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Show COMMENTARY ON ESCALANTE. 471 river). I read with the closest attention said copy, and as to the statement made to the cited reverend sturdy Moquis were too much for the combined machinations of the Spanish priests and Spanish soldiers; their patriotism and good sense saved them from the fate of most other pueblos; there never was a presidio at Moqui, and the result is that those people are living peacefully, happily, and prosperously on the site of their ancient settlement. I should say more of Escalante in this connection, did I not meditate making his famous tour of 177&- 77 the subject of a future volume of the American Explorer Series. Here, however, I will insert an interesting bit relating to that expedition, which I noted and copied when I was overhauling the archives of New Mexico at Santa F6 in Aug.- Sept., 1898. It is simply a letter from the Marques de Croix to Governor Mendinueta, acknowledging the reception of the diaries and map of Do-minguez and Escalante, which the governor had sent to him on May 5, 1777. The letter speaks of the discoveries of these priests from the " capital de ese reyno," *. e., from Santa Fe", N. M., " al Puerto de Monterey," though of course they never went to Monterey, nor even entered the California of to- day. The letter is a fair example of the form of routine official correspondence in those days, beginning " my dear Sir " ( Muy S. or mio) t ending with " God keep you many years " ( Dios gue. a VS. m. a.- Dios guarde a Usted muchos anos), and concluding with the customary kissing of the hands to the governor on the part of his most obedient faithful servant the Cavallero De Croix; the whole subscription being autographic, but the body of the letter in a clerk's handwriting. Here is the letter word for word: Muy S.* r mio: He recivido los Diarios, y la Mapa, que VS. me remite en carta de 5 de Mayo, sobre los descubrimientos que los RR. PP. Fr. Fran. 00 Atanasio Dominguez, y fr. Sil- |