Diary of Francisco Garcés

Colonizing Expedition, 1775

Oct 21. SP -- Went to the Presidio de Tubác with my companion Eisarc and Padre Font, in order to join the comandante of the expedition, Lieutenant-Colonel Don Juan Bautista de Ansa.

Oct 22. SP -- Mass was said to Maria de Guadalupe as patroness of the expedition, and I celebrated it in honor of Señor San Pedro Apostol, my special advocate on this and antecedent entradas to the gentiles. Padre Font observed the latitude of this presidio in 31° 43'.

Oct 23. SP -- We left the Presidio de Tubác and halted in the place called Canoa, whither we went five leagues northnortheast.

Oct 24. SP -- Left Canoa and halted at the Point of the Plains, having traveled 3 leagues northnortheast.

Oct 25. SP -- We arrived at my mission of San Xavier del Bác, having traveled 6 leagues north 1/4 east.

Oct 26. SP -- We arrived at a laguna near (fuera de) the pueblo de Tucson, a visita of my administration, and the last christianized pueblo in this direction, having traveled 4 leagues about north (rumbo quasi al norte).

Oct 27. SP -- Padre Font observed this place in 32° 22'. We departed from it in the afternoon, and halted in a plain within sight of the sierra called Frente Negra, having traveled 5 leagues-2 northnorthwest and 3 northwest.

Oct 28. SP -- We halted at some rain-pools (lagunas llovedizas) which the Indians call Oytapars, whose situation was a pueblo of Pápagos, depopulated a few years ago by the hostilities of the Apaches; having traveled fully 6 leagues westnorthwest with some deviations westward.

Oct 29. SP -- We approached Rancheria Quitoac, inhabited at times by the Pápagos, and halted near a picacho which the Indians call the Cerro de Tacca; having traveled 2 leagues northwest and 3 north northwest. This very day a runner was dispatched to the Pimas Gileños informing them of our arrival; and the señor comandante resolved opportunely to publish a proclamation (vando) commanding that all persons should behave in such manner that the gentiles should be set no bad example by the Españoles, nor that these should offend them by deed or word in the very least (en lo mas minimo), under pain of rigorous punishment for disobedience.

Oct 30. SP -- We approached the Rio Gila and halted at a laguna [Camani], having traveled 12 leagues-6 northwest, 3 northnorthwest, and 3 north. Although on this road we saw no grass (zacate) yet is it certain that at a little distance on one and the other side it is found abundantly and in years of much rain still more so. As a result of the message sent yesterday to the Pimas Gileños, there came out to receive us at this place the governor of the rancherias called Equituni and Quitoa, the governor of Vturituc, a pueblo of the Rio Gila, its alcalde, the governor of Sutaquison, with many other Indians, all on horseback; who dismounted to salute us, and gave to the soldiers two scalps (cabelleras) of Apaches killed a few days before in the wars which they wage with them. They remounted and accompanied us to their place of residence, asking repeatedly if we were going to baptize them and live with them; an evident sign of the great disposition that there is in these peoples to be catechised. All showed great joy upon our arrival.

Oct 31. SP -- The señor comandante determined to rest our party; and in consequence of this I had an opportunity of going to see the Casa Grande that they call de Moctezuma. We [Garcés and Font] traveled about 3 leagues southeast, and arrived at the casa, whose position is found in latitude 33° 03' 30". For the present condition of this casa I refer to the description thereof that Padre Font has given; and in the end will speak of that which I have been enabled to conjecture from what I saw and learned at Moqui.