Note II'-23 — Chapter II · ITINERARY, CONTINUED: THROUGH OLD MEXICO, IN CHIHUAHUA, DURANGO, AND COAHUILA, TO THE PRESIDIO GRANDE, MARCH 22D-MAY 31ST, 1807.

Pelayo is the best-known place we have come to since leaving Guajuquilla, and easily found on modern maps by this name; it appears on Pike's map as "P[residio]. Pelia," and has been more fully called Hacienda de San José de Pelayo. The name is thus a personal one, though some have derived it from Sp. pelar, to boil, scald, with reference to the hot sulphur springs. (One Pelayo, Latinized Pelagius, founded the monarchy of Asturias in Spain early in the eighth century A. D. The form Palayo is also found.) The place is on the main road, about 25 m. from the crossing of Andabazo cr. "Pelayo," says Wislizenus, p. 67, "is a small village, or hacienda, with several good springs around it; some of common, others of higher temperature. The creek formed by them is, according to the Mexican statements, afterwards lost in the sand.... In Pelayo, a small but steep hill was fortified on the top, by walls of stone. This fortification was probably intended against General Wool's army. Two days before us [i. e., May 5th, 1847] Lieutenant Colonel Mitchell had arrived here with the vanguard [of Doniphan's troops], and seeing the inhabitants of the place organized as a military company, he made 30 of them prisoners, and took their arms from them; but upon their representation that they would by this act become a prey to the surrounding Indians, he restored them their arms, under the condition that they be used only for defence against Indians." That series of creeks flowing to the left, two of which have thus far been mentioned, are all crossed by the railroad, much E. of Pike's route; four places at or near which such crossings occur are named Escalon, Zavalza, Conejos, and Peronal—the two former in Chihuahua, the two latter in Durango, and the last of these being nearest the railroad crossing of the creek which flows through La Cadena, as about to be noted.