In the afternoon of this day forty-two warriors came to our camp and showed themselves to be friendly. They presented us with a little fish. I made them acquainted with the purpose of our visit, showing them an image of our Lady of Sorrows. This they received with much satisfaction, appearing, according to their behavior, ready to enroll under the banner of the Divine Savior. Finally, taking advantage of our good faith and confidence, they remained in the camp all night, receiving also refreshment from us and admiring exceedingly our clothing and ornaments.[16]
6th day and 26 [September]. In the morning of this day we talked to the Indians, who were still with us, exhibiting a desire to visit them in their village. Soon they offered their company and guidance. With this assurance we set forth, and having traveled about three leagues we arrived at the village.[17] It was situated on the other side of the river, hidden among some willow trees. It is called Nupchenche and may have about 250 souls, more or less, under their chief, called Choley. The reception they gave us was as follows. There came out a very old woman, who sprinkled us with seeds. Emerging at the same time, the chiefs led us to the interior of the village where between intertwined willow trees they had stretched out some mats and deerskins for our reception. On these they placed an abundance of their food, with two very white loaves of a seed which resembles our rice. Having made the effort to eat—for they are insulted if one slights the food—I went on to present the purpose of our visit. They all received my talk with pleasure and, having listened silently to the Divine Word, they begged to become Christians. I baptized 23 old women and 3 old men. The rest of the Indians regretted not being made Christians also. I explained the reasons why they must wait for a mission in order that they may reach Heaven. May Almighty God grant it to them. They wanted me to stay with them permanently, but since this could not be, I exhorted them always to seek baptism and forsake heathendom, especially when they found themselves in danger of death. All these lands are fine and well pastured. They abound in wild tomatoes.
7th day and 27 [September]. In the morning we crossed the river and, taking a northerly direction, we pushed through about a league of very high, thick tules, in the midst of which could be seen a few clearings well covered with grass. After traveling about three leagues, more or less, we stopped at a stream which runs from east to west.[18] It has no running water, only a few pools, where we were forced to pitch camp. From the point where we left the tule swamps to this place the land is really miserable. Salt flats and alkali patches, with innumerable ground-squirrel burrows are all that one can see. There are at this spot about sixty oak trees and a few willows in the bed of the stream. The forage was extremely scanty, and that the country appeared to have been burned over by the Indians did not conceal the fact that the land is very poor. Consequently there is little pasturage. This place is called the Mariposas [“the butterflies”] because of their great number, especially at night. In the morning they become extremely troublesome, for their aggressiveness reaches the point where they obscure the light of the sun. They came at us so hard that one of them flew into the ear of a corporal of the expedition. It caused him much discomfort and no little effort to get it out.
8th day and 28 [September]. This day, in spite of its being Sunday, the party was divided into three groups on account of the necessity of shifting camp. This in turn was due to the lack of water and grass. One group remained to guard the camp. Another turned north and the other east-northeast. Both these groups ran onto a fine river on the banks of which were many Indians. All these, however, began to run away as soon as they spied us. The Lieutenant was able to collect twelve by assuring them of our good will. The Sergeant, and I with him, going to the east-northeast, collected up to eighteen, but no matter how much he explained his good intentions, he could attract no one else. They were rendered deaf by their fear.
Lieutenant Don Gabriel received word of five other villages situated on the river at some distance from this one. In the latter were 250 souls, according to the information of the Indians. After having found some good spots for the horses and for a camp, they returned to the place on the Mariposa where they waited for the rest of the troops.
9th day and 29 [September]. The departure was arranged very early on this day, the direction east-northeast. Having traveled about three leagues, we encountered the river which was discovered the previous day. This river we call the Merced [Our Lady of Mercy]. It has fine meadows and is well populated with heathen Indians, as is attested by the many straight and wide footpaths which are found in all the meadows and along the banks of the river. We are hoping to find a place suitable for a foundation, for the entire river bottom possesses fine lands, well covered with grass and populated with oak trees. It all should be examined and everything as found should be recorded on the day it is inspected. The river has fine water, abundant in great measure for cattle, crops, etc. The borders of this river carry much willow, ash, poplar, and shrubbery.
We came upon two villages, but all the people had retreated to the mountains on account of the fear that beset them as soon as they detected our approach. In one of the villages we met an old woman who was not able to flee because she was completely incapacitated by age. As soon as we were able to approach her, she gathered strength in her decrepit bones and plunged into the river with a splash. One of the neophytes among the camp followers was forced to pull off his clothes in a great hurry and pull her out in spite of her attempt to surrender to the fury of the rough waves rather than come to us, even though we showed the greatest friendliness. Finally, having extricated her, we managed to calm her fright, by virtue of the kind treatment we gave her in accordance with our existing situation. As soon as she seemed to me to feel better I began to instruct her, setting before her the Kingdom of God and giving her as adequate a lesson as was permitted by the shortness of the time. I baptized her, she giving very clear evidence of the joy which filled her heart. Afterward, thoroughly exhausted, she was given a safe conduct, but even after she understood the meaning of this, she preferred to stay with us.[19]
10th day and 30 [September]. On this day one portion of the party went to the northwest and discovered another river similar to the Merced in its copious and Christian flow of water. But its banks are closer together. Another group went to the east, up the river. It found many heathen, without doubt from the five villages about which we had been given notice. At noon some heathen were seen among the willows along the river. They were hailed in the most friendly manner possible, but they showed themselves to be timid and did not dare to come out of their hiding places. Finally, convinced of our good faith and good intentions, three of them arrived at our camp. They were given something to eat and afterward a few presents were distributed among them, and then they were able to breathe freely. Then I told them how pleased I would be if they called their companions, and indeed they did so. In a short while they brought up to thirty persons, saying at the same time that the others were very much afraid and because of this did not wish to come. They entered the camp in this manner: on leaving the willow thicket along the river they laid down their weapons under a leafy oak tree and then in good order took the path to the encampment two by two, one of them in advance crying out in a loud voice. According to the interpreter, all he said consisted of a prayer for our friendship and of a demonstration of his good will. To this end it was decided to give them some food, and thereafter they went off very well content. They asked for a mission and baptism, after having been advised of the excellency of God and the benefit which would accrue to their souls. The Merced River is covered with wild vines and the Indians are bald and rather stupid. At this spot a cross was raised, which concluded the day.
11th day and 1 [October]. On this day the expedition continued in the same direction, toward the northwest, in search of the river discovered yesterday.[20] Having traveled about seven or eight leagues we reached it. It is a big river, as previously written while we were on the Merced. Its banks are close together and it provides only small meadows and a shortage of pasturage, because of the saline soil. We named this river Our Lady of Sorrows [Dolores] on account of its’ having been discovered on Her day in September. No heathen Indians were found on the river but we did see signs of several villages. No doubt those from the previous river [Merced] had brought them word, as a result of which they had taken flight. This was confirmed by the wide, heavily used trails which were encountered.
12th day and 2 [October]. In the morning we continued in the same direction as the day before and at about a league we came upon a dry creek bed full of sand but no water.[21] It could be a large river in the season of the rains or the melting snow. It has no border of oaks along its banks and few willows.