96 
The Colorado River 
Cosninos, the Colorado, but he was unable to accomplish his 
purpose. Had he once had a view of the Grand Canyon it 
would undoubtedly have saved him a good many miles of 
weary travel in his northern entrada of this same year that 
Garces reached Oraibi. 
Garces was not permitted to enter the house where his 
Yabipai guide intended to stop, and he therefore made his way 
to a corner formed by a jutting wall, and there unsaddled his 
faithful mule, which the Yabipai took to a sheep corral. The 
padre remained in his corner, gathering a few scattered corn¬ 
stalks from the street, with which he made a fire and cooked a 
little atole. All day long the people came in succession to 
stare at him. I can testify to the sullen unfriendliness of the 
Oraibi, and I have seen few places I have left with greater 
pleasure than that I felt when, in 1885, I rode away from this 
town. Garces was not able to make a favourable impression, 
and after considering the feasibility of going on to Zuni, and 
deciding against it, he thought he would visit the other towns 
with a hope of being better received, but a few yells from some 
herders sent him back to his Yabipai guide and several friendly 
Zunis at Oraibi, where he occupied his corner again. In the 
morning he perceived a multitude approaching, some bedecked 
with paint and feathers, and when four of these came forward 
and ordered him to leave he held up his crucifix and assured 
them of his desire to do good to them. They made wry faces 
and cried ‘‘No, no,” so that he called for his mule and de¬ 
parted, smiling upon them as he went. He returned by the 
same route. It was the 4th of July when Garces was expelled 
by the Oraibis, a declaration of independence on their part 
which they have maintained down to the present day. That 
other Declaration of Independence was made on this same day 
on the far Atlantic coast. The Colonies were engaged in their 
battle for freedom, but no sound of that strife then reached 
New Mexico, yet its portent was great for that region where, 
three-quarters of a century later, the flag of the Great Re¬ 
public should float triumphant over all. 
Garces reached the Colorado once more on July 25th, his 
arduous journey absolutely fruitless so far as missionary work 
