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Show FATHER ESCALANTE'S ROUTE ( As depicted by the Map of Bernardo de Mi era y Pacheco) By Herbert S. Auerbach In the preceding paper Mr. J. Cecil Alter very modestly explains his highly important discovery of a copy of the long lost and much sought map of the Escalante Expedition which appears to be one of the great historical finds of the century. While the date of this map does not appear upon its face, a map of the route of the Expedition was known to have been made at Santa Fe in 1777 and all the available evidence would indicate that this was the Miera y Pacheco map. The data upon which it was based were taken from voluminous notes and recollections of the Escalante Expedition made in 1776 and this notable map therefore depicts certain parts of New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Arizona, as they were viewed by these explorers back in 1776- 165 years ago. With the rediscovery of this map Mr. Alter has uncovered one of the most remarkable documents of early Western history and a document of very great value in complementing the diary of Father Escalante. On July 29, 1776, a small party left Santa Fe, New Mexico, with stout hearts and firm in the faith, to travel through a country largely unexplored and to brave dangers unknown. The principal object of the expedition was to open an overland trail from Santa Fe, New Mexico to California, by way of the lands of the Yutas to San Francisco Bay and thence to Monterey, California. Most members of the party, it would appear, accompanied the expedition in the expectation of finding a great country to add to the dominion of his Majesty, the King, and to receive therefor honor and reward, and incidentally to open a trading route that would be of commercial and financial benefit to them. They investigated too, the fertility of the valleys and the size and number of the streams, having in mind the possibility of colonizing this country. The two Franciscan friars, however, were desirous of finding an overland route to the missions of California and to preach the gospel to the Indians inhabiting this vast area; in short, their main object in making the trip was for the greater honor and glory of God and the extension of the faith. The expedition was sponsored by the Governor of New Mexico and the party was apparently commanded by Don Bernardo de Miera y Pacheco, along with two Franciscan fathers, Francisco Atanacio Domingues and Francisco Silvestre Velez de Escalante. 1 ^ ote that Atanacio Domingues' name always preceded that of Silvestre Velez de Escalante, so that he doubtless outranked Escalante, although their expedition has come down through history as the Escalante Expedition. 74 UTAH HISTORICAL QUARTERLY Don Bernardo de Miera y Pacheco was a retired captain and a citizen of Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was through Escalante that Miera became associated with the expedition. Francisco Atanacio Domingues was of St. Paul, New Mexico. He stood high in the Franciscan order. Francisco Silvester Velez de Escalante, a Spaniard by birth, taught Christian doctrine in the mission of our Lady of Guadalupe of Zuni, New Mexico. He was a remarkable man who had traveled extensively and was well acquainted with many regions of New Mexico and Arizona. For some years past he had been intensely interested in the idea of exploring an overland path from New Mexico to upper California. Other members of the expedition were: Juan Pedro Cisnos, mayor of Zuni, and his servant Simon Luzero. Joaquin Lain of Santa Fe, Lorenzo de Olivares of El Paso del Norte, Juan de Augilar of Bernalillo. As guides and interpreters, the party employed Andres Muniz and his brother Antonio Lucrecio Muniz, both of whom had accompanied the expedition conducted by Juan Maria de Rivera in 1765, so that these two men had traveled as far inland as a little below the junction of the Rio de San Francisco, which Escalante says was called by the Yutas the " Ancapagari," ( the Uncompahgre River) with the Rio San Javier ( the Grand River [ Gunnison]), and were somewhat familiar with the country between Santa Fe and this region. Don Bernardo de Miera was the cartographer of the expedition and in this article I have followed Miera's map and have used the diary of Escalante, ( Translation of Dean W. R. Harris in " The Catholic Church In Utah," 1909), to supplement the information portrayed on Miera's map. The party traveled northwesterly from Santa Fe, crossing the Rio del Norte south of Corral de Piedra and then followed the south bank of the Chama River, crossing this stream near Polvareda and passing Abiquiu and fording the Rio Nutrias and the Vado ( crossing) of the Rio Chama. They then headed northerly by way of the three mesas and lakes of Trinidad and then passed a lake which they named Laguna de Olivares, in honor of one of their members. From here they continued northerly and after crossing the Rio de Navajoo turned westerly and forded the Rio de San Juan at the headwaters of the large river which is today known as the San Juan. After crossing the Rio de la Piedra they turned northerly until they reached the crossing of the Rio de los Pinos where they proceeded westerly and forded the Rio Florido and later traversed the River and the Park de las Animas and then forded the Rio de San Joaquin ( present La Plata River) and the Rio de San Lazaro ( present los Mancos River) and from there headed ESCALANTE'S ROUTE 75 for the big sharp bend in the Rio Dolores, near the location of the modern village of Hogg, Colorado. Near this bend are ruins of an ancient large Indian pueblo. Crossing to the south bank of the Dolores they traveled westerly, following the river for a ways and then leaving the river to enter the south end of a canyon which they named the " Labyrinth of Miera." They passed northerly through this canyon and at the north end, where they again encountered the Rio Dolores, they named the place San Bernardo. From here they followed the river again and some distance above where it is joined by the Rio de San Pedro they crossed the Rio Dolores and turned northeasterly until they struck the Rio de San Pedro, which they forded and followed easterly for some distance across the Uncompahgre Plateau ( Tabehuachis) and then turned northerly and crossed the Rio de San Francisco ( present Uncompahgre River) and the Rio de San Javier ( present Gunnison River), a short distance above the junction of these two streams. Escalante says that somewhere beyond this area and past Santa Monica, on the upper Rio de San Javier, they came to some villages of Sabaguanas Yutas of about thirty wigwams and in them met some Indians of the Timpangotzis or Lagunas ( Yutas Timpanogos). Here they engaged two Laguna Indians to guide them to Laguna de los Timpangotzis ( Timpanogos). They left these villages, going westerly until they reached the Rio de San Rafael ( present Colorado River and former Blue River). Fording this stream they turned northwesterly until they reached the Rio de San Clemente ( present White River), which they crossed. From here they continued on over the Arroyo de Zivolo and across the Sierra Verde" and down to the Rio de San Buenaventura ( present Green River) which they crossed several miles above where the Rio de San Simon ( present Brush Creek) enters it. Escalante says: " The Rio Buenaventura is the largest that we have crossed." From here they followed down southwesterly along the bank of the Green River, crossing the Rio de San Simon and the Rio de San Ladeo and fording the Rio de San Cosme ( the present White Rocks River and the former North Fork of the Uintah River). Escalante found the ruins of an ancient village near Rio San Cosme about a league ( 2.63 miles) west of the Rio San Buenaventura. They then followed westerly along the north bank of the main Uintah River and the Duchesne River. In the Valle Purisima Conception ( which would appear to be the present Duchesne Valley) Escalante says that their Indian guide Joaquin with an arrow killed two large trout in one of the streams. Even today this is a fine region for trout fishing. ' This designation of Green Mountains raises the query as to whether the Indians may have called the river the Green River long before Ashley is said to have so named it. 76 UTAH HISTORICAL QUARTERLY The party continued westerly along Duchesne River and by way of Currant Creek passed over to the present Strawberry Valley and up to the Divide of the Wasatch Mountains, which they crossed and then followed down along the present Diamond Fork and the Spanish Fork River ( Called by them Rio de Aguas Calien-tes, because of some hot springs entering the river below the mouth of Diamond Fork and near a place now named Castilla Springs). They continued along the Spanish Fork River down to the Valley of Laguna de los Timpanogos ( Utah Lake). They were the first white men to see and to visit Utah Lake. They turned northward on the east shore of the lake and passing Rio San Nicolas, reached a large stream which they named Rio de San Antonio de Padua, ( Provo River). They did not proceed farther north than this Rio de San Antonio de Padua, although Miera's map shows another River a few miles to the north, Rio de Santa Ana Timpanogos, ( American Fork River). To the east Miera's map pictures a long range of high mountains which he designates as " Sierra de los Timpanogos." That is today Utah's most magnificent and majestic mountain and still is called Timpanogos. The party remained in the Utah Lake region for some three days ( September 23rd to September 26th). Escalante ( translation of W. R. Harris) speaks of the Indians here as living in " huts made of cane" ( Phillip Harry translates: " huts of willows, of which they make also baskets and other necessary utensils.") Escalante refers to the Indians as being poorly dressed and designates them as " fish eaters." He describes the lake as being six leagues* wide and fifteen leagues long.* Before leaving the lake the party bought some dried fish for food from the Indians. Escalante says: " The Laguna de los Timpanogos is connected by a river ( present Jordan River) with a larger lake to the north. This larger lake occupies many leagues and its waters are very harmful and salty; the Laguna Indian assured us that anyone who moistened any part of the body with the salty water would at once feel the part bathed greatly irritated." Miera's map shows this lake just north of Laguna de los Timpanogos, but singularly it bears no name. Its shape is, of course, imaginary. At the east side of this lake a large stream is shown and named Rio de los Yamparicas, which would correspond to the present Weber River. On the west side of the lake another stream ( unnamed) is shown, but this stream is non- existent. Just south of this supposed stream the map shows an Indian village, On the west shore of Laguna de los Timpanogos four Indian villages are indicated. On the east shore are five villages. 8The old Spanish league measured 2.63 miles. ' The present Utah Lake is approximately 12 miles wide and 22 miles long. Either Escalante's estimates of the lake dimensions were faulty or the lake at that period was larger than it is today. ESCALANTE'S ROUTE 77 Escalante tells us that: " from the peaks of the Sierra that surround the Valley of Our Lady of Mercy of the Timpanogotzis' there flow four rivers, which flow through and water it, until they enter in the middle of it." " The first is the Aguas Calientes River." ( Spanish Fork River). " The second river before entering the lake is divided into two branches, on whose banks are poplars ( cottonwoods), and larger alder trees. We named this River ' San Nicholas'." ( Apparently Spring Creek and Hobble Creek.) " The third river has more water than the two preceding ones and it has larger groves. We were near this River the 24th and 25th of September and we named it the ' Rio de San Antonio de Padua'." ( Provo River.) " To the fourth river we did not go, although we saw its groves. It is to the northwest of San Antonio. The Indians told us that it had as much water as the others. We named it the river of Santa Ana Timpanogos. 6 ( American Fork River.) Let us now return to the Rio Aguas Calientes. To the south of this River Miera shows a stream flowing northwesterly into the lake. He designates this stream San Andres ( present Salem Creek). A little west of this stream he shows a stream flowing northerly into the lake and designates it San Paolo ( present Pay son Creek). Farther southwest he shows a stream flowing northerly ( wrongly) into the south end of the lake and this he designates San Bernardino ( present Salt Creek at Nephi). After Escalante's party left Rio Aguas Calientes they proceeded southerly and crossed the Rio de San Andres, continuing on past San Andres and then proceeded south to Puerto de San Pedro, thence crossing a headwater stream of the Rio de San Paolo and passing Ojo de San Paolo. They then forded another of the headwaters of this stream and went through the Valle de las Salinas ( Valley of the salt pits) ( present Nephi region) passing San Bernardino ( Nephi region) at the head of the Rio de San Bernardino and thence went south to the Rio Santa Ysabel' ( Sevier River) " It would seem that Escalante mistakenly applied the name Rio Santa Ana Timpanogos to American Fork River, for from the earliest known times the Indians and trappers have given the Dame Timpanogos River to the stream now called Provo River, the largest of the rivers entering Utah Lake. eMiera's map shows the Rio de San Buenaventura continuing on to and emptying into Laguna de Miera ( Sevier Lake). This is of course erroneous, as the Buenaventura runs southerly from its junction with the San Clemente and San Oamian and then joins the Rio de los Saguaganas { Colorado River). In his journal Escalante ( September 29th) speaks of the Indians telling him that the Buenaventura took the course shown upon Miera's map, but Escalante particularly states that he doubted it, because the quantity of water in the Rio Santa Ysabel ( Sevier) was less than that in the San Buenaventura where they had crossed it, so that after it united with the San Clemente, the San Cosime and the San Damian and other small rivers it carried less water. Escalante therefore chose to believe Silvestre, his former Laguna guide who had told him that the San Buenaventura ( Green River) and the Rio de San Javier ( Grand River) became the same stream. 78 UTAH HISTORICAL QUARTERLY above Mills from where they followed southeaterly a short distance along the north bank of this stream, the Santa Ysabel ( Sevier River). Here they crossed Sevier River about ten miles north of Scipio ( near the Sevier Bridge Dam) and then went south to Sdpio and southwesterly towards Holden and on through the Valle de Zisneros to the Ojo de Valle de Zisneros ( Holden region). They then retraced their steps for a ways and turned westerly through the Valle Salado, the land of the bearded Yutas, passed the Neels- Clear Lake region and went as far as the northeast edge of Laguna de Miera, named in honor of thdr cartographer ( present Sevier Lake). They were the first white men to visit Sevier Lake. From this point they traveled southeasterly and crossing the Rio Salado turned south to Arroyo Texedor ( Cruz region) and then continued southerly along the Rio del Texedor ( the Beaver River) passing near Cruz and Vegas del Puerto ( Meadow of the Gateway) ( Pumice region). ( At Pumice on the Union Pacific R. R. is a section house.) When the party arrived at a point near the present Union Pacific Station of Pumice, Utah, about a mile from the Beaver River, their Laguna Indian guide suddenly quit the party, greatly frightened, owing to a violent quarrel which had been provoked because one member of the party had failed to attend religious devotions. This left the party without anyone who knew the country through which they had to travel. During the past few days a strong, cold wind had been blowing from the south and this brought a heavy snowstorm, which covered not only the mountains but also the lowlands with snow. The men were ragged, cold and hungry, and with their food supply almost exhausted. This snowstorm and piercing cold added to their despair and they viewed with apprehension the towering mountains to the west covered with white. They knew that the passes leading to Monterey were deep with snow and after several councils held along the way at which Escalante insisted that they return to Santa Fe by way of Cosina' they had a conference near Santa Eleuterio, ( South of Laguna de Miera) where they cast lots to determine whether they should continue on to Monterey or return to Santa Fe, by way of the pueblos of the Cosina, Moqui and Zuni Indians. Cosina won, to the great delight of the two padres, but to the keen disappointment and chagrin of particularly Don Bernardo Miera, Don Joaquin Lain and Andrez Muniz, 7In this decision, as in many others, Escalante displayed his excellent judgment and practical sense. Had they attempted to cross the snow clad Sierras to Monterey they most probably would have perished. From the 1840' s through the 1860' s many travelers bound for the Pacific Coast had the same experience as Escalante. They reached Salt Lake Valley or Utah Lake Valley in the fall aftel snow had closed the passes through the Sierras and were compelled to remain in Salt Lake or Utah Lake Valley over the winter and then continue to California when spring weather had melted the snow in the Sierra passes. ESCALANTE'S ROUTE 79 who had set their hearts on finding a through route to Monterey, which would, of course, have brought them particular honor and distinction. However, the entire party accepted the decision arrived at by the casting of lots. In an unknown country and without a guide they had wandered southerly along the west shore of the Beaver River to San Atenogenes ( Malone region) and then continued south along this river to Santa Brigida ( Milford region) and thence on southwesterly to San Rustico and San Eleuterio and from there easterly to Cienega in the Valle de San Jose ( Beaven region). From here they then went southerly past Paragonah and Paro-wan and Cedar City and Pilar ( Pilar de Zaragosa) ( Kanarra region) and down along Ash Creek, passing by Hamilton's Fort, Kanarra, Pintura, Anderson's Ranch and Upola ( Toquerville region) and La Verkin. They crossed the Rio de les Piramides Sulfureo" ( the Virgin River) just south of La Verkin and just above its junction with Ash Creek and then traveling southerly and fording a small creek they passed Arroyo del Tarai ( Hurricane region). They turned southeasterly toward Pipe Spring and then circled easterly and northerly across the plain to Santa Gertrudis ( Kanab rigion) and from there went northeasterly to Santa Barbara ( Johnson region) and to San Juan Capistrano ( Indian village of Paganpachis), and then on southeasterly to San Bartolome ( Lee's Ferry region). When they approached the Rio Grande Colorado ( Colorado River) they wandered upstream along its course, crossing the Rio Santa Teresa9 ( Paria) River and then the Rio San Diego ( Sentinel Rock River) and toiled and labored amid the rugged and towering cliffs that flank the Colorado River, suffering greatly from thirst and hunger and nearly exhausted, trying in vain to find a crossing place amid the high, steep walls along the great river until they attained a point a short distance west of where the Rio de Nabajos ( present San Juan River) enters it, and here, at last, they found a crossing at the Colorado River which had been used by the Indians from time immemorial, and which is today celebrated as the " Crossing of the Fathers." After traversing the river, where they found that they could cross the ford without having to swim at any point, they followed along the south bank of the Colorado River easterly for a short distance and then turned southerly and reached the Indian village of Nacimienco, and not far beyond here turned easterly and arrived at the Moqui Indian pueblos: Oraibe, Mossanganabi, Jongopavi and Gualpi. From the Moqui pueblos to Santa Fe the route was well defined. Continuing eastward they reached Cuma and then turned 8Miera's map shows five pyramid or conical shaped knolls. They rise in the vicinity of Pine Spring Wash, northeast of La Verkin. * The Escalante River to the east was not reached by Father Escalante. 80 UTAH HISTORICAL QUARTERLY southeasterly until they arrived at Zuni." From here they proceeded easterly, passing through Acoma and Laguna and crossed the Rio Puerco and reached Valosa on the Rio del Norte. From Valosa they followed the west bank of the river to a point opposite Albuquerque and here they crossed the river to Albuquerque" and continued northerly along the east bank of the Rio del Norte, passing through Zandia, Bernalillo, Santa Domingo, Cienega and Santa Fe, arriving there on January 2, 1777, having been on their trip a little over five months and having traveled some 1600 miles. Although the Escalante Expedition failed to reach Monterey, California, their explorations and discoveries and their descriptions of the wilderness through which they traveled and of the Indians they encountered are of great value and interest. The story of their trip first directed attention to the Great Basin Region. They discovered Utah Lake and learned of the existence of the Great Salt Lake to the north and connected with it by a river outlet. They were the discoverers of Sevier Lake. They left the earliest definite records of Utah of which we have any knowledge. A map of the route followed by the Escalante party is known to have been prepared in 1777, but it became lost and despite diligent search we had been unable to find any trace or further record of this map until recently a copy was uncovered which is here reproduced. This remarkable map of Miera y Pacheco is a particularly interesting and most valuable historical document. BIBLIOGRAPHY Bancroft, Hubert Howe: History of Utah. San Francisco, 1891. Dominguez, Francisco Atanacio and Escalante, Francisco Silvestre Velez de, Diary of. Mss. General Archives, Mexico. Documentos para la Historia de Mexico, ( Vol. 1 of Series 2), Mexico, 1854. Harris, W\ R.: The Catholic Church In Utah. Diary and Travels of Fray Francisco Atanasio Dominguez and Fray Silvestre Velez de Escalante, to discover a Route from the Presidio of Santa Fe, New Mexico, to Monterey in Southern California. Salt Lake City, Utah. 1909. Harry, Phillip: The Journeyings of Father Escalante, from Santa Fe to Utah Lake and the Moqui Villages in 1776. ( Translated in 1860, and published in Simpson, Capt. J. H. Report of the Explorations across the Great Basin of the Territory of Utah in 1859. Washington D. C. 1876.) u O ! d Zuni was southeast of the present city of Zuni and was on the south bank of the Zuni River. u O ! d Albuquerque was southwest of the present city of Albuquerque. X >-" - J < c > co u 5 o < [ I* ( L) CQ CO X h IL, O t- < CO x h |
