The herald., 1894-08-26
ORIGINAL HISTORICAL FACTS.

By the courtesy OF Archbishop Sal
pointe, who is now undergoing a course
OF treatment OF the waters OF Carlsbad,
where he and Bishop Bourgsde, of Ari-
zons, have been sent by their physician,
DR.. Nsdeau, we are permitted to trans
late the following interesting passages
from the historical notes he is gathering
from the archives OF the old missions
and the publications OF the college Of
Queretaro, Mexico:
"In 1888, by order OF the viceroy, the
fathers Juan de II Asupcion and Pedro
Nadal will follow the military expedition
until they come to q river which they
will find it impossible to cross. They did
go, and Father Na6al took an observation
of the parallel of latitude at the point
where they came to the river, and found
that it was at the 35th degree.
Next year, 1889, Father Marcos de
Mia, with three other members of the
order OF St. Francis, joined the military
expedition sent out to explore in the
same direction as that taken by the ex.
pedition OF the previous year, and
reached the same point where the
fathers had arrived the preceding year.
They also took observations Of the sun
and found that they were in 34la de-
greeH of latitude instead of 35. The
river was called by them the river of
Los Bolsss, (rsfts) because they saw
that the Indians crossed it with floats
of that kind. As to the identity OF this
river with that which was discovered
by the expedition OF 1888 there is no
room for doubt, because the Indians
who were visited on both occasions
we're the same, and lived at the place
which was afterwards called Yuma. 1t
was known by the same designation in
1880, when the first permanent religious
settlement was made there"
This would seem to carry the discov-
cry of the Colorado river to the year
1888, only 46 years after the discovery
OF America by Christopher Columbus.
Two churches were built at and near
Yuma in 1878 by Father Gsrcez and
two other Franciscan fathers; but they
were destroyed by the Indians.
The following note gives some curious
information about Lower California.
"In 1854, Admiral Isidoro Hondo, for
the purpose of founding and establish
ing a Spanish colony, sailed as far as
Cape San Bruno, having on board with
his msjesty's troops the reverend faith
ers Matias Gofli, Juan Bsptista Copsrt
and Francisco Eusebio Kino. The
priests landed and at once set about es-
tsblishing q mission at this point, and
two years afterwards they could count
several hundred Indians of the Monquia
nation among their faithful flock, when
unfortunately they were compelled to
return with the expedition, the project
having bsen ordered to be abandoned.
In 1897 Father Juan Maria de Saliva
TERRA went alone to the Same country,
and established in front OF Coronado
island small mission to which he gave
the name of Loretto."
This note gives rise to psrplexitieH
which We are unable to strsighten out.
Where WAS Cape San Bruno in Lower
California, which is undoubtedly the
territory in question? II it is the point
now known as Cape st. Lucas, how can
the island of Coronado be in front of it?
There is still Loretto in Lower Califor-
MIA, but IL is to the south, whilst the
only Coronado island now known to ge-
ogrsphy is at the extreme northern
point of the peninsula, and facing San
Diego. There may be a Coronado isl.
and, then known as such, in the gulf of
California. near La Paz. If that is go,
Loretto OF tine present day would be
properly located in the note. The mis-
sion of Rosario is the only mis-
sion facing the Pacific ocean
in the northern part of Lower
California, but that could not be sccu-
rstely said to face the island OF Coronado.
There is much room for controversy and
speculation on the subject OF the early
discoveries and the dates OF the estsb-
lishment OF the first missions in Arizo.
ma and Lower California. and . great