Martin de alarcon biography pdf
Their supplies must come from the nearest Spanish settlement, San Juan Bautista , located miles km away. He looked first to the headwaters of the San Antonio River, an area the Spanish had mapped in It was already home to a large community of Coahuiltecans. As Alarcon journeyed to San Juan Bautista, the launching point for an attempt to resupply the missions, he received a letter from Father Olivares, alleging that Frenchman Louis Juchereau de St.
Denis had established an illegal trade network along the Rio Grande. On his arrival at San Juan Bautista, Alarcon began an investigation of the allegations. Denis was jailed during the four-month investigation, but Alarcon was unable to find proof that the presidial soldiers had—actively or passively—allowed illegal trade to flourish in the area.
Denis was released from prison and fled back to Louisiana. He was accompanied by 72 people, including 10 families. They brought with them horses, 6 droves of mules, and other livestock. On their arrival, the group first built a temporary structure to serve as a mission. The mission's founding document is dated May 1, In April, he delayed his expedition further to investigate the illicit activities of French trader and smuggler Louis Juchereau de St.
Missionaries protested Alarcon's investigation. Denis provided the missions with support and goods that Alarcon had yet to supply himself. Alarcon eventually released St. Denis, but his crusade against French trade did not end. After a brief interlude to the gulf, Alarcon toured the province of Tejas where he visited each of the six missions. This day we traveled south in order to follow the bank of the river.
Some crosses were left on the trees for the Indians as a sign, and on them some leaves of tobacco were hung, in order that, coming to reconnoiter, they would see that we were Spaniards and would come in search of us to get the tobacco. We traveled about six leagues this day. On the 11th, before leaving the above-named place, the governor sent two soldiers to see if the tobacco which we had left at the junction of the rivers was still there, and they said that the tracks left there indicated that the Indians had carried it off.
We left the place and this day traveled about five leagues until midday, and found a crossing, although it was a difficult one. Two soldiers, having crossed in order to see if there was a good place to ford on the other side, came to another wide and deep creek which they could not ford.
Martin de alarcon biography wikipedia
The way is very rough, owing to the hills, but in parts level. Many creeks are crossed, and ravines without water, most of them with rocky beds. On the 12th, we left the above-named place in search of the said river [probably means source of the San Marcos River] and traveled about twelve leagues. The way is wooded and in places open.
Every day we saw tracks and we always thought they were of bison, until this day, when about five in the afternoon, upon entering a thick wood, we saw a black Castilian bull. On the 13th, after having left this place, at about noon we reached the ford of the San Marcos river, and until now we could not believe that it was the San Marcos, because everyone says that the San Marcos river enters the sea several leagues distant from the Guadalupe.
Martin de alarcon expedition
The crossing is about eight to nine leagues from the above named place. We stopped because a cloudburst caught us, which lasted unceasingly all night; and here as well as in San Antonio the thunderstorms are so frightful that all those who have experienced them in Spain, as well as in these parts, say that they have not seen any like them, for the shortest last six hours, with thunder pealing like harquebus-shots in battle.
On the 14th, we left this place and arrived about midday at the Guadalupe river. This day we traveled with great difficulty, since the road was very heavy owing to the heavy rain of the night preceding; the way is very level and with some ravines.
We stopped at this river because we found it very swollen. Most of the land is overgrown with live oaks, poplars, elms, pecans, and oaks, and in all the land there are many grapes, larger than those of Castile, but, as I said, upon ripening they turn into wool. This day we traveled about four leagues. On the 15th, we left the said place and traveled upstream with a desire to ford it or to reach its source.
We traveled about three league of very rugged land owing to the heavy woods and many rocks; and at the end of the three leagues two soldiers left for upstream to reconnoiter the land. They said that it could not be traveled because it is more wooded and contains more rocks, so that we returned to spend the night at the above-named crossing [ford across the Guadalupe at New Braunfels].
The woods consist of oaks and junipers, and the bank of the river is densely bordered by very tall savins. This day we traveled about six leagues. On the 16th, we crossed the river with great difficulty; but first it is necessary for us to consider the things which occurred the day before. It so happened that after we had seen the swollen river and had investigated to see if it could be crossed or gone around, and had f ound no recourse whatsoever, the melancholy and sadness that fell upon the governor was so great that in his heart he felt no less than that the last days of his life had arrived; and thus, observing the obligations of a Catholic in such danger, he wanted to prepare himself, calling his secretary and dictating to him some things that had to be done if God should take him upon crossing this river.
It so happened that, twenty-four buzzards having come to tarry close to where we were stopping, the governor asked the father chaplain, "Father, what are those birds looking for? He began, therefore, to cross with great difficulty, and the greatest fatality would have befallen us that can be imagined had not God and the most holy Virgin extended the arms of their omnipotence and mercy to protect and favor the governor against the extremely dangerous situation in which he found himself.
He, having started to cross on the strongest horse that could be found, carried on the haunches of the sergeant of the company. Upon arriving at the opposite bank, after having crossed most of the river, he reined the horse back, and, the current catching its haunches, it was swept downstream with both riders submerged and grasping the horse, for about half the distance of a musketshot.
At this place they came up still holding on to the horse, and, going down again, they lost their grasp on the horse, and the water carried them submerged for more than another half the distance of a musket-shot where they again arose. The anxiety they experienced may well be imagined, especially since the governor, who was dressed, did not know how to swim.
And, although the said sergeant knew how to swim well, this would not have enabled him to rescue himself, because of the great force of the water, if here God had not performed a miracle through the intercession of His most pure Mother who provided them with two savin branches to which they held on, and from there, because of the great depth, they were rescued by ropes.
After this miraculous occurrence, I have asked the governor several times about the case, and he has always assured me that he does not know how he went [down the stream], whether under the water or over the water. The truth is that those who saw him say that he went downstream motionless, all of which proves that it was entirely a miracle, because the rescue could not have been attributed to natural causes, especially when the horse with the saddle nevermore turned up and the governor lost the buttons off his pants, thus forming a sort of ball and chain on his feet.
Furthermore, although [the governor] carried in his pocket a small silver box with the rosary and the prayer book in which the most holy Virgin is praised, they not only did not fall into the water when his pants came down, but the prayer book did not even get wet. This same day we traveled about six leagues to a high hill where we stopped.
The point was called "Paso del Gobernador" or Governor's Ford thereafter. This point or near it was obviously an important challenge and crossing of the Guadalupe throughout the colonization of Texas, the site of Victor Hoch's crossing and inn in the midth century as well as that of Little Berry Green , ancestor of the current author.
The point is near where current Hwy crosses the river at Hochheim].
Martin de alarcon biography summary
On the 17th, we arrived at the river of San Antonio, where the villa named Bexar stands, and found that nothing had occurred during our absence. From this day until the sixteenth of June, several scouting expeditions were made in which nothing in particular took place. During these days, also, things were begun to put the villa in shape.
Maize was planted and lost, and the gardens were eaten by mice, which exist in great numbers. This day we traveled about nine leagues.
Jose de escandon: Martín de Alarcón was the Governor of Coahuila and Texas from until , and again from until He founded San Antonio, the first Spanish civilian settlement in Texas.
The party proceeded down the Guadalupe before heading west to the Colorado, then down the Colorado and southwest to Tres Palacios and then Matagorda Bay. The narrative below follows them through 25 Sep when they proceeded back north up the Colorado then west to El Camino Real and on to the East Texas Missions. They returned to Villa de Bexar in early Jan Twenty-nine persons and the father chaplain left with the governor at that time.
Alani Melicope munroi. Alani Melicope mucronulata. Alani Melicope lydgatei.
Martin de alarcon biography
Alani Melicope knudsenii. Alani Melicope haupuensis. Alani Melicope balloui. Alarcon, Raul, Jr. Alard, Jean- Delphin. Alaric II.