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U T A H HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
MIERA'S R E P O R T Sacred Royal Catholic Majesty-^My Lord: Burning in me is the desire to spread our Holy Faith and to serve your Majesty; the force of my loyalty and love for your Majesty compels me to give you a brief account in this letter, guiding myself by the experience of many years and the services I have rendered your Majesty which appear in the archives of the Viceroys of New Spain, during the time in which the Count of RevillaGigedo 39 and the Marquis de las Amarillas 40 were governors, and finally by the services which I have just completed for your Majesty at the risk of my life in the company of the Franciscan monks, Fray Atanasio Dominquez, inspector and custodian, and Fray Silvestre Velez de Escalante (in all we were twelve persons), passing through vast lands and various countries mentioned in the Journal and Itinerary kept by the above-mentioned Fathers and visible on the plan and map drawn by myself, which is included with the aforementioned Journal, which we sent to your Majesty in the care of Don Pedro Fermin de Meridinueta, Governor of New Mexico. W e took a northwest course from this province traveling up to a latitude of 42 degrees, with the intention of arriving at the port of Monterey on our return in the circle we were following; but to our great sorrow we could not reach it for the reasons we explain in our Itinerary and Journal. It is certain, my Lord, that several tribes desire to be baptized, especially the Timpanogos and the Barbones [Bearded Indians] of the Salt Valley [Valle Salado] and Miera Lake. These two tribes with flowing tears showed the commendable desire to become Christians. To succeed in saving these souls, some difficulties may present themselves, such as the great distance and the serious threat of the enemy tribe of the Apaches, which is the one which at present is raiding these territories. All these difficulties can be overcome by the Will of God, the power of your Majesty and the good intentions and capable work of your loyal ministers. The base and the principal means for accomplishing our aim is the protection of the port of Monterey by means of two other towns, close to it, with communication by the sea route from New Galicia with every necessary convenience for a well-ordered town. Your Majesty should also give serious consideration to the matter of improving the means of communication between the two provinces of Sofiora and New Mexico with the ports already established or which may be built in the future on the California coast by furnishing these towns with cattle, sheep and horses and providing the soldiers in the forts with horses. All necessary material and animals should be brought by land, 89. 1746-1766. 40. 1766-1758.
