July 30. This day we spent in camp so that the horses might recuperate, for they had been very badly used.
July 31. At four o’clock in the afternoon we went north and at four leagues we stopped for the night. These four leagues have been over pure plains with a little grass. But this night there was no water.
August 1. At dawn we started our journey northward. At five leagues we came upon the village of the rivers, or Yaguelame.[8] These rivers, which we saw were two, are close to the village. The first is about 16 yards across and 1 yard deep. Very close is the other, which will measure 7 yards across and 1/3 of a yard deep. These rivers come from a big river which emerges from a range of mountains. The big river divides into the two branches described and another which goes by a different route, and this the Indians say is smaller, and at times dries up. From these rivers is formed the Lake of the Tulares, which I have described. Three leagues below this village the rivers reunite and form the lake. In the three leagues there is a great forest of cottonwood. All the territory covered this morning is alkaline, and with some grass. The cottonwood forest has considerable foliage and also grass. To the north of the village one can see nothing but bare hills.
At two days’ journey from this village is located the tribe of Bald Indians, consisting of thirteen villages, all to the north of this village [Yaguelame]. In the latter I counted 92 men from seven to forty years of age, from which I conclude that the village of the rivers contains at least 300 souls. All these villages volunteer themselves for baptism, provided that missions are founded in their territory. The chiefs promise to become the first Christians and some of them say to me: “Why do you not come without delay to establish missions in our lands?” They all appear to be good people and show themselves to be of excellent spirit. Several of the Indians accompanied us, showing us the trails and serving us in all ways asked of them. In all directions from the village of the rivers, say the Indians, are other Indian villages.
August 2. This morning we left the village of the rivers, going south. After three leagues we stopped. The Indians relate that from a village called Majagua on the Colorado River other Indians continually come to trade with them. They take ten days to make the trip and on the road one finds no water.
August 3. At two o’clock in the afternoon we set out to the southward. A little later in the afternoon we passed the end of the lake[9] and one league farther on we stopped for the night. All the land this afternoon has consisted of immense plains which have a little pasturage. Thus from the end of the lake to the rivers eight thousand head of cattle could be maintained.
August 4. In the morning of this day we went on southward. At four leagues we entered a canyon where some years ago the Indians killed two soldiers. At the entrance of this canyon a stream of water flows out, carrying a quantity equal to that of the San Gabriel River. Soon we came to a village of five houses, called Taslupi,[10] but at present there are no Indians living on it. This stream emerges onto some flats, which are sandy and gravelly. The water is somewhat saline, but nevertheless not so seriously as to prevent its’ being potable. Part of both morning and afternoon we traveled through the above-mentioned canyon. It is five leagues distant from the village at the end of the lake, the same distance from Buenavista, and seven leagues from the rivers. Along the canyon there is a range of hills widely covered with a pine forest.
August 5. This morning I went out with the Lieutenant and some soldiers to investigate a watering place seen previously by the Lieutenant. All the morning and part of the afternoon we traveled along a pine-covered range over a very bad trail. Two o’clock in the afternoon arrived and the watering place was still far distant for we would have to traverse still another range of hills in order to reach it. The animals were exhausted. The weather was stormy, with thunder, hail, and rain. For these reasons we decided to return to the camp and abandon the search for the watering place.
August 6. At dawn of this day we began to go eastward through the entire length of the canyon. At the end of the afternoon we found a little bog with a small quantity of water. This whole canyon is surrounded on all sides by pine forest.
August 7. This morning I went out with the Sergeant and seven soldiers to the village of Casteque. We found no Indians for they were all away at their fields of Guata.