;  also  the  word  of  God  was 
spoken  to  them,  and  was  well  received. 

CHAPTER  IV.    AT  SAN  FRANCISCO  XAVIER  DEL  BAAC 
OF  THE  SOBAYPORIS  I  CALLED  THE  PRINCIPAL  GOV- 
ERNORS AND  CAPTAINS  FROM  MORE  THAN  FORTY 
LEAGUES  AROUND  TO  FIND  OUT  WHETHER 
THE    BLUE    SHELLS    CAME    FROM    ANY 
OTHER  REGION  THAN  THE  OPPO- 
SITE COAST  OF  CALIFORNIA 

APRIL  26,  1700.  Having  arrived  at  this  great  ranch- 
eria of  San  Xavier  del  Baac  of  these  Sobaiporis  of  the 
west,  which  are  those  of  the  Rio  de  Santa  Maria  (the 
Sobaypuris  of  the  Rio  de  San  Joseph  living  thirty 
leagues  farther  to  the  east)  I  heard  the  news  which  also 
I  had  heard  on  the  road  two  or  three  days  before,  that 
some  soldiers  had  gone  into  the  Pimeria  of  Soba  and 
of  the  west,  and  finding  myself  with  so  many  Indians 
in  this  great  valley,  who  were  close  to  three  thousand, 
and  also  in  view  of  the  many  prayers  of  the  natives  that 
I  should  stay  with  them,  I  determined  not  to  go  farther. 

335  See  ante,  pages  203-210. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  235 

And  from  this  great  valley  of  San  Xavier,  by  way  of 
the  Rio  Grande  westward  as  far  as  the  Cocomaricopas 
and  Yumas,  and  even  to  the  Rio  Colorado,  as  I  desired, 
I  tried  to  take  and  did  take  measures  to  find  outwhether 
the  blue  shells  came  from  any  other  region  than  the  op- 
posite coast  of  California.  To  that  end  I  despatched 
various  messengers  in  all  directions,  some  to  the  east 
to  call  Captain  Humaric;  others  to  the  north  to  call 
those  of  Santa  Catalina,  and  those  of  La  Encarnacion 
and  of  San  Andres,  of  the  Rio  Grande,  with  their  jus- 
tices, governors,  and  captains;  and  especially  others  to 
the  west  and  northwest  to  call  various  Pima,  Opa,  and 
Cocomaricopa  governors  from  near  the  Rio  Colorado, 
to  learn  with  all  possible  exactness  in  regard  to  the  blue 
shells  and  the  passage  by  land  to  California.  During 
the  seven  davs  that  we  were  here,  while  most  of  those 

J  7 

whom  I  sent  with  the  invitations  were  on  the  way,  we 
catechized  the  people  and  taught  them  the  Christian 
doctrine  every  day,  morning  and  afternoon.  We  killed 
six  beeves  of  the  three  hundred  which  they  were  tend- 
ing for  me  here,  with  forty  head  of  sheep  and  goats, 
and  a  small  drove  of  mares.  They  had  also  a  good  field 
of  wheat  which  was  beginning  to  head;  and  during  the 
following  days  they  planted  for  the  church  a  large  field 
of  maize,  which  they  had  previously  cleared. 

27.  On  the  twenty-seventh  they  gave  me  five  little 
ones  to  baptize. 

28.  On  the  twenty-eighth  we  began  the  foundations 
of  a  very  large  and  capacious  church3  ''  and  house  of 
San  Xavier  del  Baac,  all  the  many  people  working  with 
much  pleasure  and  zeal,  some  in  digging  for  the  foun- 
dations, others  in  hauling  many  and  very  good  stones 
of  tezontle  from  a  little  hill  which  was  about  a  quarter 

336  This  paragraph  should  set  at  rest  forever  the  perennial  conjectures 
regarding  the  date  of  the  founding  of  the  celebrated  mission  of  San  Xavier 
del  Bac. 


236  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

of  a  league  away.337  For  the  mortar  for  these  founda- 
tions it  was  not  necessary  to  haul  water,  because  by 
means  of  the  irrigation  ditches  we  very  easily  conducted 
the  water  where  we  wished.  And  that  house,  with  its 
great  court  and  garden  near  by,  will  be  able  to  have 
throughout  the  year  all  the  water  it  may  need,  running 
to  any  place  or  work-room  one  may  please,  and  one  of 
the  greatest  and  best  fields  in  all  Nueva  Biscaya. 

29.  On  the  twenty-ninth  we  continued  laying  the 
foundations  of  the  church  and  of  the  house.  Today  and 
yesterday  Captain  Humaric  and  his  son,  named  Oracio 
Police,  arrived  from  the  Sobaiporis  of  the  east;  the 
other  and  elder  son,  named  Francisco  Xavier,  had  re- 
mained behind  to  guard  their  country,  which  is  on  the 
Apache  frontier.  Many  other  justices  also  came,  and 
among  them  an  alcalde  to  whom  the  soldiers  in  the  last 
expedition,  which  they  made  in  November,  1699,  had 
given  the  staff  of  office. 

30.  On  the  thirtieth,  at  sunrise,  various  letters  from 
Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores  were  brought  me  by  a 
courier  of  this  Pimeria,  who,  it  appeared,  must  have 
made  the  sixty  leagues  which  intervenes  in  a  day  and  a 
half  and  the  two  nights.  After  mass  I  went  down  to 
the  rancheria  of  San  Cosme,  a  three  leagues'  journey, 
and  to  that  of  San  Agustin,  two  leagues  farther,  to  see 
whether  there  were  any  sick  or  little  ones  to  baptize. 
At  San  Cosme  they  gave  me  six  children  to  baptize, 
and  one  adult,  a  sick  woman ;  and  at  San  Agustin  I  bap- 
tized three  more  little  ones.  In  the  afternoon  we  re- 
turned to  San  Xavier  del  Baac,  and  at  nightfall  various 
justices  arrived  from  the  northwest  and  from  Santa 
Catalina  and  from  the  Rio  and  Casa  Grande,  among 

337  Apparently  the  hill  to  the  east  of  the  mission  on  which  is  placed  the 
grotto  of  Lourdes.  Tezontle  is  a  porous  stone  much  used  for  building  in 
Mexico. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  237 

them  being  the  captain  and  governor  of  La  Encarna- 
cion,  thirty-five  leagues  away.  Immediately,  and  also 
at  night,  we  had  long  talks,  in  the  first  place  in  regard 
to  our  holy  faith,  and  in  regard  to  the  peace,  and  qui- 
etude, and  love,  and  happiness  of  Christians,  and  they 
promised,  as  we  requested  of  them,  to  carry  these  good 
news  and  teachings  to  other  rancherias  and  nations 
much  farther  on,  to  the  Cocomaricopas,  Yumas,  etc. 
At  the  same  time  I  made  further  and  further  inquiries 
as  to  whence  came  the  blue  shells,  and  all  asserted  that 
there  were  none  in  this  nearest  Sea  of  California,  but 
that  they  came  from  other  lands  more  remote. 

We  discussed  also  what  means  there  might  be  where- 
by to  penetrate  to  the  Moquis  of  New  Mexico,  and  we 
found  that  by  going  straight  north  the  entry  would  be 
very  difficult,  since  these  Pimas  were  on  very  unfriend- 
ly terms  with  the  Apaches  who  live  between,  although 
the  distance  and  the  journey  was  probably  not  more 
than  sixty  or  seventy  leagues,  for  this  valley  of  San 
Xavier  del  Baac  is  in  thirty-two  and  a  half  degrees  of 
north  latitude,  and  the  Moquis  and  Zunis  in  thirty-six 
degrees. 

MAY  1,  1700.  On  the  first  of  May,  in  the  afternoon 
and  at  nightfall,  many  justices,  captains,  and  governors 
arrived  from  the  west,  from  San  Francisco  del  Addi, 
and  from  San  Serafin,  some  coming  forty  and  fifty 
leagues.  We  talked  with  them  a  great  part  of  the 
night,  as  we  had  done  the  night  before,  in  regard  to  the 
eternal  salvation  of  all  those  nations  of  the  west  and  the 
northwest,  at  the  same  time  continuing  various  inquiries 
in  regard  to  the  blue  shells  which  were  brought  from 
the  northwest  and  from  the  Yumas  and  Cutganes,  which 
admittedly  came  from  the  opposite  coast  of  California 
and  from  the  sea  which  is  ten  or  twelve  days'  journey 


238  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

farther  than  this  other  Sea  of  California,  on  which 
there  are  shells  of  pearl  and  white,  and  many  others, 
but  none  of  those  blue  ones 338  which  they  gave  us  among 
the  Yumas  and  sent  me  with  the  holy  cross  to  Nuestra 
Senora  de  los  Remedios. 

CHAPTER   V.     LETTERS   WHICH    REACH    ME   FROM 

THE    SOLDIERS    WHO    MEANTIME    HAD    COME 

INTO    THE    PIMERIA,    FROM    CUCURPE    TO 

SAN  YGNACIO  AND  TO  TUBUTAMA,  ETC. 

This  first  day  of  May  there  also  reached  me,  from 
the  southwest,  letters  from  the  squadron  of  soldiers  who 
had  come  to  Tubutama  and  Saric,  and  whose  com- 
mander, Alferez  Juan  Bautista  Escalante,  wrote  me  the 
following: 

My  Father  Eusebio  Francisco  Kino,  I  can  not  refrain 
from  writing  these  lines  to  inform  your  Reverence  that,  having 
entered  this  Pimeria,  I  have  come  to  two  rancherias  which  I  had 
never  seen  before,  namely,  that  of  El  Saric,  and  this  one  higher 
up,  called  El  Busanic  [and  Tucubavia].339  I  assure  your  Rev- 
erence I  have  infinitely  rejoiced  and  also  been  impressed  to  see  so 
many  people  as  are  here  together,  for,  as  they  are  obedient  and 
docile  they  are  better  than  Christian  pueblos.  But  it  is  a  great 
pity  that  these  poor  creatures  lack  a  father  minister  to  lead  and 
guide  them  to  the  bosom  of  our  holy  faith.  In  order  to  report 
this  truth  to  my  general,  that  he  may  cooperate  in  this  very  holy 
work,  I  ordered  all  the  people  assembled,  and  I  found  and 
counted  four  hundred  and  thirty-seven  souls,  a  source  of  much 
pleasure  to  all.  These  are  in  this  rancheria  of  Busanic  alone  ; 
in  the  one  which  I  have  seen  lower  down  there  are  also  many 
people.  I  am  about  to  start  outward,  and  therefore  I  am  not 
going  further  into  the  interior.  Now  I  pray  the  divine  Majesty 
to  grant  your  Reverence  the  health  which  my  great  affection  de- 
sires for  you,  and  which  your  great  zeal  and  your  great  charity 
deserves,   for  the  protection  of   this  heathendom.     From  this 

338  Here  Kino  draws  on  his  experience  in  California  between  1683  and 
1685. 

339  Added  on  the  margin  of  the  original  Ms. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  239 

rancheria  of  El  Busanic,  April  26,  1700.  I  kiss  your  Reverence's 
hand.  Your  faithful  servant,  Juan  Bautista  Escalante. 
P.S.  I  report  to  your  Reverence  also  that  in  this  rancheria 
I  killed  a  bull  for  them  340  from  the  stock  which  your  Reverence 
has  here,  and  I  beg  your  Reverence  to  approve  it. 

Thus  far  the  commander  of  the  soldiers.  Juan  Casaos 
wrote  almost  the  same.  And  as  all  this  Pimeria,  seven- 
teen thousand  souls,  are  being  reduced,  well  may  it  be 
seen  how  great  a  need  there  is  for  workers. 

CHAPTER  VI.     MY  RETURN  TO  NUESTRA  SEnORA  DE 

LOS  DOLORES,  AND  MY  DESIRE  AND  ATTEMPT 

TO  LIVE  AND  ESTABLISH  A  MISSION  AT 

SAN  FRANCISCO  XAVIER  DEL  BAAC, 

IN   ORDER   TO   BE   NEARER   TO 

SO  MANY  NEW  NATIONS 

May  2.  On  May  2,  having  solemnized  three  other 
baptisms  and  two  marriages  in  facie  Ecclesi<z,3il  and 
bidding  goodbye  to  those  captains  and  governors,  we  set 
out  for  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores.  All  the  chil- 
dren gave  me  many  messages  for  the  father  visitor,  for 
the  other  fathers,  the  Senor  military  commander,  and 
all  of  the  Spaniards;  and  the  captain  of  San  Xavier  del 
Baac  gave  me  his  son,  who  was  probably  about  twelve 
years  old,  to  come  and  he  did  come  with  me  the  sixty 
leagues'  journey  to  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores  to 
be  taught  the  prayers  and  the  Christian  doctrine  and  to 
assist  at  mass. 

3.  On  the  third,  in  San  Cayetano,  as  I  was  going  at 
sunrise  to  say  mass,  I  received  a  letter  from  Father 
Agustin  de  Campos,  in  which  his  Reverence  summoned 
me  to  San  Ygnacio  to  help  save  from  death  a  poor  de- 
linquent whom  the  soldiers  had  taken  prisoner  with  the 
intent  and  determination  to  beat  him  to  death  the  fol- 

340  For  the  soldiers. 

341  "Before  the  church." 


240  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

lowing  day,  May  4.  I  replied  that  I  would  go  imme- 
diately after  mass.  I  also  wrote  to  Alf erez  Juan  Bautista 
Escalante,  thanking  him  for  the  letter  which  I  had  re- 
ceived two  days  before  at  San  Xavier  del  Baac.  Trav- 
elling that  day  more  than  twenty-five  leagues,  I  arrived 
almost  at  midnight  at  San  Joseph  de  Hymeres,  and  the 
next  day  very  early,  in  time  to  say  mass,  at  San  Ygnacio, 
and  we  succeeded  in  rescuing  the  prisoner  from  death. 
5-6.  On  the  fifth  I  arrived  with  two  soldiers  at 
Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Remedios,  and  on  the  sixth  at 
Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores,  where,  in  answer  to  a 
letter  which  I  had  written  from  San  Francisco  Xavier 
del  Baac  to  the  father  visitor,  Antonio  Leal,  offering 
myself  and  even  expressing  my  desire  and  pleading  to 
be  the  missionary  at  San  Xavier  del  Baac  and  asking 
that  a  successor  be  given  me  at  Nuestra  Senora  de  los 
Dolores,  I  received  from  his  Reverence  the  following 
very  fine  letter: 

I  thank  your  Reverence  sincerely  in  the  name  of  our  Lord 
for  the  work  which  you  have  undertaken  in  His  holy  service  for 
the  welfare  of  those  poor  souls,  for  visiting  them,  for  the  good 
you  have  done  in  the  confessions,  etc.,  and  for  which  you  will 
have  your  reward  laid  up  in  heaven.  Let  me  say,  my  father, 
that,  in  regard  to  what  your  Reverence  writes  about  the  found- 
ing of  San  Xavier  del  Baac,  what  has  been  said  has  been  said, 
and  that  your  Reverence  may  look  upon  it  as  your  mission,  be- 
cause it  appears  to  me  very  expedient  for  the  progress  in  the 
future;  for,  your  Reverence  being  so  far  this  way  at  los  Dolores, 
it  is  not  so  easy  to  see  and  to  go  frequently  to  the  people  of  the 
Rio  Grande.  And  so,  when  your  Reverence  may  think  best  and 
may  please,  it  shall  be  arranged,  and  your  Reverence  may  go 
thither,  as  we  agreed  when  we  discussed  it  there.342 

Thus  far  the  father  visitor,  Antonio  Leal.  And  in 
fact,  within  a  few  days,  here  at  Nuestra  Senora  de  los 

342  The  reference  is  to  the  journey  of  1699  by  Leal  and  Kino.  It  is  shown 
elsewhere  that  Kino  did  not  go  to  Bac,  but  that  Father  Gonzalvo  went  in  his 
stead. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  241 

Dolores  I  ordered  rounded  up  the  fourteen  hundred- 
odd  cattle  which  were  here  and  told  the  overseer  that, 
dividing  them  into  two  equal  parts,  he  should  take,  as 
he  did  take,  one  part  to  San  Francisco  Xavier  del  Baac, 
and  they  made  for  him  the  necessary  corrals,  etc.  But 
never  did  a  father  come  to  succeed  me  in  Nuestra 
Seftora  de  los  Dolores,  nor  could  I  go  permanently  to 
San  Xavier  del  Baac. 

When  I  had  communicated  the  news  of  this  expedi- 
tion to  various  persons,  the  father  rector  of  the  College 
of  Matape,  Marcos  Antonio  Kappus,  on  the  fifteenth 
day  of  May  wrote  me  the  following: 

I  thank  your  Reverence  for  your  most  delightful  letter,  and 
also  for  the  sending  of  the  blue  shells;  and  I  shall  welcome  most 
heartily  the  announcement  of  those  discoveries.  I  am  very 
strongly  of  the  opinion  that  this  land  which  we  are  in  is  main- 
land and  joins  that  of  California.  May  our  Lord  grant  that 
there  be  a  road  as  royal  as  we  think  and  desire,  for  thereby  the 
labor  as  well  as  the  care  of  California  will  be  lessened. 

Afterward,  on  the  third  of  September,  when  I  was 
arranging  to  make  an  expedition  longer  than  I  had 
theretofore  made,  his  Reverence  wrote  me  these  words: 

If  your  Reverence  accomplishes  the  entry  by  land  into  Cali- 
fornia we  shall  celebrate  with  great  applause  so  happy  a  journey, 
whereby  the  world  will  be  enlightened  as  to  whether  it  is  an 
island  or  a  peninsula,  which  to  this  day  is  unknown.  Quod 
bonum,  felix,  fmistum  fortunatumque  sit,  cedatque  ad  Dei  ter 
optimi  maximi  gloriam.343 

The  father  rector  of  Oposura,  Manuel  Gonzales,  on 

the  twenty-eighth  of  May  wrote  me  the  following: 

I  greatly  desire  that  your  Reverence  may  finally  make  this 
most  desired  expedition  by  land  into  the  Californias.  If  you 
accomplish  this  we  must  erect  to  you  a  rich  and  famous  statue, 

343  "May  it  be  good,  happy,  joyful,  and  fortunate,  and  may  it  redound  to 
the  glory  of  God,  thrice  holy  and  mighty." 


242  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

and  if  it  is  short  there  will  be  two  statues.  May  God  give  your 
Reverence  health  and  strength  for  this  and  many  other  equally 
good  things  besides. 

Thus  far  the  father  rector  of  Oposura.  I  answered 
his  Reverence  that  one  of  the  two  statues  should  be  of 
Jesus  of  Nazareth,  to  whom  his  Reverence  was  so  de- 
voted that  he  had  built  and  adorned  for  Him  in  Opo- 
sura the  best  chapel  there  is  in  all  these  lands;  and  the 
other  of  Our  Lady  of  Sorrows. 

CHAPTER  VII.     EXPEDITION  OF  ONE  HUNDRED  AND 
SEVENTY  LEAGUES  TO  THE  NORTH  AND  NORTH- 
WEST IN  SEARCH  OF  THE  LAND  ROUTE  TO  CALIFOR- 
NIA ;  AND  THE  DISCOVERY  OF  THE  VERY  LARGE, 
POPULOUS,    AND    FERTILE    RIO    COLORADO 
(WHICH  IS  THE  TRUE  RIO  DEL  NORTE), 
AND  OF  THE  NEW  NATIONS344 

September  and  October,  1700.  This  chapter  and 
the  six  following  are  taken  from  the  diary  of  the  expe- 
dition which  we  made  in  the  months  of  September  and 
October,  1700.  In  this  chapter  I  shall  tell  of  my  ar- 
rival at  Rio  Grande  and  among  the  Cocomaricopa  na- 
tion, a  journey  of  more  than  one  hundred  leagues,  and 
in  the  others  the  rest.  I  went  toward  the  north  and  re- 
turned by  the  west,  travelling  in  going  and  returning 
more  than  three  hundred  and  eighty  leagues,  from  the 
twenty-fourth  of  September  to  the  twenty-ninth  of  Oc- 
tober, 1700,  and  in  the  meantime  I  solemnized  forty- 
two-baptisms  of  infants  and  sick  persons. 

SEPTEMBER  24.  I  set  out  from  Nuestra  Senora  de 
los  Dolores  with  ten  servants  of  the  district  and  with 
sixty  pack-animals,  many  of  them  mules.    On  this  day, 

344  The  value  of  Kino's  work  at  this  point  is  illustrated  by  Bancroft's  re- 
mark concerning  this  journey:  "The  diaries  are  not  extant,  and  such  details 
as  we  have  relate  mainly  to  California  geography,  having  little  interest  for 
our  present  purpose"  (Arizona  and  Neiv  Mexico,  359).  True  then,  Ban- 
croft's statement  no  longer  holds.  Manje,  not  being  with  the  expedition, 
does  not  give   a  diary  of  it. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  243 

the  twenty-fourth,  we  arrived  early  at  Nuestra  Senora 
de  los  Remedios,  after  a  journey  of  seven  leagues.  That 
afternoon  we  assisted  in  the  building  of  the  new  house, 
and  I  left  them  orders  and  instructions  for  the  new 
lodge  which  in  my  absence  they  were  to  finish  building 
and  roofing. 

25.  On  the  twenty-fifth  we  set  out  for  the  ranch  of 
San  Simon  y  San  Judas  del  Siboda,  where  there  were 
about  a  thousand  cattle  and  four  droves  of  mares  for 
the  new  conversions  which  were  being  founded;  and 
having  passed  by  the  rancheria  of  Babasaqui,  we  ar- 
rived after  a  journey  of  thirteen  leagues  and  killed  a 
fat  beef,  which  had  more  than  four  arrobas  of  suet  and 
tallow. 

26.  On  the  twenty-sixth,  after  a  journey  of  fifteen 
leagues,  we  arrived  at  San  Ambrosio  del  Busanic  y  del 
Tucubabia,  the  captain  of  this  rancheria  or  incipient 
pueblo  coming  four  leagues  to  meet  us.  Here  they 
were  tending  for  me  seventy  cattle,  as  many  head 
of  sheep  and  goats,  and  five  droves  of  mares,  besides 
wheat,  maize,  and  beans,  together  with  their  medium- 
sized  church  for  the  father  whom  they  hoped  to  receive. 

27.  On  the  twenty-seventh,  having  solemnized  after 
mass  nine  baptisms,  seven  of  little  ones  and  two  of  the 
sick  adults,  and  having  sent  to  advise  the  people  of  La 
Consepcion  del  Cabotca  that  within  twelve  or  fifteen 
[days]  they  should  come  to  meet  us  at  the  rancheria  of 
San  Marcelo  del  Sonoydag,  of  the  coast  of  the  Sea  of 
California,  we  set  out  for  the  watering  place  of  Santa 
Eulalia  and  arrived,  after  a  journey  of  twelve  leagues, 
about  an  hour  after  nightfall,  because  we  nad  been  de- 
tained in  a  rancheria  of  more  than  three  hundred  In- 
dians. Their  governor  had  come  as  far  as  San  Am- 
brosio del  Busanic,  and,  having  spoken  to  them  the 
Word  of  God,  they  made  an  agreement  with  us  to  the 


244  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

effect  that  if  there  should  be  a  missionary  father  all 
would  assemble  to  be  baptized  at  San  Ambrosio. 

28.  On  the  twenty-eighth  we  set  out  from  the  good 
watering  place  of  Santa  Eulalia  in  company  with  the 
fiscal  mayor  of  a  rancheria  which  is  two  leagues  be- 
yond. We  arrived  at  this  rancheria,  where  they  had 
prepared  for  us  a  very  great  heap  of  tunas,  besides  other 
provisions.  As  the  muleteers  had  dropped  along  that 
road  some  pieces  of  dried  meat  which  they  carried,  the 
Indians  of  this  rancheria  who  came  behind,  having 
found  them,  were  so  courteous  and  loyal  that  they 
brought  them  to  us,  and  in  view  of  this  loyalty  I  di- 
vided among  them  the  meat  and  other  little  gifts.  We 
travelled  today  up  to  nightfall  sixteen  leagues,  through 
level  lands  which  we  had  never  travelled  over  or  seen 
before. 

29.  On  the  twenty-ninth,  four  leagues  after  having 
set  out  from  the  place,  we  met  with  more  than  forty  In- 
dians, comprising  the  principal  persons  of  this  vicinity, 
among  them  being  the  captain  of  San  Rafael,  the  cap- 
tain of  El  Comae,  and  other  governors,  who  had  come 
ten,  twenty,  and  thirty  leagues,  and  who  received  us 
with  crosses  which  they  carried  in  their  hands  and 
which  they  gave  us.  Immediately  they  sent  to  various 
places  to  bring  us  many  provisions.  After  travelling 
six  leagues  farther  we  arrived  at  the  water-hole  of 
Nuestra  Senora  de  la  Merced  del  Batqui,  where  more 
than  two  hundred  souls  had  come  together.  There 
were  various  talks  on  doctrine,  given  by  myself  and  my 
teachers345  of  doctrine,  especially  at  nightfall,  when 
we  taught  them,  in  the  Pima  language,  the  method  of 
baptism  for  dying  persons  and  other  cases  of  necessity 
which  may  and  sometimes  do  occur,  when  there  is  no 
priest.     Here  they  gave  us  two  infants  to  baptize. 

345  I.e.  Indian  interpreters  and  teachers. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  245 

30.  On  the  thirtieth  of  September,  having  de- 
spatched half  of  the  servants  with  the  greater  part  of  the 
horses  to  go  to  await  us  ten  or  twelve  days  in  the  ranch 
and  rancheria  of  San  Marzelo  del  Sonoydag,  to  the 
westward,  we  set  out  with  the  best  horses  and  mules 
toward  the  north  for  El  Comae  and  the  Rio  Grande. 
Having  passed  by  four  other  lesser  rancherias,  at  night- 
fall and  after  twenty  leagues  of  very  level  road  we  ar- 
rived at  a  great  rancheria  which  we  named  San  Gero- 
nimo,  because  it  was  the  day  of  this  saint.  They  re- 
ceived us  with  crosses  and  arches  erected,  with  a  little 
house,  and  with  provisions  prepared,  two  hundred  and 
eighty  Indians  (for  we  counted  them)  being  drawn  up 
in  line,  as  in  the  Christian  pueblos.  An  hour  after 
nightfall  one  hundred  and  fifty  other  Indians  of  another 
rancheria  came  to  see  us  and  to  extend  to  us  a  welcome; 
because  it  was  night  neither  the  women  nor  the  chil- 
dren had  come.  Upon  inquiry  we  learned  that  in  this 
vicinity,  into  which  we  had  never  before  entered,  there 
were  more  than  a  thousand  persons,  who  had  never  seen 
a  father  or  any  Spaniard.  To  all  we  spoke  the  Word  of 
God,  which  was  well  received. 

October  i,  1700.  On  October  1  they  gave  us  seven 
infants  and  three  sick  adults  to  baptize;  and  if  we  had 
stayed  a  day,  as  they  requested,  they  would  have  given 
us  more  than  one  hundred  infants  to  baptize.  Here  a 
new  governor,  a  fiscal  mayor,  and  other  justices  were 
appointed.346  This  governor,  the  captain  of  El  Comae, 
and  the  governor  of  San  Francisco,  went  on  with  us  to 
the  Rio  Grande,  accompanying  us  and  guiding  us  with 
all  courtesy.  At  a  league's  distance  there  came  out  to 
meet  us  an  Indian  with  four  little  children,  one  sick, 
that  I  might  baptize  them,  and  I  baptized  the  sick  child 

340  Kino  does  not  mention  any  military  or  secular  officer  with  him.  In 
case  there  was  none,  Kino  must  have  acted  for  the  King  in  appointing  officers. 


246  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

for  him.  They  gave  us  a  large  quantity  of  maize  and 
calabashes,  but  we  accepted  only  a  little  for  that  day. 
After  a  journey  of  six  leagues  we  arrived  at  a  very  good 
watering-place,  and  after  twelve  more  at  another, 
among  inaccessible  rocks,  which  the  pack-animals 
could  not  reach  to  drink,  although  the  guides  brought 
us  enough  water  for  ourselves. 

2.  On  the  second,  after  a  journey  of  ten  leagues,  we 
arrived  at  the  Rio  Grande  and  at  its  rancheria  of  El 
Tutto,  where  we  found  more  than  two  hundred  persons. 
More  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  other  Indians,  from 
among  the  principal  ones,  came  to  see  us  from  farther 
up  and  farther  down ;  and  some  came  to  see  us  from  the 
[Colorado]  river,  because  they  had  been  informed  that 
at  this  time  I  was  to  pass  through  this  region.  All  were 
very  affable,  docile,  and  friendly  people,  the  Cocomari- 
copas  as  well  as  those  of  the  Rio  Colorado;  for  al- 
though they  are  of  a  different  language,  there  are  al- 
ways among  them  many  Pimas  and  others  who  speak 
the  Pima  language  very  well.  They  brought  us  many 
of  their  eatables,  and  we  spoke  the  Word  of  God  both 
to  the  Pimas  and,  through  an  interpreter,  to  the  Coco- 
maricopas  of  this  place  and  from  the  Rio  Colorado,  all 
of  whom  were  rejoiced  to  hear  it. 

CHAPTER  VIII.    WE  DESCEND  THE  RIO  GRANDE  TO 

THE  WEST,  AND  AFTER  A  JOURNEY  OF  FIFTY 

LEAGUES    REACH    THE    YUMA    NATION, 

DISCOVER  FOUR  NEW  NATIONS,  AND 

SIGHT  THE  CALIFORNIAS  347 

3.  On  October  3,  day  of  Nuestra  Senora  del  Ro- 
sario,  we  set  out  for  the  west  accompanied  by  many  of 
the  people  who  had  come  to  see  us.    There  was  also  the 

347  It  is  not  easy  to  identify  all  the  villages  named  in  this  journey  down 
stream  with  those  named  in  the  journey  up  stream  a  year  earlier.  See 
pages  193-199. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  247 

governor  of  El  Tutto,  who  knew  very  well  both  the 
Pima  and  the  Cocomaricopa  languages,  and  the  alcalde 
of  San  Felipe  y  Santiago  del  Oyadaybuise,  who  from 
the  east  and  up  the  river  had  brought  me  the  notice 
which  the  captain  of  La  Encarnacion  had  sent  me  to  the 
effect  that  his  people  had  dealt  a  blow  to  the  Apaches. 
After  a  journey  of  six  leagues  over  very  good  road  we 
arrived  at  the  rancheria  called  Guoydag,  of  more  than 
two  hundred  persons,  many  of  whom  were  from  the 
Rio  Colorado.  During  today's  march  the  boys  kept 
throwing  great  quantities  of  grass  to  the  mules  and 
horses,  delighted  that  they  ate  it  and  did  not  eat  boys, 
as  they  had  been  made  to  believe  was  the  case  the  year 
before,  when  we  entered  in  February,  being  then  very 
much  afraid  of  us  and  fleeing  from  us,  but  now  having 
lost  that  fear  entirely.  In  the  afternoon,  after  going 
seven  leagues  more,  we  reached  the  rancheria  of  San 
Mateo  del  Batki,348  where  they  received  us  with  divers 
of  their  dishes  and  with  fish. 

4.  On  the  fourth  they  gave  us  an  infant  to  baptize. 
We  set  out  for  San  Matias  del  Tutumagoydag,349  and, 
after  a  journey  of  thirteen  leagues,  arrived  an  hour  be- 
fore sunset,  having  passed  by  three  rancherias  in  which 
there  must  have  been  about  seven  hundred  persons,  in- 
cluding many  families  from  the  Rio  Colorado,  all  of 
whom  showed  us  great  kindness.  In  San  Matias  they 
received  us  with  all  friendliness.  We  gave  some  pres- 
ents to  the  guides  and  interpreters,  who  went  no  further 
with  us,  because  thereafter  we  would  be  entering  the 
Yuma  nation,  with  whom  they  were  on  unfriendly 
terms,  because  of  some  murders  which  had  taken  place 

348  This  seems  to  be  the  San  Tadeo  de  Vaqui  visited  February  26,  1699. 
See  Manje,  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  79. 

349  This  is  the  San  Matias  Tutum  mentioned  in  Manje's  diary  of  1699 
as  the  first  village  above  San  Pedro. 


248  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

during  the  preceding  months.  But  when  we  told  them 
that  in  future  they  should  come  in  peace,  they  accepted 
our  counsels  and  requested  us  that  among  the  Yumas 
also  we  should  become  mediators  of  very  firm  peace- 
agreements,  as  we  did. 

5.  On  the  fifth,  having  talked  the  night  before  till 
almost  midnight  about  the  Word  of  God,  and  having 
.charged  them  to  carry  it  on  to  the  Rio  Colorado,  and 
they  having  given  us  an  infant  to  baptize,  we  set  out 
for  the  Yumas,  always  to  the  west  and  down  the  Rio 
Grande  (or  Rio  de  los  Santos  Apostoles)  ;  and  having 
traveled  about  fifteen  leagues  over  good  but  uninhab- 
ited road,  we  arrived  at  a  good  place  which  we  named 
La  Sienega  de  los  Patos,  or  Laguna  de  los  Ansares,  for 
there  were  great  numbers  of  ducks  and  geese.  We  saw 
various  rancherias  which  had  been  deserted  during  the 
preceding  months. 

6.  On  the  sixth,  setting  out  from  La  Cienega  de  los 
Patos,  after  twelve  leagues  of  very  level  road  we  met 
the  first  Yumas,  of  San  Pedro  and  of  San  Pablo.  We 
had  penetrated  to  this  point  when  they  gave  us  the  first 
blue  shells  in  February  of  the  year  before.  They  re- 
ceived us  very  affectionately,  even  giving  the  dog  which 
was  with  us  water  and  pinole  in  a  little  basket,  with  all 
kindness,  as  if  he  were  a  person,  wondering  that  he  was 
so  tame  and  faithful,  a  thing  never  before  seen  by  them. 
In  this  respect  they  were  like  the  Californians  when 
we  went  to  see  them  the  first  time  fifteen  years  before. 

In  three  other  respects  we  afterward  found,  during 
these  days,  these  natives  and  their  country  are  like  the 
Californians:  first,  in  the  dress  of  the  men  and  women; 
second,  in  that  the  men  cut  their  hair  in  one  way  and 
the  boys  in  another;  third,  in  that  here  there  are  various 
trees  native  to  California,  such  as  the  incense  tree  and 
the  tree  bearing  the  fruit  which  they  called  medesse. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  249 

In  the  afternoon  we  set  out  toward  the  north,  now 
with  Yuma  guides.  Here  the  river  runs  about  eight 
leagues  to  the  north  and  afterward  turns  again  to  the 
west.  On  the  way  they  gave  us  great  quantities  of  fish, 
both  raw  and  cooked;  for,  although  they  had  their  little 
fields  of  maize,  beans,  calabashes,  and  watermelons,  the 
beans  and  maize  were  not  yet  ripe.  We  spent  the  night 
at  a  very  good  stopping-place,  which  we  called  Camp 
of  Las  Sandias,  for  there  were  watermelons  in  a  very 
rich  sandy  beach  at  the  foot  of  a  hill,  from  the  top  of 
which  California  is  plainly  visible;  and  this  day  was 
the  day  of  San  Bruno,  patron  of  California. 

7.  On  the  seventh,  setting  out  down  stream,  after 
going  four  leagues  we  halted  near  a  rancheria,  which, 
however,  was  on  the  other  side  of  the  river;  and  while 
I  despatched  some  friendly  messages  to  the  rancherias 
round  about,  with  the  governor,  the  alcalde,  and  my 
major-domo  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores,  and  the 
four  best  pack-mules  that  we  had,  I  ascended  a  hill  to 
the  westward,  where  we  thought  we  should  be  able  to 
see  the  Sea  of  California;  but  looking  and  sighting 
toward  the  south,  the  west,  and  the  southwest,  both  with 
a  long  range  telescope  and  without,  we  saw  more  than 
thirty  leagues  of  level  country,  without  any  sea,  and  the 
junction  of  the  Rio  Colorado  with  this  Rio  Grande  (or 
Rio  de  Hila,  or  Rio  de  los  Apostoles),  and  their  many 
groves  and  plains.  We  afterwards  learned  that  in  those 
lands  and  their  vicinity  lived  four  new  nations,  of 
friendly  and  industrious  Indians,  the  Quiquima,  Bagi- 
opa,  Hoabonomas,  and  Cutganas.  Returning  to  our 
stopping-place  we  ate,  adding  some  sweetmeats  for  joy 
that  now,  thank  the  Lord,  we  had  seen  the  lands  per- 
taining to  California,  without  any  sea  between  and  sep- 
arating those  lands  from  it.  Because  our  Pima  guides, 
the  captain  and  the  governor  of  El  Comae,  the  son  of 


250  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

the  captain  of  San  Raphael,  and  the  captain  of  Actum, 
named  Miguel,  were  becoming  weary,  and  because  the 
time  for  collecting  the  alms  of  cattle  which  the  fathers 
of  these  missions  of  Sonora  were  giving  for  California 
were  pressing  upon  me,  I  determined  to  return  to 
Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores. 

CHAPTER  IX.     HAVING  SEEN  THAT  THE  GULF  OF 

CALIFORNIA   DID   NOT   EXTEND   TO   THIRTY-FIVE 

DEGREES,  WHEN  WE  SET  OUT  ON  THE  RETURN  TO 

NUESTRA  SENORA  DE  LOS  DOLORES  THE  MANY 

NATIVES   FROM   FARTHER  ALONG  CALL  US 

AND  CAUSE  US  TO  RETURN,  AND  WE  GO 

ON  TO  THE  LARGE  RIO  COLORADO 

When,  this  same  day,  October  7,  about  four  in  the 
afternoon,  we  were  setting  out  from  the  stopping-place 
to  spend  the  night  at  the  Camp  of  Las  Sandias,  I  was 
overtaken  by  the  governor  of  these  Yumas,  to  whom 
we  had  given  the  staff  of  office  the  year  before,  and  who 
came  from  the  junction  of  the  rivers,  saying  to  me  that 
those  natives  were  begging  that  I  should  go  to  see  them. 
The  relay  was  already  setting  out  with  my  baggage  and 
the  vestments  and  paraphernalia  for  saying  mass,  and  I 
let  them  go,  remaining  to  speak  very  leisurely  with  this 
governor,  who  knew  very  well  both  the  Pima  and  the 
Yuma  languages,  and  having  informed  myself  thor- 
oughly that  afternoon  and  part  of  the  night  in  regard  to 
the  gulf  of  California,  the  surrounding  new  nations,  and 
especially  the  large  population  of  the  great-volumed 
Rio  Colorado  near-by,  it  seemed  to  me  a  matter  of  con- 
science not  to  go  to  see  those  numerous  natives. 

8.  On  the  eighth  I  arose  very  early  and  overtook 
my  servants,  and  after  saying  mass  at  the  camp  of  Las 
Sandias  at  dawn,  and  turning  back  to  go  to  see  these 
natives  of  the  junction  of  the  rivers,  after  a  journey  of 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  251 

two  leagues  I  met  more  than  forty  of  them,  who  had 
come  to  overtake  me,  travelling  all  night,  fearing  that 
I  might  go  without  seeing  them.  They  rejoiced  great- 
ly that  I  was  now  going  to  see  them.  As  most  of  them 
were  on  the  other  side  of  this  Rio  Grande,  I  told  them 
to  go  and  notify  them  to  cross  to  this  side.  But  as  they 
said  that  the  people  were  numerous  and  all  were  asking 
that  I  should  cross  over  there,  they  sought  and  found 
me  a  ford  where  this  Rio  Grande  divides  into  three 
branches;  and,  crossing  it,  after  eight  leagues  of  very 
good  road  I  arrived  at  the  first  Yumas  of  the  very  large 
volumed  Rio  Colorado,  who  came  forth  two  leagues 
to  receive  us  with  many  of  their  viands.  Here  were 
many  of  those  who  the  previous  year,  1699,  had  come 
out  to  see  us  at  the  post  or  rancheria  of  San  Pedro,  so 
named  because  of  having  said  there  the  first  mass  which 
was  said  in  this  new  nation,  on  the  day  of  the  Chair 
of  Saint  Peter,  the  twenty-second  of  February  of  the 
past  year,  when  I  entered  with  Father  Adamo  Gilg 
and  Captain  Juan  Mateo  Manje.  The  natives  at 
once  very  lovingly  asked  us  about  his  Reverence  and  his 
Grace,  why  they  had  not  returned,  etc.,  and  we  told 
them  that  they  were  in  good  health,  and  that  perhaps 
some  other  time  they  would  come  here  again. 

On  arriving  at  the  great  rancheria  of  the  Rio  Colo- 
rado, more  than  a  thousand  persons,  assembled  together, 
welcomed  us;  soon  more  than  two  hundred  others  came, 
and  the  following  day  more  than  three  hundred,  who 
came  from  the  other  side  of  this  very  large  volumed 
Rio  Colorado  (which  is  the  true  and  real  P  io  del  Norte 
of  the  ancients)  swimming  across  it.  We  made  them 
many  talks  about  our  holy  faith,  which  were  very  well 
received,  and  thev  thanked  us  for  them  with  verv  ten- 


252  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

der  and  loving  words  and  talks,  both  in  the  Pima  lan- 
guage and  in  the  Yuma  or  Cocomaricopa,  which  are 
the  same.  These  talks,  ours  and  theirs,  lasted  almost 
the  whole  afternoon  and  afterward  till  midnight,  with 
very  great  pleasure  to  all.  They  begged  of  me  to  stay 
with  them,  if  only  one  or  two  days,  saying  that  many 
people  were  coming  from  up  the  river  where  the  Al- 
chedomas  live,  and  from  down  the  river  where  the 
Quiquimas,  Bagiopas,  and  Hoabonomas  live.  But  I 
dared  not  linger,  lest  I  fail  in  coming  to  collect  the 
cattle  for  California,  as  I  had  been  charged,  and  as  the 
branding  time  was  near  at  hand. 

9.  On  the  ninth,  after  mass,  they  gave  me  two  sick 
adults  to  baptize.  One  was  called  Dionisio,  because  it 
was  the  day  of  this  glorious,  holy  martyr;  likewise,  be- 
cause the  mass  of  this  saint  had  been  said  here,  the 
rancheria  and  very  good  post,  close  to  the  junction  of 
the  rivers,  was  called  San  Dionisio. 

Most  of  the  Indians  who  this  morning  came  to  see  us, 
travelling  nearly  all  the  night,  and  swimming  across 
the  river,  were  of  very  lofty  stature,  and  the  principal 
one  of  them  was  of  gigantic  size  and  the  largest  In- 
dian that  we  had  ever  seen.  To  him  and  two  others  we 
gave  staffs  of  the  office  of  justice.  On  taking  our  leave 
we  comforted  them,  saying  that  we  would  try  to  return, 
as  they  so  importuned  and  desired. 

This  very  large  volumed,  populous,  and  fertile  Colo- 
rado River,  which  without  exception  is  the  largest  in 
all  New  Spain,  is  that  which  the  ancient  cosmographers 
by  antonomasia  called  Rio  del  Norte.  It  very  prob- 
ably comes  from  Gran  Quivira;  and  it  is  certain  that 
by  the  fertile  and  pleasant  lands  of  this  great  river  one 
can  penetrate  to  the  Moquis,  since  it  flows  ten  leagues 
west  of  those  pueblos,  and  since  the  rancheria  of  San 
Dionisio,  as  I  have  found  by  measuring  the  height  of 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  253 

the  sun  with  the  astrolabe,  is  in  thirty-five  and  one-half 
degrees  of  [north]  latitude.  Ascending  this  river, 
which  comes  almost  uniformly  from  the  northeast,  an- 
other degree  and  a  half,  which  in  this  latitude  makes  a 
journey  of  thirty-six  leagues,  one  reaches  thirty-six  de- 
grees,350 which  is  the  latitude  of  the  Moquis,  missions 
pertaining  to  New  Mexico;  and  there  is  probably  no 
danger  in  this  region  that  the  Apaches  would  impede 
the  entry. 

CHAPTER    X.     WE    TAKE    LEAVE    OF    THE     MANY 

PEOPLE  OF  THE  RIO  COLORADO,  OR  RIO  DEL 

NORTE,   AND    RETURN    BY   THE    OTHER 

ROUTE,  THROUGH  SAN  MARZELO 

This  day,  October  9,  having  set  out  from  San  Di- 
onisio  and  the  junction  of  the  two  rivers,  we  arrived  in 
the  afternoon  at  the  camp  of  Las  Sandias,  where  our 
relay  was,  and  then  passed  on  two  leagues  farther  to  a 
rancheria,  where  they  gave  us  a  great  quantity  of  fish. 
We  ascended  another  and  higher  hill,  whence  at  sunset 
we  plainly  descried  a  large  stretch  of  country  in  Cali- 
fornia and  saw  that  the  two  rivers,  below  the  conflu- 
ence, ran  united  about  ten  leagues  to  the  west,  and  then, 
turning  southward,  about  twenty  leagues  farther  on 
emptied  into  the  head  of  the  Sea  of  California. 

10.  On  the  tenth,  leaving  the  Rio  Grande  and  com- 
ing by  the  route  by  which  we  had  entered  in  the  month 
of  February  of  the  past  year,  we  arrived  in  time  to  take 
our  siesta  at  the  tank  of  La  Tinaja;  and  travelling  in 
the  afternoon  about  twelve  leagues  farther,  we  arrived 
an  hour  after  nightfall  at  the  watering-place  which  also 
the  past  year  we  had  called  El  Agua  Escondida,  be- 
cause it  was  among  the  rocks.351 

oso  There  is  an  obvious  discrepancy  here. 

351  Some  writers  have   confused   Kino's  La  Tinaja  with   modern  Tinajas 


254  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

ii.  On  the  eleventh,  after  dispatching  most  of  the 
servants  with  the  relay,  that  they  might  go  on  to  take 
their  siesta  and  wait  for  me  wherever  they  should  come 
across  good  pasturage  for  the  pack-animals,  I  turned 
toward  the  west  and  ascended  another  hill,  but  I  saw 
nothing  more  than  the  continuation  of  these  lands  with 
those  of  California,  and  the  sands  of  the  California  sea. 
Overtaking  the  servants,  and  travelling  today  twelve 
leagues,  we  arrived  before  sunset  at  the  tank  of  La 
Luna,  for  we  had  given  it  this  name  the  year  before  be- 
cause we  had  arrived  there  at  night  by  moonlight.  And 
because  this  watering-place  is  among  some  rocks  so 
high  that  the  pack-animals  cannot  ascend  to  drink 
water,  we  determined  to  eat  a  morsel  of  supper  there 
and  then  travel,  and  we  did  travel,  three  hours  more  by 
night,  in  order  to  reach  the  watering-place  of  Carrizal 
with  more  ease  the  following  day. 

12.  On  the  twelfth,  arising  more  than  two  hours  be- 
fore dawn,  and  setting  out  from  the  stopping-place  at 
the  rising  of  the  morning  star,  after  thirteen  leagues  of 
very  good  roads  we  arrived  at  ten  o'clock  at  the  good 

Atlas.  Eldredge  (Beginnings  of  San  Francisco,  vol.  i,  60)  speaks  of  Kino's 
Aguaje  de  la  Luna  and  Agua  Escondida  as  one  and  the  same,  though  the 
diaries  give  them  as  twelve  leagues  apart.  Agua  Escondida  was  evidently 
modern  Tinajas  Altas.  An  excellent  description  of  Tinajas  Altas  is  given 
in  Report  of  the  Boundary  Commission  (Washington,  1898),  part  ii,  25. 
Aguaje  de  la  Luna  may  have  been  Tinajas  del  Tule,  a  well-known  tank 
on  the  Sonoita  trail,  although  judged  by  distances  given  in  the  diaries  it 
is  too  far  west.  (See  post,  pages  311-320).  La  Tinaja  del  Cerro  de  la 
Cabeza  Prieta  as  located  by  Lumholtz  is  out  of  the  question,  although 
Aguaje  de  la  Luna  might  be  the  tank  of  that  name  as  shown  on  the 
Boundary    Commission    map.  Eldredge's    assumption    that    Anza's    Agua 

Escondida  was  Kino's  Aguaje  de  la  Luna  seems  untenable,  the  former 
probably  being  in  the  Sierra  Pinta.  The  error  may  have  arisen  from 
placing  Los  Pozos  de  en  Medio  west  of  Gila  Range,  when  all  the  diaries  of 
the  Anza  expedition  distinctly  say  that  they  were  at  the  last  camp  before 
entering  the  pass  (Tinajas  Altas  Pass).  Richman  (op.  cit.,  map)  places 
Anza's  Agua  Escondida  east  of  La  Purificacion,  which  is  quite  contrary  to 
the  explicit  words  of  the  diaries. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J. 255 

watering-place  of  El  Carrizal,  of  the  Arroyo  de  San 
Marcelo  del  Sonoydag.  I  said  mass,  we  breakfasted, 
and  after  eating  dinner  we  took  a  very  good  siesta;  and 
after  eight  leagues'  journey  farther  we  arrived  at  eight 
o'clock  at  night  at  the  rancheria  and  ranch  of  San  Mar- 
zelo,  having  been  given  good  refreshments  by  the  peo- 
ple of  another  rancheria  which  was  on  the  way  and  to 
whom  we  spoke  the  word  of  God.  They  gave  us  three 
sick  adults  to  baptize,  who  were  called  Ygnacio,  Fran- 
cisco Xavier,  and  Francisco  de  Borja.  The  fiscal  and 
principal  personage  of  this  rancheria  came  with  us  to 
Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores,  almost  one  hundred 
leagues'  journey. 

The  people  of  San  Marcelo  del  Sonoydag,  their  gov- 
ernor, and  many  others,  came  out  more  than  three 
leagues  to  meet  us,  with  arches  and  crosses  erected  and 
with  a  house  or  arbor  prepared,  with  plentiful  supplies 
and  meat,  and  wheat,  maize,  beans,  and  calabashes,  for 
there  are  crops  of  all  these  for  the  father  whom  they 
are  asking  for  and  hoping  to  receive.  We  found  here 
our  people  and  servants  with  the  relay  which  on  the 
twentieth  of  the  past  month  we  had  sent  from  La  Con- 
cepcion  del  Cabotca,  who  had  come  fifty  leagues  to 
meet  us  at  the  summons  which  we  had  sent  them  from 
San  Ambrosio  del  Busanic. 

This  post  and  rancheria  of  San  Marcelo  is  the  best 
there  is  on  this  coast.  It  has  fertile  land,  with  irriga- 
tion ditches  for  good  crops,  water  which  runs  all  the 
year,  good  pasture  for  cattle,  and  everything  necessary 
for  a  good  settlement,  for  it  has  very  near  here  more 
than  a  thousand  souls,  and  many  more  in  its  environs, 
while  there  is  a  notable  lack  of  water  on  the  rest  of  this 
coast,  which  extends  fifty  leagues  south  to  La  Concep- 
cion  del  Cabotca,  fifty  leagues  north  to  the  Rio  Grande, 


256  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

fifty  leagues  east  to  the  valley  of  San  Xavier  del  Baac, 
and  fifty  or  more  leagues  west  to  the  confines  of  the 
Quiquimas  and  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  Colorado. 

13.  On  the  thirteenth  we  rested  at  San  Marzelo. 
We  received  a  holy  cross  which  the  captain  of  La  En- 
carnacion  of  the  Rio  Grande  and  Casa  Grande  sent  me, 
with  very  kind  messages,  from  a  distance  of  more  than 
seventy  leagues.  We  catechized  the  people,  and  they 
gave  us  four  sick  adults  and  four  infants  to  baptize. 
We  counted  the  cattle,  finding  about  fifty  head,  and 
killed  one  fat  beef.  The  overseer  of  this  ranch  and  the 
alcalde  and  the  fiscal  of  this  rancheria  of  San  Marcelo 
made  plans  to  go  and  did  go  with  us  to  Nuestra  Senora 
de  los  Dolores. 

CHAPTER  XI.     SETTING  OUT  FROM  SAN  MARZELO, 
AFTER  A  JOURNEY  OF  FIFTY  LEAGUES  WE  AR- 
RIVE AT  NUESTRA  SENORA  DE  LA  CONCEPCION 
DEL   CABOTCA,    AND   AFTER    FIFTY    MORE 
AT  NUESTRA  SENORA  DE  LOS  DOLORES 

October  14,  1700.  On  the  fourteenth  of  October, 
setting  out  for  San  Luys  Bertrando  de  Bacapa,  after  a 
journey  of  six  leagues  there  came  out  to  meet  us  many 
natives  with  many  of  their  viands  and  many  very  good 
pitajayas,  which  on  this  coast  are  abundant  and  last 
until  December.  After  six  leagues'  journey  farther  we 
arrived  at  San  Luys  Bertrando,  where  we  were  wel- 
comed by  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  persons,  with 
many  of  their  viands  and  pitajayas,  and  we  spoke  the 
Word  of  God  to  them  all. 

15.  Having  invited  these  people  to  come  to  the 
pueblos,  the  most  arable  pieces  of  land,  and  the  rivers, 
to  live,  we  set  out  for  San  Eduardo  del  Baipia,  and 
after  a  journey  of  twenty  leagues  we  arrived  at  night- 
fall; there  received  us,  with  crosses  placed  in  the  roads, 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  257 

with  a  house  or  arbor  and  prepared  viands,  more  than 
twelve  hundred  persons,  who  had  assembled  from  the 
neighborhood,  with  many  justices  who  had  come  from 
various  places,  among  them  the  captain  of  La  Concep- 
cion  del  Cabotca  and  other  governors  and  the  foreman 
of  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores,  who  had  come  to 
meet  us  with  some  relay  pack-horses  and  with  bread 
and  other  refreshments. 

16.  On  the  sixteenth,  after  travelling  sixteen  leagues, 
we  arrived  at  La  Concepcion  del  Cabotca,  where  we 
were  received  with  all  kindness  and  with  an  abundance 
of  provisions,  for  there  were  wheat,  maize,  large  and 
small  stock,  about  one  hundred  head  of  each  sort,  an 
earth-roofed  adobe  house,  and  a  little  church  which 
the  venerable  Father  Francisco  Xavier  Saeta  had  built. 
Of  the  many  who  came  forth  more  than  a  league  to 
meet  us  and  receive  us,  one  greeted  us  with  these  words: 
"Blessed  and  exalted  be  the  most  holy  sacrament  of  the 
altar  and  the  immaculate  conception  of  most  holy 
Mary,"  which  among  new  people  was  a  source  of  great 
pleasure  and  of  some  wonder  to  us. 

17.  On  the  seventeenth,  having  spoken  to  them  the 
Word  of  God,  and  baptized  infants  which  they  gave 
us,  including  a  son  of  the  captain  of  this  nation,  we  set 
out  for  El  Tubutama  which,  after  more  than  twenty 
leagues  we  reached  that  night  by  moonlight,  having 
passed  by  the  rancherias  of  San  Diego  del  Pitquin  and 
San  Antonio  del  Uquitoa,  where  also  there  were  wheat 
and  maize  for  the  father,  and  through  that  of  El  Ad- 
dibuto.  In  El  Tubutama  there  were  more  than  two 
hundred  persons,  a  little  church  and  a  house  of  adobe 
and  earth,  and  at  the  ringing  of  their  bell  they  recited 
the  prayers  and  the  Christian  doctrine,  as  in  the  pueblos 
of  Sonora.  They  had  here  about  fifty  head  of  cattle, 
about  one  hundred  head  of  sheep  and  goats,  and  every 


258  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

year  they  plant  wheat,  maize,  and  beans  for  the  father 
whom  they  were  hoping  to  receive. 

1 8.  On  the  eighteenth,  after  a  seventeen  leagues' 
journey,  we  arrived  at  the  pueblo  of  San  Ygnacio,  hav- 
ing passed  through  that  of  Santa  Maria  Madalena, 
which,  with  the  pueblo  higher  up,  namely  that  of  San 
Joseph  de  Hymeres,  are  in  charge  of  Father  Agustin 
de  Campos;  and  although  his  Reverence  was  somewhat 
indisposed  from  tertian  ague,  he  received  us  with  all 
kindness. 

19.  On  the  nineteenth,  passing  through  San  Joseph 
de  Hymeres  and  Babasaqui,  after  nine  leagues'  journey 
I  arrived  at  my  pueblo  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Reme- 
dios,  where  I  found  that  they  had  just  finished  roofing 
two  very  good  lodges  with  very  good  rafters  and  boards 
of  pine.     We  rested  here  this  afternoon. 

20.  On  the  twentieth  we  arrived,  thanks  to  his  di- 
vine Majesty,  in  safety  at  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Do- 
lores, having  travelled  in  going  and  returning  three 
hundred  and  eighty-four  leagues  in  twenty-six  days, 
without  our  pack-animals  becoming  weary  and  without 
any  mishap,  which  we  attributed  to  the  celestial  favors 
of  our  Lord,  having  happily  caught  sight  of  California 
and  the  passage  to  it  by  land,  having  solemnized  forty- 
two  baptisms,  and  discovered  four  other  new  nations 
and  the  great  Rio  Colorado,  or  Rio  del  Norte.  And 
we  reported  this  news  to  the  lovers  of  new  conversions 
as  previously  they  had  asked  me  to  do. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  259 

CHAPTER  XII.     LETTERS  WHICH  THE  FATHERS  OF 

THE  COMPANY,  AS  WELL  AS  OTHERS,  SECULAR 

GENTLEMEN,  WRITE  ME,  HAVING  HEARD 

THE  NEWS  OF  THE  ABOVE-RELATED 

EXPEDITION  AND  DISCOVERY 

The  Father  Visitor.  The  father  visitor,  Antonio 
Leal,  on  October  9  wrote  me  the  following  letter: 

I  am  greatly  rejoiced  over  the  return  of  your  Reverence  from 
your  journey,  which  the  father  rector,  Juan  Maria  de  Salva- 
tierra,  had  written  me  to  ask  your  Reverence  about,  because  of 
the  importance  of  the  certainty  of  its  being  mainland.  Very 
good  news  also  is  that  of  the  Rio  Colorado  and  of  the  other  na- 
tions. Operarii  autem  pauci,352  that  is  the  pity  of  it.  For 
God  now  offers  so  great  a  harvest  in  so  great  a  field.  May  he 
recompense  your  Reverence  for  such  toil  in  discovering  so  many 
sheep,  redeemed  by  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  but  separated  from 
His  fold. 

The  Father  Rector  of  this  Mission.  The  father 
rector  of  this  mission  of  San  Francisco  Xavier,  Adamo 
Gilg,  writes  thus: 

A  hearty  welcome  to  your  Reverence  from  your  long  apos- 
tolic excursion,  which  the  father  rector  Juan  Maria  Salvatierra 
asked  of  us.  It  is  now  well  established  that  the  Sea  of  Cali- 
fornia does  not  reach  to  thirty-four  degrees  of  latitude. 

To  the  father  rector  of  the  College  of  Matape,  Mar- 
cos Antonio  Kappus,  I  sent,  together  with  these  reports, 
some  of  the  blue  shells  which  they  had  given  me  the 
year  before,  in  February,  on  the  Rio  Colorado,  and 
which  caused  me  to  infer  that  this  land  route  must  exist 
because  I  had  seen  shells  of  the  same  kind  on  the  op- 
posite coast  in  the  year  1685,  when  in  company  with  the 
Admiral  Don  Ysydro  de  Attondo  y  Antillon.353 

The  Father  Rector  of  Matape.  The  father  rector 
answered  me  thus: 

I  esteem  the  blue  shells  above  my  eyes,  and  especially  the 

352  "But  the  laborers  are  few"  (Luke,  x,  2). 

353  See  the  "Index." 


26o  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

large  one,  which  truly  is  a  rare  piece.  May  your  Reverence 
live  a  thousand  years.  Yesterday  the  father  rector  Juan  Maria 
Salvatierra  sent  me  four  shells  from  the  opposite  coast,  and  these 
are  neither  more  nor  less  than  of  the  same  sort  and  source. 

The  Senor  Military  Commander.  The  Senor  mil- 
itary commander  of  this  province  of  Sonora,  Don  Do- 
mingo Jironza  Petris  de  Cruzatt,  who  always  had 
strongly  urged  these  expeditions  in  the  service  of  God 
and  the  king,  and  for  them  had  already  in  four  other 
distinct  letters  given  me  thanks  in  the  name  of  his  royal 
Majesty,  on  this  occasion  also  wrote  me  a  very  kind  let- 
ter full  of  comfort  and  congratulations,  etc. 

General  Juan  Fernandez  de  la  Fuente.  General 
Juan  Fernandez  de  la  Fuente,  captain  of  the  presidio 
of  Janos  and  alcalde  mayor  of  Casas  Grandes,  wrote  me 
the  following: 

At  a  time  when  evil  rumors  were  current,  spread  by  some  ill 
disposed  persons  (who  for  that  reason  are  not  credited,  and  who 
dream  of  revolts  not  intended,  which  often  arise  from  our  an- 
nouncing them  and  talking  about  them,  the  natives  having  no 
such  intention)  with  great  rejoicing  and  appreciation  on  my  part 
I  just  received  the  very  much  esteemed  letter  of  your  Reverence, 
by  which  I  see  all  that  has  been  done  by  your  Reverence  in  the 
service  of  God  and  the  king,  which  for  me  has  certainly  been 
most  delightful  news.  Our  very  reverend  fathers,  Rector  Juan 
Maria  de  Salvatierra  and  Francisco  Maria  Piccolo,  and  all  the 
other  pioneers,  have  greatly  rejoiced,  and  I  should  be  greatly 
delighted  if  your  Reverence  and  I  could  see  each  other,  that  face 
to  face  and  mouth  to  mouth  we  might  confer  upon  all  that  might 
be  to  your  pleasure  and  of  service  to  God  and  the  King,  and  to 
all.  In  all  such  matters  as  may  arise,  I  shall  subject  myself,  and 
sacrifice  my  life  and  estate,  for  in  doing  the  service  of  God  and 
the  King  and  the  common  weal  we  may  promise  ourselves 
eternal  salvation,  which  is  all  that  we  can  desire. 

Thus  far  General  Juan  Fernandez  de  la  Fuente. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  261 

CHAPTER  XIII.     LETTER  OF  THE  FATHER  RECTOR 

JUAN   MARIA  DE  SALVATIERRA,   TO  WHOM   IN 

THE  MONTHS  PRECEDING  I  HAD  WRITTEN 

OF  THE  VERY  GREAT  PROBABILITY  OF 

THE  LAND  ROUTE  TO  CALIFORNIA 

Two  days  after  I  had  returned  from  the  above-men- 
tioned expedition  to  the  Rio  Colorado  and  the  land 
route  to  California,  I  received  a  long  letter  from  the 
father  rector,  Juan  Maria  de  Salvatierra,  dated  Loreto 
Concho,  California,  August  25,  of  this  year  of  1700. 
In  it  his  Reverence,  among  other  things,  writes  to  me 
the  following: 

I  received  here  in  Loreto,  all  at  one  time,  the  letters  of  your 
Reverence  written  in  Matape  and  other  places,  and  they  were  a 
great  comfort  to  me.  We  have  rejoiced  to  know  the  almost  cer- 
tainty that  this  land  is  a  part  of  the  continent  and  joins 
New  Spain ;  and  the  only  thing  lacking  is  to  know  in  what  lat- 
itude this  gulf  ends,  which  we  are  all  hoping  your  Reverence 
will  write  us  after  the  rains,  for  next  year,  if  they  succor  us,  it 
will  not  be  difficult  to  compass  the  one  hundred  leagues,  even 
though  they  be  one  hundred  and  fifty,  so  as  to  meet.  We  are  in 
great  want,  what  with  having  had  no  supplies  from  Mexico  in 
fourteen  months,  and  altogether  lacking  in  the  matter  of  goods, 
chocolate,  tobacco,  etc.,  which  can  not  be  otherwise  than  the  re- 
sult of  some  other  great  disaster  to  a  bark  or  barks.  God's  will 
be  done  in  everything,  for  I  hope  the  gates  of  hell  will  not  pre- 
vail against  the  great  little  house  of  Loreto.  And  it  has  an  im- 
portant bearing  upon  the  case  to  know  the  way  by  land  to  where 
this  sea  heads,  so  as  to  be  able  to  secure  aid  overland  in  an 
emergency,  such  as  may  happen  to  us  in  case  of  complete  de- 
struction of  the  shipping,  etc. 

In  regard  to  the  gift  of  the  cattle  and  their  transportation  to 
Hiaqui,  again  I  express  to  your  Reverence  my  appieciation  of 
the  abundant  charity  thereof,  for  your  Reverence's  part  in  it, 
and  also  for  what  you  did  with  the  other  fathers.  Accept,  your 
Reverence,  warm  greetings  from  Father  Francisco  Maria  Pic- 
colo, and  from  all  the  people  of  this  Loreto,  who  have  rejoiced 


262  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

in  the  hopes  of  the  continental  connection  and  who  anxiously 
await  the  last  news. 

Thus  far  the  Father  Rector  Juan  Maria  de  Salva- 
tierra,  just  after  these  reports  had  been  obtained,  and  as 
I  was  actually  writing  to  his  Reverence,  with  the  diary 
of  all  the  above-mentioned  expedition,  which  I  sent  to 
his  Reverence  in  California.  In  view  of  its  contents 
his  Reverence  came  afterward  in  person  from  Nuestra 
Senora  de  Loreto,  in  California,  to  this  mission  of 
Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores  of  this  Pimeria,  to  make 
an  expedition  to  the  land  passage  to  California,  in  the 
month  of  February  of  the  following  year,  1701,  as  is 
stated  in  Book  II,  following. 

CHAPTER   XIV.    ABOUT    SEVEN    HUNDRED    BEEVES 

AND   OTHER    CATTLE   ARE   COLLECTED   AND 

HERDED  IN  THESE  MISSIONS  OF  SONORA, 

AND  TAKEN  TO  MATAPE  AND  HYA- 

QUI  FOR  CALIFORNIA 

1700.  On  the  occasion  of  Father  Rector  Juan  Maria 
de  Salvatierra's  having  come  from  California  to  Cina- 
loa  and  to  Aome,  in  February  and  March  of  this  year, 
1700,  for  the  cleaning,  careening,  and  equipment  of  the 
ship  San  Firmin,  the  question  came  up  of  the  gift  of 
cattle  which  these  missions  of  Sonora  were  to  give  to 
California;  and  afterward  the  greater  part  of  these 
cattle  were  given  at  the  most  opportune  time,  which 
was  in  October  and  November,  at  branding  time.  And 
his  Reverence  wrote  me  from  Cinaloa  the  two  follow- 
ing letters,  the  first,  of  May  9,  being  of  this  tenor: 

On  Wednesday  I  shall  take  the  road  for  Onabas,  and  if  I  am 
not  prevented  by  my  health,  or  some  sudden  call  from  Loreto, 
California,  I  shall  go  on  to  Matape  on  the  twenty-second  of  this 
month.  And  because  of  the  hope  of  happily  seeing  your  Rever- 
ence there,  I  do  not  answer  the  points,  so  loving,  of  your  letter, 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  263 

which  have  caused  my  heart  to  swell.  I  have  just  received  a 
letter  from  the  father  rector  of  Matape,  in  which  he  advises  me 
that  he  has  already  received  the  ten  loads  of  provisions  which 
your  Reverence  sends  for  the  missions  of  Nuestra  Senora  de 
Loreto,  of  California,  for  which  I  thank  your  Reverence,  and 
which  I  esteem  above  my  eyes.  And  I  thank  your  Reverence 
for  the  three  hundred  beeves  which  you  offer  for  California. 

And  on  May  21,  among  other  points  in  a  long  letter, 
his  Reverence  wrote  me  the  following: 

I  thought  to  be  able  to  reach  Matape,  but  the  heat  of  the  sun, 
the  development  of  an  eye  trouble  by  the  natives,  the  sudden 
return  of  the  launch  from  California,  and  the  necessity  of  my 
presence,  as  well  for  the  sake  of  the  careening  as  of  going 
on  her,  because  the  people  on  the  other  side  are  alone  and  numer- 
ous, the  conjunction  of  these  reasons  has  forced  me  to  return 
from  here.  I  greatly  regret  the  ill-fortune  of  not  having  been 
able  to  see  your  Reverence.  In  reference  to  the  three  hundred 
beeves  which  your  Reverence  wishes  to  give  to  California,  I  am 
afraid  that  they  will  occasion  want  or  damage  in  the  missions  of 
the  Pimas,  for,  as  I  have  heard,  your  Reverence  is  asking  for  new 
fathers  to  place  in  the  Pimeria,  and  so  for  the  present  let  me  say 
that  your  Reverence  may  keep  one  hundred  for  the  Pimeria,  but 
the  two  hundred  I  need  immediately  for  California,  delivered  in 
the  port  of  Hyaqui,  which  the  father  provincial  has  assigned  to 
me  for  cattle,  and  which  is  near  Loreto  Concho,  of  California, 
a  Christendom  in  which  we  have  set  foot,  which  is  already  estab- 
lished, and  which  is  being  fostered,  conserved,  and  advanced. 
It  has  cost  sweat,  and  blood,  and  great  treasure,  and  through  the 
patronage  of  most  holy  Mary  the  gospel  is  being  spread  from  sea 
to  sea,  the  rancherias  intervening  being  now  subdued  from  coast 
to  coast. 

Thus  far  the  father  rector,  Juan  Maria  de  Salva- 
tierra.  In  virtue  of  this  letter,  although  some  urged 
the  difficulty  of  the  heat,  and  others  other  occupations, 
I  entered  at  once  upon  the  work  of  transporting  to 
Matape,  Tecoripa,  and  Hyaqui,  the  two  hundred  cattle 
which  this  mission  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  [Dolores] 


264  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA 

was  giving  to  California;  and  I  accompanied  them, 
and  in  person  helped  them  to  Tuape  in  June. 

Afterward,  in  November,  on  my  return  from  my  ex- 
pedition at  branding  time,  the  other  districts  gave  a 
goodly  number  of  cattle;  for  I  went  to  Matape,  a  fifty 
leagues'  journey,  to  send  them  to  the  new  ranch  of  Hya- 
qui,  that  from  that  ranch  the  fathers  of  California  might 
obtain  the  meat,  tallow,  and  lard  that  might  be  needed, 
sending  the  cattle  alive  to  California,  also,  as  might  be 
needed  and  as  occasion  should  demand.  The  district 
of  Oposura  gave  one  hundred,  and  a  thousand  head  of 
sheep  and  goats,  which  were  bought  in  Hyaqui  in  ex- 
change for  cattle.  The  district  of  Ures  gave  ten  beeves 
more,  and  the  district  of  Cucurpe  one  hundred ;  the  dis- 
trict of  Matape  gave  sixty,  besides  some  horses;  the  dis- 
trict of  Guepaca  seventy,  the  district  of  Arispe  fifty, 
and  the  other  missions  other  numbers.  And  with  this 
we  ended  the  year  1700. 


BOOK  II.    EXPEDITION  OR  MISSION  WITH 
THE  FATHER  RECTOR,  JUAN   MARIA  DE 
SALVATIERRA,  TO  THE  HEAD  OF  THE  SEA 
OF    CALIFORNIA,    AT   THIRTY-ONE    DE- 
GREES OF  LATITUDE;  HOSTILITIES  OF 
THE  APACHES  ON  THESE  FRONTIERS 
OF  SONORA.    GOOD  STATE  OF  THE 
NEW  CONVERSIONS  OF  THIS  EX- 
TENSIVE PIMERIA  AND  OF  ITS 
NEIGHBORING  NATIONS 

CHAPTER  I.    THE  COMING  OF  THE  FATHER  RECTOR 

JUAN  MARIA  DE  SALVATIERRA  FROM  THE  MISSION 

OF  NUESTRA  SENORA  DE  LORETO,  CALIFORNIA, 

TO  THESE   MISSIONS   OF   HYAQUI,   SONORA, 

AND  OF  THIS  PIMERIA,  TO  GO  BY  LAND 

TO  SAID  CALIFORNIA 

January  and  February,  1701.  The  father  rector, 
Juan  Maria  de  Salvatierra,  and  I,  having  continually 
exchanged  letters  with  a  view  to  possible  discoveries 
and  to  the  advancement  of  these  spiritual  and  tem- 
poral conquests  and  new  conversions  of  California,  and 
of  its  neighboring  new  lands  and  nations,  and  having 
made  reports  of  those  of  this  Pimeria  here  (which,  like 
the  missions,  old  and  new,  of  Chinipas,  of  Cinaloa,  and 
of  Sonora,  owe  so  much  to  the  apostolic  holy  care  of  his 
Reverence,  for  he  has  been  their  most  vigilant,  very 
zealous,  and  indefatigable  father  visitor),  he  came  in 
January  and  February  of  this  year  1701,  by  sea,  from 
California  to  these  missions  of  Hyaqui  and  Sonora,  and 
of  this  Pimeria,  with  firm  and  well  founded  hopes  of 


266  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

returning  by  land  in  latitude  thirty-one  or  thirty-two 
degrees  to  his  mission  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  Loreto 
Concho,  where  his  Reverence  left  as  vice-rector  Father 
Francisco  Maria  Picolo,  and  as  commander  and  cap- 
tain of  the  soldiers,  Captain  Antonio  de  Mendosa  y 
Garzia,  and  the  barks  and  crews  in  charge  of  their 
commanders  for  the  careening  and  the  voyages  which 
might  be  necessary. 

From  Tecoripa  and  Matape  and  other  places  his 
Reverence  had  written  me  numerous  different  letters 
in  regard  to  the  things -provisions,  pack-animals,  and 
cattle -which  we  should  need  for  this  new  expedition 
to  the  land  passage  to  California,  and  perhaps  to  Cali- 
fornia itself,  and  far  inland,  or  even  to  Loreto  Concho. 
And,  therefore,  both  here  within  this  Pimeria  and  out- 
side it,  in  the  other  neighboring  missions,  provision  was 
made  of  all  necessaries  in  the  way  of  servants,  flour,  bis- 
cuit, meat,  pack-animals,  etc.  And  lest  there  should  be 
some  resistance  or  difficulty  in  the  passage  by  land  to 
California,  or  in  California  itself,  in  descending  from 
thirty-two  degrees,354  where  the  above-mentioned  pas- 
sage is,  to  twenty-six  degrees,  where  the  mission  of 
Nuestra  Senora  de  Loreto  Concho  is  situated,  the  father 
rector  Juan  Maria  de  Salvatierra  determined  to  take 
some  soldiers  for  the  journey.  To  that  end  his  Rever- 
ence went  to  the  Real  de  San  Juan  to  see  the  Senor  mili- 
tary commander,  Don  Domingo  Jyronza  Petris  de  Cru- 
zatt,  and  with  ease  he  obtained  from  his  lordship  ten355 
soldiers  with  their  commander,  while  from  the  other 
citizens  of  the  Real  de  San  Juan  and  of  the  Valle  de 

354  See  page  265,  where  he  says  thirty-one  degrees.  The  figures  1,  2,  and 
4,  in  early  Spanish  manuscripts,  are  easily  confused,  a  fact  which  may 
explain  Kino's  apparent  inconsistency  in  his  latitudes. 

355  Manje  (Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  97)  says  that  Salvatierra  se- 
cured Manje,  four  soldiers,  and  eight  citizens. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  267 

Sonora,  and  from  the  missionary  fathers  of  the  old  mis- 
sions, he  acquired  the  necessary  supply  of  good  servants, 
muleteers,  and  pack  and  saddle  mules.  With  that  from 
without  and  from  this  Pimeria  more  than  forty  loads  of 
provisions  and  other  things  necessary  were  collected, 
and  were  carried  upon  this  expedition. 

CHAPTER  II.      THE     COMING     OF     THE     HOSTILE 
APACHES  TO  THESE  FRONTIERS  OF  SONORA,  WITH 
SO  MANY  HOSTILITIES,  ROBBERIES,  AND  MUR- 
DERS, THAT  IT  SEExMED  THAT  IT  WAS  GOING 
TO  PREVENT  OUR  EXPEDITION  TO  THE 
LAND  PASSAGE  TO  CALIFORNIA 

At  this  same  time,  in  January  and  February,  the 
Apaches  came  in,  for  their  accustomed  annual  rob- 
beries; and  after  stealing  horses,  etc.,  in  various  places, 
in  the  ranch  of  Cucurpe,  very  near  here,  they  did  the 
serious  damage  of  which  Father  Melchor  Bartyromo 
wrote  me  in  the  letter  following,  dated  at  Cucurpe, 
February  1 : 

1 70 1.  For  lack  of  paper  I  did  not  write  to  your  Reverence 
from  Saracachi,  where  the  enemy,  more  than  two  hundred  In- 
dians, made  an  attack  on  Sunday  long  after  sunrise,  killing  six 

persons,  and  wounding  seven,  of  whom  three  are  in  danger. 
They  sacked  all  the  houses  except  mine  and  the  overseer's,  where 
the  other  people  were  saved,  and  carried  off  horses  and  mares, 
we  know  not  how  many,  and  all  the  sheep  and  goats.  I  have 
sorrowed  only  for  the  death  of  so  many  innocents,  not  for  the 
temporal  matters.  Commend  us  to  the  Lord,  your  Reverence, 
in  your  holy  sacrifices,  to  which  I  commend  myself.  Cucurpe, 
Feb.  1. 

P.S.  Be  on  your  guard,  your  Reverence,  because  it  may  be 
that  the  enemy  are  still  lurking  about  here,  for  they  were  many. 
P.S.  Now,  at  dawn,  February  2,  day  of  the  Virgin,  German 
has  come  to  inform  me  that  they  overtook  the  enemy  and  took 
the  stolen  horses  away  from  them. 

Thus  far  Father  Bartyromo. 


268  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

The  great  misfortune  through  these  deaths  so  pitiful, 
greatly  dismayed  all  the  province,  and  it  seemed  that  it 
was  going  to  hinder  our  journey  to  the  land  passage  to 
California.  But  the  father  rector,  Juan  Maria  de  Sal- 
vatierra,  wrote  me  from  Tuape  the  following  letters, 
one  of  the  tenth,  the  other  of  the  fourteenth  of  Febru- 
ary.   The  one  of  the  tenth  runs  thus: 

February  io  and  14.  When  I  was  on  the  point  of  writing 
and  dispatching  a  letter  to  your  Reverence,  Father  Melchor  told 
me  he  had  received  one  from  your  Reverence  containing  the 
good  news  that  Alferez  Escalante  had  taken  all  the  horses  from 
the  enemy,  and  so  I  detain  the  bearer  a  little  while  to  give  your 
Reverence  congratulations  for  this  victory.  And,  because  your 
Reverence  was  occupied  in  giving  mules  and  horses  in  honor  of 
the  Madonna  of  Loreto,  and  succor  for  her  California  mission, 
the  Lady  has  looked  upon  all  the  benefactors.  Long  live  Jesus ! 
Long  live  Mary!  I  have  received  your  Reverence's  letter  with 
the  salutations  of  the  beloved  Pima  children,  to  whom  I  beg 
your  Reverence  to  return  my  greetings;  for  I  will  rejoice  to 
embrace  them.  Tomorrow  or  the  day  after  I  go  to  Cucurpe, 
and,  in  order  not  to  detain  the  bearer,  I  say  no  more. 

The  second  letter,  of  the  fourteenth,  runs  thus: 

This  war  of  Saracachi  has  done  us  a  very  ill  turn.  But  there 
is  no  reason  to  lose  courage.  I  suppose  that  your  Reverence  is 
very  busy  with  the  provisions,  for  the  want  of  provisions  alone 
can  make  us  turn  back,  but  I  am  resolved  on  the  contrary,  since 
from  this  knowledge  of  lands  will  come  great  good  for  the  mis- 
sions of  Loreto  Concho.  It  will  be  necessary  that  all  your  Rev- 
erence's mules  go  from  Los  Dolores  loaded ;  some  ten  or  twelve 
loads  of  flour,  some  two  loads  of  pinole,  and  two  loads  of  biscuit. 
And  it  is  necessary  that  all  the  tierces  be  of  six  arrobas,  which, 
as  they  proceed,  will  be  continually  lessened.  As  to  dried  meat, 
perhaps  it  would  be  well  to  take  a  couple  of  loads,  so  as  not  to 
have  to  be  troubled  with  having  to  kill  as  soon  as  one  arrives  at 
the  places  even  where  there  are  live  animals  to  kill. 

I  am  stopping  here  these  two  days,  for  thus  I  shall  see  to  pre- 
paring the  few  beasts  that  I  take,  for,  on  ascending  higher,  it 
will  be  necessary  to  shut  them  up  at  night,  and  they  will  suffer 
much.     And  for  my  part,  the  reconnoissance  of  this  land  is  of 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  269 

such  importance  that  if  necessary  I  shall  stop  here  until  the 
rains,  in  the  accomplishment  of  this  purpose.  And  so  for  the 
love  of  God  I  beg  your  Reverence  to  provide  supplies,  for  I  am 
resolved  on  my  part  not  to  turn  back  for  want  of  them;  and 
therefore  I  pray  your  Reverence  to  advise  me  of  all,  and  in  par- 
ticular of  what  your  Reverence  has  already  provided  of  the  kinds 
above  mentioned.  I  return  the  greetings  of  your  Reverence's 
children,  the  Californians  who  come  with  me,  fruits  of  the  toils 
and  zeal  of  your  Reverence. 

Thus  far  the  father  rector,  Juan  Maria  de  Salva- 
tierra. 

CHAPTER  III.    THESE  HOSTILITIES  OF  THE  APACHES 

ARE  ATTRIBUTED,  ALTHOUGH  VERY  FALSELY, 

TO  THE  PIMAS;  AND  THE  INNOCENCE  OF 

THIS  PIMERIA  IS  CLEARLY  SHOWN 

AND  DECLARED 

In  regard  to  these  above  mentioned  murders,  rob- 
beries, and  hostilities,  there  were  so  many  controversies 
and  such  perverse  and  hostile  opinions  that  the  friend- 
ships of  principal  persons  of  this  province  were  im- 
paired and  broken,  many  attributing  those  evils  to  the 
always  hostile  Hojomes,  Janos,  Sumas,  and  Apaches, 
while  others  perforce  laid  them  upon  the  Pimas  of  this 
Pimeria,  and  attested  reports,  although  false,  were 
made.  But  our  Lord  made  clear  the  truth  in  many 
ways,  and  forthwith  the  two  following  letters  from 
those  who  pursued  the  enemy  and  took  from  them  a 
great  part  of  the  booty  which  they  carried,  very  clearly 
indicated  it  to  me.  One,  dated  February  13,  is  from 
Captain  Pedro  de  Peralta,  lieutenant  of  those  frontiers, 
and  is  as  follows: 

My  Father  Eusebio  Francisco  Kino.  Reward!  Reward! 
Reward!  The  hostile  Indians  who  attacked  Saracachi,  on  their 
return  passed  by  this  Real  de  Bacanuchi  and  took  from  the  cor- 
ral of  Simon  Romo  a  drove  of  mares  and  other  beasts.     It  was 


270  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

reported  to  the  presidio  of  Fronteras,  and  Alferez  Escalante  set 
out  with  fifteen  men,  while  ten  went  from  here.  Near  Chigui- 
cahui  they  overtook  thirty-six  enemies,  and  recovered  the  ani- 
mals from  them;  and  they  saw  clearly  and  distinctly  that  they 
were  Apaches.  They  recovered  tecomates  356  and  other  spoils 
which  they  had  stolen  in  Saracachi.  The  enemy  fled  to  the 
sierra  and  they  could  not  be  followed  for  lack  of  horses.  Thus, 
they  are  not  Pimas,  as  has  been  imagined ;  and  so  I  do  not  lose 
my  reward,  but  I  would  give  it  gladly  for  the  great  love  I  bear 
the  Pimas.  Yesterday,  February  12,  the  soldiers  arrived  with 
the  horses,  very  much  pleased  at  having  discovered  that  the  mur- 
derers and  robbers  are  Apaches  and  Hojomes,  etc. 

Thus  far  Captain  Peralta.  And  Captain  Christoval 
Granillo  de  Salazar,  also  on  the  thirteenth  of  February, 
from  the  Real  de  Bacanuchi  wrote  the  following: 

A  matter  of  great  rejoicing  for  me  was  the  receipt  of  a  letter 
from  your  Reverence,  for  I  have  very  greatly  desired  to  have 
news  of  the  friendly  Pimas,  because  of  the  great  confusion  in 
which  the  rumors  have  kept  us,  and  which  are  no  sooner  believed 
than  they  are  circumstantially  disproved.  Now  our  Lord  hath 
willed  that  the  identity  of  those  who  attacked  Saracachi  should 
be  known.  Yesterday,  the  twelfth  instant,  arrived  my  brother 
Simon  and  the  soldiers  who  went  in  pursuit  of  them,  with  the 
Senor  Alferez  Juan  de  Escalante,  who  overtook  them  in  the 
little  sierra  beyond  San  Joseph,  about  twelve  leagues  from  Chi- 
guicahui,  where  they  recovered  the  horses  which  were  taken 
from  this  valley.  By  their  dress  and  their  arms  all  the  soldiers 
recognized  them  to  be  Apaches,  and  they  saw  them  about  an 
arquebus-shot  away.  They  could  not  kill  them,  because  they 
lacked  animals,  and  because  the  country  was  bad.  I  do  not  ask 
reward  because  my  godfather,  Captain  Peralta,  has  already 
asked  it,  but  I  shall  not  lose  it. 

Thus  far  Captain  Christoval  Granillo  de  Salazar. 

Another  event,  although  sad  in  a  way,  clearly  re- 
vealed the  innocence  of  this  Pimeria.  Because,  on  the 
eighteenth  of  February,  notice  having  come  that  here, 
near  the  peak  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Remedios,  in  a 

356  Gourd  vessels. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J. 271 

deep  and  very  rough  valley,  the  enemy  had  stolen  and 
secreted  many  horses,  some  Indians  from  Nuestra 
Senora  de  los  Dolores  and  some  from  Nuestra  Senora 
de  los  Remedios  set  out  to  see  to  taking  them  away,  and 
the  governor  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Remedios  with 
two  of  his  men,  and  the  foreman  of  Nuestra  Senora  de 
los  Dolores,  with  others  of  his  men,  fought  to  the  death. 
And  the  Father  Visitor  Antonio  Leal  wrote  me  the  let* 
ter  following: 

I  give  your  Reverence  warm  condolence,  entwined  with 
hearty  congratulations,  for  the  death  of  the  Pima  children,  for 
with  their  blood  and  with  their  lives  well  they  have  manifested 
to  all  the  world  that  the  malevolent  and  the  malefactors  are  not 
the  Pimas  nor  the  Pimeria. 

The  same  was  said  and  written  by  various  other  per- 
sons, that  is,  that  since  the  Pimas  gave  their  lives  to 
resist  the  robberies,  the  Pimas  were  not  the  ones  who 
committed  them,  nor  friends  of  such  evils. 

CHAPTER  IV.     THE  FATHER  RECTOR,  JUAN  MARIA 
DE  SALVATIERRA,  COMES  TO  THIS  MISSION  OR  PU- 
EBLO OF  NUESTRA  SESJORA  DE  LOS  DOLORES,  AND 
WE  UNDERTAKE  THE  EXPEDITION  TO  THE  PAS- 
SAGE BY  LAND  TO  CALIFORNIA.     HIS  REVER- 
ENCE  SETS    OUT   WESTWARD    FOR    SAN 
YGNACIO    AND    AFTER    A    JOURNEY 
OF   FIFTY   LEAGUES  ARRIVES   AT 
NUESTRA     SENORA     DE     LA 
CONCEPCION  3" 

About  the  twentieth  of  February  Father  Juan  Maria 
Salvatierra  with  ten  soldiers  and  his  native  Cali- 
fornians,  etc.,  arrived  from  Cucurpe  at  this  district  of 
Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores.  We  talked  with  pleas- 
ure of  everything  concerning  the  expedition  to  this  land 

357  For  Salvatierra's  journey  with  Kino,  see  Manje,  op.  cit.,  96-110; 
Salvatierra  to  Arteaga,  in  Doc.  Hist.  Mex.,  Cuarta  Serie,  tomo  v,  126-15+; 
Salvatierra  to  Gonzalez  in  Venegas  Noticia,  vol.  ii,  101-102. 


272  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

passage  to  California,  especially  on  account  of  the  blue 
shells,  because  in  these  days  the  father  rector  of  Matape 
had  written  me  the  following  letter: 

Very  greatly  has  the  father  rector,  Juan  de  Salvatierra,  re- 
joiced to  see  the  blue  shells,  in  particular  the  large  one  with 
which  your  Reverence  favored  me,  and  the  two  balls  and  the 
belt;358  and  his  Reverence  no  longer  doubts  that  this  land  has 
continental  connection  with  that  of  California. 

Having  arranged  that  this  district  of  Nuestra  Senora 
de  los  Dolores  should  give  for  the  journey  to  the  pas- 
sage twenty  loads  of  provisions -flour,  dried  meat,  bis- 
suit,  etc. -and  eighty  sumpters,  most  of  them  mules,  the 
father  rector,  Juan  Maria  Salvatierra,  on  the  twenty- 
fifth  of  February  set  out  westward  from  Nuestra 
Senora  de  los  Dolores  for  the  pueblo  of  San  Ygnacio, 
with  two  soldiers,  for  he  had  made  the  rest  return  to 
Saracachi,  on  account  of  a  rumor  of  enemies  that 
arose.359  His  Reverence  carried  from  here  for  the  jour- 
ney the  picture  of  Our  Lady  of  Loreto,  well  painted  by 
the  hand  of  Juan  Correa,  which  was  a  great  comfort  to 
us  in  all  the  journey.  We  placed  her  upon  the  altar 
when  we  said  mass,  the  fathers  taking  charge  of  her 
personally,  the  one  in  the  morning  and  the  other  in  the 
afternoon. 


358  Texido  de  la  faxa. 

359  Manje  was  sent  with  the  military  escort  from  the  Real  de  San  Juan 
Bautista,  capital  of  the  province.  Setting  out  on  February  16,  with  eight 
citizens,  he  went  to  Cucurpe,  where  he  joined  Father  Salvatierra,  who  was 
preparing  supplies  given  for  the  journey  by  Father  Melchor  Bartiromo.  The 
departure  for  Dolores  was  delayed  by  an  attack  of  three  hundred  Apaches  on 
Zaracachi,  whence  they  stole  two  hundred  animals.  Manje  set  out  on  the 
trail  and  found  that  the  Apaches  had  killed  five  Pimas  near  Los  Remedios. 
Escalante  also  set  out,  from  the  presidio,  with  twenty  soldiers,  calling  the 
Pimas  to  aid,  but  failed  to  overtake  the  enemy.  At  Dolores,  Manje  was 
joined  by  Ayudante  Nicolas  de  Bohorques  and  three  soldiers,  making  twelve 
men  in  the  escort,  besides  Manje.  Manje's  account  conflicts  slightly  with 
this  one  (Manje,  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  97-98).  See  also  Sal- 
vatierra's   account,   op.  cit.,   129-134. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J. 273 

At  San  Ygnacio,  which  is  ten  leagues  from  Nuestra 
Senora  de  los  Dolores,  and  where  Father  Agustin  de 
Campos  was,  the  Father  Rector  Juan  Maria  de  Salva- 
tierra  provided  himself  with  some  supplies,  and  with 
some  more  pack-animals;  and  as  I,  with  the  solicitude 
in  which  the  enemy  kept  us,  was  detained  a  little  longer, 
his  Reverence  wrote  me  the  letter  following  on  the 
twenty-sixth  of  February: 

What  with  the  many  gifts  which  your  Reverence  has  made 
me,  I  was  able  to  come  but  slowly  to  this  district  of  San 
Ygnacio.  May  God  recompense  your  Reverence  for  the  great 
charity  which  you  dispense  even  to  one  who  so  little  merits  it. 
Arrived  here,  I  received  the  packet  which  your  Reverence  de- 
spatched to  me ;  and  news  now  comes  that  shortly  a  new  viceroy 
and  archbishop  will  arrive.  It  has  troubled  me  to  know  that 
the  enemy  untied  a  horse  at  Tuape ;  and  the  poor  Father 
Melchor  380  would  suppose  that  the  soldiers  were  at  Los  Do- 
lores, while  it  was  impossible  that  the  two  soldiers  should  ar- 
rive tonight  at  Tuape.  God  grant  that  it  be  not  a  serious 
affair;  yet  if  it  be  so,  your  Reverence  has  the  matter  before 
you,  and  at  all  events,  whatever  your  Reverence  may  decide  will 
be  the  best  considered,  you  being  so  experienced  and  old. 

Thus  far  Father  Juan  Maria.  In  view  of  this  letter 
I  determined  to  cast  a  glance  at  my  three  pueblos  and 
order  them  fortified,  on  account  of  such  dangers  of 
enemies  as  existed.  Meanwhile  the  eight  soldiers  re- 
turned from  Saracachi  to  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Do- 
lores with  their  leader,  Nicholas  Bohorgues,  and  with 
Captain  Juan  Mateo  Manje,  nephew  of  the  Sefior  gov- 
ernor of  arms,  who  two  days  afterward  went  to  overtake 
the  Father  Rector  Juan  Maria  de  Salvatierra  at  San 
Ygnacio.361     From  there  his  Reverence  continued  his 

360  Father   Melchor   Bartiromo,   of   Cucurpe. 

361  Manje  overtook  Salvatierra  at  San  Ignacio,  and  accompanied  him  to 
Caborca,  where  Kino  overtook  them.  An  account  of  the  journey  of  Salva- 
tierra and  Manje  is  given  by  Manje,  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  98-99. 
See   also  Salvatierra's  account,   op.  cit.,   136-139.     On  the  twenty-eighth  they 


274  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

westward  route  toward  the  sea  of  California,  and  to- 
ward La  Concepcion  de  Nuestra  Senora  del  Cabotca, 
through  Tubutama,  Addi,  San  Antonio  del  Uquitoa, 
and  San  Diego  del  Pitquin,  where  his  Reverence  with 
his  great  charity  and  holy  zeal  solemnized  twenty-six 
baptisms  of  sick  persons  and  infants  that  the  natives 
gave  him;  and  after  about  fifty  leagues'  journey  from 
Los  Dolores  he  arrived  with  his  people  and  with  the 
forty  loads  of  provisions  at  La  Concepcion  safely  and 
quickly. 

CHAPTER    V.      MY    DEPARTURE     FROM     NUESTRA 

SENORA  DE  LOS  DOLORES,  TO  OVERTAKE  FATHER 

RECTOR  JUAN  MARIA  DE  SALVATIERRA,  DRAWN 

FROM   THE   DIARY   OF  THIS   JOURNEY  TO 

THE  LAND  PASSAGE  TO  CALIFORNIA 

March  i,  1701.  On  March  1,  1701,  I  set  out  from 
Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores  in  a  northerly  direction 
with  nine  servants  and  one  servant  of  the  Senor  military 
commander,  and  went  to  cast  a  glance  at  my  other  two 
pueblos  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Remedios  and  Cocos- 
pora,  because  they  were  frontiers  to  the  enemy,  to  pro- 
vide for  their  defence  by  means  of  some  towers362  and  an 
expedition  of  Pimas  to  the  eastern  lands  through  which 
the  hostile  Hojomes363  and  Apaches  are  accustomed  to 
travel  and  to  penetrate. 

2.  On  March  2,  having  given  ashes  at  Nuestra  Se- 
nora de  los  Remedios,  I  went  on  to  give  them  in  the 
pueblo  of  Cocospera,  where  I  found  two  captains  of 
this  Pimeria,  one  named  El  Coro  and  the  other  named 
El  Tarabilla,364  who  had  just  spied  the  enemy.     They 

set  out,  passing  Magdalena,  Tubutama,  Ati,  Uquitoa,  and  Pitquin,  reaching 
Caborca   on    March   6    (Manje,    op.   cit.,   98-99). 

362  Toriones. 

3(53  Jocomes. 

364  «The   Prattler." 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  275 

reported  that  they  had  seen  their  smokes,  and  that  they 
were  not  more  than  two  days' journey  away  from  the  Pi- 
meria,  to  the  eastward.  They  offered  to  go  soon  with 
a  goodly  number  of  Pimas  of  this  immediate  district 
and  of  the  Sobayporis  of  the  north  to  fight  against  the 
said  hostile  Hojomes  and  Apaches,  and  for  this  purpose 
I  ordered  provisions  of  meat,  maize,  and  wheat  given 
to  them  and  to  the  soldiers,  four  of  whom  had  come  to 
Cocospera,  leaving  thirteen  others  in  Bacanuchi;  and 
these  Pimas  afterwards  had  the  good  fortune  which  I 
shall  relate  at  the  end  of  this  diary. 

3.  On  the  third  the  four  soldiers,  having  confessed, 
set  out  for  Bacanuchi  to  join  the  other  thirteen  again; 
and  I  set  out  for  the  west  and  for  Nuestra  Senora  de 
la  Concepcion  del  Cabotca,  following  the  father  rector, 
Juan  Maria  de  Salvatierra;  and  after  fifteen  leagues' 
journey  I  arrived  after  nightfall  at  the  ranch  of  San 
Simon  y  San  Judas  del  Siboda.365 

4.  On  the  fourth  they  gave  me  three  infants  to  bap- 
tize; I  provided  myself  with  twenty  other  good  pack- 
animals;  seven  droves  of  mares  were  branded;  and  I 
left  orders  for  branding  immediately  afterwards  the 
thousand  head  of  cattle  contained  in  this  ranch,  which 
I  have  dedicated  to  the  aid  of  the  new  conversions 
which  may  be  founded. 

5.  On  the  fifth,  after  a  thirteen  leagues'  journey,  I 
arrived  near  the  rancheria  named  Aquimuri. 

6.  On  the  sixth,  after  going  three  leagues  I  arrived 
in  time  to  say  mass  at  San  Ambrosio  del  Busanic.  where 
I  found  more  than  five  hundred  persons  who  had  as- 
sembled, and  after  mass  they  gave  me  five  infants  and  a 
sick  adult  to  baptize.  We  learned  that  Father  Rec- 
tor Juan  Maria  had  passed  through  the  neighboring 

365  This  is  the  first  diary  of  an  expedition  by  precisely  this  route. 


276  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

pueblo  of  Tubutama.  We  killed  one  beef  of  the  more 
than  eighty  which  they  were  tending  for  me  here,  with 
four  droves  of  mares;  and  as  there  was  also  wheat  and 
maize  here  belonging  to  the  Church,  they  had  ground 
and  provided  for  us  four  loads  of  flour  for  our  journey. 

7.  On  the  seventh  we  set  out  for  the  pueblo  of  El 
Tubutama  and  for  the  rancheria  of  Addi,  where  we 
arrived  after  a  fourteen  leagues'  journey.  After  the 
first  three  leagues,  at  El  Saric,  they  gave  me  six  infants 
to  baptize,  one  afterwards  on  the  journey  at  the  ranch 
of  El  Tubutama,  and  one  in  El  Saric366  also,  where 
they  were  tending  for  me  of  eighty  head  of  small  stock, 
wheat,  maize,  and  beans,  and  where  also  they  had  pro- 
vided for  us  some  loads  of  flour  for  our  journey. 

8.  On  the  eighth  I  set  out  from  Addi,  and,  passing 
through  the  rancheria  of  San  Antonio  del  Uquitoa,  and 
through  the  incipient  pueblo  of  San  Diego  del  Pitquin, 
after  an  eighteen  leagues'  journey  I  arrived  at  nightfall 
at  Nuestra  Senora  de  la  Concepcion  del  Cabotca, 
where,  with  the  very  great  charity  of  Father  Rector 
Juan  Maria,  I  was  received  at  the  door  of  the  little 
church,  with  the  picture  of  Our  Lady  of  Loreto  on 
the  altar,  and  by  the  soldiers,  and  by  more  than  four 
hundred  Indians  placed  in  a  line,  very  much  as  in  the 
old  Christian  pueblos. 


366  El  Saric  is  apparently  a  mis-copy  for  Addii. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  277 

CHAPTER  VI.    HAVING  PERFORMED  THIRTY-THREE 
SOLEMN  BAPTISMS  AT  LA  CONCEPCION,  AFTER  GO- 
ING FIFTY  LEAGUES  ALONG  THE  COAST  OF  THE 
SEA  OF  CALIFORNIA  WE  ARRIVED  AT  THE 
RANCHERIA  AND  RANCH  OF  SAN 
MARZELO  DEL  SONOYDAG 

MARCH  9,  1701.  On  the  ninth  of  March,  here  at 
Nuestra  Senora  de  la  Concepcion  del  Cabotca,  Father 
Juan  Maria  de  Salvatierra  and  I  solemnly  baptized 
thirty  infants  and  three  sick  adults,  whom  for  this 
purpose  the  very  friendly  natives  of  this  very  large  new- 
pueblo  gave  us.367  During  these  three  days  we  killed 
three  fat  beeves  and  three  sheep  of  the  very  fat  large 
and  small  stock  which  they  were  tending  for  me  here. 
They  were  taking  care  for  me  also  of  a  good  field  of 
wheat,  and  they  had  already  cleared  another  piece  of 
ground  to  plant  maize  for  the  church  and  for  the  father 
whom  they  were  waiting  for  and  desired  to  receive. 
In  the  afternoon  the  packtrain  set  out  with  forty  loads 
of  provisions  and  supplies.  At  nightfall  came  four 
Indians  sent  by  the  captain  of  San  Rafael  del  Actun,  by 
which  we  had  to  pass ;  and  although  it  was  forty  leagues 
away,  they  came  to  meet  and  receive  us  with  very 
friendly  messages  from  the  natives  there. 

10.  On  the  tenth  we  set  out  along  the  coast  toward 
the  northwest,  or  between  north  and  west,  for  San  Ed- 
uardo  del  Baypia,30  carrying  with  us  the  picture  of 
Our  Lady  of  Loreto;  and,  overtaking  the  pack-train, 

367  Father  Barrillas,  now  old,  had  ceased  to  live  permanently  at  Caborca, 
but  visited  it  from  time  to  time  (Manje,  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii, 
98-99). 

368  Anza  in  177+  called  the  place  "Baipia  or  Aribaipia,  which  the  Indians 
indifferently  call  it,  and  which  in  our  language  means  little  wells"  (Diario, 
entry  for  Jan.  23).  Garces  on  the  same  day  noted  within  a  league  of  the 
place  three  rancherias,  the  largest  of  which  was  Cuboitac  (Diario).  See 
also  Lumholtz  (Ne<iv  Trails  in  Mexico,  149-173)  who  went  over  the  same 
old  trail   in   1909,   and  gave  a  good  description  of  Arivaipia. 


278  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

we  arrived  at  sunset,  being  welcomed  very  kindly  by 
more  than  three  hundred  Indians. 

1 1.  On  the  eleventh  we  all  set  out  together  with  the 
pack-train  for  San  Luys  Bertrando  del  Bacapa,  and 
after  traversing  seventeen  leagues  of  very  level  and 
pleasant  road  we  arrived  very  late  at  night  at  a  rather 
small  water-hole  and  batequi,  or  small  well.  Various 
parts  of  this  road  were  made  so  pleasant  and  beautiful 
by  virtue  of  roses  and  flowers  of  different  colors,  that  it 
seemed  as  if  Nature  had  placed  them  there  for  the  re- 
ception of  Our  Lady  of  Loreto.369  Almost  all  day  we 
were  praying  and  chanting  various  prayers  and  praises 
of  Our  Lady  in  different  languages-in  Castilian,  in 
Latin,  in  Italian,  and  also  in  the  Calif ornian  language; 
for  the  six  natives  of  California,  four  large  and  two 
small,  whom  the  Father  Rector  Juan  Maria  had 
brought  with  him,  were  so  well  indoctrinated  and  in- 
structed in  everything  that  they  sang  the  prayers,  since 
the  father  rector  had  already  arranged  them  for  them 
in  pretty  couplets,  in  this  Californian  language;  and 
we  said  with  the  Holy  Psalmist,  Cantabiles  mihi  erant 
justificaciones  tuas  in  coro  peregrinaciones  mece.370 

12.  On  the  twelfth,  after  a  five  leagues'371  journey, 
we  arrived  at  San  Luys  Bertrando  del  Bacapa,  where 

369  Manje  gives  a  very  different  impression  of  this  day's  journey.  He 
gives  the  distance  as  fourteen  leagues  and  says  they  spent  the  night  without 
water,  "as  a  result  of  which  the  animals  were  already  beside  themselves  for 
thirst,  for  not  since  the  morning  of  the  day  before  had  they  drunk  scarcely 
anything,  for  which  reason  nine  fled  from  us  that  night,  and  there  is  no 
doubt  that  this  was  a  day  of  the  greatest  difficulty,  care,  and  affliction" 
(Manje,  op.  cit.,  ioo).  He  wrote,  it  is  true,  that  next  morning  they  found 
near  by  a  well  called  Sauracan  from  which  they  scooped  up  handfuls  of  water 
for  the  perishing  animals.     Salvatierra  gives  other  details,  op.  cit.,  140-141. 

370  "Thy  justifications  were  the  subject  of  my  song  in  the  place  of  my 
pilgrimage"   (Psalm,  cxviii,  54). 

371  Manje  says  six  leagues.  Citing  Herrera,  Decada  4*,  he  opines  that 
Bacapa  was  passed  through  by  Coronado's  army  (Manje,  Luz  de  Tierra  In- 
cognita, libro  ii,  101).  He  says  that  the  distance  of  forty  leagues  from  the 
sea  corresponds  with  that  given  by  Herrera. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  279 

there  is  very  good  water  and  good  pasturage,  and  the 
very  loyal  natives  of  these  environs  brought  us  the  ten 
pack-animals372  which  the  night  before  had  run  away 
from  us  and  been  lost. 

13.  On  the  thirteenth  the  father  rector,  Juan  Maria, 
preached  in  Castilian  to  the  soldiers,  and  in  the  Pima 
language  to  the  Pima  natives.  He  went  in  person  to 
the  wood  near-by  to  cut  with  an  ax  a  large  tree  with 
which  we  set  up  a  holy  cross,  the  natives  aiding  us. 
We  sent  ahead  word  to  San  Marcelo  to  give  notice  of 
our  coming,  and  back  to  bring  the  loads  which  yester- 
day had  remained  behind. 

14.  On  the  fourteenth,  setting  out  from  San  Luys 
Bertrando  del  Bacapa,  after  a  twelve373  leagues'  jour- 
ney we  came  before  sunset  to  San  Marcelo  del  Sonoy- 
dag,  having  taken  our  siesta  near  a  good  watering-place. 

The  natives  of  San  Marcelo  came  out  a  league  to 
meet  us  with  a  holy  cross  which  they  gave  to  the  father 
rector,  receiving  us  with  arches  and  crosses  erected  on 
the  roads,  which  they  had  cleared  neatly,  and  with  an 
arbor  prepared,  and  giving  us  an  account  not  only  of 
the  cattle  here  but  also  of  the  messages  which  some 
months  before  I  had  sent  to  the  Quiquimas  and  other 
Indians  at  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  Colorado  and  the  pas- 
sage to  California,  and  of  the  friendly  responses  which 
they  sent,  expressing  the  desire  that  we  should  come  to 
see  them.  Here  at  San  Marcelo  we  found  about  two 
hundred  persons  including  various  justices,  governors, 

372  Manje  says  that  at  Bacapa  there  were  six  permanent  springs.  The 
village  contained  eighty  naked  persons.  The  site  was  modern  Quitovac. 
Anza  writes,  "It  is  one  of  the  best  of  the  Papagueria  through  having  five 
springs  of  water.  .  .  This  Quitobac  the  Jesuit  Fathers  called  San  Luis 
de  Bacapa,  of  which  addition  the  inhabitants  have  no  memory  .  .  .  but 
they  do  preserve  the  name  of  San  Luis"  (Diario,  Jan.  26,  177+) .  Garces 
went  through  the  place  in  1771,  and  was  with  Anza  in  1774.  See  also  Sal- 
vatierra,  op.  cit.,  142-143,  and  Lumholtz,  op.  cit.,  170. 

373  Manje  gives  the  distance  as  fifteen  leagues. 


28o  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

and  captains  who  had  come  to  see  us  from  different  and 
even  remote  places ;  and  to  all  of  them  was  preached  the 
Word  of  God,  which  was  well  received.374 

15.  On  the  fifteenth  we  rested  in  this  good  post  of 
San  Marcelo,  which  has  very  good  and  abundant  pas- 
turage and  water  running  in  the  little  river,  than  which 
there  is  no  other  within  fifty  leagues  around.  The  cat- 
tle, which  consisted  of  sixty-three  head,375  were  round- 
ed up ;  and  we  killed  two  beeves,  which  were  very  fat 
with  much  tallow  and  suet,  and  it  was  a  great  relief  to 
all  and  a  great  comfort  to  the  father  rector  that  in  a 
country  so  far  inland  we  should  find  this  refreshment. 
We  received  letters  from  San  Ygnacio,  Matape,  Hya- 
qui,  and  in  particular  from  Father  Juan  de  Hugarte, 
who  had  just  come  from  Mexico  to  go,  as  he  did  go,  to 
California.  His  Reverence  wrote  that  in  an  ancient 
itinerary  which  he  was  carrying  with  him,  it  was  said 
that  in  these  parts  where  we  were  penetrating,  very 
populous  and  very  rich  missions  could  be  formed, 
which  afterwards  could  aid  in  maintaining  other  mis- 
sions, less  prosperous,  in  California. 

CHAPTER  VII.     SETTING  OUT  FROM  SAN  MARCELO 

DEL    SONOYDAG    TO    THE    WESTWARD,    AFTER    A 

JOURNEY  OF  THIRTY-FIVE  LEAGUES  WE  ARRIVE 

AT  THE  HEAD  OF  THE  SEA  OF  CALIFORNIA 

IN    THIRTY-ONE    DEGREES    LATITUDE 

March  16,  1701.  On  the  sixteenth  of  March,  1701, 
we  set  out  westward  for  the  Sea  of  California,  follow- 
ing the  little  river  of  San  Marcelo;  and  after  travelling 
eight376  leagues  we  arrived  and  halted  at  a  canebrake 

374  Manje  tells  of  the  rich  soil  here,  and  the  fields  of  crops  all  under  ir- 
rigation from  the  good  arroyo  and  many  springs. 

375  Manje  says  eighty  head.  While  resting  here  messengers  were  sent  to 
the  villages  living  nearer  the  sea,  to  get  guides  to  show  them  the  water  holes. 

376  Manje  says  ten  leagues.  The  place  where  they  stopped  was  called 
Comaquidan.  From  this  point  messengers  were  sent  to  the  Indians  living 
north  of  the  Colorado  (Manje,  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  102). 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  281 

with  very  good  pasturage,  water,  and  wood.  As  our 
convoys  and  guides  went  the  alcalde  of  San  Marcelo 
and  a  governor  who  knew  very  well  the  two  languages, 
Pima  and  Quiquima,  and  who  the  year  before,  being 
sick,  had  been  baptized  by  the  name  of  Eusebio. 

17.  On  the  seventeenth  we  rested  in  this  good  stop- 
ping-place of  El  Carrizal,377  waiting  together  for  the 
two  fiscals  from  the  sea  whom  we  had  summoned 
through  the  alcalde  of  San  Marzelo,378  to  come  as  our 
guides  in  our  expedition  to  the  Quiquimas  of  Califor- 
nia, for  one  of  them  had  already  gone  in  the  preceding 
months  with  my  message  and  some  little  gifts  which  I 
had  sent  him  from  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores. 

18.  On  the  eighteenth,  these  fiscals  and  guides  hav- 
ing come  with  many  people  from  the  sea,  and  having 
given  us  the  very  good  news  that  the  Quiquimas  were 
waiting  for  us  anxiously  and  lovingly,  and  advising  us 
that  this  more  direct  and  shorter  road  to  the  westward 
was  so  sandy  that  the  sumpters  would  travel  with  dif- 
ficulty and  be  very  poorly  supplied  with  water  and  pas- 
turage, it  became  doubtful  whether  we  should  make 
our  journey  of  about  sixty  leagues  by  the  west,  or  go  up 
to  the  northwest,  circling  the  very  great  sandy  waste  at 
the  head  of  the  Sea  of  California,  and  ascending  to  the 
Rio  Grande  and  Rio  Colorado  by  the  circuit  by  which 
I  had  already  come  in  other  times  in  the  preceding 
years,  as  has  been  told.  It  was  determined  that  we 
should  travel  by  the  shortest  road,  and  that  leading 
most  directly  westward;  and  after  a  thirteen  leagues' 
journey  we  came  to  the  rancheria  called  Sucoybutoba- 
bia,  where  there  were  about  two  hundred  souls.379  When 

377  Carrizal,  the  name  of  this  place.     Salvatierra  calls  it  La  Anunciata. 

378  Manje  says  they  waited  to  give  the  messengers,  mentioned  above,  time. 

379  Manje  says  that  he  opposed  the  decision  to  take  this  route  but  yielded 


282  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

we  had  spoken  to  them  the  Word  of  God  they  gave  us 
several  persons  to  baptize,  but  we  baptized  only  one 
little  girl  and  a  very  old  Indian  woman  who  was  prob- 
ably about  one  hundred  and  twenty  years  of  age.  The 
water  supply  here  as  well  as  the  pasturage  was  very 
short,  and  it  cost  us  much  toil,  and  the  personal  labor  of 
both  fathers,  to  deepen  the  wells  to  obtain  the  water 
that  the  men  and  we  might  drink.  After  nightfall 
about  forty  Indians  from  the  sea  came  to  see  us  and  told 
us  that  about  here  there  was  nothing  but  two  large  tanks 
of  rain-water  shut  in  between  the  rocks  of  the  large 
mountain  near-by  and  the  ancient  volcano  of  Santa 
Clara.380 

19.  On  the  nineteenth  we  set  out  for  the  rancheria 
and  watering-place,  or  great  tank,  of  El  Basoitutgan,381 
where  there  was  good  pasture  also.  We  found  about 
one  hundred  persons,  and  afterwards  many  other  natives 
came,  some  with  gifts;  and  we  dispatched  some  little 
gifts  to  the  Quiquimas. 

20.  On  the  twentieth,  Palm  Sunday,  having  said  the 
two  masses,  with  the  benediction  and  distribution  of 
branches  (for  in  honor  of  this  day  and  yesterday,  when 
we  arrived,  we  called  this  post  San  Joseph  de  Ra- 
mos),382 we  set  out  for  the  west;  and  after  covering  six 

to  the  opinion  of  the  Fathers.  He  gives  the  direction  as  southwest  over  stony 
plains,  and  the  distance  as  ten  leagues.  They  camped  in  the  bed  of  a  dry 
arroyo  called  Sicobuto  bavia  (Manje,  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  102). 

380  The  Santa  Clara  Mountain  was  the  present  Sierra  del  Pinacate. 
In  1909-1910  Lumholtz  made  three  trips  from  Quitovaquita  and  Carrizal 
to  the  district,  over  almost  precisely  the  three  routes  opened  by  Kino,  whose 
explorations  in  that  region  were  unfortunately  unknown  to  him.  Most 
of  the  places  mentioned  by  Kino  can  be  identified  by  Lumholtz's  excellent 
descriptions  and  map    {op.  cit.,  chaps.   13-14). 

38i  Manje  gives  this  as  Basotucan  and  gives  the  distance  as  eight  leagues. 
The  water  was  in  two  tanks  where  the  horses  drank,  after  twenty-four  hours 
without  it.  The  village  was  south  of  the  Santa  Clara  mountain.  Manje 
gives  the  number  as  fifty  persons.  See  Tinaja  del  Cuervo,  on  Lumholtz's 
map.     Salvatierra  calls  this  place  Ayodsudao,  and  the  previous  one  Totonat. 

382  Ramos  means  "palms"  or  "branches."  Domingo  de  Ramos  is  Palm 
Sunday. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  283 

leagues  of  road,  although  level,  and  along  weathered 
rocks  like  slag383  which  long  ago  had  been  thrown  out 
by  this  mountain  or  volcano  of  Santa  Clara,  which  we 
passed  on  our  right  or  to  the  north,  we  arrived  at  an- 
other tank  of  water  shut  in  between  rocks,  with  very  lit- 
tle pasturage;  and  ascending  with  Captain  Juan  Mateo 
Manje  to  a  neighboring  little  hill,  we  descried  Califor- 
nia very  plainly,  to  the  west  and  southwest,  and  after- 
wards the  soldiers  also  and  all  the  men  sighted  it.38 

21.  On  the  twenty-first  we  went  westward  eight 
leagues  farther,  leaving  half  the  men  and  the  loads  in 
this  camp.  We  traveled  almost  all  this  day  along  very 
sandy  country  and  through  very  great  sand-dunes,  in 
which  our  pack-animals  traveled  with  difficulty.  The 
water  supply  which  we  found  was  three  little  springs 
of  somewhat  brackish  water.38  Almost  all  of  us  went 
down  on  foot  to  the  very  beach  of  the  sea,  which  was 
little  more  than  half  a  league  away,  whence  the  sailors, 
especially,  carried  away  a  great  quantity  of  all  kinds  of 
pretty  shells  and  snails.  Afterwards  the  father  rector 
summoned  the  muleteers,  with  the  loads  and  the  horses 

383  Temesquitate.     See    Salvatierra's    vivid    description,    op.    cit.,    146. 

384  Manje  describes  the  journey  as  eight  leagues  over  "mal  Pais  y  Arca- 
bucos  y  Zeborucos."  They  camped  at  EI  Tupo  near  a  tank  of  rain  water 
with  the  Santa  Clara  Mountain  behind  them.  Manje  describes  the  temes- 
quitate of  the  last  two  days'  march.  He  describes  the  volcanic  features  of 
the  Santa  Clara  Mountain  and  tells  of  its  ascent  by  Kino  on  a  former  oc- 
casion. It  was  nine  leagues  from  the  sea.  See  Tinaja  de  los  Chivos  on 
Lumholtz's  map.  See  also  Lumholtz,  op.  cit.,  205,  228.  Salvatierra  calls 
this  place  Aibacusi  and  the  next  Duburcopota   {op.  cit.,  146-149). 

385  Manje  gives  the  name  of  these  springs  as  Cubo  quasi  vavia.  They 
were  two  leagues  from  the  sea  on  the  flats.  Manje  says  they  were  in  latitude 
320  and  where  the  shore  ran  northwest,  without  any  bay,  ilthough  the  maps 
called  for  the  Bay  of  Santa  Clara.  Where  they  were  the  Gulf  seemed  about 
twelve  leagues  across,  and  it  appeared  to  be  about  thirty-six  leagues  to  the 
place  where  the  Gulf  seemed  to  head.  The  missionaries  concluded  that  this 
was  the  fact  but  Manje  was  not  convinced,  and  says  "we  had  a  friendly 
dispute."  Manje  and  Kino  planned  to  try  to  cover  the  distance  to  the  Colo- 
rado in  a  day  and  a  night,  but  they  found  it  impossible  for  lack  of  water  for 
the  horses,  and  were  forced  to  return,  leaving  nine  horses  on  the  beach 
(Manje,  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  105). 


284  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

which  had  stayed  at  the  preceding  camp,  because  with 
the  three  springs  in  this  stopping-place  there  was  suf- 
ficient good  pasturage.  But  the  following  day  we  found 
that  the  waters  of  these  three  little  springs  had  not 
welled  up  in  so  great  a  quantity  as  we  had  expected, 
although  the  necessary  water  did  not  fail  us. 

CHAPTER  VIII.    ON  ACCOUNT  OF  FINDING  A  SAND- 
DUNE  MORE  THAN  SIXTY  LEAGUES  AROUND,  SITU- 
ATED AT  THE  HEAD  OF  THE  SEA  OF  CALIFORNIA, 
AND    BECAUSE    OUR    PACK-ANIMALS    WERE 
GROWING  TIRED,  WE  RETURNED,  HAV- 
ING TWICE  SIGHTED  CALIFORNIA 

March  22,  1701.  On  the  twenty-second  at  midday 
I  took  the  altitude  of  the  sun  with  the  astrolabe  and 
found  that  this  gulf  of  California  ended  in  thirty-one386 
degrees  latitude.  Already,  by  other  journeys  I  have 
found  that  this  Californian  Gulf  has  at  its  head  to  the 
northward  a  stretch  of  sand-dunes  so  large  that  it  is 
more  than  sixty  leagues  around,  and  it  now  became  a 
hindrance  to  our  passing  farther  by  this  route,  although 
today,  about  two  in  the  afternoon,  our  men  and  pack- 
train  arrived  with  the  loads  from  the  preceding  camp. 
This  had  been  so  without  water  that  on  the  return  it 
was  necessary  for  us  to  travel  until  midnight  to  reach 
the  camp  of  San  Joseph  de  Ramos,  and  many  of  our 
pack-animals  were  tired  out,  while  some  loads  remained 
on  the  road. 

23.  On  the  twenty-third  we  rested387  while  those 
loads  were  coming  on. 

386  Manje  says  that  Santa  Clara  Mountain  was  near  320. 

387  Kino  and  Manje  differ  here.  Manje  says  they  set  out  on  the  twenty- 
third  and  traveled  all  day  and  part  of  the  night  of  the  twenty-third  to  reach 
San  Joseph  de  Ramos,  eighteen  leagues.  Manje  says  they  rested  only  on  the 
twenty-fourth,  instead  of  on  the  twenty-third  and  twenty-fourth,  as  Kino  says 
(Manje,  106).  From  here  Father  Salvatierra  sent  a  letter  to  Picolo  over- 
land by  Indians  but  it  never  reached  him. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  285 

24.  On  the  twenty-fourth,  Holy  Thursday,  mass 
was  said,  and  many  natives  of  these  environs  came  to 
see  us,  and  also  two  governors  from  far  inland  whither 
I  had  penetrated  the  year  before,  who  begged  us  to  go 
in  to  their  lands ;  but  as  our  sumpters  were  already  very 
much  fatigued,  we  told  them  to  come  with  us  to  San 
Marzelo,  where  we  were  going  to  rest  for  a  week. 
These  governors  gave  us  even  more  detailed  accounts 
of  how  in  the  preceding  months  my  messages  and  gifts 
had  penetrated  to  the  Quiquimas,  and  how  they  were 
waiting  for  us  with  very  friendly  anxiety. 

25.  On  the  twenty-fifth,  Good  Friday  and  the  Day 
of  the  Incarnation  of  our  Lord,  we  came  to  El  Car- 
rizal3  8  near  San  Marzelo.  Our  pack-animals  had  be- 
come very  tired  on  this  road,  but  they  were  reinvigorat- 
ed,  however,  with  the  good  pasturage  of  this  post. 
Many  natives  from  various  parts  came  to  see  us. 

26.  On  the  twenty-sixth  we  rested  in  this  good  camp. 
I  took  the  altitude  of  the  sun  with  the  astrolabe  and 
found  that  we  were  in  thirty-one  degrees  and  ten  min- 
utes. We  made  an  arbor  in  which  to  celebrate  Easter.38 

27.  On  the  twenty-seventh,  Easter,  the  soldiers  and 
the  other  people  confessed  and  received  communion,  and 
the  father  rector  preached  to  them.  We  made  a  little 
sketch  of  this  extremity  of  the  sea  of  California. 

28.  We  sent  to  the  ranch  of  San  Marzelo  for  a  beef 
and  fresh  meat,  which  came  the  following  day. 

29.  On  the  twenty-ninth  many  Indians  of  the  east 
came  to  see  us,  and  six  of  them  agreed  to  go,  and  did 
go,  with  us  on  another  new  little  journey  to  the  west- 
ward, which  the  father  rector  and  Captain  Juan  Mateo 

388  The   canebrake,   ante,    page    281. 

389  At  Carrizal  they  awaited  the  pack  train,  which  reached  there  two  days 
behind,  arriving  on  the  twenty-seventh. 


286  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Manje  and  I  made  quickly  with  four  servants  from 
Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores,  in  latitude  thirty-one 
degrees  and  thirty-five  minutes,  to  see  whether  by  this 
route  we  might  find  an  entry  and  a  passage  to  the  Qui- 
quimas  and  quite  beyond  them  and  round  the  head  of 
the  sea  of  California.390 

30.  On  the  thirtieth  we  awaited  our  news  from  the 
west,  which,  however,  did  not  come. 

31.  On  the  thirty-first  the  father  rector,  Captain 
Juan  Mateo  Manje,  and  I  set  out  to  the  westward  with 
the  six  Pima  guides  from  the  east,  and  with  eighteen 
mules  and  three  horses  with  six  light  loads.  After 
traversing  thirteen391  leagues  of  level  road  we  arrived 
an  hour  before  sunset  at  the  stopping-place  and  water- 
hole  which  they  called  Pitaqui,  and  which  we  after- 
wards called  La  Petaca.392  From  a  little  hill  which  we 
ascended,  taking  with  us  the  picture  of  Our  Lady  of 
Loreto,  we  plainly  sighted  California  and  the  great 
mountain  range  which  they  call  Sierra  del  Mescal, 
and  the  other  which  they  call  Sierra  Azul,  as  well 
as  the  closing  in  of  both  lands,  this  New  Spain  and 
California.393  At  nightfall  some  natives  came  to  see 
us  with  their  wives  and  little  children,  whom  they  gave 
us  to  baptize  after  having  heard  the  Word  of  God, 
which  we  preached  to  them. 

April  i.  On  the  first  of  April,  we  having  sent  an 
Indian  to  summon  the  rest  of  the  people  of  that  dis- 

390  Manje  says  they  were  caused  to  return  by  the  guides  telling  of  a  water- 
ing place  north  of  Santa  Clara.  Salvatierra  adds  interesting  items,  op  cit., 
149-154. 

391  A  journey  of  seventeen  leagues  (Manje),  Pitaqui  having  been  twenty- 
four  leagues  from  San  Marcelo. 

392  The  sachel   or  trunk.     A   play   on   the  word   Pitaqui. 

393  Manje  says  fourteen  leagues  northwest  to  three  tanks  of  rain  water. 
They  climbed  another  hill  six  leagues  north  of  Santa  Clara.  Manje  says  they 
could  determine  nothing  from  where  they  were.  The  tank  was  clearly  that 
now  called  Tinaja  de  los  Papagoes.  The  peak  was  evidently  Sierra 
Hornaday  or  the  crater  just  south  of  it.     See  Lumholtz,  op.  cit.,  232. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  287 

trict,  at  ten  o'clock  he  brought  two  squads  of  Yuma, 
Pima,  and  Cocomaricopa  natives,  with  their  governors, 
who  for  the  most  part  were  of  those  whom  I  had  seen 
the  year  before  at  San  Dionisio,  about  forty  leagues 
farther  to  the  north,  at  the  confluence  of  the  Rio  Colo- 
rado and  the  Rio  Grande;  and  they  all  told  us  that  to 
go  inland  as  we  desired  to  the  Quiquimas  of  California, 
there  still  lay  before  us  thirty  leagues,  or  three  days' 
journey,  of  stretches  of  sand  such  that  they  had  neither 
water  nor  pasturage,  whereupon  the  father  rector,  Juan 
Maria,  determined  that  we  should  return,  but  we 
planned  that  on  another  and  more  favorable  occasion, 
after  the  rainy  season  and  the  hot  weather,  I  should 
penetrate  in  higher  latitude  by  way  of  the  confluence  of 
the  rivers  and  by  San  Dionisio  (as  I  did  enter  in  No- 
vember) to  the  said  Quiquimas.  And  this  afternoon 
we  retraced  half  of  the  distance  traversed  the  day 
before,  contenting  ourselves  meanwhile  with  having 
seen  so  plainly  the  truth  in  regard  to  the  land  passage 
to  California,  for,  with  this  journey  and  that  which  I 
made  five  months  afterward  to  thirty-three  and  thirty- 
two  degrees  of  latitude,  not  the  least  doubt  remained, 
unless  it  were  in  the  incorrect  opinion  of  some  disaffect- 
ed persons. 

2.  On  the  second  we  arrived  at  midday  at  El 
Carizal,  and  at  night-fall  at  San  Marcelo,  where  the 
adjutant  and  the  soldiers  were  waiting  for  us  with  many 
natives,  and  with  many  letters  from  Sonora,  and  from 
various  parts. 

3.  On  the  third  Father  Rector  Juan  Maria  deter- 
mined to  return  with  the  ten  soldiers  by  way  of  La  Con- 
cepcion  del  Cabotca,  through  which  we  had  come,  and 
I,  because  it  was  some  time  since  I  had  seen  the  Pimeria 
of  the  north  and  its  Sobayporis,  determined  to  return 
to  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores  by  the  north  and  San 


288  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Xavier  del  Baac.  The  question  then  arose  as  to  wheth- 
er the  father  rector  or  I  should  carry  the  beloved  pic- 
ture of  Our  Lady  of  Loreto,  and  although  I  should  have 
been  content  to  have  the  father  rector  carry  that  great 
consolation  with  him,  his  Reverence  determined  that 
we  should  draw  lots  by  writing  on  two  little  papers 
"north"  and  "south";  and  as  on  drawing  the  little  pa- 
pers the  one  for  the  "north"  fell  to  me,  to  me  fell  the 
joy  of  carrying  this  great  Lady  of  Loreto  in  the  north 
of  this  Pimeria  of  the  Sobaiporis,  she  being  our  North 
Star. 

This  afternoon  the  father  rector  set  out  with  the  ten 
soldiers  on  his  southerly  route.  I  remained  for  some 
small  matters  of  business,  and  to  await  some  replies 
from  the  interior  and  for  the  building  of  a  little  church, 
almost  a  chapel,  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  Loreto,  in  which 
I  was  able  to  say  mass  on  three  days.  Although  my 
desire  was  to  set  out  early  the  following  day  with  Cap- 
tain Juan  Mateo  Manje  for  San  Xavier  del  Baac,  so 
many  runners  came  from  the  Quiquimas  by  day  and  by 
night  that  I  had  to  wait  three  days.  Thereby  I  left 
very  solid  and  well-established  peace-agreements  be- 
tween these  Pimas  and  those  Quiquimas,  who  promised 
that  they  would  come  to  meet  one  another  and  to  confer 
in  a  very  friendly  way  and  in  great  numbers  at  a  half- 
way point,  as  was  done,  and  that  they  would  advise  me 
of  everything  at  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores,  in  or- 
der that  by  the  Divine  Grace  I  might  penetrate  to  the 
Quiquimas  in  the  following  autumn. 

4.  On  the  fourth  the  twelve  small  beams  were  cut 
for  the  little  church  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  Loreto  de 
San  Marcelo  and  its  altar  was  made.  The  fiscal  whom 
I  had  sent  with  the  runner  of  the  night  before  came  and 
brought  us  news  that  the  governor  whom  the  father  rec- 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  289 

tor  had  dispatched  with  messages  to  Loreto  Concho 
was  returning  from  the  Quiquimas,  and  that  he  was 
bringing  messages  and  gifts  from  the  Yumas  and  Qui- 
quimas. 

5.  Early  on  the  fifth  I  dispatched  another  runner 
to  meet  and  bring  quickly  the  above  mentioned  govern- 
or. The  first  mass  was  said  in  the  little  new  church 
with  the  picture  of  Our  Lady  of  Loreto  placed  on  the 
new  altar.  Orders  were  given  to  clear  land  to  plant 
maize  which  in  sufficient  quantity  the  captain  of  El 
Comae  had  brought  us  from  Tucubabia.  At  nightfall 
the  governor  came  bringing  the  messages  and  presents 
from  the  Quiquimas,  especially  some  blue  shells  from 
the  opposite  coast,  saying  that  with  very  friendly  anxie- 
ty they  had  been  waiting  for  us,  greatly  desiring  our 
friendship,  in  order  to  be  converted  to  our  holy  faith, 
and  being  very  much  pleased  with  the  messages  and 
little  gifts  which  we  had  sent  them  on  different  occa- 
sions, now  from  about  here,  from  Nuestra  Senora  de  los 
Dolores  in  the  preceding  months,  and  from  San  Dion- 
isio  the  past  year.  To  reassure  them  I  sent  word  that, 
God  helping  me,  I  would  come  the  next  autumn  to  see 
them ;  and  I  determined  to  set  out  the  day  following  for 
the  Sobayporis  of  the  north. 


394 


CHAPTER  IX.     SETTING  OUT  FROM  SAN  MARCELO, 
AFTER  A  FIFTY-THREE  LEAGUES'  JOURNEY  WE  AR- 
RIVED AT   SAN    FRANCISCO   XAVIER   DEL   BAAC 
OF  THE   SOBAIPORIS.     THE   KINDNESS   AND 
GOOD  CONDITION  OF  THE  NATIVES 

APRIL  6,  1701.  On  the  sixth  of  April,  having  left 
word  that  with  the  eight  loads  of  provisions  which  had 
been  left  over  to  us  from  this  expedition  they  should 
finish  carefully  roofing  the  little  new  church  of  Nues- 

394  Manje  omits  nearly  all  the  events  of  the  three  days  spent  at  Sonoita. 


290  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

tra  Senora  de  Loreto,  and  that  the  natives  should  plant 
very  good  fields  for  themselves  also,  I  set  out  with  Cap- 
tain Juan  Mateo  Manje  from  San  Marselo,  by  an  east- 
ward course,  for  San  Raphael  del  Actum  el  Grande, 
whence  in  the  afternoon  we  went  on  to  the  watering- 
place  named  Gubo.395 

7.  On  the  seventh,  after  a  five  leagues'  journey  we 
arrived  at  the  camp  and  rancheria  of  Nuestra  Senora 
de  la  Merced  del  Batqui,396  whose  natives  welcomed, 
accompanied,  and  guided  us  lovingly.  From  here  by  a 
southerly  road  I  dispatched  to  Nuestra  Senora  de  los 
Dolores  four  servants,  two  muleteers,  and  two  cow- 
boys, with  some  mules  of  the  pack-train  and  the  most 
exhausted  of  the  pack-animals;  and  with  the  sixteen 
best  pack-animals,  most  of  them  mules,  I  continued  my 
journey  to  San  Xavier  del  Baac.  Traveling  twelve 
leagues  farther  for  lack  of  a  watering-place,  after  night- 
fall we  arrived  at  San  Serafin  del  Actum  El  Chico,397 
where  not  only  for  the  people  but  also  for  our  pack- 
animals  they  had  to  bring  us  water  in  pots  from  a  water- 
hole  at  some  distance.  Today  along  the  road  they 
gave  me  five  infants  to  baptize,  among  them  two  new- 
born twins  who  were  somewhat  weak. 

Here  we  began  to  obtain  some  information  in  regard 
to  the  many  Pimas,  both  Sobaiporis  and  non-Sobai- 
poris,  who  in  the  days  preceding  had  gone  out  against 
the  hostile  Hojomes,  Janos,  and  Apaches,  as  I  related 
at  the  beginning  of  this  account  of  this  expedition,  for 
because  the  Senor  governor  of  El  Parral  had  called  a 

395  Thirteen  leagues  for  the  day.  Manje  does  not  mention  San  Rafael  del 
Actum  el  Grande. 

396  From  page  278  we  learn  that  Batqui  means  "well."  Manje  says  there 
was  a  tank  at  Vatqui. 

397  The  Little,  as  distinguished  from  S.  Rafael  del  Actum  El  Grande  (the 
Large). 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  291 

squadron  of  soldiers  from  this  presidio  of  Sonora  to 
the  Taraumares,  the  other  soldiers  availed  themselves 
of  these  Pimas  against  the  enemies  of  this  province.398 

8.  On  the  eighth,  after  a  sixteen  leagues'  journey, 
passing  by  three  other  rancherias,  we  arrived  at  that 
of  El  Tupo,  all  these  places  also  being  very  poorly  sup- 
plied with  water,  although  the  natives  had  already 
planted  their  crops  of  maize,  beans,  and  calabashes.399 

9.  On  the  ninth,  after  a  ten  leagues'  journey,  at  two 
in  the  afternoon  we  arrived  at  San  Xavier  del  Baac.400 
Some  natives  who  were  hunting  and  from  afar  saw  us 
coming  on  our  journey,  left  the  chase  and  came  to  meet 
us  and  to  welcome  us  with  all  friendliness  and  love. 
We  found  that  a  few  days  before  the  governor  and  the 
captain  of  this  great  rancheria  or  incipient  pueblo  of 
San  Xavier  del  Baac  had  gone  out  with  many  other 
natives  to  war  against  the  enemies  of  this  province  of 
Sonora,  the  Hojomes,  Apaches,  and  Janos. 

10.  On  the  tenth  we  rested  here  at  San  Xavier,  giv- 
ing various  Christian  instruction  to  the  many  natives 
who  were  here.  We  saw  the  good  field  of  wheat  be- 
longing to  the  church,  the  seventy  head  of  sheep  and 
goats,  and  the  cattle  which  had  remained  (for  more 
than  two  hundred  had  returned  to  San  Luys  on  account 
of  the  neglect  of  the  few  cowboys,  especially  when  they 
had  gone  to  eat  pitajayas).  Much  kindness  was  shown 
us  by  these  very  excellent  natives.  They  gave  us  many 
of  their  provisions,  many  of  their  good  fabrics  and 

398  Manje  says  they  went  eighteen  leagues  for  the  day,  passing  five 
rancherios  after  leaving  Vatqui,  and  camped  at  Guactun.  Here  the  Indians 
gave  them  red  guacamaya  feathers. 

399  Manje  says  eighteen  leagues  to  Rancheria  del  Tups,  where  there  was 
a  good  tank. 

400  Manje  says  twelve  leagues  to  Bac.  Here  they  learned  that  half  of  the 
men  had  gone  with  Escalante,  at  the  call  of  Jironza,  to  avenge  the  death  of 
the  five  Pimas. 


292  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

blankets  of  cotton,  numerous  baskets,  buck-skins,  and  red 
feathers  of  the  many  macaws  which  are  raised  here,  etc. 
This  afternoon  came  the  news  of  the  victory  which  these 
Pimas  had  won  in  their  war  against  the  enemy  on  the 
very  day  when  Our  Lady  of  Loreto  entered  into  these 
their  lands,  as  is  told  in  the  following  chapter. 


401 


CHAPTER  X.    SETTING  OUT  FROM  SAN  XAVIER  DEL 
BAAC,  AFTER  TRAVELLING  SIXTY  LEAGUES  SOUTH 
WE  ARRIVE  AT  NUESTRA  SEnORA  DE  LOS  DOLORES; 
LETTERS  FROM  THE  ROYAL  JUSTICES  AND  MILI- 
TARY LEADERS  WHICH  WE  RECEIVE  ON  THE 
WAY  IN  REGARD  TO  THE  HAPPY  VICTORY 
OF  THESE   PIMAS   OVER   THE   ENEMIES 
OF  THIS  PROVINCE  OF  SONORA 

ii.  On  the  eleventh  of  April,  taking  our  way  toward 
the  south,  after  an  eighteen  leagues'  journey  we  arrived 
at  San  Cayetano.402 

12.  On  the  twelfth  we  came  to  San  Luys,  a  ten 
leagues'  journey,  passing  at  midday  by  San  Gabriel  de 
Guebavi.  In  the  ranch  of  San  Luys  we  counted  the 
three  hundred  and  forty  cattle  that  were  there.403  We 
found  that  the  soldiers  of  the  presidio  who  seven  days 
before  had  passed  by  this  ranch  with  the  Indians  of 
Cocospera  and  of  these  environs  had  taken  to  the  war 
a  few  beeves  and  some  of  the  sheep. 

13.  On  the  thirteenth  we  set  out  for  Cocospera, 


404 


401  Manje  omits  the  events  of  this  day.  For  the  importance  of  the 
pitajaya,  or  sahuaro  (cereus  giganteus)  to  the  Papagoes,  see  Lumholtz, 
op.  cit.,  chap.  iv. 

402  Manje  gives  the  distance  as  twenty  leagues.  At  San  Cayetano  they 
slept  in  the  house  of  adobe  y  terrado  which  the  natives  had  built  for  the 
minister  they  were   awaiting. 

403  Manje  says  they  counted  four  hundred  cattle  and  two  hundred  sheep 
on  the  Guevavi  ranch,  and  mentions  the  minister's  house  at  San  Luis  de 
Bacoancos. 

404  Above  San  Luis  they  passed  through  four  rancherias.  Manje  gives  the 
distance    as   fourteen    leagues.     At   Cocospera   the   Indians   were   building   a 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  293 

and  two  days  afterward  for  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Do- 
lores,405 for  I  had  been  detained  by  the  following  letter 
of  the  Senor  alcalde  mayor  of  this  province,  Don  Ysi- 
dro  Ruiz  de  Abechuco,  who,  with  the  citizens  of  the 
Real  de  San  Juan  and  of  the  province  of  Sonora,  also 
had  made  an  expedition  to  the  north  against  the  enemy. 
His  Honor  on  the  fourteenth  of  April  wrote  me  from 
Guebavi  the  following  excellent  letter: 

I  have  just  arrived  at  this  valley  and  pueblo  of  Guebavi,  and 
I  have  learned  through  the  Pima  natives  that  your  Reverence 
passed  this  way  toward  your  home.  Now  I  assure  you  that  I 
have  regretted  not  having  come  a  day  sooner  that  we  might 
have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  each  other  and  I  of  speaking  with  all 
this  Pima  nation.  For  at  present  they  are  assembled,  because 
they  have  just  come  back  from  having  given  the  Apaches  a  good 
beating,  as  they  tell  me;  and  I  observe  that  the  victory  which 
they  have  won  is  great,  because  there  is  no  one  who  does  not 
come  with  a  scalp-lock  and  as  joyful  as  I  am  at  having  found 
so  suitable  an  occasion  to  welcome  them  all  from  the  victory 
which  they  bring,  and  to  see  them  as  friendly  as  if  we  had  been 
in  communication  with  them  all  our  lives.  May  God  preserve 
them  in  peace,  and  by  means  of  them  may  we  secure  in  the 
province  the  quietude  which  it  so  much  desired ;  and  may  it  be 
for  the  service  of  God  and  the  King. 

I  have  had  information  also  that  the  journey  which  your 
Reverence  has  made  in  the  company  of  the  Very  Reverend 
Father  Juan  Maria  Salvatierra  has  been  one  of  great  satisfac- 
tion and  pleasure,  because  the  purpose  which  was  desired,  of  dis- 

church  and  a  house,  according  to  Kino's  orders.  Two  days  were  spent  here 
to  supervise  and  assist  in  the  work.  Here  they  learned  that  the  Pimas  and 
soldiers  had  killed  forty  Apaches  and  captured  twenty  children  in  the  last 
campaign,  without  loss  to  the  Spaniards.  All  the  braves  bore  Apache  scalps 
and  a  scalp  dance  was  held  (Manje,  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  109). 
405  On  the  sixteenth  they  went  six  leagues  to  Remedios,  which  was  under 
Kino's  administration.  They  found  the  house  and  church  well  along,  and 
the  house  painted.  The  church  when  finished  was  to  have  three  chapels  and 
a  beautiful  transept,  of  the  best  in  Sonora.  On  the  same  day  they  went  eight 
leagues  to  Dolores,  where  they  entered  the  temple  to  give  thanks  for  the  suc- 
cessful journey.  On  this  journey  four  hundred  new  Indians  had  been  regis- 
tered  (Manje,  Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  105-110). 


294  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

covering  a  land  route  to  California,  has  been  accomplished. 
This  news  has  been  a  source  of  very  great  pleasure  to  me;  and 
therefore  I  shall  appreciate  it  if  your  Reverence  will  inform  me 
if  it  is  true.  I  shall  set  out  day  after  tomorrow  from  this  val- 
ley, and  I  shall  go  by  way  of  Cocospora,406  with  God's  favor, 
toward  Bacanuche,  and  so  if  anything  occurs  to  your  Reverence 
in  which  I  can  serve  you,  you  may  command  me  with  the  cer- 
tainty of  my  good  will.  All  the  citizens  and  companions  who 
come  with  me  salute  your  Reverence  and  the  very  Reverend 
Father  Juan  Maria  very  heartily,  and  all  greatly  rejoice  at  the 
successful  journey  of  your  Reverence,  in  particular  Captain 
Simon  Rodrigues  Soto  and  Captain  Recalde,  who  also  are  with 
me  in  this  valley  and  pueblo  of  Guebavi.  But  in  order  not  to 
trouble  your  Reverence  I  say  no  more,  nor  do  I  enlarge  on 
everything  as  I  should  wish.  I  set  out  with  the  citizens  to  fol- 
low after  and  to  aid  the  Pimas,  but  as  I  could  not  arrive  in 
time  to  fight  with  them  against  the  Apaches,  from  Quiburi  I  re- 
turned to  this  valley  to  see  and  to  speak  with  these  natives, 
with  whom  I  have  been  much  pleased.  All  the  natives  salute 
your  Reverence,  and  in  particular  the  governor  of  the  ranch, 
Eusevio,  who  said  to  me  after  this  was  closed  that  I  should 
salute  your  Reverence  and  advise  you  that  all  are  returning 
safe  from  their  journey.407 

Thus  far  General  Ysidro  Ruis  de  Abechuco.     And 


406  From  Manje  we  learn  that  Ruiz  de  Abechuco,  with  his  twenty  men, 
overtook  Kino  and  Salvatierra  at  Cocospera  (Manje,  Luz  de  Tierra  In- 
c6gnita,  libro  ii,  no). 

407  Manje's  last  journey  with  the  missionaries  was  the  one  made  with 
Kino  and  Salvatierra.  In  the  nine  (I  find  only  eight)  recounted  in  his  itin- 
eraries he  and  the  fathers  had  travelled  three  thousand  leagues,  not  counting 
four  campaigns  against  the  Indians,  and  others  to  the  Pimeria  for  other 
purposes.  They  had  listed  of  the  Pimas  alone  twelve  thousand  souls,  and 
two  thousand  Yuma  men  corresponding  to  as  many  families.  They  had  bap- 
tized in  these  pueblos  seven  hundred.  In  these  seven  years  the  Pimas  killed 
six  hundred  and  eighty  enemies,  not  to  count  the  captured  children  {Luz  de 
Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  110-112). 

Add  to  this  the  campaigns  made  by  the  fifty  soldiers  of  the  Compania 
Volante  in  the  first  seven  years  during  which  Jironza  founded  and  ruled  it. 
More  than  thirty  are  noted  in  the  book,  autos  of  which  were  sent  to  the  offi- 
cials; not  to  mention  monthly  journeys  to  explore  the  frontiers  and  passes, 
recover  stolen  goods,  or  convoy  merchant  trains  or  passengers    {ibid.,  112). 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  295 

immediately  afterward  comes  the  following  letter 
from  the  commander  of  the  soldiers,  Juan  Bautista  de 
Escalante.     It  is  as  follow: 

My  dear  Sir  :  The  reason  for  my  not  having  written  these 
lines  before,  on  the  occasion  of  having  come  into  those  Pima 
lands,  was  a  lack  of  paper.  Nevertheless,  being  now  upon  this 
frontier,  I  do  not  wish  to  neglect  to  inform  your  Reverence  how 
I  went  on  the  campaign  which  our  beloved  and  loving  Pimas 
made  against  the  enemies  of  our  holy  faith,  in  which  it  has  gone 
very  well  with  us ;  for  our  friends,  three  hundred  and  thirty-two 
in  number,  set  out  with  only  the  provisions  which  they  could  car- 
ry in  their  bags.  They  persevered  in  the  campaign  in  great 
need  and  hunger,  and  succeeded  in  carrying  out  their  intentions, 
as  His  Divine  Majesty  granted  us  also;  for,  after  having  march- 
ed some  days  we  attacked  a  rancheria  of  Apaches,  where  seven- 
teen of  the  enemy  were  killed,  without  any  injury  to  us.  We 
captured  sixteen  persons,  of  whom  the  Pimas  are  taking  twelve 
and  have  sold  us  four,  because  I  told  them  that  whatever  was 
captured  should  belong  to  the  captor,  in  order  to  rouse  in  them 
a  stronger  desire  to  display  valor.  And  such  was  the  case,  for 
they,  being  many,  captured  fourteen,  and  we  two.  This  has 
been  of  great  importance  as  a  means  of  showing  the  opponents 
of  this  new  nation  the  falsehood  and  the  error  in  which  they 
have  been,  unless  it  be  that  partisanship  closes  the  eyes  of 
their  reason. 

But  Divine  Majesty,  who  always  favors  the  truth,  will  open 
the  understanding  and  the  eyes  of  those  who  have  kept  them 
closed,  by  means  of  many  another  victory  which  I  hope  we  shall 
win,  with  the  aid  of  the  Pimas,  as  I  see  them  each  day.  And  if 
there  had  been  provisions  we  should  have  won  not  one  good 
victory  but  many.  But  they  agreed  to  make  another  campaign. 
For  all  this  we  ought  to  give  thanks  to  God  our  Lord  and  also 
to  your  Reverence,  for,  it  is  through  you  and  your  very  Christian 
zeal  for  the  honor  of  God  that  we  have  such  excellent  friends  as 
are  our  Pimas.  And  so  on  my  part  I  thank  your  paternal  Rev- 
erence and  repeatedly  for  your  good  work  in  the  service  of  God 
and  the  King,  and  my  companions  do  the  same. 

Now  let  me  inform  your  Reverence  that  my  departure  from 
that  frontier  was  so  very  sudden  that  we  all  set  out  without  any 


296  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

provisions  for  the  campaign  except  a  few  tortillas  in  our  saddle- 
bags, for  which  reason  necessity  obliged  me  to  kill  at  San  Luys 
and  at  Guebavi  two  ewes  and  one  wether.  At  the  same  time  I 
ordered  sent  from  said  ranch  of  San  Luys  a  few  cattle  to  Sonoi- 
dag,408  which  was  the  rendezvous  of  the  Indians.  And  having 
detained  Captain  Coro  a  day  to  kill  two  beeves,  they  asked  me 
to  give  them  some,  too,  for  which  reason  I  killed  eight,  two  for 
myself  and  six  for  the  Pimas,  four  cows  and  four  horses,  two 
large  and  two  small. 

I  give  this  information  in  such  detail  in  order  that  your  Rev- 
erence may  decide  what  seems  best  to  you  in  the  matter,  for  I 
am  ready  to  do  whatever  your  paternal  Reverence  may  deter- 
mine concerning  the  payment  of  the  amount  of  all  this.  In- 
deed, besides  repaying  it,  I  thank  you,  for  the  great  care  of  your 
Reverence  in  having  so  many  ranches  in  different  parts  is  of 
much  assistance  to  us,  as  has  been  the  case  on  this  occasion.  And 
so  I  await  the  response  of  your  paternal  Reverence,  to  whom 
may  our  Lord  grant  good  health  and  a  long  life,  that  with  your 
holy  zeal  you  may  give  us  many  new  friends  for  the  defense 
of  the  holy  Gospel.  Presidio  of  Corodeguachi,  April  13,  1701. 
Juan  Bautista  de  Escalante  kisses  the  hand  of  your  Reverence. 

CHAPTER  XI.    VARIOUS  OTHER  LETTERS  FROM  THE 
DIFFERENT    MISSIONARY    FATHERS,    BOTH    IN    RE- 
GARD  TO   THE   ABOVE-MENTIONED   JOURNEY   TO 
THE  LAND  PASSAGE  TO  CALIFORNIA,  AND  IN 
REGARD   TO   THE   VICTORY   OF  THESE 
PIMAS    OVER    THE    ENEMIES    OF 
THIS  PROVINCE  OF  SONORA 

The  father  rector,  Juan  Maria  de  Salvatierra,  hav- 
ing set  out  from  San  Marcelo  by  La  Concepcion  del 
Cabotca  and  by  San  Ygnacio,  and  having  arrived  at 
Cucurpe,  on  the  fourteenth  of  April  wrote  me  the  fol- 
lowing: 

Having  arrived  at  this  pueblo  of  Cucurpe  in  safety,  thanks 
be  to  God  and  to  His  Most  Holy  Mother,  I  salute  your  Rev- 
erence heartily.     It  is  necessary  for  me  to  set  out  for  the  neigh- 

408  Not  the  Sonoita  near  the  Gulf,  but  another  place  by  this  name  east  of 
the  Santa  Cruz  River  and  north  of  Guebavi.  There  was  a  third  Sonoita 
south  of  Nogales. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  297 

borhood  of  our  coast  and  harbor,  for  my  ignorance  of  every- 
thing unsettles  me.  Father  Melchor  Bartiromo  tells  me  that 
your  Reverence  arrived  yesterday  afternoon  at  Cocospera  with 
Captain  Juan  Matheo  Manje,  and  certainly  I  have  rejoiced  that 
your  Reverence's  journey  has  turned  out  well.  The  sumpters 
of  your  Reverence  have  all  been  delivered  at  Santa  Maria 
Magdalena  to  the  drivers  of  the  pack  train.  Words  fail  me 
with  which  to  thank  your  Reverence  for  so  many  and  so  great 
toils  undertaken  in  the  honor  of  the  Madonna  of  Discovery. 
May  she  intercede  with  her  most  precious  Son  for  the  recom- 
pense of  all.  Thus  I  shall  write  to  the  father  provincial  and  to 
the  father  visitor  and  to  the  rest. 

On  setting  out  from  Cucurpe  to  return  to  California 
his  Reverence  wrote  me  the  following: 

I  congratulate  your  Reverence  on  the  victory  of  the  Pima 
natives  over  the  enemy,  of  which  I  hear,  with  my  foot  in  the 
stirrup  at  Cucurpe,  when  about  to  set  out  in  all  haste  to  Yaqui 
to  see  if  I  can  repair  the  many  damages  and  relieve  poor  Cali- 
fornia, made  helpless  through  the  loss,  as  they  say,  of  two  barks 
which  do  not  appear  in  any  port.  My  beloved  Father  Eusevio, 
now  it  is  time  for  your  Reverence  to  aid  us  with  a  good  consign- 
ment of  flour,  tallow,  and  suet,  in  skins,  because  I  consider 
these  poor  people  in  great  need.  If  your  Reverence  could  send 
your  pack-train  to  Matape  with  aid  it  would  be  of  great  impor- 
tance at  this  time,  and  the  father  rector  of  Matape  will  send  it 
promptly  to  Hyaqui  for  the  sail-boats.  And,  so,  if  your  Rev- 
erence can  do  it,  I  earnestly  beseech  you  to  write  to  the  father 
rector  of  Matape  telling  how  many  loads  you  can  send  and 
when  they  can  be  in  Matape,  so  that  he  may  have  ready  every- 
thing which  goes  to  Hyaqui.  Your  Reverence  will  pardon  one 
molestation  after  another,  for  the  occasion  of  so  great  a  loss 
forces  me  to  it.  And,  finally,  I  beg  that  you  will  not  forget 
me  in  your  prayers  and  holy  sacrifices. 

The  father  rector,  Juan  Maria  de  Salvatierra,  having 
arrived  in  California,  on  the  sixteenth  of  May  wrote  me 
the  following  from  Loreto  Concho: 

I  have  received  the  news  of  your  Reverence's  return  to  your 
holy  mission,  and  I  have  rejoiced  at  the  good  success  of  the 
Pima  natives  over  the  enemy  and  at  the  blue  shells  from  the 


298  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Quiquimas.  Your  Reverence  has  a  thousand  benedictions  from 
all  the  fathers  and  seculars  for  your  journey  and  for  the  dis- 
covery, from  the  hill,  at  a  distance,  of  the  joining  of  New 
California  and  New  Spain.  And  much  greater  has  been  the 
rejoicing  to  know  that  your  Reverence  has  the  means  and  the 
desire  to  examine  at  close  hand  that  which  a  distant  vision 
might  misrepresent.  I  have  just  received  a  recent  letter  from  the 
father  provincial,  and  in  it  I  note  that  the  California  of  your 
Reverence  is  California  efisienter,409  for  your  Reverence  with 
your  aid  will  bring  it  about  that  California  will  be  California ; 
and  so,  your  Reverence,  take  courage  with  your  aid,  for  the  one 
who  is  effisienter  410  is  this  Pater  et  Mater  Calif orniorum  Lau- 
retanorum.*11 

Thus  far  Father  Rector  Juan  Maria;  and  in  the  same 
letter  Father  Francisco  Maria  Picolo  adds  the  follow- 
ing: 

My  beloved  Father  Eusevio  Francisco  Kino,  I  give  your 
Reverence  a  thousand  congratulations  for  the  discovery,  so  much 
desired.  May  our  Lord  grant  us  the  boon  of  seeing  California 
carry  on  trade  with  New  Spain  by  land,  for  the  relief  of  these 
missions  and  for  the  good  of  so  many  souls.  I  shall  rejoice  if 
your  Reverence's  health  be  perfect,  and  may  you  live  for  many 
years  to  the  glory  of  His  Divine  Majesty,  etc. 

The  father  visitor,  Anttonio  Leal,  on  the  seventeenth 
of  April  wrote  me  thus: 

I  have  rejoiced  greatly  that  your  Reverence  has  now  re- 
turned from  your  journey,  which  has  been  made  with  hopes  so 
well-founded  as  to  constitute  certainty  of  the  continuity  of  the 
land.  God  willing,  on  another  occasion  the  rest  shall  be  ac- 
complished, and  even  if  on  this  occasion  nothing  more  had  been 
accomplished  than  the  peace-agreements  of  those  nations  the 
trouble  would  have  been  well  worth  while.  God  will  repay 
your  Reverence,  as  He  is  repaying  you  already,  for  soon  came 
the  rejoicing  over  the  victory  of  the  Pimas  and  the  booty  which 
they  bring,  which  has  caused  very  general  jubilation.  The 
father  rector,  Juan  Maria  Salvatierra,  is  very  grateful  to  your 

*09  "Indeed."     In  his  letter  to  Arteaga  Salvatierra  gives  data  concerning 
his   return  to  California   (op.  cit.,   154-156). 
41°  "Efficient." 
411  "Father  and  mother  of  the  California  Lorettines." 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  299 

Reverence  for  the  good  which  you  have  done  him  in  everything. 
He  asks  me  to  thank  your  Reverence,  as  I  do  once  and  again. 

Thus  far  the  father  visitor.  The  Father  Rector  Mar- 
cos de  Loyola  on  the  eighteenth  of  April  wrote  me  the 

following: 

The  father  visitor  has  just  communicated  to  me  a  letter  of 
your  Reverence,  written  from  Cocospora  to  Father  Bartyromo 
about  the  victory  which  the  Pimas  and  the  soldiers  have  won 
over  the  hostile  Jocomes  and  Janos,  news  very  welcome  to  all, 
and  to  me  especially,  for  everything  that  your  Reverence  so 
many  times  has  asserted  in  regard  to  the  Pimas  has  proved  so 
true  that  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  now  the  incredulous  will 
believe  what  your  Reverence  has  proved  so  conclusively.  Also, 
he  communicated  to  me  the  arrival  of  your  Reverence  from 
your  journey,  so  extended,  and  the  great  good  which  your  Rev- 
erences have  done  in  those  travels,  and  that  you  have  succeeded 
in  finding  the  way  to  California.  I  do  not  know  how  to  signify 
to  your  Reverence  how  much  I  have  rejoiced  on  account  of  this. 
Already  I  have  written  to  the  father  visitor  that  the  great  suc- 
cess of  the  journey  is  due  to  your  Reverence  and  to  your  many 
praiseworthy  toils,  for  your  Reverence,  with  your  apostolic  en- 
deavor, has  been  the  first  to  penetrate  those  unknown  lands, 
and  you  are  the  one  who  is  preparing  those  harvests,  so  that  in 
their  time  they  may  be  gathered  in  with  much  fruit.  For  all 
this  a  thousand  thanks  to  your  Reverence.  I  wish  I  were  some- 
thing in  religion  *12  so  as  to  reward  that  which  is  so  worthy  of 
reward,  but  God  is  He  who  must  do  that. 

Thus  far  Father  Rector  Marcos  de  Loyola.  The 
Father  Rector  Manual  Gonzales  on  the  thirtieth  of 
May  wrote  me  the  following: 

A  thousand  million  congratulations  I  give  to  your  Reverence; 
no  longer  are  proofs  necessary  for  your  Pimeria.  A  thousand 
more  the  Senor  alcalde  mayor  will  give  if  they  are  asked  of 
him.  Vale,  mi  Pater  amantissime ,  vale,  vale,  et  laetare,  a 
thousand  million  times  and  for  all  eternity;  et  ora  pro  me, 
etc.413 


il2I.e.,  held   an   office. 

413  "Farewell,  my  most  loving  Father,  farewell,  a  thousand  million  times 
and  for  all  eternity,  be  of  good  cheer  and  pray  for  me." 


300  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Father  Oracio  Polise,  who  during  the  three  years  past 
was  visitor  of  the  missions  of  Sonora,  who  afterwards 
received  from  Rome  the  rectorate  of  San  Luys  Porto- 
li,414  and  who  has  always  been  very  sympathetic,  loving, 
and  a  great  encourager  and  promoter  of  the  new  con- 
versions, wrote  me  another  letter  of  like  tenor,  and  of 
the  things  which  were  dictated  to  him  by  his  great  zeal 
for  so  many  souls  as  there  are  in  this  North  America, 
so  extensive. 

Father  Geronimo  Pistoya,  who  was  visitor  and  rec- 
tor of  the  College  of  Cinaloa,  not  only  after  the  journey 
but  also  during  it,  on  the  eleventh  of  February  wrote 
me  this  apostolic  and  holy  consolation,  as  follows: 

I  give  your  Reverence  sincere  thanks  for  the  great  work  you 
have  done  in  seeking  out  the  scattered  sheep,  and  those  which 
are  outside  the  fold  of  the  holy  Gospel.  God  will  recompense 
your  Reverence  for  it  even  in  this  life,  and  one  of  the  compensa- 
tions is  the  opposition  which  your  Reverence  has  always  met. 
I  do  not  deny  that  it  is  grievous  and  bitter  to  human  nature, 
but  it  is  very  glorious  and  sweet  to  the  Divine. 

Father  Venzeslao  Eumer,415  visitor  of  the  Tarau- 
mares,  making  known  the  great  error  of  the  English 
General  Drake,  who  falsely  delineated  California  for 
us  as  an  island,  apropos  of  what  Father  Rector  Juan 
Maria  wrote  to  the  Taraumeres,  on  the  fifth  of  Septem- 
ber wrote  me  the  following  very  learned  and  very  fer- 
vent letter  in  Latin:416 

May  the  event  be  blest,  happy  and  joyous,  may  it  redound  to 

414  Evidently   a   mis-copy   for   San   Luis   Potosi. 

415  Stocklein  {Neue  Welt-Bott,  theil  ii,  85-86)  prints  a  letter  from  P. 
Wenceslau  Eymer,  of  Bohemia,  to  R.  P.  Joannem  Walt,  in  Bohemia,  written 
Jan.  8,  1696,  from  Papigotschyki,  Tarahumara.  For  a  sketch  of  Eymer  see 
Huonder,  op.  cit.,  107. 

416  Instead  of  giving  the  Latin  in  the  text  as  in  case  of  other  Latin  pas- 
sages, the  translation  is  given  here,  the  Latin  being  put  in  the  note.  The 
passage  is  as  follows:    "Quod  bonum,  felix,  fortunatumque  sit,  et  ad  majorem 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  301 

the  greater  glory  of  God,  to  the  honor  of  His  Immaculate 
Mother,  to  the  extension  of  Holy  Church,  to  the  spread  of  our 
orthodox  faith,  and  to  the  salvation  of  souls  that,  under  the 
auspices  of  the  queen  of  Loreto,  by  the  apostolic  sweat,  and  un- 
tiring labor  of  Fathers  Juan  Maria  and  Francisco  Eusebio, 
California  has  been  happily  found  to  be  part  of  the  mainland. 
Away  now  with  British  temerity,  with  her  English  Drake,  and 
let  him  keep  silent  who  boasts  that  he  has  circumnavigated 
California,  as  if,  by  a  foolish  fiction,  California  were  the  At- 
lantis of  the  West.  I  congratulate  Your  Reverence,  therefore, 
and  I  ask  God's  most  abundant  blessings,  fortified  with  which 
you  may  wage  relentless  war  on  Californian  idolatry,  while  we, 
glorious  with  the  palm,  sing  your  victory. 

Thus  says  Father  Wenceslaus.  I  shall  give,  farther 
on,  letters  from  the  superiors  and  from  the  province. 

CHAPTER    XII.      LETTERS    FROM    OTHER    SECULAR 
GENTLEMEN  AND  MINISTERS  OF  HIS  ROYAL  MAJES- 
TY IN  REGARD  TO  THIS  JOURNEY  AND  THE 
PASSAGE  TO  CALIFORNIA,  AND  IN  REGARD 
TO  THIS  VICTORY  OF  THE   PIMAS 

Captain  Juan  Mateo  Manje,  who  went  with  us  on 
this  expedition,  wrote  a  long  account  of  it  in  which, 
although  he  supports  the  statements  of  the  fathers,  yet, 
on  account  of  a  bay417  which  we  saw  from  a  distance 
about  three  leagues  farther  to  the  west  than  the  ridge 
whence  we  returned,  with  the  unanimous  and  unquali- 

Dei  Deiparaque  sine  labe  concepts  honorem,  Ecclesia  Sancta  incremen- 
tum,  Fidei  ortodoxa  dilatacionem,  animarumque  Salutem  eveniat,  Cali- 
fornia sub  auspiciis  Regina  Lauretana,  Sudore  apostolico  et  labore  indcfesso 
P.  P.  Joannis  Maria  et  Francisci  Eusebii  Continens  feliciter  inventa  est. 
Eat  nunc  cum  suo  Draco  .4n%li[c)o  et  digitum  ori  imponat  temeritas  Britanica, 
qua  inani  fabula  in  Atlante  Californiarum  Californium  a  se  circumnaviga- 
tam  jactat.  Gratulor  igitur  Reverentia  Vestra,  et  uberrima  Dei  auxilia 
precor,  quibus  munitus  bcllum  idolatria  California  indicat  cruentum  cum 
Palma   Victoriam    aloriosi   occinimus." 

417  Manje  distinctly  says  that,  contrary  to  the  maps  and  geographers,  they 
could  find  no  bay  near  Santa  Clara   (Luz  de  Tierra  Incognita,  libro  ii,  104.). 


3o2  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

fied  favorable  opinion  of  the  fathers,  he  placed  in  doubt 
whether  or  not  California  had  continental  connection 
with  this  land;  but  now,  by  the  two  expeditions  which 
I  afterwards  made  to  that  bay,  this  doubt  has  been  re- 
moved, as  shall  be  seen  in  the  next  book. 

General  Don  Domingo  Jironza  Petris  de  Crussatt, 
who  has  been  twice  governor  of  New  Mexico  and  al- 
calde mayor  and  captain  of  the  presidio  of  this  province 
of  Sonora,  on  the  twenty-first  of  June  wrote  me  the  fol- 
lowing: 

Once  and  again  I  thank  your  Reverence  for  the  greetings  of 
the  excellent  Pima  natives,  to  whom  I  very  heartily  return  greet- 
ings, for,  although  I  have  measured  the  strength  of  the  common 
enemy,  we  are  going  to  have  tranquillity  through  that  Pima 
nation,  and  they  are  to  be  the  fundamental  base  from  which 
to  extend  the  seed  of  the  Gospel  through  the  long  circuit  of  the 
other  nations.  The  credit  is  due  to  your  Reverence  for  the 
greatest  watchfulness  in  your  unwearying  peregrinations,  so 
much  for  the  service  of  God,  who  will  give  the  reward  for  all. 
I  am  still  waiting  for  the  blue  shells  which  came  from  Cali- 
fornia by  a  continental  route  found  by  the  good  endeavors  of 
your  Reverence,  who  are  worthy  of  receiving  repeated  thanks 
and  rewards  from  the  superiors  for  undertakings  so  heroic,  and 
whenever  opportunity  offers  I  shall  give  to  the  Senor  viceroy 
and  to  the  superior  fathers  account  of  everything.418 

CHAPTER  XIII.     FOUR  NEW  MISSIONARY  FATHERS 

ENTER  THIS  PIMERIA 

1701.  As  a  result  of  the  expedition  of  the  father 
visitor,  Antonio  Leal,  which  was  made  two  years  before 
and  which  I  narrate  in  the  first  part,  and  of  the  reports 
of  his  Reverence  and  of  other  persons  zealous  for  the 

418  On  the  margin  at  this  point  in  the  original  are  directions  to  transfer 
the  remainder  of  this  chapter  to  chapter  viii  of  the  next  Book,  where  the 
passages  chronologically  belong.  They  have  been  so  transferred.  See  pages 
325-327.  post. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  303 

service  of  God  and  the  king,  this  year,  1701,  the  father 
provincial,  Francisco  de  Arteaga,  sent  us  four  new 
fathers  for  this  Pimeria;  and,  although  the  accustomed 
obstacles  and  opposition  did  not  fail,  they  came  in 
to  the  posts  and  new  pueblos  which  were  assigned  to 
them  by  the  father  visitor.  They  found  the  many  do- 
cile people,  and  cattle,  crops,  and  harvests,  and  the  be- 
ginnings of  houses  and  churches  which  his  Reverence 
had  seen  with  his  eyes,  and  they  remained  very  well 
content,  with  great  hopes  of  establishing  there  in  the 
interior  some  very  flourishing  missions,  as  they  said  and 
wrote  to  me  and  to  other  persons  on  different  occasions. 

The  four  fathers  who  entered  were  the  following: 
Father  Juan  de  San  Martin  came  to  the  three  ran- 
cherias  or  new  pueblos  of  San  Gabriel  de  Guebavi, 
San  Cayetano,  and  San  Luys,  which  are  about  thirty 
leagues  to  the  northward  of  Nuestra  Sefiora  de  los  Dol- 
ores. Father  Francisco  Gonzalvo  went  on  farther  to 
San  Francisco  Xavier  del  Baac  of  the  Sobayporis, 
which  is  about  sixty  leagues  from  Nuestra  Sefiora  de 
los  Dolores. 

To  the  west,  to  San  Pedro  and  San  Pablo  del  Tubu- 
tama,  which  is  twenty-five  leagues  from  Nuestra  Se- 
fiora de  los  Dolores,  and  fifteen  from  San  Ygnacio,  went 
Father  Ygnacio  de  Yturmendi;  and  twenty-two  leagues 
farther  inland,  to  Nuestra  Sefiora  de  la  Concepcion  del 
Cabotca,  went  Father  Caspar  de  las  Barillas. 

In  all  places  buildings  were  constructed,  and  very 
good  beginnings  were  made  in  spiritual  and  temporal 
matters.  In  Guebavi  in  a  few  months  we  finished  a 
house  and  a  church,  small  but  neat,  and  we  laid  the 
foundations  of  a  church  and  a  large  house.     Father 


304  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA 

Juan  de  San  Martin,  on  going  by  San  Ygnacio,  on  the 
thirtieth  of  June  wrote  me  the  following  letter: 

Yesterday  afternoon,  on  account  of  the  rain,  which  was  ex- 
cessive, we  did  not  set  out  from  San  Ygnacio  for  Hymeres,  al- 
though the  loads  and  packs  had  already  gone;  and  as  nothing 
happens  by  chance,  so  far  as  God  is  concerned,  his  Majesty  dis- 
posed my  detention  that  I  might  receive  your  Reverence's  letter 
and  learn  from  it  the  very  great  charity  which  your  Reverence 
does  me,  offering  to  assist  me  with  all  that  is  necessary  for  the 
new  pueblos  where  holy  duty  assigns  me.419 

Father  Ygnacio  de  Yturmendi,  from  his  new  district 
of  San  Pedro  y  San  Pablo  del  Tubutama,  on  the  eighth 
of  July  wrote  me  thus : 

God  will  reward  your  Reverence  for  the  gift  of  the  cattle, 
sheep,  goats,  etc. ;  the  reward  your  Reverence  will  receive  in 
the  next  life,  for  your  Reverence  shows  yourself  a  father  to  us 
poor  fathers.  I  have  been  very  grateful  for  the  many  favors  of 
your  Reverence. 

Similarly,  on  account  of  the  accustomed  opposi- 
tion of  the  common  enemy,  on  the  twenty-first  of  July 
the  father  visitor,  Antonio  Leal,  wrote  me  the  follow- 
ing: 

Much  comfort  have  I  had  in  your  Reverence's  letter,  and 
because  of  those  which  the  fathers  have  written  to  your  Rev- 
erence. Now  God  is  moving  against  the  hindrances  of  the 
enemy;  so  I  trust  in  his  Majesty  that  he  wills  for  your  Rever- 
ence these  provocations,  for  your  greater  merit. 


419  Bancroft  (Arizona  and  New  Mexico,  361)  concludes  that  Arizona  had 
no  "regular  mission  or  resident  Jesuit"  in  Kino's  day.  This  passage  shows 
conclusively  that  he  is  mistaken.  It  is  confirmed  by  other  passages  in  the 
writings  of  both  Kino  and  Manje.  See  Bolton,  Spanish  Exploration  in  the 
Southwest,  449,  footnote  3,  where  Father  Gonzalvo's  name  is  by  mistake 
given  as  Gonzalez. 


BOOK  III.     OF  MY  EXPEDITION  OF  TWO 

HUNDRED  LEAGUES  TO  THE  QUIQUIMA 

NATION  OF  UPPER  CALIFORNIA,  AND  TO 

THE  VERY  LARGE,  VERY  FERTILE,  AND 

VERY   POPULOUS    RIO   COLORADO, 

WHICH  IS  THE  REAL  AND  TRUE 

RIO  DEL  NORTE,  1701 


420 


CHAPTER  I.    LETTER  OF  THE  FATHER  RECTOR,  JUAN 

MARIA  DE  SALVATIERRA,   IN  REGARD  TO  THIS 

EXPEDITION,  WHICH   I  RECEIVE  WHEN  ON 

THE  POINT  OF  MOUNTING  MY  HORSE 

TO  UNDERTAKE  IT 

Pursuant  to  the  plans  which  Father  Rector  Juan 
Maria  de  Salvatierra  and  I  had  made  in  the  previous 
expedition  of  the  past  month  of  March,  it  was  my  de- 
sire and  determination  to  make  this  expedition  in  Octo- 
ber, but  as  other  occupations  detained  me  some  days, 
meanwhile  there  came  from  California  the  letter  of  his 
Reverence  of  September  10,  dated  at  Loreto  Concho. 
It  runs  thus: 

1 701.     I  receive  your  Reverence's  letter  dated  July  IO,  with 
much  pleasure  at  seeing  the  beloved  handwriting  of  your  Rever- 

420Manje  adds  interesting  information  here  (op.  cit.,  no-in).  Jironza 
had  agreed,  because  of  the  varied  opinions  and  maps,  to  send  soldiers 
to  help  the  fathers  settle  the  question  of  the  land  passage,  and  to  see  if  a 
certain  mineral  vein  shown  them  by  the  Indians  was  of  gold  or  quicksilver. 
The  soldiers  were  not  sent  because  of  a  change  in  the  military  command, 
General  Jacinto  Fuensaldana  becoming  commander  of  the  Compania  Volante 
of  Sonora,  and  Manje  could  not  go  because  he  was  made  alcalde  mayor  and 
captain-general  of  Sonora,  and  was  called  out  to  punish  the  Apaches  just  as 
the  journey  was  begun.  He  adds  that  the  missionaries  went  but  left  the 
matter  of  the  land  passage  still  in  doubt. 


306  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

ence,  so  eager  to  go  to  see  the  beloved  Quiquimas  by  the  head 
of  the  strait.  God  grant  your  Reverence  all  the  strength  which 
I  wish  you,  and  that,  with  the  patronage  of  the  Madonna, 
Conculcabit  leonem  ett  Draconem ;  421  and  so,  good  courage, 
which  perhaps  your  Reverence  will  receive  on  your  passage. 
We  can  not  set  out  from  here  to  meet  your  Reverence  because 
we  are  without  the  necessary  mounts,  through  lack  of  a  suitable 
bark.422  I  thank  your  Reverence  sincerely  for  the  ten  loads 
of  flour  from  last  year's  harvest,  delivered  at  Matape,  and  the 
other  ten  to  be  delivered  at  Matape  or  Nacori,  of  the  harvest 
of  this  year,  the  first  of  the  century.  It  is  the  first  offering 
which  the  Madonna  has  had,  and  as  little  or  none  can  we  ex- 
pect from  any  other  district,  I  pray  your  reverence  that  when 
you  can,  and  as  early  as  possible,  you  will  deliver  it  at  Matape, 
for  we  are  much  in  need,  not  having  had  the  aid  of  one  real 
from  the  King  our  Lord,  and  most  of  the  soldiers  having  gone 
to  a  little  war  which  we  have  had  with  some  priests  of  the 
idols,  which  placed  us  in  much  danger.  But  our  Lady  has 
aided  us,  and  on  the  octave  of  Assumption  they  captured  a  prin- 
cipal chief  and  beat  him  to  death ; 423  the  others  made  peace, 
coming  with  crosses  in  their  hands,  and  we  have  emerged  from 
that  danger.  And  so,  your  Reverence,  commend  us  in  many 
devotions  to  our  Lady,  that  She  may  give  strength  to  the  six- 
teen soldiers  who  remain  to  keep  the  circuit  of  more  than  fifty 
leagues  of  land  obedient.  I  will  give  an  account  to  our  father 
of  the  great  aid  which  your  Reverence  is  giving  us.  And  final- 
ly, your  Reverence,  accept  a  thousand  greetings  from  my  Fath- 
er Rector  Juan  Duarte  423a  and  Father  Francisco  Maria  Picolo. 
With  this  I  close,  commending  myself  to  your  holy  prayers  and 
sacrifices.  Loreto  Concho. 
October  18,  1701. 

Thus  far  the  father  rector,  Juan  Maria  de  Salvatier- 
ra. 


421  "He  will  trample  under  foot  the  lion  and  the  dragon"  {Psalm  xc,  13. 
Conculcabis  leonem,  etc.)  Kino  varies  the  person  of  the  verb  to  suit  the 
occasion. 

422  That  is,  barks  were  lacking  to  transport  the  necessary  horses  across 
the  Gulf. 

423  Apelotearon. 
423a  juan  de  rjgarte. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  307 

CHAPTER  II.     MY  DEPARTURE  FROM  NUESTRA  SE- 

NORA  DE  LOS  DOLORES   FOR  THE  QUIQUIMAS  OF 

CALIFORNIA,  WHO  ARE  TWO   HUNDRED   LEAGUES 

DISTANT,   WITH   TWELVE   SERVANTS,   AND   MY 

ARRIVAL  AT  SAN  MARCELO,  A  JOURNEY  OF 

MORE  THAN  NINETY  LEAGUES  42i 

NOVEMBER  3,  1701.  On  November  3,  1701,  having 
dispatched  five  servants  a  day  before  with  the  relay  of 
horses  and  with  two  small  loads,  I  set  out  early  from 
the  pueblo  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores.  I  ar- 
rived in  time  to  say  mass  and  have  All  Souls  celebrated 
at  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Remedios,  and  in  the  afternoon 
I  passed  on  to  the  third  pueblo,  that  of  Cocospora. 

4.  On  the  fourth,  having  said  the  mass  of  All  Souls, 
I  arrived  at  midday  at  San  Lazaro  and  spent  the  night 
at  San  Jose  Guebavi,  passing  by  San  Luys,425  where  we 
killed  a  beef  that  they  might  sow  the  wheat  for  the 
Church;  and  I  sent  messages  to  the  rancheria  of  Los 
Reyes  del  Sonoydag,  six  leagues  to  the  east,  to  Captain 
Coro  and  his  many  people. 

5.  On  the  fifth,  having  said  mass  in  the  new  and 
very  neat  little  church,  which  a  little  while  before 
Father  Juan  de  San  Martin  had  built  (his  Reverence 
at  this  time  had  gone  away  to  be  treated)  and  which  I 
had  ordered  roofed  and  whitewashed,  I  set  out  to  the 
westward  for  San  Ambrosio  del  Busanic,  and,  passing 
by  the  borders  of  the  new  ranch  of  San  Simon  y  San 
Judas  del  Siboda,  where  there  were  about  a  thousand 

424  So  far  as  I  know,  no  other  diary  of  this  journey  has  been  found. 
Heretofore  our  principal  reliance  has  been  Ortega,  Apostolicos  Afanes,  295- 
301,  which  is  a  summary  of  this  diary.  Other  brief  accounts  are  given  in 
Bancroft,  North  Mexican  States,  vol.  i,  497-499,  Bancroft,  Arizona  and  Ne<w 
Mexico,  359;  Venegas,  Noticia  de  la  California,  vol.  ii,  103-105;  Alegre, 
Historia  de  la  Comp.  de  Jesus,  vol.  iii,  134. 

425  San  Luis  Bacoancos,  called  San  Luis  de  Babi  by  Ortega  {Apostolicos 
Afanes,  295). 


308  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

cattle  and  seven  droves  of  mares,  with  sufficient  horses 
and  mules,  all  for  the  new  missions  which  were  being 
founded,  after  a  fifteen  leagues'  journey  we  camped  for 
the  night  at  a  good  stopping-place,  another  Sonoydag, 
six  leagues  before  arriving  at  San  Ambrosio  del  Bu- 
sanic. 

6.  On  the  sixth,  Sunday,  I  arrived  in  time  to  say 
mass  at  San  Ambrosio.  We  killed  two  beeves  of  this 
small  new  ranch,  which  had  eighty-six  grown  cattle  and 
forty-nine  young  ones,  and  three  droves  of  mares,  one 
of  which  we  took  with  us  with  our  relay  of  horses  to 
San  Marcelo,  about  fifty  leagues  farther  in  the  interior. 

7.  On  the  seventh  we  dried  some  meat  for  the  jour- 
ney along  the  coast.  We  counted  the  droves  and  found 
out  what  they  had  sown  and  gathered  for  us  of  maize 
and  wheat  and  beans. 

8.  On  the  eighth  we  set  out  for  San  Estanislao  del 
Ootcam,426  and  having  arrived  after  ten  leagues'  jour- 
ney, we  found  that  the  governor  of  this  rancheria  had 
gathered  and  was  keeping  for  us  more  than  ten  loads  of 
maize  which  he  had  sown  for  us  for  the  Church,  with- 
out having  been  asked  to  do  so. 

9.  On  the  ninth,  they  having  given  us  four  infants  to 
baptize,  we  set  out  for  Santa  Ana  del  Anamic,  where 
we  arrived  after  fifteen  leagues'  journey,  an  hour  after 
nightfall,  by  moonlight,  some  from  San  Estanislao  ac- 
companying us.  The  alcalde  went  ahead  prompt- 
ly to  give  notice  of  our  coming,  whereupon  the  govern- 
or of  Santa  Ana  provided  for  us  a  little  house  and  an 
arbor,  and  sundry  of  their  eatables.  When  we  had 
spoken  to  them  of  the  Word  of  God  they  all  wished  to 
be  baptized  the  following  day,  but  I  consented  to  bap- 
tize only  two  infants. 

10.  On  the  tenth  we  continued  our  route  to  the 


426 


Miscalled  Ooltan   by  Ortega    (Apostolicos  A  fanes,  page  296). 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  309 

westward.  After  a  three  leagues'  journey  we  arrived 
at  the  small  tank,  or  little  well,  of  Santa  Sabina,  for 
afterwards  we  gave  it  this  name,  because  on  the  return 
I  said  here  the  first  mass  on  the  day  of  the  glorious 
saint,  and  it  was  the  day  on  which  the  most  glorious 
apostle  of  all  the  Indies  died  in  the  East  Indies.  There 
was  not  lacking  here  some  one  to  sow  the  very  evil 
darnel  that  farther  on  there  were  no  water-holes,  trying 
to  induce  us  thereby  to  return  thence,  but  a  good  In- 
dian stranger,  whom  we  made  a  fiscal  and  gave  some 
little  gifts,  told  us  that  he  would  take  us  to  a  good 
water-hole,  although  we  should  arrive  at  nightfall  or  a 
little  after,  as  we  did  arrive,  in  the  moonlight  and  half 
an  hour  after  nightfall.  The  water-hole  had  abundant 
good  rain-water  with  good  pasturage.  To  it  as  well  as 
to  the  near-by  rancheria  we  gave  the  name  of  San 
Martin,427  because  the  following  day,  day  of  the  glori- 
ous saint,  I  said  his  mass  here. 

1 1 .  On  the  eleventh  we  set  out  for  San  Marcelo ;  and 
after  a  sixteen  leagues'  journey  we  arrived,  also  at  night- 
fall. A  little  before  noon  we  passed  by  the  rancheria 
of  San  Rafael  del  Actun  El  Grande,428  where  we  found 
that  the  captain  of  it  had  already  set  out  with  many 
other  Indians  to  look  for  maize,  for  here  none  had  been 
raised,  on  account  of  the  scarcity  of  rain  this  year  at  the 
time  of  their  planting,  for  they  have  no  water  but  that 
of  the  rains.  Today  also  many  justices  of  various  ran- 
cherias  accompanied  us,  and  in  San  Marcelo  we  were 
welcomed  with  all  kindness  by  the  natives,  and  by  their 
justices,  as  well  as  by  the  very  excellent  overseer  of  the 
ranch,  who  had  carried  our  messages  with  singular  loy- 

427  Ortega  overlooked  Santa  Sabina  and  placed  San  Martin  at  three 
leagues  from  Santa  Ana. 

428  "The  Large."  Compare  San  Serafin  del  Actum  el  Chico,  ante,  page 
290.  The  routes  between  Santa  Eulalia  and  San  Rafael,  as  shown  on  my 
map,   are  to  some  extent  conjectural. 


310  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

alty,  and  had  brought  about  with  very  good  manage- 
ment the  treaties  between  the  Yumas  and  Quiquimas  as 
we  had  charged  them  during  the  preceding  months,  and 
he  and  others  gave  us  very  good  and  very  friendly 
news  of  both  nations. 

We  found  the  new  little  church  of  Nuestra  Senora  de 
Loreto  very  well  roofed  and  well  whitewashed,  and  the 
harvest  of  wheat  and  maize,  and  observed  the  good  care 
which  they  had  taken  of  the  cattle.  We  delivered  to 
them  the  drove  of  mares  which  for  that  purpose  we 
were  bringing,  and  sent  to  San  Ambrosio  del  Busanic 
for  sheep  and  goats  also  that  they  might  be  brought 
hither,  as  was  done. 

CHAPTER  III.    WE  SET  OUT  FROM  SAN  MARCELO, 
AND  AFTER  A   SIXTY  LEAGUES'   JOURNEY  WE  AR- 
RIVE AT  THE  YUMAS,  AND  AT  SAN   DIONYSIO 
AT  THE  CONFLUENCE  OF  THE  RIO  GRANDE 
DE  HYLA  AND  THE  LARGE  RIO  COLORA- 
DO, OR  RIO  DEL  NORTE 

NOVEMBER  12,  1701.  On  the  twelfth  of  November 
I  despatched  a  courier  to  the  Yumas  and  Quiquimas, 
giving  notice  of  our  coming,  and  a  few  hours  after- 
ward they  brought  me  some  gifts  from  these  nations, 
consisting  of  seven  curious  balls,  and  blue  shells  from 
the  opposite  coast  of  California,  with  very  friendly  mes- 
sages which  they  had  sent  me  during  the  weeks  preced- 
ing. We  killed  two  fat  beeves,  and  made  a  corral  for 
the  horses,  and  one  for  the  cattle;  and  I  ordered  a  new 
irrigation  ditch  opened,  with  which  (as  with  ease  might 
be  done)  to  bring  the  water  to  the  door  of  the  house 
and  at  the  same  time  to  water  a  good  field  of  wheat,  and 
the  sowing  which  was  made  while  we  went  on  the  ex- 
pedition, and  which  on  our  return  we  found  done. 

13.     On  the  thirteenth,  they  having  given  us  four  in- 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  3" 

f ants  to  baptize,  we  set  out  for  Carrizal,  where  we  found 
many  people,  with  a  little  new  house  which  they  had 
prepared  for  me,  and  with  new  messages  from  the 
Yumas  and  Quiquimas.  And  they  gave  me  two  infants 
and  five  sick  adults  to  baptize,  the  latter  being  in- 
structed. 

14.  On  the  fourteenth  we  set  out  for  the  tank  of  La 
Luna,  twenty  leagues'  journey.  We  arrived  by  moon- 
light half  an  hour  after  night  fall,  and  although  this 
tank  is  between  rocks  so  sharp  that  the  horses  could  not 
ascend  to  drink,  we  saw  where  on  the  return  we  could 
open  a  way  for  them,  and  afterwards  we  did  open  it. 

15.  On  the  fifteenth  we  set  out  for  the  tank  of  Agua 
Escondida.  We  took  a  siesta  halfway,  where  there  was 
good  pasturage,  and  at  two  in  the  afternoon,  after  a  ten 
leagues'  journey,  we  arrived  at  the  tank,  which  we 
found  somewhat  scant.  We  therefore  determined  to  set 
out  as  quickly  as  possible  to  arrive  on  the  following 
day  so  much  the  earlier  at  the  good  tank  of  La  Tinaja, 
and  having  set  out  at  nightfall,  a  good  shower  came 
upon  us  which,  however,  by  the  darkness  made  us  lose 
the  way;  notwithstanding,  we  found  it  afterwards  when 
the  storm  cleared,  and,  breaking  our  sleep  a  little,  we 
got  up  very  early  in  the  morning,  and, 

16.  On  the  sixteenth,  traveling  five  leagues  more,  we 
said  mass  at  a  good  stopping-place  with  water  and  pas- 
turage. We  breakfasted,  and  passing  by  the  tank  of  La 
Tinaja,  after  a  fifteen  leagues'  journey  we  arrived  early 
at  the  Rio  Grande  de  Hyla,  and  at  its  first  rancheria 
of  San  Pedro,  where  the  Yuma  and  Pima  natives, 
mingled,  welcomed  us  with  all  love,  although  with 
scarcity  of  provisions,  for  this  year  at  the  best  time  for 
planting  rain  had  failed  them.  We  found  the  courier 
and  other  justices  who  had  come  before,  and  also  very 


312  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

good  news  of  the  Quiquimas,  who  were  anxiously  wait- 
ing for  us.429 

17.  On  the  seventeenth  we  set  out  from  San  Pedro 
westward,  for  San  Dionisio,  a  great  rancheria  at  the 
confluence  of  the  Rio  Grande  de  Hyla  and  the  very 
large  Rio  Colorado;  and,  having  crossed  the  Rio 
Grande  on  horseback  by  the  only  ford  which  it  had  in 
that  vicinity,  with  a  following  of  more  than  two  hun- 
dred Yumas  and  Pimas  from  San  Pedro,  at  nightfall 
we  arrived  in  safety  at  San  Dionisio,  where  also  they 
received  us  with  great  affection. 

CHAPTER  IV.     SETTING  OUT  FROM  SAN  DIONISIO, 
AND  FROM  THE  CONFLUENCE  OF  THE  RIVERS  COL- 
ORADO  AND   HYLA,   AFTER   A   FIFTY   LEAGUES' 
JOURNEY  WE  ARRIVED  AT  THE  QUIQUIMA 
NATION  OF  CALIFORNIA  ALTA 

November  18,  1701.  On  November  the  eighteenth, 
having  said  mass  and  crossed  the  Rio  Grande  again, 
and  taking  a  southwest  course,  or  between  south  and 
west,  a  road  which  up  to  this  time  we  had  never  trav- 
eled or  entered,  we  set  out  directly  by  most  level  roads 
toward  the  Quiquimas  of  this  California  Alta,  in  thirty- 
three  degrees  latitude,  and  rounded  the  head  of  the  sea, 
which  lay  to  the  south  of  us,  about  three  hundred  Yuma 
and  Pima  Indians,  mingled,  small  and  great,  accom- 
panying us  from  San  Pedro  and  San  Dionysio.  They 
went  in  these  great  numbers  on  this  occasion  because, 
they  having  told  me  that  the  Quiquimas  had  an  abun- 
dance of  provisions,  maize,  beans,  pumpkins,  etc.,  and 
they  being  that  year  very  short  of  provisions,  I  said  to 
them  that  I  was  now  going  to  the  Quiquimas,  and  would 
barter  for,  and  buy,  and  give  them  provisions,  beans, 

429  Ortega  omits  all  details  of  the  journey  from  November  n  to  this 
point   (Apostolicos  A  fanes,  296). 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  313 

maize,  etc.,  as  I  did;  and  all  returned  well  loaded  with 
all  kinds  of  provisions.  Having  traveled  about  thir- 
teen leagues  through  very  level  country,  seeing  to  the 
eastward  the  very  great  sandy  beach  of  the  head  of  the 
Sea  of  California,  and  to  the  westward  the  banks  of  the 
very  large  volumed  Rio  Colorado,  near-by,  we  arrived 
at  sunset  at  the  new  rancheria,  still  of  Yumas,  which 
must  have  had  about  five  hundred  souls,  and  which  we 
named  Santa  Ysabel,  because  the  day  following  I  said 
there  the  mass  of  the  glorious  saint.  All  the  people, 
although  they  were  rather  poor,  welcomed  us  with  all 
friendship  and  affability,  and  even  late  at  night  we  sent 
to  advise  the  Quiquimas,  now  near-by,  of  our  coming 
to  their  rancherias. 

19.  On  the  nineteenth  we  set  out  for  the  first  ran- 
cheria, and  having  arrived  at  midday  we  were  received 
with  all  kindness,  with  many  of  their  provisions,  maize, 
beans,  and  various  kinds  of  pumpkins,  etc.,  things  which 
in  the  six  days  preceding  we  had  not  been  able  to  pro- 
cure. So  great  was  the  affection  of  these  natives  that 
with  these  provisions  they  came  more  than  two  leagues 
to  meet  and  to  welcome  us.  While  we  alighted  to  receive 
the  food,  and  to  reciprocate  with  some  little  gifts  and 
trifles,  and  to  make  them  a  talk  on  Christian  doctrine, 
and  on  the  purposes  of  our  coming,  etc.,  the  only  Span- 
ish servant  who  came  in  our  company,  on  seeing  so 
great  a  number  of  so  many  new  people  was  so  terrified 
that,  without  our  noticing  it  until  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
after  mounting  our  horses  again,  fled  from  us  to  the  rear 
through  fright,  leaving  us  very  disconsolate  and  very 
apprehensive  lest  he  should  go  to  give  some  false  ill 
news  that  some  great  disaster  had  happened  to  us;  and 
although  immediately  I  dispatched  in  his  pursuit  the 
two  best  boys  in  the  party,  who  came  on  the  best  mounts, 


314  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

they  could  not  overtake  him.  This  caused  me  to  send 
letters  by  couriers  by  other  and  shorter  roads,  as  had 
happened  on  other  occasions,  when  they  took  us  for 
dead,  though  the  celestial  favors  of  our  Lord  preserved 
us  in  a  pleasant  life  of  prosperous  successes  in  these  new 
conversions. 

In  this  first  rancheria  of  these  Quiquimas,  with  the 
messages  and  little  gifts  which  we  had  sent  them  during 
the  months  preceding,  they  received  us  with  much 
friendship,  asking  us  that  we  should  remain  some  days 
with  them.  We  remained  that  day  and  half  of  the  day 
following,  and  to  this  rancheria  we  gave  the  name  of 
San  Feliz  de  Balois,  because  here  I  said  the  mass  of 
the  glorious  saint.  Through  the  interpreters  whom  we 
brought  in  our  following  we  made  them  some  talks 
on  our  holy  faith,  which  were  well  received  by  the  na- 
tives. Very  many  people  were  present  from  all  the 
surrounding  country,  and  to  their  principal  chiefs  we 
gave  justices'  staves,  and  to  the  principal  one  of  all  the 
nation  we  gave  a  captain's  staff.  We  made  a  decent 
little  house  or  bower  in  a  pleasant  field  of  maize,  which 
they  had  just  gathered,  for  here  begin  very  fertile  lands, 
well  cultivated,  and  very  good  pasturage. 

The  natives  greatly  wondered  at  many  of  our  things, 
for  they  had  never  seen  nor  heard  of  them.  They  won- 
dered much  at  the  vestment  in  which  mass  is  said,  and  at 
its  curious  sort  of  embroidery  representing  spring,  and 
its  skillfully  woven  flowers  of  different  beautiful  colors; 
and  they  would  ask  us  to  keep  it  on  so  that  those  who 
continually  came  to  visit  us  might  have  the  pleasure  of 
seeing  it.  Also,  it  was  a  matter  of  much  astonishment  to 
them  to  see  our  pack-animals  and  mounts,  for  they  had 
never  seen  horses  or  mules  or  heard  of  them.  And 
when  the  Yumas  and  Pimas  who  came  with  us  said  to 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  315 

them  that  our  horses  could  run  faster  than  the  most 
fleet-footed  natives,  they  did  not  believe  it,  and  it  was 
necessary  to  put  it  to  the  test.  Thereupon  a  cowboy 
from  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores  saddled  a  horse 
and  seven  or  eight  of  the  most  fleet-footed  Quiquima 
runners  set  out,  and  although  the  cowboy  at  first  pur- 
posely let  them  get  a  little  ahead,  and  they  were  very 
gleeful  thereat,  he  afterwards  left  them  far  behind  and 
very  much  astonished  and  amazed. 

This  afternoon  the  Coanopa430  nation  came  also,  from 
the  north  and  from  the  northwest,  with  many  provi- 
sions, maize,  beans,  pumpkins,  and  various  other  gifts, 
greatly  desiring  our  trade,  our  friendship,  and  our  holy 
faith,  as  a  result  of  the  message  which  these  days  and 
months  past  they  had  received. 

20.  On  the  twentieth  we  set  out  from  San  Feliz, 
continuing  our  course  to  the  southwest,  down  the  river, 
to  go  to  see  the  many  other  rancherias  of  the  Quiquima 
nation,  and  to  cross  this  very  large  Rio  Grande,  or  Rio 
del  Norte,  more  than  five  hundred  souls  accompanying 
us,  Quiquimas,  Yumas,  and  Pimas.  After  a  five  leagues' 
journey  we  arrived  at  the  crossing,  where  the  two  banks 
were  crowded  with  people.  All  of  them  at  once  brought 
us  abundant  provisions,  and  they  made  us  a  decent  little 
house  on  this  side;  for  we  determined  to  cross  the  river 
the  following  day,  God  willing.  The  people  on  the 
other  bank  and  from  the  west  swam  across  to  this  one 
on  the  east,  bringing  us  their  provisions  in  their  bas- 
kets,431 which  were  so  large  that  each  would  hold  a 
fanega  and  more  of  maize  or  beans.  And  they  made 
them  float  on  the  water  of  the  quiet,  gentle  river,  after 

430  Ortega  omits  mention  of  this  tribe  here  {Apostolicos  A  fanes,  298). 
They   were   the    Cocopa,    apparently. 

431  Coritas.  Ortega  calls  them  bateas,  a  word  meaning  troughs  (Apos- 
tdlicos  A  fanes,  298). 


316  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

the  fashion  of  and  in  imitation  of  little  canoes.  All 
these  Quiquima  natives  showed  themselves  most  affec- 
tionate toward  us,  in  particular  their  most  friendly  cap- 
tain, especially  in  opening  for  us  some  good,  and 
straight,  and  short  roads  through  the  thickets  of  the 
abundant  and  very  dense  woods,  which  were  on  these 
most  fertile  banks. 

CHAPTER   V.     I    CROSSED    THE   VERY    LARGE   VOL- 

UMED  RIO  COLORADO,  OR  RIO  DEL  NORTE,  ON  A 

RAFT,  WITH  A  SERVANT,  AND  PENETRATED  TO 

THE   WESTWARD   THREE   LEAGUES,   THROUGH 

MANY    RANCHERIAS     AND    THROUGH     VERY 

FERTILE  AND  PLEASANT  CHAMPAIGNS 

NOVEMBER  21,  1701.  On  November  the  twenty- first, 
day  of  the  Presentation  of  most  holy  Mary,  our  Lady, 
almost  at  midday,  having  in  the  morning  carried  some 
long  and  dry  timbers  from  the  little  wood  very  near  by, 
the  same  captain  of  the  Quiquimas  greatly  aiding  us 
personally  therein,  and  lashing  them  together  very  se- 
curely and  making  a  good  raft  with  some  ropes  of  esmi- 
quilpa  which  we  had  brought  for  this  purpose,  we 
crossed  in  it  this  very  large  volumed  Rio  Colorado, 
which  is  probably  about  two  hundred  varas  wide,  and 
did  not  touch  the  bottom  except  at  the  two  banks.  We 
intended  to  take  two  or  three  horses  over,  also,  but 
when  they  put  the  first  horse  in  the  river  at  a  bad  place, 
where  he  was  mired,  he  was  frightened,  and  we  left 
him  with  the  rest,  and  only  the  governor  of  Nuestra 
Senora  de  los  Dolores  crossed  with  me,  in  company 
with  the  many  Quiquimas,  the  captain  of  the  Quiquima 
nation  aiding  them  in  keeping  the  raft  afloat.  In  order 
that  I  might  not  wet  my  feet,  I  accepted  the  large  bas- 
ket in  which  they  wished  me  to  cross,  and  placing  it  and 
fastening  it  upon  the  raft,  I  seated  myself  in  it  and 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  317 

crossed  very  comfortably  and  very  pleasantly,  without 
the  least  risk,  taking  with  me  only  my  breviary,  some 
trifles,  and  a  blanket  in  which  to  sleep,  and  afterwards 
some  branches  of  broom  weed  which  I  wrapped  up  in 
my  bandana  to  serve  me  as  a  pillow. 

As  we  crossed  the  river  many  more  people  came  to 
us  and  there  were  dances  and  entertainments  after  their 
fashion.  I  preached  to  them  through  an  interpreter, 
here  and  on  the  road,  and  in  the  afternoon,  when,  after 
about  three  leagues'  journey,  we  arrived  at  the  house  of 
the  captain  of  the  nation.432  In  all  parts  the  word  of 
God  and  the  Christian  doctrine  were  well  received. 
All  the  road  was  full  of  small  but  very  continuous 
rancherias,  with  very  many  people,  very  affable,  very 
well  featured,  and  somewhat  whiter  than  the  rest  of  the 
Indians.  All  this  road  was  through  a  veritable  cham- 
paign of  most  fertile  lands,  of  most  beautiful  corn- 
fields very  well  cultivated  with  abundant  crops  of 
maize,  beans,  and  pumpkins,  and  with  very  large  dry- 
ing-places for  the  drying  of  pumpkins,  for  this  kind 
lasts  them  afterwards  all  the  year. 

When,  two  hours  before  sunset,  we  arrived  at  the 
rancheria  and  house  of  the  captain,  the  captain  of  the 
neighboring  Cutgana433  nation  came  also  to  see  us,  with 
a  great  following  of  people  from  the  north  and  from 
the  west,  and  with  various  gifts,  and  in  particular  with 
many  blue  shells  from  the  opposite  coast  of  California, 
and  from  the  other  or  South  Sea,  giving  us  very  de- 
tailed information  in  regard  to  them,  and  saying  that 
they  were  not  more  than  eight  or  ten  days'  journey  to 
the  westward,  and  that  the  Sea  of  California  ended  a 
day's  journey  farther  to  the  south  than  where  we  were, 

432  Ortega  (Apostolicos  A  fanes,  298)  says,  "house  of  the  Quiquima  cap- 
tain." 

433  Ortega  says  Cuteana    (Apostolicos  A  fanes,  298). 


318  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

this  very  large  volumed  Rio  Colorado  and  two  others 
emptying  at  its  head.  I  asked  them  also  about  every- 
thing farther  on,  particularly  toward  the  west  and 
south,  and  by  what  way  a  road  could  be  found  to  go  at 
the  proper  time  to  trade  with  the  other  fathers  and 
Spaniards  of  Loreto  Concho,  in  twenty-six  degrees  lat- 
itude, for,  according  to  a  fair  estimate  they  could  not  now 
be  more  than  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  leagues  from 
these  our  districts  where  we  were.  The  captain  of 
these  Quiquimas  called  for  me  and  brought  an  Indian 
of  the  new  Hogiopa434  nation,  which  is  the  one  that 
comes  next  towards  the  south;  and  he  having  given  us 
some  account  of  his  new  people  and  of  some  stopping- 
places  on  the  road  which  led  to  this  presidio,  I  sent 
friendly  messages  to  all  those  natives,  saying  that,  God 
willing,  on  another  occasion  I  should  try  to  go  also  to 
those  their  lands.  Besides,  I  sent  them  some  messages  in 
regard  to  Christian  doctrine,  and  said  that  the  purpose 
of  our  expeditions  was  the  salvation  of  their  souls,  etc. 
And  we  left  partially  established  some  general  peace- 
agreements  among  the  Yumas,  Pimas,  Quiquimas,  Cut- 
ganes,  Hogiopas,  and  other  nations,  in  order  that  all  in 
their  time  might  be  very  friendly  and  good  Christians. 
I  slept  in  a  little  house  which  they  had  made  me,  and 
almost  all  night  they  kept  talking  among  themselves 
in  regard  to  their  very  earnest  desire  to  embrace  our 
friendship  and  our  holy  faith. 


434  Ortega  {Apostolicos  A  fanes,  298)  renders  this  Ojiopas.  The  Cocopa, 
one  of  the  principal  Yuman  tribes  on  the  lower  Colorado.  Kino  is  evidently 
the  only  one  who  calls  them  by  this  name,  as  it  is  not  given  in  Hodge's 
synonymy  (Handbook,  vol.  i,  318).  In  1605  they  lived  in  nine  villages  five 
leagues  above  the  mouth  of  the  Colorado,  in  Lower  California. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  319 

CHAPTER    VI.     HAVING    SEEN    THE    LAND-PASSAGE 
TO    CALIFORNIA,    WE    TURN    BACK    FOR    NUESTRA 
SEftORA   DE   LOS   DOLORES.    THEY  GIVE   US   IN- 
FANTS  TO   BAPTIZE,   AND  WE  ARRIVE   IN 
SAFETY  AT  SAN  MARCELO 

November  22,  1701.  Having  left  a  variety  of  good 
advice  for  these  natives,  the  Quiquimas  and  Cutganes, 
and  a  letter  for  the  father  rector,  Juan  Maria  de  Salva- 
tierra,  which  the  captain  of  the  Quiquimas  charged 
himself  with  carrying  as  much  farther  south  as  he 
could,  I  determined  to  turn  back  for  my  district  of 
Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores.  First,  so  as  not  to  be 
lacking  in  its  administration.  Secondly,  because  I  was 
uneasy  about  the  Spaniard  who  had  turned  back  on  the 
way.  Thirdly,  because  now,  thanks  to  our  Lord,  al- 
ready this  much  disputed  but  now  very  certain  land 
route  to  California  had  been  discovered,  for  the  sea  did 
not  ascend  to  this  latitude  of  thirty-two  degrees  and  its 
head  ended  ten  leagues  farther  to  the  south  and  south- 
west. 

We  returned,  then,  through  these  many  rancherias, 
and  continuous  pleasant  champaigns  of  La  Presenta- 
cion,  for  we  gave  them  this  name  because  of  having  dis- 
covered them  the  day  of  the  Presentation  of  our  Lady. 
They  gave  me  two  very  sick  infants  to  baptize,  one  of 
whom  was  called  Thyrso  Gonzalez,  and  the  other  Fran- 
cisco Xavier  Eusebio. 

In  all  these  pleasant  and  continuous  rancherias  there 
were  all  this  morning  many  parties  and  dances,  and 
songs  and  feasts,  with  a  representation,  or  dialogue, 
and,  as  it  were,  a  little  comedy,  by  the  very  friendly  na- 
tives, to  the  great  joy  of  all.  In  these  festivities  we 
spent  all  the  morning,  and  I  came  as  far  as  the  river, 
which  I  crossed  on  the  raft  used  the  day  before,  the  cap- 


320  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

tain  of  the  Quiquimas  and  the  captain  of  the  Cutganes 
with  many  other  people  towing  it  over.  I  came  in  time 
to  say  mass  at  our  booth,  as  a  thank-offering  for  so 
many  celestial  favors  of  our  Lord,  of  most  holy  Mary, 
and  of  San  Francisco  Xavier.  In  the  afternoon  I  re- 
turned to  San  Feliz,  with  more  than  two  hundred 
Pimas  and  Yumas;  and  although  we  all  carried  as 
many  provisions  as  we  could,  so  abundant  were  the 
maize  and  the  beans  and  the  pumpkins,  dried  and  fresh, 
which  the  very  friendly  Quiquimas  gave  us,  that  the 
more  than  two  hundred  Pimas  and  Yumas  could  not 
load  and  carry  it  all. 

23.  On  the  twenty-third  I  arrived  at  the  confluence 
of  the  rivers  and  at  San  Dionisio. 

24,  25,  and  26.  On  the  twenty-fourth  we  arrived  at 
San  Pedro  of  the  Yumas;  on  the  twenty-fifth  at  Agua 
Escondida;  on  the  twenty-sixth  at  midday  at  the  tank 
of  La  Luna,435  where  all  the  afternoon  we  opened  an  im- 
passable road  through  very  sharp  stones  and  rocks 
where  animals  had  never  been  able  to  ascend  to  drink 
water,  so  that  today  all  ascended  to  drink.  And  after- 
wards, an  hour  before  sunset  and  in  the  night,  we  trav- 
elled five  leagues  more,  so  that  the  horses  might  have 
good  pasturage. 

435  Apparently  modern  Tinaja  del  Tule,  but  possibly  Tinajas  del  Cerro 
de  la  Cabeza  Prieta.  The  former  are  described  and  pictured  by  Lumholtz 
{op.  cit.,  237,  240),  and  the  latter  by  the  Boundary  Commission  as  fol- 
lows: "About  one-fourth  of  a  mile  east  of  the  summit  of  the  Cerro  de  la 
Cabeza  Prieta,  in  a  deep,  rocky  canon,  are  a  number  of  natural  tanks,  worn 
in  the  rocks  and  filled  by  the  rains.  These  tanks  when  full  contain  about 
5,000  gallons  of  water,  all  of  which  is  seldom  exhausted,  by  evaporation 
alone,  before  another  rain  fills  them.  These  tanks  are  known  as  the 
'Tinajas  del  Cerro  de  la  Cabeza  Prieta,'  but  were  never  much  used  by 
travelers,  as  they  were  off  the  road."  Their  place  has  been  taken  by  the 
Tule  Wells,  dug  after  i860  in  the  Tule  Mountains  about  six  miles  to  the 
southeast.  Report  of  the  Boundary  Commission  (Washington,  1898),  part  ii, 
25. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  321 

27.  On  the  twenty-seventh,  having  risen  very  early, 
after  thirteen  leagues  of  good  road  we  arrived  before 
midday  in  time  to  say  mass,  eat,  and  take  a  siesta  at 
Carrizal,  and  in  the  afternoon,  after  eight  leagues  more, 
at  San  Marcelo  del  Sonoydag,  where  we  found  our  re- 
lay of  horses,  and  the  lost  Spaniard,  who  confessed  that 
he  had  turned  back  and  fled  from  fear  of  so  many  new 
and  unknown  people,  who  had  come  to  meet  us  among 
the  Quiquimas,  for  he  was  afraid  that,  being  so  nu- 
merous, they  would  do  us  some  harm,  but  we  attributed 
it  all436  to  the  accustomed  celestial  favors  of  our  Lord, 
who  always  shelters  us  better  than  all  human  forces, 
giving  us  always  the  paternal  aid  and  encouragement  of 
His  very  divine  and  most  merciful  power. 

28.  On  the  twenty-eighth  we  rested  at  San  Marcelo. 
We  killed  fresh  fat  meat,  sowed  more  wheat,  besides 
what  was  sown  for  the  Church,  and  in  the  little  church 
of  Nuestra  Senora  de  Loreto  we  taught  this  afternoon 
the  Christian  doctrine  and  the  prayers,  as  in  the  old 
Christian  pueblos. 

29.  On  the  twenty-ninth  when  we  wished  to  set  out 
we  found  that  some  horses  were  missing  and  we  stayed 
another  day. 

30.  On  the  thirtieth,  having  left  good  messages  and 
some  little  gifts  for  the  Quiquimas,  and  having  bap- 
tized the  governor  of  San  Marcelo,  who  was  sick,  we 
set  out  almost  at  midday  for  San  Rafael  del  Actun. 

DECEMBER  i,  1701.  On  December  first  we  arrived 
at  the  new  well  or  tank  which  the  natives  had  opened 
for  us  that  it  might  afford  sufficient  water  for  the  horses 
also;  and  on  account  of  the  mass  of  the  glorious  saint 
which  I  said  here  we  named  it  Well  of  Santa  Sabina. 

2.     On  the  second  we  arrived  at  San  Estanislao  del 

436  /.  e.,   our  safety. 


322  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Ootcam. 

3.  On  the  third  at  San  Ambrosio  del  Busanic. 

4.  On  the  fourth  at  the  little  ranch  of  Santa  Bar- 
bara. 

5.  On  the  fifth  at  the  ranch  of  the  new  mission  of 
San  Simon  y  San  Judas  del  Siboda. 

6.  On  the  sixth  we  rested. 

7-8.  On  the  seventh  we  arrived  at  Nuestra  Senora 
de  los  Remedios,  and  on  the  eighth  at  Nuestra  Senora 
de  los  Dolores. 

CHAPTER    VII.    ACCOUNTS    OF    THIS    EXPEDITION 
ARE  GIVEN  TO  VARIOUS  PERSONS,  IN  PARTICU- 
LAR   TO    THE    FATHER    VISITOR,    ANTONIO 
LEAL,   IN  THE   FOLLOWING   LETTER 

I  have  just  arrived  in  safety,  thanks  be  to  the  Lord, 
from  my  peregrination  or  expedition  by  terra  firma  to 
California,  and  in  going  and  return,  in  one  month  and 
five  days,  from  November  3  to  December  8,  I  have 
traveled  four  hundred-odd  leagues.  I  reached  a  point 
thirty  leagues  distant  from  California,  and  crossed  the 
Rio  Grande  de  Hyla,  and  the  very  large  Rio  Colorado, 
or  Rio  del  Norte,  on  a  raft,  at  latitude  thirty-two  de- 
grees. 

Through  this  expedition,  thanks  to  His  Divine  Maj- 
esty, and  through  other  talks,  or  messages,  and  little 
gifts  which  I  had  sent  them  the  year  before,  and  on 
several  other  occasions,  there  remain  reduced  to  our 
friendship  and  with  the  desire  to  receive  our  holy 
faith,  the  Quiquima,  Cutgana,  and  other  nations,  with 
more  than  ten  thousand  souls,  who  have  very  rich  and 
very  fertile  lands.  They  gave  me  great  quantities  of 
their  provisions,  and  so  much  of  their  maize,  beans,  and 
pumpkins,  that  I  could  not  use  nor  load  it  nor  carry  it 
with  us,  neither  I  and  my  servants  nor  the  more  than 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  323 

two  hundred  Pimas  and  Yumas  who  went  with  me  to 
the  said  Quiquimas. 

From  there  I  wrote  to  Father  Rector  Juan  Maria  de 
Salvatierra  at  Loreto  Concho  a  letter  which  the  same 
captain  of  the  Quiquimas  charged  himself  with  carry- 
ing farther  inland  toward  the  south.  I  bring  with  me 
not  a  few  blue  shells  from  the  opposite  coast  of  Cali- 
fornia which  these  Quiquimas  gave  me,  with  the  de- 
tailed information  that  the  said  opposite  coast  and  the 
sea  of  the  south,  by  which  the  China  ship  is  accustomed 
to  come  every  year,  is  not  more  than  seven  or  eight 
days'  journey  from  the  stopping-places  or  rancherias  by 
which  I  went  in  this  expedition. 

Therefore,  by  the  Divine  Grace,  in  His  time  the  com- 
merce of  the  said  China  ships  with  this  kingdom  of 
Nueva  Biscaya  may  be  opened,  to  avoid  the  very  cir- 
cuitous and  costly  transportation  of  the  very  many  goods 
which  it  carries  to  Acapulco  by  sea  and  from  Acapulco 
to  Mexico,  and  from  Mexico  to  this  Nueva  Biscaya  and 
the  provinces  of  Sonora  and  Cinaloa,  etc.,  by  land,  mat- 
ters concerning  which,  as  the  Senor  Marques  de  Buena 
Vista  intimated  to  me  in  Mexico,  there  has  been  a  dis- 
cussion in  the  Royal  Council. 

And  at  the  same  time,  through  this  port  which  can 
be  provided  for  the  above  mentioned  galleon  from 
China,  the  lives  of  many  of  its  sailors  who  every  year 
are  accustomed  to  fall  sick  and  die  from  the  painful  dis- 
ease of  scurvy  can  be  saved,  since  with  fresh  food  they 
are  easily  cured  and  freed  from  this  evil,  for  the  disease 
originates  from  dried  and  salty  foods  which  are  dried 
and  salty  and  stale  from  their  long  voyage. 

To  the  above  mentioned  Quiquima  nation  succeeds 
the  new  Hogiopa  nation.  Now  that  some  of  them  have 
come  to  see  me,  although  they  speak  a  different  lan- 
guage, through  the  Christian  talks  and  messages  which 


324  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

I  have  sent  on  to  them  beforehand,  with  the  favor  of  the 
Lord,  on  the  next  occasion  I  shall  have  the  road  and 
way  to  them  wide  open  and,  through  them,  very  far  in- 
land, and  toward  Loreto  Concho,  where  live  Father 
Rector  Juan  Maria  de  Salvatierra,  and  the  two  other 
fathers  with  the  sixteen  soldiers,  for  I  consider  that  I 
was  not  more  than  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  leagues, 
more  or  less,  from  their  reverences.  And  as  from  these 
things  might  result  the  conversion  and  salvation  of  very 
many  souls  and  important  service  to  both  majesties,  I 
commend  it  all  strongly  to  the  holy  sacrifices  of  your 
Reverence,  whose  life  may  our  Lord  preserve  as  I  de- 
sire. Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores,  December  8, 
1 70 1.     Your  Reverence's  obedient  servant, 

Eusebio  Francisco  Kino. 

chapter  viii.   letters  from  three  father 

RECTORS  IN  REPLY  TO  THE  NEWS  IN  MY  LET- 
TERS IN  REGARD  TO  THIS  MY  EXPEDITION 

The  father  rector,  Adamo  Gilg,  on  December  fif- 
teenth wrote  me  the  following: 

I  thank  your  Reverence  for  the  very  great  pleasure  which 
you  gave  me  with  the  report  and  account  of  your  apostolic 
journey  and  happy  return  Ex  transitu  Felici  Maris  Rubri. 
Felix  omen  pro  Terra  Promissiones  Patrum  Calif orniensium. 
Faxit  Deus  ut  novus  rex  FVispanice  nostris  conatibus  faveatl  437 
The  wars  so  kindled  in  Europe  on  account  of  a  handful  of  land 
will  perhaps  not  allow  much  thought  in  regard  to  the  progress 
of  the  faith. 

Thus  far  the  father  rector  of  this  mission  and  rectorate 
of  San  Francisco  Xavier,  comparing  this  my  expedition 
and  journey  and  my  having  been  able  to  cross  the  Rio 
Colorado  and  the  Sea  of  California  at  its  head  to  the 

437  "From  the  successful  passage  of  the  Red  Sea  [we  take]  a  happy  omen 
for  the  promised  land  of  the  California  fathers.  May  God  grant  that  the 
new  king  of  Spain  will  favor  our  endeavors."  Philip  V  became  King  of 
Spain  in  1700. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J. 325 

crossing  of  the  Red  Sea,  for  some  cosmographers  have 
named  this  Sea  of  California  the  Red  Sea. 

But  extremely,  and  more  than  all  others,  with  His 
ardent  apostolic  holy  zeal  for  the  good  of  souls,  was 
Father  Rector  Juan  Maria  de  Salvatierra  rejoiced, 
with  the  other  fathers  of  California,  and  the  soldiers. 
Most  gladly  would  his  Reverence  give  this  news  to  our 
Father  General  Thyrso  Gonzalez,  thanking  me  pro- 
fusely for  my  labors,  for  he  is  pleased  to  call  them 
"glorious,"  and  encourages  me,  as  always,  to  continue 
in  so  profitable  an  enterprise  and  so  worthy  of  our  holy 
Institute  as  the  seeking  of  souls  for  Heaven  and  the 
conquering  of  the  difficulties  of  the  accustomed  ob- 
stacles, opposition,  etc. 

Equally  rejoiced  at  the  news  was  the  father  rector  of 
Oposura,  Manual  Gonzalez,  for  a  little  afterward  his 
Reverence  wrote  me  that  he  would  be  glad  to  go  with 
me  on  another  expedition,  so  that  together  we  might  go 
even  further,  and  if  it  were  possible,  even  to  where  the 
fathers  of  California  were,  in  Loreto  Concho.  And  we 
did  make  this  expedition,  which  is  related  in  the  fol- 
lowing book  and  year,  1702. 

General  Jacinto  de  Fuenzaldana,438  the  present  cap- 
tain for  life  of  the  flying  company  of  this  province, 
spoke  of  the  very  great  joy  which  he  had  felt  in  hearing 
that  so  fortunately  we  had  crossed  over  the  very  large 
and  populous  Rio  Colorado,  making  it  possible  to  aid  at 
closer  range  the  new  conversions  of  California,  and  he 
offered  to  cooperate  in  discoveries  so  blessed,  in  so  far 
as  he  should  be  needed.439 

438  The  passages  forming  the  remainder  of  this  chapter  were  originally 
placed  in  the  previous  Book  ii,  Chapter  12,  page  302.  On  the  margin  of 
this  paragraph  in  the  original  are  the  words  "To  be  placed  in  entrada  of 
November." 

439  See  footnote  420,  which  states  that  Kino  had  to  go  to  the  Colorado  alone 
because  of  the  change  of  commanders. 


326  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

General  Juan  Fernandes  de  la  Fuente,440  captain  of 
the  Presidio  of  Janos  and  alcalde  mayor  of  Casas 
Grandes,  on  the  thirty-first  of  August  wrote  me  the  fol- 
lowing: 

I  thank  your  Reverence  for  the  news  of  your  peregrinations, 
made  with  the  sole  purpose  of  reducing  to  our  holy  faith  and 
to  the  royal  obedience  so  great  a  number  of  souls  as  you  have 
discovered  in  your  journeys  so  remote,  and  opening  the  light  of 
the  Gospel  to  so  great  a  number  of  heathen,  who  hitherto  were 
blind  in  their  idolatries.  And  you  alone  have  tried,  with  the 
Christian  and  Catholic  zeal  of  an  apostolic  minister,  in  imita- 
tion of  San  Francisco  Xavier,  to  draw  them  with  your  ex- 
emplary life  and  doctrine  to  the  true  knowledge.  May  God 
give  you  very  perfect  health  and  His  Divine  aid,  that  in  all 
you  may  see  your  great  work  rewarded,  and  that  you  may 
easily  succeed  in  coming  to  join  in  the  Californias  with  our 
reverend  fathers  Juan  Maria  de  Salvatierra  and  Francisco 
Maria  Picolo,  and  all  those  poor  people  to  whom  the  knowl- 
edge that  they  can  transport  and  trade  by  land  with  more 
security  than  by  sea  will  be  of  great  comfort,  for  this  will  be  a 
great  thing.  And  all  will  be  due  to  your  Reverence,  who,  I 
hope,  will  have  from  God  and  from  his  most  holy  Mother  the 
assistance  and  rewards  of  glory  and  honor  which  your  Lord- 
ship so  deserves. 

No  one  more  than  I  desires  for  you  all  good  fortune,  and  I 
wish  I  were  nearer  in  order  to  serve  your  Reverence  in  what- 
ever way  might  be  in  my  power,  for  it  is  only  my  duty,  from 
my  great  obligation.  I  have  no  doubt  that  opposition  will  be 
forthcoming,  and  that  there  will  be  many  to  oppose  the  good 
work  of  your  Reverence,  because  the  Devil  is  laying  up  against 
you  that  which  he  is  losing,  and  must  seek  means  to  ruin  your 
Reverence.  In  regard  to  the  Pimas,  I  have  noted  much  loy- 
alty in  them,  and  with  time  and  good  teaching  they  will  be 
very  perfect  Christians  and  loyal  vassals  of  his  Majesty.  And 
since  they  are  steadfast  in  peace  and  friendship  for  us  we  may 
promise  ourselves  very  good  fortune  and  may  hope  that  by  means 

440  Note  in  the  original :     "After  expedition  VI,  of  November."     See  page 
302. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  327 

of  them  will  be  discovered  many  nations  and  lands  of  those 
which  your  Reverence  has  found. 

Thus  far,  with  many  other  things  besides,  General 
Juan  Fernandez  de  la  Fuente.  And  now  at  the  end  of 
May,  1705,  just  when  I  am  writing  this  chapter441 
(finding  myself  with  a  thousand  occupations,  what  with 
the  construction  of  churches  and  with  the  coming  of 
very  many  natives  from  the  north  and  from  the  west 
and  from  the  northwest  from  a  distance  of  more  than 
one  hundred  and  seventy  leagues,  as  I  shall  say  in  the 
proper  place)  I  receive  the  following  very  zealous  and 
very  affectionate  letter  from  the  Senor  oidor  and  fiscal 
of  his  royal  Majesty  in  the  Royal  Audiencia  of  Guada- 
lajara, Don  Joseph  de  Miranda  Villa  Ysan,  dated  the 
thirty-first  of  March : 

May  God  our  Lord  bring  reapers  to  aid  in  so  abundant  a 
harvest.  The  hopes  that  your  Reverence  may  make  a  journey 
to  Mexico  have  comforted  me  greatly.  I  imagine  I  see  you 
there  already,  as  on  the  former  occasion,  like  a  lightning- 
flash,  quick  and  refulgent,  but  without  destruction,  although 
this  you  effect  in  the  campaign  against  the  Devil  under  the 
banners  of  his  wretched  heathendom,  which  God  has  just 
snatched  from  his  claws  in  those  provinces,  for  there  is  where 
we  can  say  with  David,  on  account  of  your  Reverence,  Ascen- 
siones  in  corde  suo  disposuit  in  loco  ubi  posuisti.442  So  I  ex- 
pressed it,  when,  seeing  your  Reverence  in  the  character  of 
first  commissioner  to  California,  I  read  it  and  saw  you  appoint- 
ed champion  and  associate  of  my  well  beloved  Father  Juan 
Maria  de  Salvatierra  for  the  undertaking.443  But  God  dis- 
poses that  you  do  not  go  from  those  provinces,  perhaps  because 
from  there,  without  losing  that  renown,  you  are  gaining  souls 

441  This  was  formerly  in  Book  II,  Chapter  12.     See  ante,  pa>,e  302. 

442  "In  his  heart  he  hath  disposed  to  ascend  by  steps  in  the  place  where 
Thou  has  set  him"  (Psalm  lxxxiii,  6,  7).  Kino,  quoting  from  memory',  uses  in 
loco  ubi  posuisti  instead  of  the  scriptural  in  loco  quern  posuit  "in  the  place 
which  he  hath  set." 

443  The  reference  is  to  the  appointment  of  Kino  as  companion  of  Salva- 
tierra to  go  to  California  in  1697. 


328  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA 

for  California  by  means  of  the  well-founded  information  in  re- 
gard to  the  route  to  it  by  land.  Moreover,  the  first  office  of 
General  Don  Jasinto  may  have  failed,444  perhaps,  because  God 
disposed  that  he  be  a  co-worker  with  your  Reverence  in  these 
newest  conversions.  Those  who  command  in  any  of  those 
parts  will  incline  their  operations  and  thoughts  especially  to  this, 
and  they  would  make  easier  the  accomplishment  of  so  high  a 
purpose,  because  the  truth  of  the  legal  maxim,  Singula,  qua 
non  possent,  collecta  iuuant  445  would  be  seen  divinely  mani- 
fested. But  the  pity  is  that  the  sower  of  darnel  even  in  the 
rooted  crops  more  frequently  exemplifies  the  opposite  maxim, 
Singuli  qui  non  possent,  collecti  impediunt.446 

Thus  far  the  Senor  oidor  fiscal  of  his  royal  Majesty, 
Don  Joseph  de  Miranda  y  Villaysan. 


444  The  reference  is  to  General  Jacinto  de  Fuensaldana. 

445  "What  individual  things  can  not  do  separately  united  they  help."     For 
iuuant    read    modern    juvant. 

446  "What  individual  men  can  not  do,  united  they  impede." 


BOOK  IV.    EXPEDITION  OF  TWO  HUNDRED 
LEAGUES  IN  THE  YEAR  1702,  WITH  THE 
VERY  MINUTE  NEW  EXPLORATION  OF 
THE  VERY  CERTAIN  AND  VERY  EVI- 
DENT PASSAGE  BY  LAND  TO  CALI- 
FORNIA, WHICH  IS  SEEN  TO  BE  NOT 
AN  ISLAND,  BUT  A  PENINSULA 

CHAPTER  I.     DOUBTS  AND  CONTROVERSIES  WHICH 
FOR  SO  MANY  YEARS  HAVE  EXISTED  IN  REGARD 
TO   WHETHER   CALIFORNIA   IS   CONTINEN- 
TAL, OR  TERRA  FIRMA,  CONTINUOUS 
WITH  THIS  NEW  SPAIN  "7 

1702.  Some  of  the  ancient  cosmographers,  although 
with  some  imperfections,  delineated  California  as  a 
peninsula,  or  an  isthmus,  but  after  the  English  pirate 
and  pilot,  Francis  Drake,  sailed  on  these  seas,  and  in  the 
bay  of  San  Bernabe,  near  the  cape  of  San  Lucas  of  Cal- 
ifornia, robbed  the  China  ship  or  the  Philippines  gal- 
leon, called  Santa  Ana,448  he,  seeing  then  the  many  cur- 
rents of  the  Gulf  of  California,  concluded  and  pro- 
claimed as  a  certain  thingthatthis  Californian  Gulf  and 
sea  had  communication  with  the  North  Sea,  and  that  by 
the  former  sea  California  was  separated  from  all  this 
terra  firma  of  New  Spain;  and  he  delineated  it  as  sur- 
rounded with  seas  and  as  an  island  (which  would  have 
been  the  greatest  in  the  world),  and  he  sketched,  but 
also  incorrectly,  the  rivers  of  Coral  and  El  Tizon  and 

447  This  chapter  throws  interesting  light  on  the  genesis  of  Kino's  ideas 
regarding   California   geography. 

448  Kino  is  mistaken  here.  It  was  Cavendish  who  plundered  the  Santa 
Ana. 


330  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA 

Anguchi,  or  Buena  Guia,  as  issuing  and  emptying  into 
the  said  Sea  of  California  at  thirty-three,  thirty-four, 
and  thirty-five  degrees  of  latitude,  the  fact  being  that, 
as  with  all  certainty  in  various  expeditions  we  have  dis- 
covered, this  Californian  Gulf  does  not  come  up  to 
thirty-two  degrees.  Therefore  Drake  on  his  return  to 
his  country  misled  all  Europe,  and  almost  all  the  cos- 
mographers  and  geographers  of  Italy,  Germany,  and 
France,  etc.,  delineated  California  as  an  island.449 

In  the  celebrated  University  of  Ingolstadt,  of  Ba- 
varia, there  was  printed  in  my  time  a  very  finely  execu- 
ted general  map  of  all  the  terrestrial  world  by  my 
father  master  of  mathematics,  Father  Adamo  Aygent- 
ler,450  who  afterwards  died  most  gloriously  in  the  voy- 
age of  Father  Jutorchete 451  for  the  missions  of  the  Great 
China,  when  already  near  Goa-tn  conspectu  Goa,452 
says  the  narrative.  That  map,  which  I  brought  with 
me  to  the  Indies  and  even  to  these  new  conversions, 
with  its  little  treatise  and  instruction  or  explanation,  for 
it  is  cosmographical,  geographical,  horological  and 
horographical,  nautical  and  geometrical,  etc.,  depicts 
California  very  correctly  not  as  an  island,  but  as  a 

449  For  Drake's  voyage  see  W.  S.  W.  Vaux,  The  World  encompassed  by 
Sir  Francis  Drake,  being  his  next  Voyage  to  that  to  Nombre  de  Dios  (Lon- 
don, 1854).  As  to  Drake's  theories,  suffice  it  here  to  say  that  many  views 
attributed  to  Drake  were  fables  for  which  he  was  not  responsible.  See  Ban- 
croft, chapter  on  "The  Northern  Mystery,"  in  his  History  of  the  Northwest 
Coast,  vol.  i,  chap.  2. 

450Aigenler,  Adam,  1635-1673,  praeses.  Tabvla  geographicohorologa  uni- 
versalis, problematis  cosmographicis,  astronomicis,  geographicis,  gnomonicis, 
geometricis  illustrata,  et  vna  cvm  succincta  methodo  qvasltbet  mappas  geo- 
graphicas  delineandi.  Publico  certamini  proposita  .  .  .  Praeside  Adamo 
Aigenler  .  .  .  defendente  Joanne  Francisco  Stavdhamer  .  .  .  Ingol- 
stadii,  typis  Ionnis  Ostermayri,  1668.  1  p.  1,  38,  (32)  p.  fold,  map,  diagr. 
18cm.  Appended:  "Tabula  latitudinum  et  longitudinum  nova  avthore  R. 
P.  loan,  Bapt.  Ricciolio     .     .     .     lib.  9  Geographic  Reformats  c.  4." 

451  Stocklein  lists  in  his  Rerum  Memorabilium  neither  Aygentler  nor 
Jutorchete. 

452"In  sight  of  Goa." 


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EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  333 

peninsula.  I  studied  the  mathematical  sciences  in  the 
University  of  Ingolstadt  and  in  that  of  Freiburg,  and  I 
taught  them  afterwards  according  to  our  routine,453  and 
by  order  of  my  superiors  had  to  teach  and  lecture  on 
them  in  public,  so  that  in  the  fourth  year  of  theology  I 
took  orders  as  a  priest.  But,  although  I  discussed 
various  mathematical  sciences  with  his  Lordship  the 
Duke  of  Bavaria,  who  rules  today,  and  with  his  Lord- 
ship his  father,  when  their  highnesses  both  together,  in 
the  year  1676,  came  from  his  Electoral  Court  of  Mu- 
nich454 to  see  that  great  fortification,  city,  and  univer- 
sity of  Ingolstadt,  and  our  greatest  college  of  that  city 
and  province  of  Bavaria  in  Upper  Germany,and  was  in- 
vited to  give  courses  in  these  sciences,  arts,  and  occupa- 
tions there  in  Europe,  yet  I  was  always  more  inclined 
and  I  urged  with  the  higher  officials  in  Rome  that  I 
should  come  rather  to  teach  the  Christian  doctrines  and 
evangelical  truths  of  our  holy  Catholic  faith  to  these 
poor  heathen,  so  much  in  need,  that  by  us  they  might  be 
saved  and  might  help  us  to  praise  our  most  merciful 
God  through  all  eternity. 

In  this  belief  that  California  was  a  peninsula  and  not 
an  island  I  came  to  these  West  Indies,  and  when  I  ar- 
rived at  Mexico  I  was  assigned  by  the  Father  Pro- 
vincial Bernardo  Pardo  as  missionary  and  royal  cos- 
mographer455  of  California,  and,  trying  to  emerge  from 
the  doubts  which  attended  these  matters,  I  changed  my 
position;  first,  because  I  read  the  account  of  the  Ade- 
lantado  of  New  Mexico,  Don  Juan  de  Onate,  who,  set- 
ting out  from  the  villa  of  Santa  Fe  of  New  Mexico  and 
travelling  about  one  hundred  leagues  to  the  westward, 

453  Pro  rutiis  de  los  nuestros. 

454  Ferdinand  was  Elector  of  Bavaria  from  1651  to  1679;  Maximilian  Em- 
manuel from   1679  to  1726. 

455  This  passage  indicates  the  intelligence  with  which  Kino  went  about 
the  task  of  cosmographer  of  the  California  expedition. 


334  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

came  to  the  Moquis,  and,  as  the  account  says,  to  the  sea, 
and  this  in  latitude  thirty-seven  degrees.  Second,  be- 
cause other  accounts  by  others  said  the  same  thing. 
Third,  because  many  other  maps,  and  the  principal 
modern  cosmographers  of  Germany,  Flanders,  Italy, 
and  France,  etc.,  said  the  same,  and  that  California  was 
an  island;456  and  I  made  copies  of  these  very  great  new 
maps  from  the  palace  of  Mexico,  borrowing  and  taking 
them  for  this  purpose  to  the  Colegio  Maximo  of  San 
Pedro  y  San  Pablo.457  Fourth,  because  the  many  cur- 
rents from  north  to  south  which  I  experienced  in  the 
voyages  which  I  made  in  the  Gulf  of  California  were  so 
continuous  and  at  times  so  strong  that  it  seemed  as  if 
the  sea  communicated  with  that  of  the  north,  and  in- 
clined me  to  the  opinion  that  California  was  an  island; 
and  as  such  I  sketched  it  in  some  of  my  maps. 

But  now  already,  thanks  to  His  Divine  Majesty,  with 
various  expeditions,  and  three  in  particular,  of  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty,  one  hundred  and  seventy,  and  two  hundred 
leagues,  which  I  have  made  from  here  to  the  north  of 
Nuestra  Sefiora  de  los  Dolores,  I  have  discovered  with 
all  minute  certainty  and  evidence,  with  mariner's  com- 
pass and  astrolabe  in  my  hands,  that  California  is  not  an 
island  but  a  peninsula,  or  isthmus,  and  that  in  thirty- 
two  degrees  of  latitude  there  is  a  passage  by  land  to 
California,  and  that  only  to  about  that  point  comes  the 

456  A  Dutch  map  published  in  1624-1625  (Bancroft,  North  Mexican  States, 
vol.  i,  169);  Briggs,  map  of  1625,  and  Hondiu's  map  of  1628  (Richman, 
California  under  Spain  and  Mexico,  1535-1847,  380)  all  show  California  as 
an  island.  D'Aoity's  map  of  1637  (Bancroft,  North  Mexican  States,  vol.  i, 
176),  however,  shows  that  the  insular  theory  was  not  accepted  by  all.  Har- 
ris's map  of  1705,  based  on  explorations  along  the  California  coast  (Ban- 
croft, ibid.,  196-197)   shows  California  as  an  island. 

457  The  church  of  the  Colegio  Maximo  was  dedicated  in  1603,  and  at  that 
time  was  the  most  sumptuous  in  Mexico  (Bancroft,  History  of  Mexico,  vol. 
iii,  118;  Alegre,  Historia  de  la  Compania  de  Jesus  en  Nueva-Espana,  vol. 
i,  408). 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  335 

head  of  the  Sea  of  California,  the  large  volumed  rivers 
which  in  the  following  chapters  will  be  mentioned 
emptying  into  the  head. 

CHAPTER  II.     THE  EXPEDITION  OF  TWO  HUNDRED 
AND    MORE   LEAGUES   IS   UNDERTAKEN   WITH   FA- 
THER RECTOR  MANUEL  GONZALEZ  TO  THE  QUIQUI- 
MAS,  FROM  THE  FIFTH  OF  FEBRUARY  TO  THE 
MIDDLE    OF   APRIL,    1702,    AND   AFTER    THE 
FIRST   NINETY   LEAGUES'   JOURNEY  WE 
ARRIVE    AT    SAN    MARCELO    DEL 
SONOYDAG 458 

1702.  Having  received  the  desired  report  of  my 
preceding  expeditions,  the  father  rector  of  Oposura, 
Manuel  Gonzalez,  who  was  visitor  of  these  missions  of 
Cinoloa  and  Sonora  when  fifteen  years  ago  these  new 
spiritual  and  temporal  conquests  and  the  new  conver- 
sions of  this  Pimeria,  etc.,  were  begun,  his  Reverence, 
who  was  in  poor  health,  was  inspired  to  come  to  be  an 
eye-witness  of  so  many  souls,  so  many  rivers,  and  so 
large  a  country,  etc.,  and,  advising  the  present  father 
visitor,  Antonio  Leal,  and  me,  on  the  thirty-first  of  Jan- 
uary his  Reverence  came  from  Oposura  and  Cumupas 
to  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores,  with  his  servants,  and 
with  fifty  mules,  and  with  other  things  very  useful  for 
the  expedition,  which  was  made  as  the  following  daily 
account  will  state.459 

FEBRUARY  5,  1702.  On  the  fifth  of  February  we  set 
out    from    Nuestra    Senora    de    los    Dolores,    Father 

458  So  far  as  I  am  aware  no  other  diary  of  this  journey  has  thus  far  been 
found.  Brief  accounts  are  given  in  Bancroft,  North  Mexican  States,  vol.  i, 
500;  Bancroft,  Arizona  and  Neiu  Mexico,  359;  Ortega,  Apostolicos  A  fanes, 
301-309  ("from  Kino's  letter"  Bancroft  erroneously  remarks)  ;  Alegre,  His- 
toria,  vol.  iii,  134-135;  Venegas,  Noticia  de  la  California,  vol.  ii,  105-106. 
All  come  from  Kino's  Ms.  directly  or  indirectly. 

459  Father  Ortega's  account,  the  fullest  thus  far  extant,  dismisses  in  thirteen 
lines  the  subject  matter  of  this  chapter  and  the  next. 


336  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Rector  Manuel  Gonzalez  with  his  equipment,  and  I 
with  twelve  servants,  a  few  additional  loads,  and  eighty 
horses  and  mules. 

6-7.  On  the  sixth  we  left  Nuestra  Senora  de  los 
Remedios,  and  after  ten  leagues'  journey  we  reached 
the  neighborhood  of  the  ranch  of  San  Simon  y  San  Ju- 
das del  Siboda,  where  there  were  more  than  a  thousand 
cattle  and  seven  droves  of  mares  belonging  to  the  new 
conversions,  and,  arriving  early  the  following  day,  we 
supplied  ourselves  with  meat,  fresh  and  dried. 

8.  On  the  eighth,  after  twelve  leagues'  journey,  we 
arrived  at  Santa  Barbara,  where  another  little  ranch 
was  begun  for  these  roads  to  the  land  passage  to  Cali- 
fornia Alta. 

9.  On  the  ninth  we  set  out  for  San  Ambrosio  del 
Busanic,  the  natives  having  given  us  three  infants  to 
baptize. 

10.  On  the  tenth,  on  arriving  very  early  at  San  Am- 
brosio, we  found  more  than  twenty  justices,  governors, 
and  captains  from  the  interior,  who,  travelling  more 
than  fifty  leagues,  had  come  out  to  meet  us  and  welcome 
us.  I  talked  to  them  in  regard  to  the  mysteries  of  our 
holy  faith,  and  in  regard  to  the  purpose  of  our  expedi- 
tion; and  as  here  also  they  were  keeping  for  me  cattle, 
sheep  and  goats,  and  some  droves  of  horses,  we  killed 
three  beeves  for  the  people460  and  for  the  journey. 

11.  On  the  eleventh  we  set  out  for  San  Estanislao 
del  Ootcam,  where  we  found  more  than  three  hundred 
souls,  most  of  them  from  the  interior,  who  also  had 
come  to  meet  us.  They  gave  us  two  infants  to  baptize 
and  performed  for  us  some  friendly  dances  and  enter- 
tainments.    Father  Rector  Manuel  Gonzales  was  very 

460  I.e.,  for  the  natives. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  337 

much  pleased  to  see  these  natives  so  jovial  and  so  af- 
fable, and  he  pondered  not  a  little  on  the  great  pity  that 
natives  so  friendly  had  not,  like  the  others  near  by,  the 
necessary  missionary  fathers  whom  they  requested,  for 
already  they  had  very  good  crops  of  maize,  not  only  for 
themselves  but  also  for  the  Church,  and  had  provided 
for  us  a  medium  sized  earth-covered  adobe  church,  with 
its  altar,  in  which  with  decency  we,  Father  Rector 
Manuel  Gonzales  and  I,  said  mass  the  day  following 
Sunday,  Septuagesima. 

12.  On  the  twelfth  we  set  out  for  the  tank  of  Santa 
Eulalia,  day  of  that  Saint,  and  having  taken  from  San 
Estanislao  sufficient  provisions  for  the  journey  along 
the  coast,  I  ordered  another  small  ranch  begun  in  Santa 
Eulalia,  also. 

13.  On  the  thirteenth,  the  day  on  which  was  cele- 
brated the  day  of  this  saint,  we  set  out  from  the  tank  of 
Santa  Eulalia,  and,  saying  the  mass  of  the  saint,  after 
ten  leagues'  journey  we  arrived  at  the  tank  which 
Father  Rector  Gonzales  named  Tank  of  San  Vicente. 

14.  On  the  fourteenth,  passing  by  the  tank  and  well 
of  Santa  Sabina,  after  sixteen  leagues'  journey  we  ar- 
rived at  the  tanks  of  San  Martin. 

15.  On  the  fifteenth  we  arrived  at  midday  at  San 
Rafael  del  Actun.  Its  natives  sent  to  meet  us  with 
crosses  and  welcomed  us  with  arches  and  crosses  placed 
along  the  roads,  and  with  all  hospitality  in  the  way  of 
provisions.  They  gave  us  two  little  brothers  to  baptize, 
of  whom  one  was  named  Manuel  and  the  other  Eu- 
sebio.  Traveling  today  fourteen  leagues,  in  the  after- 
noon we  arrived  at  San  Marcelo  del  Sonoydag,  being 
welcomed  with  all  love  by  the  more  than  two  hundred 
natives  who  were  here. 


338  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

CHAPTER  III.     SETTING  OUT  FROM  SAN  MARCELO 

DEL    SONOYDAG,    AFTER    MORE    THAN    SIXTY 

LEAGUES'    JOURNEY    WE    ARRIVED    AT    SAN 

DIONISIO  AND  AT  THE  VERY  LARGE  RIO 

COLORADO  OF  THE  YUMAS 

FEBRUARY  16,  17,  18,  1702.  We  rested  on  February 
the  sixteenth,  seventeenth,  and  eighteenth  at  the  ranch 
and  rancheria  or  pueblo  and  very  good  post  of  San 
Marcelo,  where  we  killed  three  fat  beeves  and  a  sheep 
for  the  journey,  and  where  we  taught  the  Christian  doc- 
trine and  the  prayers  every  day.  They  gave  us  two  in- 
fants to  baptize,  and  we  performed  a  marriage  cere- 
mony in  facie  Ecclesia.i<sx 

19.  On  the  nineteenth,  Sexagesima  Sunday,  we  went 
from  San  Marcelo  to  Carrizal. 

20.  On  the  twentieth,  the  friendly  natives  having 
given  us  three  infants  and  a  sick  adult  to  baptize,  we  set 
out,  and  after  about  fifteen  leagues'  journey  we  arrived 
near  the  tank  of  La  Luna. 

21.  On  the  twenty-first,  passing  near  this  tank,  and 
letting  the  horses  drink,  we  arrived  at  the  plains  and 
the  pastures  near  Agua  Escondida. 

22.  On  the  twenty-second  we  set  out  directly  for  the 
tank  of  La  Tinaja,  and  reached  it  after  twelve  leagues 
of  very  level  and  straight  road. 

23  and  24.  On  the  twenty-third  and  twenty-fourth 
we  were  detained  by  a  great  cloud-burst,  which  much 
increased  the  stream  of  that  tank,  and  we  saw  that  it 
passed  by  some  very  sightly  rocks  which  appeared  to  be 
very  fine  tanks  made  by  hand  and  with  very  great  art, 
and  it  seemed  to  the  father  rector  that  this  tank  with 
much  reason  should  be  named  Aguaje  de  los  Alquives 

*G1  "Before  the  Church." 

462  Watering-place  of  the  Tanks. 


462 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  339 

Today  and  on  the  two  following  days  we  saw  to  the 
westward  in  the  afternoon  the  comet  which  was  in  the 
constellation  of  Aquarius.463 

25.  On  the  twenty-fifth,  after  six  leagues'  journey, 
we  arrived  at  the  Rio  Grande,  or  Hila,  and  at  its  ran- 
cheria  of  San  Pablo  of  the  Yumas,  who  had  provided 
for  us  a  little  house  in  which  to  live  and  say  mass.  They 
received  us  with  arches  and  crosses  placed  on  the  road; 
and  the  father  rector  distributed  among  them  almost  a 
tierce  of  sugar  and  other  gifts. 

26-27.  On  tne  twenty-sixth  we  set  out  for  the  Rio 
Colorado.  After  going  four  leagues  we  arrived  at  the 
opening  where  it  may  be  said  California  Alta  begins,464 
because  its  meridian  passes  through  the  middle  of  the 
head  of  the  Sea  of  California.  As  a  rain-storm  again 
threatened,  we  halted  near  there,  and  the  natives 
brought  us,  from  various  parts,  quantities  of  very  fine 
fresh  fish  and  other  gifts,  today  as  well  as  the  following 
day,  when  we  were  detained  by  the  rain. 

28.  On  the  twenty-eighth  we  set  out  for  San  Di- 
onisio  and  the  confluence  of  the  rivers. 


463  According  to  Galle  there  were  two  comets  in  1702,  the  6rst  being  visi- 
ble in  February  and  March,  and  in  southerly  regions  only.  The  second  was 
discovered  on  April  20.  The  former  is  evidently  the  one  mentioned  by  Kino 
as  visible  in  Arizona.  According  to  Professor  R.  T.  Crawford,  no  orbit  has 
been  computed   for  this  comet. 

464  They  were  now  at  the  pass  through  the  Gila  Range.  His  assertion 
concerning  the  meridian  was  essentially  correct. 


340  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

CHAPTER  IV.     SETTING  OUT  FROM   SAN  DIONISIO 

AND   THE   CONFLUENCE   OF  THE   RIO   COLORADO 

AND    THE    RIO    GRANDE,    AFTER    FIFTY    LEAGUES' 

JOURNEY  TO  THE  SOUTHWEST  WE  ARRIVED  AT 

THE   QUIQUIMA   AND   CUTGANA   NATIONS, 

AND    AT    THE     MOUTH     OF    THE 

ABOVE-MENTIONED  RIVERS  465 

March  i,  1702.  On  March  first,  Ash  Wednesday, 
having  said  mass  and  given  ashes  to  all  our  servants, 
and  having  viewed  deliberately  and  with  great  pleasure 
the  very  pleasant  confluence  of  the  rivers,  Father  Rec- 
tor Manuel  Gonzales  said  that  one  might  well  come 
from  Mexico  to  see  it  on  account  of  its  very  sightly 
groves,  its  copious  and  peaceful  waters,  fertile  lands, 
etc.  We  set  out  for  the  southwest,  or  between  the  south 
and  the  west,  a  course  well-known  to  be  toward  Cali- 
fornia, and  even  on  this  road  we  found  a  great  number 
of  affable  Yumas,  in  particular  at  the  great  rancheria 
of  Santa  Ysabel. 

2.  On  the  second,  passing  on,  and  leaving  at  the 
right  the  rancherias  of  San  Felis  and  La  Presentacion 
and  the  crossing  where  in  the  preceding  month  of  No- 
vember I  had  passed  the  Rio  Colorado  on  a  raft,  and  its 
very  rich  lands,  we  arrived  at  the  rancheria  of  San 
Rodesindo,466  where  many  Quiquimas  awaited  us  with 
many  of  their  provisions.  They  gave  us  in  abundance 
maize,  beans,  dried  pumpkins,  fish,  etc.,  and  we  in  re- 
turn gave  them  some  of  our  trifles  and  little  gifts,  teach- 
ing them  the  Word  of  God  and  Christian  doctrine, 
through  interpreters,  which  was  very  well  received. 

3.  On  the  third  we  rested  and  arranged  for  the  de- 
scent to  the  very  disemboguement  of  these  rivers  in  the 

465  At  this  point  Ortega's  account  becomes  fairly  full  and  satisfactory 
{Apostolicos  A  fanes,  301). 

466  Ortega  does  not  note  that  they  had  now  passed  the  place  where  Kino 
had  previously  crossed  the  river. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  341 

sea.  Many  natives  came  to  see  us  from  various  parts, 
invited  by  the  captain  of  the  Quiquimas  and  by  the  cap- 
tain of  the  Cutganes.  And  because  the  sick  infant, 
Thyrso  Gonzales,  whom  I  had  baptized  in  the  preced- 
ing November,  was  now  very  well,  fine,  and  fat,  his 
mother,  and  very  many  other  mothers  also,  brought  me 
their  infants  and  gave  them  to  me,  begging  me  to  bap- 
tize them  too,  although  I  put  them  off  for  a  better 
season.  Father  Rector  Manuel  Gonzales  with  his 
great  charity  gave  to  these  very  friendly  natives  even 
his  own  shirts,  white  handkerchiefs,  generous  handfuls 
of  chocolate,  and  the  shoes  which  he  wore. 

Latitude  thirty-one  and  a  half  degrees.  At  mid- 
day we  took  the  altitude  of  the  sun  with  the  astrolabe, 
and  found  it  to  be  fifty-two  degrees,  which,  adding  to  it 
the  six  and  a  half  of  south  declination  of  that  day,  made 
fifty-eight  degrees  and  a  half.  The  complement  of 
ninety  degrees  is  thirty-one  degrees  and  a  half,  and  this 
was  the  altitude  of  the  pole  or  geographical  latitude  in 
which  we  found  ourselves.467 

4-5.  On  the  fourth  we  arrived  at  the  rancherias  of 
San  Casimiro.468  On  the  fifth  we  descended  to  the 
bayous  of  the  sea  directly  to  the  southward,  finding  in 
all  these  very  many  natives,  Quiquimas,  Cutganes,  and 
Hogiopas,469  who  had  come  from  the  west  and  from  the 
southwest,  great  affability  and  love  and  affection.  We 
inquired  about  various  nations,  and  about  various  hills, 
and  about  all  the  rivers  of  the  west,  and,  besides,  about 
the  very  large  Rio  Colorado  which,  joined  with  the  Rio 
Grande  or  Rio  de  Hila,  empties  into  the  head  of  the 

467  This  is  what  Kino  says.  The  complement  of  ninety  degree  is  zero. 
He  means  that  the  complement  of  58 Va",  to  make  90°,  is  3iV2°- 

468  Ortega  {Apostolicos  A  fanes,  302)  says  that  on  the  fourth  they 
went  directly  south  to  San  Casimiro,  but  the  diary  says  that  it  was  on  the 
fifth  that  they  went  directly  south. 

469  The    Cocopas. 


342  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Sea  of  California  on  the  west  side.  Near  there  also 
empty  the  Rio  Azul,  which  comes  from  the  north,  and 
the  Rio  Amarillo,  which  comes  from  the  northwest,  as 
the  Rio  Colorado  from  the  northeast  and  the  Rio 
Grande,  or  Rio  de  Hila,  from  the  east,  as  may  be  seen 
in  the  maps  of  this  treatise.470 

5.  On  the  fifth  in  the  afternoon  we  gave  four  jus- 
tice's staffs,  with  good  teachings,  to  those  who  had  come 
from  the  west,  and  they  brought  us  so  much  fish  that  we 
could  no  longer  accept  it. 

6.  On  the  sixth  we  made  all  possible  efforts  to  cross 
the  Rio  Colorado,  but  the  many  bogs  hindered  our  at- 
tempt, because  it  had  rained  these  days. 

7.  On  the  seventh  Father  Rector  Manuel  Gonzales 
descended  to  the  very  mouth  and  to  the  sea  by  a  west- 
ward course,  and  I,  having  collected  information  for  us 
concerning  all  these  natives  of  the  west,  and  sent  my 
messages  ahead  to  those  on  the  other  bank  of  the  river, 
descended  in  the  afternoon,  having  been  detained  by  the 
continuous  messages  which  they  were  sending  me.471 

8.  On  the  eighth  more  than  three  hundred  souls 
from  the  other  bank  of  the  very  large  volumed  Rio 
Colorado  having  come  to  see  us,  swimming  across, 
small  and  great,  with  many  of  their  provisions,  and 
with  blue  shells  from  the  opposite  coast,  urged  us  to 
cross  over  to  see  their  good  lands  and  the  rest  of  their 
numerous  and  amiable  people.  But,  as  the  illness  and 
painful  flux  of  the  father  rector  troubled  him  more  and 
more  each  day,  we  determined  not  to  cross,  and  con- 
soled the  natives  with  good  words,  saying  that,  God 
willing,  we  would  try  to  comply  with  their  friendly  de- 

470  From  this  passage  it  is  inferred  that  Kino  prepared  a  map  for  this 
treatise  which  differs  from  his  published  map  of  1705. 

471  Ortega  omits  the  details  of  this  paragraph. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  343 

sires  on  another  occasion,  and,  sending  them  away  with 
various  gifts,  we  returned  to  San  Casimiro.472 

9.  On  the  ninth,  so  much  were  we  moved  by  the 
petitions  and  desires  of  the  natives  on  the  other  bank  of 
the  river,  and  so  great  was  our  desire  to  cross  to  see  the 
Rio  Amarillo,  and  even  to  cross  to  the  Sea  of  the  West, 
or  sea  of  the  opposite  coast,  or  South  Sea,  since  some 
assured  us  that  it  was  not  more  than  eight  or  nine  days 
distant,  and  since  they  brought  us  some  little  pots,  and 
other  gifts  which  before  had  been  brought  from  the  op- 
posite coast,  I  determined  to  descend  another  time  to 
the  mouth  and  with  the  natives  to  cross  the  Rio  Colo- 
rado, and  for  this  purpose  we  provided  ourselves  with 
the  necessary  provisions  and  with  the  best  horses,  etc. 

10.  On  the  tenth  we  descended  again473  to  the 
mouth,  taking  and  joining  many  dry  poles  to  make  a 
very  great  raft  on  which  to  cross  the  very  large  volumed 
and  very  wide  Rio  Colorado  and  Rio  Grande  de  Hila 
and  Rio  Azul,  which  in  the  estuary  all  made  a  body  of 
peaceful  waters.  At  this  the  natives  all  now  greatly 
rejoiced,  in  particular  those  on  the  west  bank,  who 
again  had  come  to  meet  us  in  large  numbers,  great  and 
small.  But  as  his  painful  flux  troubled  the  father  rec- 
tor seriously,  and  as  we  found  very  difficult  the 
crossing  of  the  horses,  because  of  the  enormous  bogs 
on  the  banks  of  the  very  large  volumed  river,  we  deter- 
mined to  defer  this  crossing  for  another  and  more  op- 
portune occasion,  and  again  we  consoled  the  natives  as 
best  we  could,  passing  the  night  with  them  at  the  estu- 
ary, where  the  open  sea  came  very  near  to  our  beds. 
This  night  the  father  rector's  saddle  horse  was  lost,  but 

472  Ortega  does  not  note  the  return  to  San  Casimiro,  except  by  implication. 

473  Ortega  {Apostolicos  A  fanes,  302)  is  confused  regarding  this  second 
descent  to  the  mouth  and  Bancroft  omits  it  entirely. 


344  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

the  natives  found  it,  tied  it  up,  and  gave  it  grass  and  a 
pot  of  water,  and  came  to  tell  us  to  come  for  it. 

ii.  On  the  eleventh  I  said  the  mass  of  Santa  Fran- 
cisca  Romana.  The  sun  rose  over  the  head  of  the  Sea 
of  California,  proof  most  evident  that  we  were  now  in 
California;  and,  besides,  we  saw  most  plainly  more 
than  thirty  leagues  of  continuous  land  to  the  south,  and 
as  many  more  to  the  west,  and  as  many  more  to  the 
north,  without  the  least  sign  of  any  sea  except  that 
which  lay  to  the  eastward  of  us. 

CHAPTER   V.     HAVING   GONE    BEYOND    AND    LEFT 

THE    SEA    OF    CALIFORNIA    TO    THE    EASTWARD, 

AND    HAVING    ENTERED    ABOUT    TWENTY-FIVE 

LEAGUES  FARTHER  THAN   IN  THE  PRECEDING 

JOURNEYS474  INLAND,  WE  TURNED  BACK  TO 

OUR  MISSIONS  AND  THE   PROVINCE  OF 

SONORA;    AND    AFTER    GOING    MORE 

THAN  ONE   HUNDRED  AND  TEN 

LEAGUES,  WE  ARRIVED  AT 

SAN  MARCELO 

MARCH  12,  1702.  Being  on  the  point  of  returning 
to  Sonora,  doubt  arose  as  to  whether  we  should  return 
by  the  same  route  which  we  had  taken  to  go  to  Cali- 
fornia, or  by  another,  a  new  and  straighter  road,  di- 
rectly to  the  east,  in  order  to  come  out  at  San  Marcelo 
by  the  great  sandy  beach,  round  which  it  was  sixty 
leagues;  for,  although  some  said  that  this  road  could 
not  be  traveled  for  lack  of  water  and  pasturage,  we 
knew  that  on  that  sandy  beach  the  Pimas  of  San  Mar- 
celo and  the  Quiquimas  had  assembled  the  year  before 
when  they  had  made  their  peace-agreements;  and  some 
persons  told  us  that  in  that  beach  there  was  a  canebrake 
with  sufficient  water  and  pasturage.  Therefore,  on 
March  12  we  set  out  on  the  new  road,  but  having  trav- 
elled about  eighteen  leagues  over  most  difficult  sand 

474  This  statement  gives  a  clue  to  the  place  of  the  crossing  made  by  Kino 
in  the  previous  journey. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  345 

dunes  and  with  continuous,  violent,  and  most  pestif- 
erous wind,  during  the  whole  day  we  found  neither  a 
drop  of  water  nor  the  least  bit  of  pasturage.  And  al- 
though in  the  afternoon  we  found  some  people,  they 
themselves  were  going  about  as  if  lost  and  seeking 
water,  but  without  finding  it;  [13,  14]  and  after  passing 
a  very  toilsome  night,  we  found  ourselves  obliged,  with 
much  more  trouble,  to  return  the  following  day,  March 
13,  to  San  Casimiro,  and  to  the  Colorado  River,  where 
the  friendly  Quiquima  natives  relieved  us  with  a  re- 
freshment of  their  own  provisions,  although  our  relay 
was  not  able  to  arrive  until  the  next  day,  March  i4.47S 

15.  On  the  fifteenth  we  set  out  up  the  river  toward 
Santa  Ysabel  and  San  Dionisio,  through  which  we  had 
come,  and  at  the  camp  of  Los  Sauzes  a  Coanopa  over- 
took us  with  provisions  which  the  Coanopas  sent  us. 

17,  19,  20,  21.  On  the  seventeenth  we  arrived  at  San 
Pablo  of  the  Yumas;  on  the  eighteenth  at  the  Alquives; 
on  the  nineteenth  at  the  plains  of  El  Agua  Escondida; 
on  the  twentieth  at  the  tank  of  La  Luna;  and  on  the 
twenty-first  at  Carrizal.  On  setting  out  from  the  camp, 
Father  Rector  Manuel  Gonzales  said  to  me  that  al- 
though it  was  not  well  to  believe  in  dreams,  he  could 
not  deny  that  a  dream,  or  what  was  apparently  a  dream 
which  he  had  had  that  night,  kept  him  very  much  con- 
soled in  the  midst  of  his  ills,  attacks,  pains,  and  fatigues. 
It  was  that  it  had  been  represented  to  his  Reverence 
that  he  and  I,  although  with  very  much  toil  yet  with 
equal  joy,  were  crossing,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Colorado 
River,  some  very  extensive  and  beautiful  plains,  one  of 
which  was  called  San  Joachin.476 

475  Father  Francisco  Garces  in  1771  made  his  way  across  the  sand 
dunes  from  the  Colorado  to  Sonoita,  and  so  did  Lumholtz  in  1910  (Bolton, 
"The  Early  Explorations  of  Father  Garces  on  the  Pacific  Slope,"  in  The 
Pacific  Ocean  in  History,  328;  Lumholtz,  New  Trails  in  Mexico,  chap.   16). 

476  This  interesting  detail  is  omitted  by  Ortega  and  all  others. 


346  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

22.  On  our  setting  out  on  the  twenty-second  from 
Carrizal,  the  natives  besought  me  insistently  to  baptize 
for  them  two  sick  women,  which  I  did;  and  we  arrived 
at  San  Marcelo,  where  we  rested.  During  the  three 
days  we  killed  three  fat  beeves  and  two  sheep;  and 
taught  the  Christian  doctrine,  said  mass  in  the  new, 
neat,  and  well  whitewashed  little  church  or  chapel  of 
Nuestra  Senora  de  Loreto,  and  did  all  in  our  power  to 
relieve  the  illness  of  Father  Rector  Manuel  Gonzales. 

CHAPTER     VI.     LEAVING     SAN     MARCELO,     AFTER 
ABOUT    SEVENTY    LEAGUES'    JOURNEY    WE    AR- 
RIVED AT  THE  NEW  PUEBLO  OF  EL  TUBUTAMA 

The  only  grief,  though  a  very  deep  one,  which  we 
suffered,  was  that  Father  Rector  Manuel  Gonzales, 
who,  since  leaving  his  college  and  his  mission  of  Opo- 
sura,  and  even  some  months  before,  had  been  very  ill  of 
flux,  was  now  so  debilitated  and  exhausted  from  it  that 
it  was  necessary  henceforth  to  carry  his  Reverence  on  a 
litter  on  the  shoulders  of  the  natives.  But  they  did  it 
with  great  care  and  with  much  charity  and  love,  as  if 
they  all  were  old  Christians,  sending  through  the 
stretch  of  more  than  seventy  leagues  of  this  extensive 
coast  to  search  for  and  bring  the  most  robust  natives  of 
these  at  times  somewhat  unpeopled  places,  until  we  ar- 
rived at  San  Estanislao,  San  Ambrosio  del  Busanic.  and 
finally  at  the  new  pueblo  of  El  Tubutama,  where  lived 
Father  Ygnacio  de  Yturmendi,  who,  advised  of  our 
coming,  with  his  great  charity  came  in  person  some 
leagues  to  meet  us,  bringing  some  of  his  children  and 
some  refreshments  of  provisions,  etc.,  although  already 
three  days  before,  at  the  tank  of  Santa  Sabina,  Father 
Rector  Manuel  Gonzales  had  been  so  debilitated  and 
so  nearly  unconscious  that,  since  his  Reverence  had 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  347 

asked  me,  I  had  had  to  administer  the  sacrament  to 
him,  giving  him  communion  as  viaticum. 

From  El  Tubutama,  and  even  before  reaching  there, 
we  sent  promptly  to  bring  from  Nuestra  Senora  de  los 
Dolores,  Cucurpe,  the  Valle  de  Sonora,  and  Oposura, 
persons  skilled  in  curing,  with  all  possible  remedies  for 
so  painful  an  illness.  But  about  ten  days  afterward 
His  Divine  Majesty  saw  fit  to  take  His  great  servant, 
very  fervid  worker  in  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord,  and 
very  zealous  minister  for  the  greater  glory  of  God  and 
for  the  good  of  souls,  to  Himself  and  to  the  heavenly 
rest  which  he  had  so  deserved  by  his  talents,  his  works 
so  heroic,  and  his  learning  and  his  religious  truths  so 
exalted,  as  other  better  pens  will  be  able  to  relate  in  a 
very  long  letter  of  edification.477 

CHAPTER  VII.     MANY  OTHER  THINGS  RELATING  TO 
THIS   ABOVE-MENTIONED   JOURNEY   INLAND   CAN 
BE    DRAWN    FROM    THE    LONG    LETTER   WHICH    I 
WROTE    TO    THE    FATHER    VISITOR,    WITH    THE 
CERTIFICATION  OF  THE  SEnOR  ALCALDE  MAY- 
OR MADE  IN  ORDER  THAT  I   MIGHT  GO  TO 
MEXICO.     DIVIDED    INTO    SIX   CHAPTERS,478 
IT  IS  AS  FOLLOWS 

My  Father  Visitor  Antonio  Leal,  Pax  Christi: 
I  have  just  arrived  in  safety,  thank  God,  from  the  jour- 
ney inland  to  the  Quiquimas  of  California,  at  this  house 
of  your  Reverence  and  of  Our  Lady  of  Sorrows. 
And  I  again  thank  your  Reverence  very  much  for 
your  last  greatly   esteemed   letter,   which   I    received 

477  Bancroft  (North  Mexican  States,  500)  says  that  Father  Gonzalez  died 
at  San  Ignacio.  I  do  not  know  where  he  gets  this  information.  Ortega 
{Apostolicos  A  fanes,  303)  implies  that  he  died  at  Tubutama  and  Alegre 
(Historia,  vol.  iii,   135)   distinctly  says  so.     These  pages  confirm  that  view. 

478  In  all  probability  it  was  not  so  divided  originally,  but  was  cut  into 
chapters  for  incorporation  in  this  book. 


348  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

on  setting  out  from  this  district  for  that  journey  on 
February  5,  in  the  very  agreeable  company  of  my 
Father  Rector  Manuel  Gonzalez,  in  which  letter  your 
Reverence  said  for  our  great  comfort  in  all  things  that 
this  journey  inland  was  going  to  bring  it  about,  that,  by 
divine  grace,  these  extensive  nations  of  this  mainland 
to  the  northwest,  north,  and  west  should  all  be  con- 
verted to  our  holy  Faith.  May  his  divine  Majesty  so 
grant  it. 

On  the  second  of  this  month  of  April,  on  the  return 
from  the  journey  inland,  at  San  Estanislao  del  Ootcam, 
forty-seven  leagues  from  here,  I  received  a  letter  from 
Father  Ygnacio  de  Yturmendi,  written  at  the  pueblo  of 
El  Tubutama,  in  which  his  Reverence  told  me  that  on 
account  of  its  having  been  rumored  as  certain  that 
Father  Manuel  Gonzales  and  I  and  our  people  had 
been  drowned  in  the  Rio  Grande,479  the  masses  and  suf- 
frages, as  they  are  called  in  our  Society,  already  had 
been  said  for  us.  But,  thanks  to  his  divine  Majesty, 
without  experiencing  any  dangers  of  this  sort,  travelling 
safely  by  these  coasts,  our  way  and  course  being  almost 
always  to  the  northwest,  between  north  and  west,  on 
March  1 ,  after  a  journey  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  leagues 
from  here,  we  arrived  in  time  to  keep  Ash  Wednesday 
in  California,  at  the  confluence  of  the  two  large  rivers, 
the  Rio  Grande  de  Hila  and  the  Rio  Grande  del  Colo- 
rado. And  although  in  this  journey  inland  we  did  not 
cross  these  rivers,  on  account  of  the  bogs  and  the  spring 
rains,  we  descended  to  their  mouth,  a  journey  of  more 
than  forty  leagues  to  the  southwest,  or  between  south 
and  west.  And  there  came  to  see  us,  swimming  across 
the  river  in  different  parts,  about  four  thousand  very 

479  Ortega  at  this  point  states  that  on  April  2  Kino  wrote  to  his  superior 
to  dispel  those  stories,  but  by  hasty  reading  he  confused  the  letter  received 
on  April  2  with  the  present  one  written  on  April  8  (Apostolicos  A  fanes,  304). 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J. 349 

affable,  docile,  and  friendly  Indians -Yumas,  Coano 
pas,  Cutganes,  and  Quiquimas-with  much  affection 
bringing  us  of  their  provisions,  consisting  of  maize, 
beans,  pumpkins,  and  fish,  in  abundance. 

And  in  this  journey  inland,  as  in  my  preceding  one 
of  the  past  month  of  November,  they  received  the  word 
of  God  with  so  much  appreciation  that  they  gave  me 
many  infants  to  baptize.  Of  the  two  little  ones  whom  I 
had  baptized  in  the  preceding  journey  inland,  this  time 
the  mother  of  one,  called  Thyrso  Gonzales,  brought  him 
to  me,  for,  having  recovered,  he  was  fat  and  healthy. 
Many  other  mothers  also  brought  me  their  children, 
asking  me  to  baptize  them,  but  I  did  not  baptize  them, 
nor  many  adults  who  in  these  journeys  after  the  talks  on 
Christian  doctrine  which  I  made  them  asked  me  for 
holy  baptism;  for  I  told  them  that  instruction  was  first 
necessary.  Therefore  eight  of  these  adults,  among  them 
the  principal  men,  have  now  come  with  me  to  be  in- 
structed here  during  this  Holy  Week  and  Easter,  some 
of  them  travelling  for  this  purpose  more  than  two  hun- 
dred leagues. 

Although  in  going  and  returning  he  was  very  ill  of 
his  painful  flux  and  hemorrhoids,  Father  Rector  Man- 
uel Gonzales,  with  the  great  charity  which  was  charac- 
teristic of  him  gave  those  poor  natives  many  gifts,  and 
even  a  great  part  of  his  own  clothing  and  undergar- 
ments, etc.  When  on  March  8  his  Reverence  descended 
and  arrived  first  at  the  estuary,  very  early  in  the  morn- 
ing, at  twilight,  there  came  to  see  his  Reverence,  swim- 
ming across,  more  than  two  hundred  Indians  great  and 
small,  and  they  soon  brought  him  many  of  their  eatables 
as  a  present,  with  much  friendliness  and  affection.  His 
Reverence  is  convalescing  at  the  pueblo  of  El  Tubu- 
tama. 


350  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

From  this  estuary  and  in  different  places  we  learned 
and  even  saw  that  there  were  two  other  large  rivers 
which  emptied  at  the  head  of  this  Sea  of  California. 
One,  which  comes  from  the  north,  the  natives  called 
Rio  Azul,  and  the  other,  which  comes  from  the  north- 
west, they  called  the  Rio  Amarillo.  Also,  we  learned 
and  saw  that  the  very  large  volumed  Colorado  River, 
a  few  leagues  below  its  confluence  with  the  Rio  Grande 
or  Rio  de  Hila,  divides  again  into  very  large  branches, 
and  with  them  makes  a  great  island  more  than  fifty 
leagues  around  with  very  fertile  lands  and  very  good 
plains.480 

In  this  journey  inland  we  have  been  very  much  aided 
by  the  good  equipment  and  the  excellent  servants  which 
Father  Rector  Manuel  Gonzales  took,  by  the  capable 
guides  and  interpreters,  Pimas  and  Yumas,  and  also  by 
the  various  ranches  of  cattle,  sheep,  goats,  and  horses 
which  we  have  found  in  various  parts  of  this  district, 
in  particular  at  San  Marcelo  del  Sonoydag,  ninety 
leagues  from  here,  where,  going  and  returning,  we 
killed  eight  of  the  more  than  one  hundred  head  of  fat 
beeves  which  they  are  caring  for,  with  plantings  and 
crops  of  wheat  and  maize,  and  with  their  little  white- 
washed adobe  church  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  Loreto, 
whence  it  will  be  easy  to  send  on  more  cattle,  sheep, 
goats,  and  horses  to  California,  for  the  natives  are  so 
loyal  that,  some  of  our  horses  having  been  lost  and  hav- 
ing remained  on  the  Rio  Grande  on  the  preceding  jour- 
ney inland,  I  have  now  found  them,  because  they  had 

480  Ortega  includes  this  information  about  Rio  Azul  and  Rio  Amarillo, 
but  Bancroft  omits  it.  Ortega  concludes  that  the  Azul  and  the  Amarillo 
must  join  the  Colorado,  instead  of  flowing  into  the  Gulf,  since  between  the 
Yaqui  and  the  Colorado  on  the  one  side  and  San  Lucas  and  the  Colorado 
on  the  other  no  large  river  enters  the  Gulf  {Apostolicos  A  fanes,  304). 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  351 

caught  and  taken  care  of  them  for  me  with  all  affec- 
tion.481 

CHAPTER  VIII.     COGENT  REASONS  AND  CLEAR  AR- 
GUMENTS WHICH  ESTABLISH  THE  CERTAINTY 
OF   THE   LAND    PASSAGE   TO   CALIFORNIA 

In  case  there  should  be  some  incredulous  persons  or 
someone  ignorant  of  it,  the  continuity  of  these  lands 
with  California  would  be  rendered  certain  and  proved 
by  the  seven  following  convincing  reasons  or  argu- 
ments: 

1  st.  Because  thus  I  saw  it  on  October  9,  1698,  from 
the  neighboring  high  mountain  of  Santa  Clara.482  And 
again  in  March  of  the  past  year,  1701,  we  saw  this  con- 
nection and  passage  by  land  to  California,  in  the  com- 
pany of  Father  Rector  Juan  Maria  de  Salvatierra,  for 
his  Reverence  came  with  ten  soldiers  and  other  persons 
to  see  this  demonstrated,  since  some  had  contradicted 
us.483 

2d.  Because  in  four  other  journeys  inland  which  I 
have  made,  travelling  fifty  leagues  to  the  northwest  of 

481  Ortega  is  puzzled  by  the  conflict  of  evidence  as  to  whether  the  Rio 
Azul  is  a  branch  of  the  Gila  or  of  the  Colorado.  He  thinks  it  certain  that 
the  Rio  Amarillo  flows  into  the  Colorado  and  not  into  the  Gulf.  It  is  not 
clear  to  him  why  Kino  should  say  that  the  Colorado  entered  the  Gulf  at 
3^/2°,  since  in  his  journey  with  Salvatierra  they  were  in  the  sand-dunes  at 
32V20  and  were  still  thirty  leagues  from  the  mouth  of  the  Colorado,  and  since 
Consag  found  the  Colorado  mouth  at  330.  He  can  not  understand  how  Kino 
reached  the  Colorado  mouth  by  going  west  (on  his  last  day's  journey)  since 
he  had  elsewhere  said  that  it  flowed  south  into  the  Gulf.  It  is  difficult  to 
understand  how  Kino  saw  the  sun  rise  over  thirty  leagues  of  sea,  when  the 
Gulf  runs  north  and  south,  and  is  not  thirty  leagues  wide.  He  is  puzzled 
to  know  why  Kino  did  not  mention  the  islands  discovered  by  Consag,  and 
suggests  that  they  may  have  been  formed  by  the  Colorado  in  the  ensuing 
forty-five  years.  He  remarks  that  explorers  usually  record  their  results  too 
briefly,  and  take  too  little  time  to  make  proper  observations  {Apostolicos 
A  fanes,  305-307)- 

482  See  ante  page   187. 

483  See  ante,  pages  282-283. 


352  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

the  said  hill  of  Santa  Clara,  which  is  near  to  and  to  the 
eastward  of  the  arm  and  head  of  the  Sea  of  California, 
and  afterwards  in  going  ten  leagues484  more  to  the  west- 
ward, along  the  Rio  Grande,  to  where  it  unites  with  the 
Colorado  River,  and  from  this  confluence  forty  leagues 
more  to  the  southwest,  along  the  same  Colorado  River 
to  its  mouth,  no  Sea  of  California  has  been  found  or 
seen,  for  it  does  not  rise  higher  than  barely  to  the  lati- 
tude of  thirty-two  degrees.  Hence  it  is  plainly  to  be 
inferred  that  Drake,  besides  many  other  modern  cos- 
mographers,  in  their  various  printed  maps,  with  notable 
discredit  to  cosmography,  deceive  themselves  as  well  as 
others,  by  extending  this  sea,  or  arm,  or  strait  of  the 
Sea  of  California  from  thirty-two  to  forty-six  degrees, 
making  it  thereby  an  island,  and  the  largest  in  the 
world,  whereas  it  is  not  an  island  but  a  peninsula. 

3d.  Because  in  this  journey  inland  when  I  was  say- 
ing mass  on  March  1 1 485  at  the  above-mentioned  mouth 
of  the  Colorado  River,  in  company  with  Father  Rector 
Manuel  Gonzales,  the  sun  rose  above  more  than  thirty 
leagues  of  sea,  at  the  head  of  this  Californian  arm  or 
gulf.  At  the  same  time,  from  the  same  estuary  we  saw- 
to  the  westward  thirty  leagues  more  of  continuous  land, 
as  many  more  to  the  south  and  southwest,  and  many 
more  to  the  north,  northwest,  and  northeast.  There- 
fore, this  sea  does  not  extend  to  the  north. 

4th.  Because  the  natives  nearest  to  that  estuary,  Qui- 
quimas  as  well  as  Cutganes  and  Coanopas,  both  this 
time  and  on  other  occasions,  gave  us  various  blue  shells 
which  are  found  only  on  the  opposite  coast  and  on  the 
other,  or  South  Sea,  where  the  ship  from  China  comes. 
And  they  gave  us  this  time  some  little  pots  which  short- 

484  This  gives  a  clue  to  the  distance  of  San  Pedro  from  the  junction. 

485  See  ante,   page  344. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  353 

ly  before  they  had  brought  from  that  opposite  coast, 
travelling  ten  leagues486  from  the  west  by  continuous 
land. 

5th.  Because  these  natives  and  others  who  came  to 
see  us  from  far  to  the  southwest  gave  us  various  reports 
of  the  fathers  of  our  Company,  telling  us  that  they  wore 
our  costumes  and  vestments,  and  that  they  lived  down 
there  to  the  southward  with  the  other  Spaniards  at  Lo- 
reto  Concho,  where  the  Guimies  and  Edues,  or  Lai- 
mones  Indians  obtained  their  food,  and  where  Father 
Rector  Juan  Maria  de  Salvatierra  and  others  were. 
And  I  having  purposely  asked  them  if  those  Guimies 
and  Edues  Indians  down  there  planted  maize,  and 
what  foods  they  lived  on,  they  answered  us  that  they 
did  not  plant  maize  nor  beans,  etc.,  but  that  their  food 
was  game,  the  deer,  the  hare,  the  mountain  goat,  the 
pitajaya,  the  tuna,  the  mescal,  and  other  wild  fruits, 
and  that  the  Indians  to  the  westward  had  blue  shells, 
all  being  things  and  reports  which  it  was  plain  to  me 
were  true,  since  I  was  there  and  lived  with  those  In- 
dians seventeen  years  ago. 

6th.  Because  now  in  this  journey  inland  and  on 
other  occasions  I  have  found  various  things -little  trees, 
fruit,  incense,  etc. -all  species  which  are  peculiar  to 
California  alone,  and  samples  of  which  I  bring,  to  cele- 
brate with  the  incense,  by  the  favor  of  heaven,  this 
Easter  and  Holy  Week,  and  to  place  five  good  grains 
of  incense  in  the  Paschal  candle.  Moreover,  near  this 
estuary  we  already  have  found  some  words  of  the 
Guimia  language  which  I  learned  there,  while  mission- 
ary and  rector  of  that  mission  of  California,  although 
unworthy,  in  the  two  trienniums  of  Fathers  Provincial 

486  This  clearly  should  be  ten  days  instead  of  ten  leagues,  as  is  made  clear 
by  the  entry  for  March  9. 


354  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Bernardo  Pardo  and  Luys  del  Canto,  from  the  year 
1 68 1  tothatof  1685.487 

7th.  Because  the  ancient  maps  with  good  reason 
showed  California  as  a  peninsula  and  not  as  an  island, 
as  well  as  some  modern  ones,  among  them  the  universal 
map  of  my  Father  master  of  mathematics  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Ingolstadt,  which  is  in  my  possession.  He 
dedicated  it  to  our  Father  San  Ygnacio  and  to  San 
Francisco  Xavier,  with  this  inscription:  de  Universo 
Terrarum  Orbe  Opime  Meritis.488 

And  if  some  hostile  and  obstinate  persons  should 
maintain  that  some  Quiquima  Indians  say  that  farther 
west  the  sea  still  extends  to  the  northwest,  these  Qui- 
quimas  speak  of  the  other  sea,  on  the  opposite  coast, 
and  not  of  this  our  Sea  of  California,  of  which,  as  some 
call  it  Red  Sea,  we  may  say,  because  we  have  found  this 
passage,  Aparuit  terra  arida,  et  in  Mart  Rubra  via 
sine  inpedimento48*  as  says  the  Church  on  August  8, 
on  the  day  of  the  saints  who  have  the  Gospel :  Euntes  in 
mundum  universum.  Predicate  Evangelium  omni 
creaturce.490 


487  See  ante,  pages  37-38,  106. 

488  <<To  the  well  deserving  of  the  whole  world."  This  reference  is  to 
Aygentler's  map. 

489  "Dry  land  appeared,  and  in  the  Red  Sea  a  way  without  hindrance" 
(Wisdom,  xix,  7).  A  literal  quotation  except  for  collocation.  The  original 
is  Terra  arida  aparuit. 

49°  "Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  Gospel  unto  every  creature" 
(Mark,  xvi,  15). 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  355 

CHAPTER  IX.     LETTERS  FROM  IMPORTANT  PERSON- 
AGES IN  REGARD  TO  THESE  NEW  CONVERSIONS, 
WHICH  I  RECEIVED  ON  MY  RETURN  FROM 
THIS  JOURNEY  INLAND 

And  just  as  in  regard  to  all  this,  that  most  welcome 
letter  of  Your  Reverence  has  been  a  very  great  consola- 
tion to  me,  likewise  very  refreshing  and  inspiring  are 
various  holy  letters  which  yesterday,  day  of  Our  Lady 
of  Sorrows,  and  the  day  before  yesterday,  I  found  and 
received  at  the  pueblo  of  San  Ygnacio.  Two  are  from 
our  father  general,  Thyrso  Gonzales,  two  others 
from  Father  Provincial  Francisco  de  Arteaga,  others 
from  other  prominent  fathers  in  Mexico,  and  others  from 
other  zealous  fathers  who,  with  their  apostolic  zeal,  de- 
sired to  come  to  these  new  spiritual  and  temporal  con- 
quests and  conversions.  One  letter  from  our  father 
general,  dated  May  15  of  the  past  year  1701,  begins 
with  these  words: 

With  great  comfort  to  myself  I  have  read  a  letter  of  your 
Reverence,  dated  March  17,  in  which  you  tell  me  of  the  condi- 
tion of  those  missions,  and  how  gloriously  the  laborers  of  his 
divine  Majesty  are  working  in  them.  May  He  fill  them  with 
consolation  and  spiritual  gifts.  Already,  on  other  occasions,  I 
have  charged  the  Father  Provincial,  and  I  now  charge  him 
anew,  to  watch  over  those  missions  with  all  care,  sending  work- 
ers to  carry  on  that  which  has  been  begun  with  so  great  fervor 
and  success,  etc. 

The  second  letter  from  our  father  general  ends  with 
these  words: 

My  Father,  your  Reverence  is  working  there  as  an  apostle, 
and  since  upon  the  works  of  such  our  Lord  has  vouchsafed  His 
holy  benediction,  may  His  Majesty  continue  it  for  His  own 
great  glory,  for  the  good  of  His  souls,  for  our  own  consolation, 
and  as  a  great  crown  for  your  Reverence,  whom  God  pre- 
serve many  years. 


356  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

The  father  provincial,  Francisco  de  Arteaga,  on  the 
twenty-seventh  of  last  September  writes : 

I  have  received  your  Reverence's  letter  in  which  you  inform 
me  of  the  new  journey  inland  in  company  with  the  Father 
Rector  Juan  Maria  de  Salvatierra,  and  I  have  rejoiced  in  what 
you  have  discovered,  thanking  your  Reverence  for  the  work,  all 
of  which  has  been  effected  by  your  good  zeal;  and  I  hope  that 
by  means  of  it  that  Pimeria  will  at  once  assume  the  state  and 
condition  which  I  have  so  much  desired,  for  it  will  contribute 
to  the  welfare  of  those  poor  souls,  and  to  the  credit  of  our 
Company  as  well,  because  those  missions,  once  established,  will 
become  the  support  of  California. 

In  the  second  letter,  dated  November  20,  and  in  his 
own  hand,  his  Reverence  speaks  thus: 

For  the  sake  of  the  consolation  which  your  Reverence  will 
receive,  I  inform  you  that  the  Father  Procurator,  Bernardo 
Rolandegui,  advises  me  that  the  king  our  Lord,  may  God  pre- 
serve him,  has  granted  six  thousand  pesos  for  California,491  and 
that  more  shall  be  granted  when  it  is  needed.  May  the  Lord 
increase  it,  and  give  your  Reverence  good  health  and  strength, 
in  order  that  all  those  missions  may  be  promoted  as  I  desire. 

The  father  secretary,  Pedro  Ygnacio  de  Loyola,  on 
September  27  writes  thus: 

Fortunate  your  Reverence  that  you  have  such  a  field  in  which 
to  exercise  your  holy  zeal ;  and  if  perchance  our  Lord  continue 
for  us  over  here  the  desiderare,492  we  do  not  consider  him  un- 
der obligations  for  the  posse,493  for  gladly  I  shall  deprive  my- 
self of  such  happiness  if  God  shall  be  better  served  in  those 
lands  by  others  than  by  me. 

Father  Rector  Ambrosio  Oddon,  on  October  9  writes 
that  with  a  land  route  to  California  the  easier  com- 


491  Early  in  1702  three  royal  cedulas  favoring  California  arrived  in  New 
Spain.  Two,  addressed  to  the  Audiencia  and  the  Bishop  of  Guadalajara, 
ordered  the  California  missions  encouraged  by  all  means.  The  third,  to  the 
viceroy-archbishop,  Juan  de  Ortega  Montafiez,  ordered  six  thousand  pesos  a 
year  given  to  the  California  missions,  a  report  made  on  California,  and  that, 
if  possible,  two  alms  destined  for  the  mainland  be  transferred  to  California 
(Alegre,  Historia,  vol.  iii,  133). 

492  "To  desire." 

493  "To  be  able."     • 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  357 

munication  will  be  a  great  convenience  and  will  carry 
with  it  still  greater  advantages,  especially  when  our 
Lord  shall  dispose  that  the  intervening  nations  shall 
be  reduced. 

All  of  which,  my  most  beloved  father  visitor,  An- 
tonio Leal,  I  place  at  your  Reverence's  holy  considera- 
tion, in  order  that  with  your  paternal  holy  zeal  you 
may  aid  us  in  securing  help  for  so  many  souls  and  for 
so  many  nations,  in  particular  because,  thanks  be  to  the 
Lord,  there  are  already  in  this  Pimeria  some  temporal 
means  very  conducive  to  this  end,  as  your  Reverence 
saw  in  your  journey  inland,  although  now  there  is  much 
more. 

CHAPTER  X.     TEMPORAL  MEANS  FOR  THESE  NEW 
CONVERSIONS  AND  FOR  THE  TOTAL  REDUCTION 
OF   THIS    NORTH   AMERICA,   WHICH    HITH- 
ERTO  HAS   BEEN   UNKNOWN 

I.  First,  there  are  already  many  cattle,  sheep  and 
goats,  and  horses;  for,  although  in  the  past  year  I  have 
given  more  than  seven  hundred  cattle  to  the  four  fath- 
ers who  entered  this  Pimeria,404  I  have  for  the  other 
new  conversions  and  missions  which  by  the  favor  of 
heaven  it  may  be  desired  to  establish,  more  than  three 
thousand  five  hundred  more  cattle;  and  some  of  them 
are  already  far  inland,  ninety  leagues  from  here,495  and 
by  the  divine  grace  they  can  pass  with  ease  to  the  Cali- 
fornias,  Upper  and  Lower,  as  a  certain  important  per- 
son is  pleased  to  name  them,  the  latter  being  in  twenty- 
six  and  the  former  in  thirty  and  more  degrees  of  lati- 
tude. 

II.  There  are  in  this  very  fertile  and  rich  Pimeria, 
which    already   has    five    missions   with    five    fathers, 

494  See  the  four  mentioned,  ante,  page   303. 
405  Those  at  Sonoita,  for  example. 


358  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

many  fields  of  wheat,  maize,  beans,  etc. ;  and  it  produces 
all  sorts  of  vegetables,  garden  products,  and  fruit  trees, 
as  in  Europe.  There  are  already  vines  for  Castilian 
wine  for  the  missions,  a  watermill,  pack  trains,  fields, 
oxen,  lands,  level  roads,  beautiful  rivers,  abundant  pas- 
turage, good  timbers  for  buildings,  and  mineral  lands. 

III.  Of  these  new  nations  almost  all  are  composed 
of  industrious,  docile,  affable,  and  very  friendly  In- 
dians; and  only  in  some  remote  parts  are  there  some 
Indians  somewhat  more  barbarous  and  uncivilized,  be- 
cause of  never  having  seen  civilized  people  in  all  their 
lives. 

IV.  The  temperature  of  these  lands,  which  extend 
from  thirty  degrees  of  latitude  to  thirty-one,  thirty-two, 
thirty-three,  thirty-four,  etc.,  is  similar  to  that  of  Mex- 
ico and  the  better  part  of  Europe,  without  excessive 
heat  or  excessive  cold. 

V.  With  these  means  and  with  these  new  conver- 
sions it  will  be  possible  to  trade  by  sea  and  land  with 
other  near-by  and  remote  provinces,  nations,  and  king- 
doms, with  Sonora,  Hyaqui,  Cinaloa,  Culiacan,  with 
all  New  Galicia,  with  New  Biscay,  with  Moqui,  with 
New  Mexico,  which  will  be  able  to  come  to  join  hands 
with  these  provinces  of  Sonora,  and  even  with  New 
France. 

CHAPTER  XI.    ADVANTAGES  WHICH   MAY  RESULT 
FROM  THESE   NEW  CONVERSIONS  TO  THE  BEN- 
EFIT OF  ALL  THIS  UNKNOWN  NORTH  AMERICA 

I.  First,  with  these  new  conversions  the  Catholic 
dominion  of  the  royal  crown  of  our  very  Catholic  mon- 
arch Philip  V,  God  preserve  him,  and  our  holy  Roman 
Catholic  Faith,  will  be  extended. 

II.  Very  extensive  new  lands,  nations,  rivers,  seas, 
and  people  of  this  North  America  which  hitherto  have 
been  unknown  will  be  discovered  and  won;  and,  be- 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  359 

sides,  thereby  these  Christian  provinces  will  be  more 
protected,  safer,  and  more  quiet. 

III.  Thereby  will  be  removed  the  great  errors  and 
falsehoods  imposed  upon  us  by  those  who  have  delin- 
eated this  North  America  with  feigned  things  which 
do  not  exist,  such  as  a  crowned  king  whom  they  carried 
on  a  golden  litter;  a  lake  of  quicksilver,  and  another 
of  gold;  a  walled  city  with  towers,  etc.;  the  Kingdom 
of  Axa;  the  pearls,  amber,  and  corals  of  the  Rio  del 
Tizon,  the  Rio  del  Coral,  and  the  Rio  de  Aganguchi, 
which  they  represent  as  emptying  into  this  sea  of  Cali- 
fornia in  thirty-five  or  thirty-six  degrees,  although  this 
sea  does  not  extend  to  that  latitude;  likewise  the  error 
of  the  Seven  Cities,  which  some  represent.  Although  at 
present  they  do  not  exist,  ten  years  ago  we  saw  some  great 
houses  at  different  places  near  the  Rio  Grande,  whose 
structures,  now  fallen,  indicate  that  they  did  exist  a  long 
time  ago;  and  it  is  very  possible  that  from  them  issued 
the  people  of  Monte  Suma,  when  they  went  to  found 
the  great  City  of  Mexico. 

IV.  Since  Father  Mariano  reprehends  with  reason 
those  feigned  grandeurs  and  riches,  in  particular  when 
they  wish  to  attribute  them  to  the  account  of  the  Ade- 
lantado  of  New  Mexico,  Don  Juan  de  Ofiate,496  we 
shall  be  able  to  make  drawings  and  true  cosmographic 
maps  of  all  these  new  lands  and  nations,  of  this  passage 
by  land  to  California,  as  well  as  of  the  very  large  vol- 
umed,  fertile,  and  very  populous  rivers  which  empty 
into  the  head  of  this  sea,  and  of  the  harbors  and  bays 
of  the  opposite  coast  and  Sea  of  the  South,  of  Gran 
Quivira,  of  Gran  Teguayo,   and  of  the  neighboring 

496  See  Zarate  Salmeron's  account  of  the  Ofiate  expedition,  in  Bolton,  Span- 
ish Exploration  in  the  Southwest,  1542-1706,  208-280.  This  account  Zarate 
based  on  the  diary  of  Francisco  de  Escobar,  which  contains  fabulous  tales 
which  Zarate  refrained  from  repeating.  Of  the  still  unpublished  Escobar  diary 
I  have  a  copy. 


360  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Apacheria,  Moqui,  etc.  And  as  your  Reverence,  in 
the  journey  inland  made  two  years  ago  with  Senor 
Lieutenant  Juan  Mateo  Manje,  Father  Francisco  Gon- 
zalvo,  and  me,  which  in  going  and  returning  was  more 
than  two  hundred  leagues,  found  these  Pima  nations, 
with  some  Opas  and  Cocomaricopas,  already  reduced 
to  our  friendship,  so  now  the  Yumas,  Coanopas,  Cut- 
ganes,  Quiquimas,  and  many  others  to  the  north,  north- 
west, and  west  are  reduced,  in  this  terra  flrma  as  well 
as  in  the  neighboring  California  Alta;  all  of  which 
lands  combined  are  as  large  as  all  of  Europe,  and  of  the 
same  climate  and  temperature. 

Moreover,  by  the  north,  northeast,  and  east,  can  be 
found  a  road  to  Europe  shorter  by  half  than  the  one 
which  we  now  use  by  way  of  Mexico  and  Vera  Cruz; 
as  also  by  the  northwest  and  west  one  shall  be  able  to 
go  in  time  by  land  even  very  near  to  Japan,  Great 
China,  and  Tartary;  for  the  Strait  of  Anian,  which 
authors  place  with  such  a  variety  of  opinions,  probably 
has  no  more  foundation  in  fact  than  had  this  arm  of  the 
sea  with  which  for  us  they  incorrectly  delineated  Cali- 
fornia as  an  island.  That  route  to  Japan  and  Great 
China  can  be  found  by  way  of  Cape  Mendozino,  and 
by  the  land  of  Yesso,497  and  by  the  land  which  they 
call  Tierra  de  la  Compania,  which  by  divine  grace, 
with  apostolic  missionaries  can  become  Land  of  the 
Company  of  Jesus. 

497  From  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century  a  body  of  land  lying  north 
of  Japan  was  known  as  Yeco,  Yezo,  or  Jeso  Land.  In  1643  an  expedition 
of  the  Dutch  East  India  Company  sailed  past  Jeso  and  discovered  two  of  the 
Kuril  Islands.  One  of  these,  designated  as  Company  Land,  was  believed  to 
be  a  part  of  the  American  coast.  In  regard  to  these  lands  there  was  much 
confusion  for  a  century.  After  this,  as  a  result  of  two  expeditions  sent  out 
by  Russia,  "Alaska  takes  the  place  of  Terra  de  Jeso  on  the  maps;  Company 
Land,  State  Island,  and  Gama  Land  are  three  of  the  Kuril  Islands,  but  on 
some  charts  they  still  retain  their  old  names"  (Golder,  Russian  Expansion  on 
the  Pacific,  1641-1850,  130-131). 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  361 

V.  The  China  ship  can  have  a  port  of  call,  as  you 
have  so  much  desired,  on  the  opposite  coast  of  Cali- 
fornia, where  the  many  sick  with  scurvy  which  it  is 
accustomed  to  bring  will  find  relief.  And  it  can  have 
trade,  very  profitable  for  all,  with  the  provinces  of  this 
Kingdom  of  New  Biscay,  for  they  told  me  seventeen 
years  ago  when  I  sailed  in  the  Chinese  ship  from  Matan- 
chel  to  Acapulco  that  for  a  sheep  they  gladly  gave  an 
ivory  tusk  or  a  piece  of  China  linen,  which  is  usually 
forty  varas  long  and  which  it  is  the  custom  to  sell  for  a 
dollar  a  vara,  because  of  the  heavy  freight  charges  en- 
tailed in  carrying  it  by  land  from  Mexico  to  these 
provinces  of  Sonora.  And  almost  the  same  is  true  with 
respect  to  the  other  goods  of  this  very  rich  Philippine 
galleon. 

VI.  We  shall  comply  with  what  so  Christianlike 
and  so  earnestly  is  charged  upon  us  by  the  very  Catholic 
cedula  of  May  [i]4,  1686,  which  the  Royal  Audiencia 
of  Guadalajara  gave  me,  inserted  in  a  royal  provision, 
when  I  was  passing  through  that  city  on  my  return 
from  California  and  coming  to  these  new  conversions. 
In  that  royal  cedula  his  royal  Majesty  commands  that 
with  respect  to  the  most  essential  point  of  the  new  con- 
versions effort  shall  be  made  to  make  all  haste  possible 
as  in  a  matter  of  chief  concern  to  his  royal  Majesty,  and 
a  matter  of  conscience  to  him,  just  as  to  those  of  us  who 
live  nearest,  and  that  the  necessary  expenses  be  not 
spared,  because  his  royal  Majesty  recognizes  that  for 
all  that  is  spent  in  those  causes,  so  merciful,  our  Lord 
always  returns  to  his  royal  crown  very  abundant  and 
well  known  increase,498  which  are  the  words  of  the  royal 
cedula.  And,  indeed,  we  very  plainly  see  that  at  the 
very  same  time  that  his  royal  Majesty,  Don  Carlos  II, 

498  The  cedula  is  printed   in  this  work,  ante,  page  108. 


362  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

God  preserve  him,  incurred  the  very  great  expense  of 
the  three  ships  for  the  conversion  of  California  through 
Admiral  Don  Ysidro  de  Atondo  y  Antillon,  there  were 
discovered  very  near  to  and  opposite  said  conquest  and 
conversion  the  great  riches  and  mines  of  the  mining 
camps  which  are  commonly  called  Los  Frayles,  Ala- 
mos, and  Guadalupe;499  and  the  day  of  our  Lady  of 
Sorrows,  day  before  yesterday,  when  I  received  the 
news  of  the  six  thousand  pesos  which  his  royal  Majesty 
Philip  V,  God  preserve  him,  gave  to  the  new  conver- 
sions of  California,  they  gave  me  certain  news  of  the 
treasure  and  rich  mines  which  have  just  been  discov- 
ered near  here  at  Quisuani,500  Aygame,  San  Cosme,  etc., 
and  very  near  to  the  new  conversion  or  mission  of  San 
Francisco  Xavier  of  the  Pimas  Cocomacaques  of  Pi- 
meria  Baxa. 

VII.  In  this  way  even  with  very  great  good  fortune 
and  profit  to  ourselves,  by  divine  grace,  we  will  bring 
it  about  that,  so  many  souls  being  converted,  fiat  unus 
pastor,  et  unum  ovile,501  and  that  all  will  help  us  to 
praise  our  most  merciful  God  through  all  the  blessed 
Eternity.  All  of  which  I  commend  very  affectionately 
to  the  holy  sacrifices  and  to  the  paternal,  holy  protec- 
tion of  your  Reverence,  whose  life  may  our  Lord  pre- 
serve as  I  desire.  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores,  April 
8,  1702.     Your  Reverence's  humble  servant  and  subject. 

Eusebio  Francisco  Kino. 

And  because  some  persons  were  of  the  opinion  that  it 
would  be  expedient  that  I  should  accompany  this  long 
letter  with  some  certificate  of  the  royal  justice  and  that 
I  should  go  to  Mexico,  the  following  was  given  me. 

499  These  places  are  south  of  the  Mayo  River,  near  latitude  27°. 

500  That  Quisuani  was  attracting  attention  is  evidenced  by  the  fact  that 
Manje,  now  alcalde  mayor,  was  there  at  this  time,  as  is  shown  on  page  363, 
post. 

501  "And  let  there  be  one  shepherd  and  one  fold"  (Compare  John,  x,  16: 
et  fiet  unum  ovile,  et  unus  pastor). 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  363 

CHAPTER    XII.     CERTIFICATE   OF   THE    SEfrOR   AL- 
CALDE MAYOR  OF  THIS   PROVINCE,  JUAN  MATEO 
MANJE,  IN  REGARD  TO  THE  LETTER  AND  REPORT 
OF  FOUR  SHEETS  TO  THE  FATHER  VISITOR, 
ANTONIO  LEAL;  AND  IN  REGARD  TO  THE 
JOURNEY  INLAND  AND  THE  LAND 
ROUTE  TO  CALIFORNIA 

"In  this  mining  camp  of  Nuestra  Senora  del  Socorro 
de  Quisuani,  on  the  fifteenth  day  of  the  month  of  May, 
1702,  I,  Captain  Juan  Matheo  Manxe,  alcalde  mayor 
and  captain  in  war  in  this  province  of  Sonora  and  its 
jurisdictions  for  his  Majesty,  certify  and  attest  in  so  far 
as  I  ought  and  is  in  my  power,  and  so  far  as  there  is 
authority  in  law,  that  the  relation  in  the  letter  and  the 
above  signature  are  those  of  the  Reverend  Father  Eu- 
zevio  Francisco  Kino,  of  the  Company  of  Jesus,  first 
minister  and  missionary  of  the  pueblo  of  Nuestra  Se- 
nora de  los  Dolores  of  the  Pima  nation,  whom  I  have 
known  for  nine  years  in  this  region,  for  I  have  accom- 
panied him  on  various  explorations  and  journeys  inland 
which  I  have  made  with  his  Reverence,  travelling  in 
each  of  them  more  than  two  hundred  or  three  hundred 
leagues,  which  together  make  the  aggregate  of  three 
thousand  one  hundred  leagues  which  I  have  travelled 
with  his  Reverence  in  these  explorations,  as  more  fully 
appears  in  the  daily  itineraries  and  relations  which  the 
Father,  on  his  part,  as  well  as  I  have  made.  In  this 
work,  on  some  occasions  I  bore  the  commission  of  dep- 
uty alcalde  mayor  and  captain  in  war,  and  on  others 
that  of  commander  of  some  soldiers  and  citizens,  the 
former  being  some  of  those  in  charge  of  Don  Domingo 
Jironsa  Petris  de  Crusate,  and  the  citizens  going  at  the 
cost  and  maintenance  of  the  said  Father. 

"And  I  know  as  an  eye-witness  that  he  has  brought 
about  the  progress  in  the  reduction  to  obedience  to  his 


364  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

Majesty  of  the  said  Pima  nation,  which  is  composed 
of  more  than  sixteen  thousand  persons,  enumerated  by 
my  hand,  settled  on  very  good  rich  rivers  and  fertile 
lands  of  arable  soil,  where  there  have  been  newly  found- 
ed four  missions,  besides  the  first  one,  whose  lands  bor- 
der on  the  arm  of  the  Sea  of  California,  which  I  have 
reached  and  seen  at  three  distinct  places,  in  various  alti- 
tudes of  the  north  pole.  In  that  of  twenty-eight  de- 
grees I  have  seen  and  accurately  observed  with  mathe- 
matical instruments  that  the  said  arm  is  not  more  than 
twenty-six  leagues  wide,  and  at  the  latitude  of  thirty- 
two  degrees  only  twenty  leagues  wide,  while  in  that  of 
thirty-one  degrees,501"  where  I  saw  it  the  last  time,  it  has 
only  the  inconsiderable  width  of  twelve  leagues.  These 
measurements  and  observations  testify  that  the  farther 
one  follows  the  said  arm  of  the  sea  to  the  northwest, 
the  narrower  it  becomes.  And  in  order  to  find  out  if 
it  ended  higher  up  to  the  northwest,  the  said  Father 
Euzevio  Fransisco  Kino  set  out  on  the  journey  inland 
to  which  reference  is  made;  and  his  Reverence  in- 
formed me  with  candor  that  he  was  at  the  head  of  the 
said  arm  of  the  sea  and  saw  that  the  land  of  Pimeria 
joined  with  California,  asserting  confidently  that  it  is  a 
peninsula.  As  to  his  Reverence's  statement  to  the  ef- 
fect that  he  is  a  founder  of  ranches  of  cattle,  sheep  and 
goats,  and  horses,  I  am  an  eye-witness  to  the  fact,  from 
having  seen  them.  As  to  the  rest,  in  regard  to  the 
riches  and  the  crowned  king  and  the  other  things  with 
which  he  concluded,  I  have  not  witnessed  them  and 
therefore  cannot  certify  to  them  here  with  the  verisim- 
ilitude which  the  case  requires;  but  I  do  assert  confi- 
dently that  the  relation  is  by  a  zealous  minister  to  whom 
entire  credit  has  been  given,  as  I  stated  above.     And  in 

5°1(*  Evidently   the   latitudes   are   interchanged   here   through   some   error. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  365 

order  that  it  may  receive  the  credence  which  it  de- 
serves, I  have  given  the  present  on  petition  of  the  said 
reverend  father,  officiating  as  receiving  judge,  with  the 
assisting  witnesses,  there  being  no  public  or  royal  no- 
tary. It  is  written  on  common  paper,  for  stamped 
paper  is  not  in  fashion  here,  paper  being  furnished  by 
the  ordinary  justice  of  the  mines  and  provinces.     Attest. 

Juan  Matheo  Manje." 

"Witnesses :     JOSEPH  HORTEGAS  CHUMAZERO. 

Nicolas  de  la  Torre." 

chapter  xiii.   other  letters  from  different 

persons  in  regard  to  this  journey  inland 

and  to  the  land  route  to  california 

Many  persons,  especially  those  well  disposed  to  these 
new  spiritual  and  temporal  conquests  and  conversions, 
wrote  of  the  great  satisfaction  which  they  had  received 
from  the  reports  of  this  long  journey  inland,  and  their 
very  sympathetic  letters  were  very  edifying,  being  so 
zealous  in  the  service  of  God  and  the  King;  while  oth- 
ers less  well  disposed  emphasized  their  doubts  and  ob- 
jected that  still,  perhaps,  there  might  be  this  or  that 
difficulty. 

The  Senor  alcalde  mayor,  and  Generals  Don  Jacinto 
de  Fuen  Saldana  and  Juan  Fernandez  de  la  Fuente, 
and  others,  soon  manifested  very  clearly  their  very 
good  and  Catholic  zeal.  The  father  visitor,  Antonio 
Leal,  on  April  15  wrote  me  the  following: 

I  received  one  letter  from  your  Reverence,  but  the  others 
which  your  Reverence  mentions  have  not  come.  It  was  re- 
ceived with  pleasure  as  great  as  my  depression  had  been  before 
its  arrival  because  of  the  bad  news  which  had  been  current  to 
the  effect  that  your  Reverence  had  been  drowned,  in  conse- 
quence of  which  I  had  already  said  the  masses.  May  God 
preserve  your  Reverence  for  us  many  years.  I  greatly  rejoice 
that  certainty  in  regard  to  the  mainland  has  now  been  estab- 


366  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

lished,  as  your  Reverence  writes,  although  this  impediment  of 
the  river  is  very  considerable. 

It  is  a  busy  day,  and  there  is  time  only  to  give  your  Rev- 
erence Easter  greetings.     May  you  spend  it  happily. 

Thus  far  the  father  visitor.  The  father  rector  of 
Matape,  Marcos  Antonio  Kappus,  wrote  me  the  same, 
that  is,  that  his  Reverence  had  chanted  requiem  masses 
for  Father  Rector  Manuel  Gonzales  and  me,  because 
of  the  rumor  which  had  been  current  that  we  with  all 
our  people  had  been  killed.  Father  Rector  Juan  Maria 
de  Salvatierra,  although  the  long  relation  of  this  jour- 
ney inland  which  I  sent  to  his  Reverence  was  lost,  wrote 
me  two  very  tender  and  sympathetic  letters  in  regard 
to  the  matter.  The  first,  dated  September  21,  was  in 
these  words: 

Your  Reverence's  letter  dated  April  17  I  received  on  June 
22,  after  having  passed  two  months  of  great  hunger,  altogether 
lacking  bread  and  tortillas,  and  being  reduced  to  lean  meat,  be- 
cause of  the  drought,  as  a  consequence  of  which  I  am  very 
thin.  The  launch  San  Xavier,  for  now  no  other  boat  is  left  to 
us,  was  absent,  so  that  I  could  not  answer  your  Reverence's 
letter.  But  God  consoled  us  in  the  midst  of  our  toils,  for 
the  launch  having  arrived,  since  coming  with  the  southwest 
winds  from  Hyaqui  she  was  able  to  make  this  bay,  landed  at 
La  Concepcion,  and  the  last  time  she  put  in  there  seeking 
water  the  Indians  searched  out  for  them  a  river  which  empties 
into  the  sea  and  which  is  next  to  the  bay,  in  the  point  between 
it  and  Las  Virgenes.  They  entered  the  river  with  the  sea 
canoe,  secured  their  water  supply,  and  returned  with  the  good 
news,  which  we  did  not  believe  could  be  true,  because  no  river 
had  been  found  since  Cortes  entered.  God  grant  that  we  may 
go  there,  though  it  is  impossible  at  present,  because  there  is  no 
vessel,  and  no  news  of  Father  Francisco  Maria  Picolo,  except 
that  by  the  end  of  May  he  had  collected  nothing. 

If  the  father  does  not  arrive  within  the  next  twenty  days 
we  shall  look  for  him  no  longer,  as  we  have  only  the  little 
launch,  which  for  five  years  has  not  been  thoroughly  careened. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  367 

In  such  distress  as  we  are  in,  for  our  necessities  are  extreme, 
your  Reverence  can  understand  the  gratitude  we  feel  toward 
you  for  the  constancy  which  you  manifest  in  aiding  us,  and 
God  will  recompense  your  Reverence  therefor.  We  have  also 
been  engaged  in  a  troublesome  war  in  the  direction  of  the  moun- 
tains,502 but  it  now  appears  that  matters  are  being  righted.  I 
appreciate  very  much  also  the  flour  with  which  your  Reverence 
has  aided  us;  and  I  say  salva  nos,  perimus?03  for  this  time  we 
are  perishing  in  very  truth,  especially  since  we  have  lost  the 
great  benefactor,  Father  Manuel  Gonzales,  whose  death  is 
glorious  and  to  be  much  envied  by  the  sons  of  the  Company. 
Since  his  death  none  but  your  Reverence  remains,  and  so  again 
I  say  perimus.50*  May  the  will  of  God  be  done  in  everything; 
and  accept,  your  Reverence,  warm  greetings  from  Father  Juan 
de  Ugarte.  With  this  I  close,  commending  myself  to  your  holy 
prayers  and  holy  sacrifices.  September  21,  1702.  Your  Rev- 
erence's servant  in  Christ. 

Juan   Maria  de  Salvatierra. 

His  Reverence  adds  the  following: 

I  dispatch  this  on  the  nineteenth  of  October,  and  still  we  know 
nothing  of  Father  Francisco  Maria  Piccolo,  having  received 
no  consignment  of  supplies,  and  being  utterly  at  sea.  Live 
Jesus!  live  Mary!  It  is  more  than  a  year  since  I  have  seen  the 
handwriting  of  the  father  visitor  of  Sonora,  and  I  do  not  know 
why,  unless  the  letters  are  lost;  nor  have  I  received  the  rela- 
tion which  your  Reverence  mentions,  though  I  desire  it,  as  I 
rejoice  in  the  compendious  reports  of  your  glorious  toils  in  that 
last  journey  inland. 

Thus  far  Father  Rector  Juan  Maria  in  his  letter  of 
this  year.  Soon  I  shall  insert  the  one  which  his  Rever- 
ence wrote  me  the  following  year,  touching  the  contin- 
uance of  these  journeys  inland  until  we  should  meet 
in  California.     But  as  in  the  autumn  of  this  year  and 

502  This  rebellion  in  California  is  described  by  Alegre,  Historia,  vol.  iii, 
133. 

503  "Save  us;  we  perish"  (Compare  Matthew,  viii,  25;  Domine,  salva 
nos ;  perimus !) 

504  «we  perish." 


368  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

the  following  spring  my  journeys  inland  were  prevent- 
ed, I  applied  myself  here  to  the  building  of  two  good 
churches  in  my  second  and  third  pueblos,  Nuestra  Se- 
nora  de  los  Remedios  and  Cocospera,  both  of  which 
were  finished  happily,  thank  God,  and  were  dedicated 
in  the  middle  of  January,  1704,  as  shall  be  related  in  the 
proper  place.  The  zealous,  holy  letter  of  Father  Rec- 
tor Juan  Maria  de  Salvatierra  dated  March  3,  1703,  to 
the  effect  that  because  the  disputed  passage  was  and  is  so 
certain  that  no  opposition  should  be  made  thereto,  al- 
though God  orders  what  is  for  the  best,  is  as  follows: 

I  received  your  Reverence's  letter,  accompanied  by  the  map 
of  the  discovery  of  the  landlocked  strait,  which  has  been  so  much 
disputed  that  I  have  been  no  little  depressed.  But  all  things 
for  the  glory  of  God  have  begun  thus.  Hence  there  is  no  rea- 
son to  be  discouraged,  but  rather  to  try  well  to  arrange  with  the 
superiors  for  another  journey,  by  which  this  truth  shall  be  ascer- 
tained, this  time  with  evidence.  Your  Reverence  has  already 
gone  far,  in  order  now,  once  for  all,  to  remove  this  doubt  from 
everybody.  But  you  have  still  to  plan  for  the  rest,  and  all 
the  means  and  proper  arrangements  to  go  provided  with  flour, 
maize,  pinole,  and  all  the  other  little  regalements  which  you 
know  to  be  conducive  to  success,  in  order  to  succeed  once  for 
all  with  God's  work,  and  not  be  compelled  to  return  only  to 
argue  more  and  more.  Finally,  your  Reverence  sees  how  im- 
portant it  is  that  you  consult  in  regard  to  the  necessary  means 
with  some  person  informed  relative  to  the  matter  of  taking  or 
not  some  armed  men,  so  as  to  be  able  to  stay  with  them  one  or 
two  months  at  a  place  where  the  animals  may  recuperate, 
without  fear  that  the  Indians  will  make  way  with  the  food. 
This  done,  the  host  of  new  map  makers  will  be  silenced,  but 
they  are  not  going  to  be  silenced  until  they  are  completely  done 
for. 

I  very  much  appreciate  your  Reverence's  charity  in  aiding 
us,  especially  in  such  abundance,  in  sending  the  ten  loaded 
mules  to  Hyaqui,  a  distance  so  great  that  you  shame  me, 
seeing  how  much  you  do  for  these  your  missions,  while  I  am  so 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  369 

useless  that  I  can  serve  you  in  nothing  except  molestations  and 
burdens.  Accept,  your  Reverence,  hearty  greetings  from  all 
the  fathers,  grateful  for  your  Reverence's  goods  and  for  your 
great  charity,  by  means  of  which  they  will  eat  good  bread.  May 
God  recompense  your  Reverence  for  it  a  thousand  and  mil- 
lions of  times.  With  this  I  close,  commending  myself  to  your 
prayers  and  holy  sacrifices.  Loreto  Concho,  March  3,  1703. 
Your  Reverence's  servant  in  Christ.505 

Juan  Maria  de  Salvatierra. 

As  I  did  not  bring  it  about  with  this  letter,  either, 
that  I  should  be  permitted  to  go  to  continue  a  discovery 
so  much  desired,  because  it  was  said  that  I  should  be 
needed  in  my  districts,  etc.,  I  continued  with  more  ap- 
plication and  with  all  care  in  the  building  of  my  two 
churches;  and  God  willed  that  many  natives  should 
come  from  distant  lands  and  nations  to  see  me. 


505  Ortega   alludes  to  this  letter  in  discussing  Kino's   work,  on  page   306 
of  the  Apostolicos  Afanes. 


BOOK  V.    THE  COMING  OF  INDIANS  FROM 
REMOTE   PARTS  WITH    MESSAGES   FROM 
VERY  DISTANT  NATIONS  BORDERING  ON 
CALIFORNIA    ALTA    AND    LIVING    ON 
THE    LAND    ROUTE    TO    IT,    ALL    OF 
WHOM  ASK  FOR  FATHERS  AND  HOLY 
BAPTISM.      EFFORTS    ARE    MADE 
TO   GO  TO   MEXICO  TO   SOLICIT 
THE   COMING   OF   THE   NEC- 
ESSARY FATHERS 

CHAPTER  I.  THE  GOVERNOR  OF  SAN  MARCELO  DEL 
SONOYDAG,  WITH  OTHER  JUSTICES,  COMES  NINE- 
TY LEAGUES'  JOURNEY  TO  NUESTRA   SEnORA 
DE    LOS    DOLORES    TO    SOLICIT    FATHERS 
AND    HOLY    BAPTISM    FOR    HIS    PIMA 
PEOPLE  AND  FOR  THE  YUMA  AND 
QUIQUIMA  NATIONS 

With  the  last  journey  inland,  made  in  the  past  months 
of  February,  March,  and  April,  of  which  I  wrote  in 
Book  IV,  preceding,  the  nations  through  whom  Father 
Rector  Manual  Gonzales  and  I  passed  remained  very 
well  disposed  to  our  holy  faith,  for  they  recognized 
that  our  long  journeys  were  for  the  eternal  salvation  of 
all  those  people,  especially  as  they  knew  that  one  fath- 
er had  given  up  his  life,506  and  that  the  Quiquimas  of 
California  Alta,  as  well  as  the  Yumas  and  others,  had 
sent  various  messengers  and  runners  with  crosses  sixty, 
seventy,  and  one  hundred  and  more  leagues  to  San 

506  The  reference  is  to  the  death  of  Father  Gonzalez  on  his  return  from 
the  Colorado  River. 


EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  371 

Marcelo  del  Sonoydag  to  ask  the  governor  of  that 
incipient  pueblo  to  come  to  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Do- 
lores to  seek  fathers  and  holy  baptism.  Therefore,  in 
August  of  this  year,  1702,  the  governor  of  San  Marcelo, 
with  other  justices  and  other  heathen,  came  with  some 
crosses  to  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores;  and  all  asked 
me  for  the  necessary  fathers  and  holy  baptism  for  them- 
selves, for  the  Yuma  and  Quiquima  nations,  and  for 
the  others  near-by.  And  when  I  said  to  the  governor 
and  the  rest  that  it  would  be  well  for  them  to  go  to  the 
Valley  of  Sonora  to  ask  Father  Visitor  Antonio  Leal  for 
that  great  boon  for  their  souls  and  those  of  the  other 
nations,  and  that  I  would  furnish  them  guides,  inter- 
preters, and  a  letter  to  his  Reverence,  they  insinuated 
to  me  that  they  would  be  glad  if  I  could  go  with  them. 
Thereupon,  leaving  other  tasks,  I  set  out  with  those 
poor  souls,507  and  in  three  days  we  arrived  at  the  pueblo 
of  Guepaca,508  after  having  passed  through  the  valley 
and  pueblo  of  the  Real  de  Opodepe.  Here  one  of  the 
heathen  in  our  following  fell  seriously  ill,  whereupon, 
catechising  him,  I  baptized  him  and  named  him  An- 
tonio, in  the  charitable  house  of  Sefior  Lieutenant  An- 
tonio Fernandez  Villanueva  y  Ron.  Arriving  at  the 
Valley  of  Sonora  and  its  pueblo  of  Guepaca,  we  were 
welcomed  with  all  kindness  by  the  father  visitor,  An- 
tonio Leal;  and  when  the  poor  natives  gave  his  Rever- 
ence the  crosses  and  the  messages  of  the  very  distant 
Yumas  and  Quiquimas,  he  comforted  the  poor  Indians, 
saying  that  with  all  haste  possible  he  would  try  to  secure 
for  them  the  fathers  necessary  for  the  eternal  salvation 
of  those  who  were  asking  it.     With  this  consolation  and 

507  Ortega  summarizes  this  passage   (Apostolicos  A  fanes,  308-309). 

508  Huepaca   (Guepaca)   is  on  the  Rio  de  Sonora  about  thirty  miles  south 
of  Arizpe. 


372  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

with  good  hopes,  we  returned  to  Nuestra  Senora  de  los 
Dolores;  and  the  governor  and  the  other  justices  re- 
turned to  San  Marzelo,  sending  the  favorable  responses 
to  the  Yumas  and  the  Quiquimas. 

CHAPTER  II.     HAPPY  DEATH  OF  A  RECENTLY 
BAPTIZED  INDIAN 

Having  returned  from  the  Valley  of  Sonora  to  this 
pueblo  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores  by  another  and 
somewhat  shorter  road,  we  learned  that  Antonio,  he 
who  had  recently  been  sick  and  baptized,  had  died  in 
Opodepe.  I  wrote  the  news  of  his  death  and  of  our 
arrival  to  the  father  visitor,  and  his  Reverence,  on  Sep- 
tember 5,  wrote  me  the  following  letter: 

I  have  felt  great  pleasure  at  seeing  how  our  Lord  has  repaid 
at  once  the  steps  which  the  deceased  Antonio  took  for  the  salva- 
tion of  his  people  and  himself,  which  I  trust  in  God  he  has  at- 
tained to  and  secured.  I  judge  that  it  will  be  necessary  to 
report  it  to  the  people  of  his  nation,  so  that  they  will  not  sup- 
pose that  we  have  detained  him  or  that  he  has  been  killed,  etc. 

I  gave  this  news  not  only  to  the  neighboring  but  also 
to  distant  people,  and  to  the  relatives  of  the  deceased, 
informing  them  in  regard  to  the  great  blessing  which 
one  who  before  dying  becomes  a  Christian  by  means  of 
holy  baptism  receives.  And  not  only  did  no  one  grieve 
at  his  death,  but  it  was  a  comfort  to  them;  and  always 
with  more  anxiety  the  natives  of  this  country  of  the 
northwest  as  well  as  the  others  in  various  other  parts 
have  asked  and  continue  to  ask  for  the  blessing  of  eter- 
nal salvation  for  their  souls,  and  for  their  bodies  as 
well,  for  by  means  of  holy  baptism  in  due  time  they  can 
obtain  a  glorious  resurrection,  never  afterwards  having 
to  fear  death,  or  to  have  any  other  illness,  or  toil,  or 
misfortune. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  373 

CHAPTER  III.     OF  TWO  OTHER  JOURNEYS  INLAND 
WHICH    I    MADE   TO   THE   WEST   AND   NORTH, 
LOOKING  TO  THE  SPIRITUAL  AND  TEMPO- 
RAL WELFARE  OF  THE  POOR  NATIVES  509 

It  had  been  some  time  since  I  had  seen  the  children 
of  the  west  and  of  the  Soba  nation,  or  the  Sovaipuris 
of  the  north  and  of  San  Xavier  del  Bac;  therefore  I 
went  in  to  work  on  the  two  churches  of  San  Ambrocio 
del  Busanic  and  Santa  Gertrudes  del  Saric,510  and  began 
the  large  church  of  La  Consepsion  del  Caborca,  to  the 
westward,  and  to  look  after  its  cattle,  crops,  and  har- 
vests of  wheat  and  maize  which  they  were  tending  for 
the  fathers  whom  they  hoped  to  receive.  Also  I  went 
in  as  far  as  San  Marzelo,  whence,  by  the  captain  of 
El  Comae,  I  sent  wheat  to  sow  at  the  Colorado  River 
and  in  the  Yuma  and  Quiquima  nations,  grain  and  seed 
which  had  never  been  seen  or  known  there,  to  see  if  it 
would  yield  there  as  well  as  in  those  other  fertile  new 
lands;  and  it  did  yield  and  does  yield  very  well.  Af- 
terwards I  began  also  the  very  large  church  of  San 
Xavier  del  Bac,  among  the  Sovaipuris,  distant  about 
sixty  leagues  to  the  north  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  los 
Dolores.  And  in  all  places  there  was  a  very  rich  and 
plentiful  harvest  of  souls,  so  ripe  that  I  as  well  as  some 
other  persons,  zealous  for  the  advancement  of  these  new 
conquests  and  conversions,  were  of  the  opinion  that  it 
would  be  well  if  I  should  go  to  Mexico  to  try  to  secure 
the  fathers  so  necessary  for  the  salvation  of  so  many 
souls. 

On  my  return  from  these  my  peregrinations,  I  gave 
an  account  of  them  to  the  father  visitor,  Antonio  Leal, 

509  This  chapter  is  summarized   by  Ortega  in   Apostolicos  A  fanes,   309. 

510  Mis-printed   as  "Sayre"  by  Ortega,  ibid.,  309. 


374  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

and  on  November  3  his  Reverence  wrote  me  the  follow- 
ing: 

I  thank  your  Reverence  heartily  for  the  great  work  which 
you  are  doing  for  the  welfare  of  those  poor  souls.  God  will 
repay  it.  For  the  reports  of  supplies,  crops,  churches,  sick 
people,  etc.,  for  everything,  your  Reverence  will  receive  your 
reward  in  heaven.  And  I  thank  you  also  for  the  greetings  of 
the  children,  and  beg  your  Reverence  that  when  you  have  an 
opportunity  you  will  return  them. 

CHAPTER   IV.     LETTERS   FROM   THE   FATHER   VISI- 
TOR AND  FROM  THE  SEftOR  ALCALDE  MAYOR 
IN  REGARD  TO  THE  STATE  OF  THIS  PIMERIA 

The  father  visitor,  Antonio  Leal,   in  his  letter  to 
which  I  have  just  referred,  continues  with  these  words : 

Regarding  your  going  to  Mexico  at  this  time,  your  Rever- 
ence will  see  that  it  will  be  better  to  await  the  coming  of  the 
new  government,  which  must  soon  be  here,  for  in  the  natural 
course  of  events  it  can  be  delayed  but  little  longer,  even  though 
it  or  news  of  it  do  not  come  in  the  mail  boat,  but  in  the 
store  ships  instead.  Moreover,  fathers  having  been  asked,  as  I 
have  asked  them,  of  the  father  provincial,  we  shall  see  in  the 
first  letters  that  come  what  his  Reverence  replies,  although  the 
difficulty  will  be  in  the  matter  of  the  alms.  But  I  have  no 
doubt  that,  with  the  reports,  your  Reverence  will  secure  them, 
because  talking  face  to  face  with  the  Senor  viceroy  is  very  dif- 
ferent from  writing.  But  the  government,  or  news  of  it,  can 
be  very  little  delayed.  As  to  the  children  who  wish  to  come 
hither,  your  Reverence  will  please  deter  the  poor  people  from 
coming  so  far,  telling  them  that  you  have  already  written  to  me, 
that  I  thank  them  for  their  good  aspirations,  but  that  they  must 
wait  a  little,  and  that  God  will  console  them,  bringing  fathers, 
etc. 

In  another  letter  which  his  Reverence  wrote  me  three 
weeks  later,  he  concludes  with  these  words: 

Please  do  me  the  favor,  your  Reverence,  to  commend  me  to 
Captain  Coro  (whose  Christian  name  was  and  is  Antonio 
Leal),  and  to  all  the  natives  who  have  come  from  the  interior 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  SJ.  375 

and  are  there,  consoling  them  with  the  hope  which  I  entertain 
that  God  will  aid  them  with  fathers.  And  I  pray  Him  to 
keep  your  Reverence  for  me,  etc. 

The  Senor  alcalde  mayor  of  the  province  of  Sonora, 
Juan  Mateo  Manje,  who  had  been  lieutenant  of  this 
Pimeria,  wrote  me,  almost  at  the  same  time  as  the  fa- 
ther visitor,  as  follows: 

I  note  from  the  last  letter  the  good  state  of  Pimeria,  and  the 
docility  of  the  natives.  For  this  I  congratulate  myself,  because 
of  the  interest  and  the  part  which  I  have  had  in  the  mainte- 
nance of  that  Pimeria,  and  because  the  ardent  desires  of  your 
Reverence  and  myself  are  being  fulfilled,  and  because  of  the 
pacification,  which  is  due  very  largely  to  your  great  merit. 
And  may  God  our  Lord  grant  that  in  the  future  we  may  all 
succeed  in  a  purpose  directed  to  the  welfare  of  those  natives 
and  to  their  eternal  salvation,  and  that  Infernal  Chaos  may  be 
thwarted  in  his  diabolical  plans,  and  in  the  hindrances  which 
he  brings  in  his  train ;  and  may  he  go  to  dwell  in  the  caverns 
of  hell. 

Thus  far  the  very  Catholic  Senor  alcalde  mayor. 

CHAPTER  V.     THERE  IS  DISCUSSION  OF  MY  GOING 

TO  MEXICO  TO  OBTAIN  AND  BRING  FATHERS  FOR 

THESE  HARVESTS  OF  SOULS,  SO  EXTENSIVE  AND 

SO  RIPE,  IN  THIS  PIMERIA  AND  IN  OTHER 

NEIGHBORING  NATIONS 

The  great  lack  of  missionary  fathers  in  these  new 
conversions  caused  me  and  many  other  persons  to  con- 
sider whether  I  should  go  to  Mexico  to  secure  and 
bring  the  necessary  fathers,  especially  because  certain 
hopes  had  been  current  that  in  this  autumn  the  pro- 
curators, Father  Rolandegui  and  Father  Veia,  who  had 
gone  to  Rome,511  would  arrive  and  that  they  would 
bring  from  Europe  a  numerous  mission  of  zealous  fa- 
ther workers.    I  reported  this  to  the  father  visitor,  An- 

511  It  was  these  men  who  carried  part  I  of  Kino's  Favores  Celestiales  to 
Rome.     See  ante,   page  227. 


376  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

tonio  Leal,  by  word  of  mouth  and  in  writing,  and  soon 
his  Reverence  and  many  others  became  thoroughly  con- 
vinced that  I  should  go  to  Mexico. 

And  after  having  thanked  me  by  word  of  mouth  in 
Guepaca  for  my  good  intention,  his  Reverence  wrote 
me  a  long  letter,  that  I  might  show  it  to  the  new  father 
visitor,  of  the  new  government,  which  was  expected 
very  soon,  containing  very  strong  arguments  with  which 
he  demonstrated  how  very  expedient  it  was  that  I  should 
go  to  Mexico  to  speak  face  to  face  with  the  father  pro- 
vincial and  the  Senor  viceroy,  in  order  to  obtain  and 
bring  the  fathers  and  workers  necessary  for  so  ripe  a 
harvest  of  so  many  souls  that  very  anxiously  were  ask- 
ing holy  baptism,  in  this  extensive  Pimeria  as  well  as 
in  the  surrounding  nations,  especially  since  his  royal 
Majesty  had  already  granted  eight  alms  for  eight  fa- 
thers and  eight  missions  in  this  Pimeria.  Many  other 
persons  also  considered  it  very  important  that  I  should 
go  to  Mexico  for  the  above-stated  end  of  obtaining  and 
bringing  missionary  fathers.  Nevertheless,  I  did  not 
go  to  Mexico  for  the  reasons  which  the  next  chapter 
will  tell. 

CHAPTER  VI.     MANY  OTHERS,  AND  I  ALSO,  WERE  OF 

THE   OPINION,   PARTICULARLY  BECAUSE   NEITHER 

THE  NEW  GOVERNMENT  NOR  THE   MISSION  OF 

EUROPEAN  FATHERS   HAD  ARRIVED,  THAT  MY 

GOING   TO    MEXICO   WAS    NOT    NECESSARY 

Since  the  very  notorious  and  injurious  wars  of  all 
Europe  prevented  the  usual  vessels  of  the  Spanish  fleet 
from  coming  on  time  to  this  New  Spain,  neither  could 
the  new  government  of  our  Company  come  on  time,  nor 
the  father  procurators  who  had  gone  to  Rome,  nor  the 
mission  of  missionary  fathers  which  already  had  been 
granted  and  equipped  in  Seville.       Consequently  we 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  377 

changed  our  minds  about  my  going  to  Mexico,512  and  I 
tried  to  continue  to  advance  things  here  as  much  as 
possible,  in  these  three  pueblos  which  I  had  under  my 
charge,  as  well  as  in  the  other  new  pueblos  farther  in, 
to  the  north,  northwest,  and  west,  which  were  being 
prosperously  founded.  And  in  particular  I  tried  to 
accomplish  another  long  journey  inland  of  more  than 
three  hundred,  or  about  three  hundred  and  twenty-five 
leagues,  until  by  land  I  should  reach  Loreto  Concho, 
where  lived  the  reverend  fathers  of  California,  Father 
Juan  Maria  Salvatierra,  and  the  rest  of  the  gentlemen, 
soldiers  and  citizens,  etc.  This  all  involved  going  one 
hundred  and  sixty  leagues  northwest  to  the  Yumas  and 
the  Rio  Grande,  one  hundred 513  more  west  to  the  Colora- 
do River,  and  forty  or  fifty  more  southwest  to  the  mouth 
of  the  said  Colorado  River  and  to  the  Quiquimas,  as 
has  been  done  in  the  past  months  with  Father  Rector 
Manuel  Gonzales,  and  afterwards  down  that  part  of  the 
way  which  alone  remained,  about  one  hundred  and  twen- 
ty-five leagues  to  the  southwest,  now  on  California  soil 
and  west  of  the  Sea  of  the  said  California.  This  would 
have  been  a  very  easy  task,  and  commerce  by  land  with 
California  would  have  been  established,  together  with 
the  conversion  of  many  souls ;  but  the  heaven-appointed 
time  must  not  have  arrived,  for  my  going,  or  expedi- 
tion, or  journey  by  land  to  California,  Upper  and  Low- 
er, was  prevented,  and  I  therefore  tried  to  apply  myself 
to  other  ministries  and  functions,  likewise  of  our  insti- 
tute. 

512  Ortega's  explanation  of  Kino's  not  going  to  Mexico  is  based  on  this 
passage:  "Mas  la  consideration  de  hallarse  en  guerra  Europa,  suspendidas 
las  Flotas,  y  detenidas  las  Missiones,  hizo  juzgar,  que  este  viaje  no  podria 
producir  el  deseado  efecto,  y  que  quizd  la  ausencia  del  Padre  ocasionaria 
mayor  es  danos  y  atrassos"   {Apostolicos,  A  fanes,  309). 

513  Evidently  a  mis-copy  for  10.  In  the  Ms.  the  distances  here  are  all 
given   in  Arabic  numerals. 


378  MEMOIR  OF  PIMERIA  ALTA  [Vol. 

CHAPTER  VII.    THE  BUILDING  OF  TWO  GOOD  SPA- 
CIOUS CHURCHES  IN  THE  SECOND  AND  THIRD 
PUEBLOS  OF  MY  ADMINISTRATION  IN 
THIS  PIMERIA 

Because  my  going  to  Mexico,  as  well  as  to  California, 
had  been  prevented,  I  applied  myself  to  building  with 
all  possible  efficacy  and  speed,  so  as  to  have  this  work 
more  advanced,  the  two  churches  on  which  small  be- 
ginnings had  been  made  during  the  first  five  years  of 
my  entrance  upon  these  new  conversions,  in  my  second 
and  third  pueblos  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores. 
And  when  the  father  visitor,  Antonio  Leal,  saw  this 
church  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores,  he  said  it  was 
one  of  the  best  that  he  had  seen  in  all  the  missions. 
Nevertheless,  the  other  new  ones  which  I  undertook  in 
the  following  months  turned  out  even  better,  for  they 
have  transepts,  etc.  And  in  a  little  more  than  a  year 
they  were  finished  and  were  dedicated  in  the  same  week, 
in  the  middle  of  January,  1704,  as  shall  be  stated  in  its 
proper  place.514  After  having  commended  all  things 
to  his  divine  Majesty  and  to  our  great  patron  of  the 
new  conversions,  the  glorious  apostle  of  the  Indies, 
San  Francisco  Xavier,  besides  Jesus  and  Mary  most 
holy,  with  their  celestial  favors,  which,  though  un- 
worthy, I  am  writing,  I  tried  to  have  in  the  three  pue- 
blos of  my  administration  (which  are  first,  Nuestra 
Senora  de  Los  Dolores,  second,  Nuestra  Senora  de  los 
Remedios,  and  third,  Santiago  de  Cocospora)  sufficient 
provisions  of  maize,  wheat,  cattle,  and  clothing,  or  shop 
goods,  such  as  cloth,  sack  cloth,  blankets,  and  other 
fabrics,  which  are  the  currency  that  best  serves  in  these 
new  lands  for  the  laborers,  master  carpenters,  consta- 
bles, military  commanders,  captains,  and  fiscals. 

514  See  volume  ii,  page  81. 


one]  EUSEBIO  FRANCISCO  KINO,  S.J.  379 

In  these  months  and  the  following  I  ordered  the 
necessary  wood  cut  for  the  pine  framework,  sills,  floor- 
ing, etc.  I  went  to  the  interior  and  brought  more  than 
seven  hundred  dollars'  worth  of  clothing,  tools  and 
heavy  ware  and  from  other  places  I  obtained  more 
than  three  thousand  dollars'  worth,  which  shortly  and 
with  ease  were  paid  for  with  the  goods,  provisions,  and 
cattle  of  the  three  rich  districts.  I  invited  some  men 
from  the  frontier515  for  the  work  on  these  buildings, 
and  there  came  far  and  away  more  than  I  had  asked 
for;  and  very  especially,  for  entire  months,  the  many 
inhabitants  of  the  great  new  pueblo  of  San  Francisco 
Xavier  del  Bac,  which  is  sixty  leagues  distant  to  the 
north,  worked  and  built  on  the  three  pueblos  of  this 
place  and  of  my  administration.  In  this  way  many 
adobes  were  made  in  the  two  pueblos  of  Nuestra  Se- 
nora  de  los  Remedios  and  Santiago  de  Cocospora;  and 
high  and  strong  walls  were  made  for  two  large  and 
good  churches,  with  their  two  spacious  chapels,  which 
form  transepts,  with  good  and  pleasing  arches.  The 
timbers  were  brought  from  the  neighboring  mountains 
and  pineries,  and  the  two  good  buildings  were  roofed, 
and  provided  with  cupolas,  small  lanterns,  etc.  I  man- 
aged almost  all  the  year  to  go  nearly  every  week 
through  the  three  pueblos,  looking  after  both  spiritual 
and  temporal  things,  and  the  rebuilding  of  the  two 
above-mentioned  new  churches. 


515  He   means   Indians   from  the   frontier. 


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