from David Locklear ( for Texas history buffs only ) [ others should definitely hit delete button ]
This is a very long-winded follow-up to my previous post. I am only posting this because my earlier post came the day before it was announced on the news that some library archivist found an old map of Texas from 1844. So I decided to amend my history lesson to include a map image, and elaborate my thoughts in great detail. Before we get started, I would like to discuss the term "speleo-geography", which I am re-defining here as the study of politcal and cultural aspects near a karst region. ( not to be confused with Dunkley's definition, which I am not familiar with, nor its use in the mid-1960's in a few NSS science articles, also which I am not familiar with ) [ I have seen the word, speleography, used in a similar context, by Wayne White, but to me that is the study of the activities inside the cave or near the entrance, such as mining history ] So this is Part 2 of my previous post which should have been titled: "The Unique Speleo-Geography of Edwards, Uvalde, and Kinney Counties." by David Locklear The map link below shows a map more related to the point I was trying to make. http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/bradford-texas-1835-01.jpg A cartographer drew this map in 1835, the same year as the Battle of Gonzales ( see link at the bottom ). This page will let you zoom in some on the map by just right-clicking on your mouse. If you look at the area where Devil's Sinkhole is, you will see it is shown in the northern part of the Mexican State of Coahuila, as I earlier described. There were numerous maps from that era, and some dispute one another, especially in west Texas. Since the southern boundary then was the Nueces River, and it suddenly fizzles out and splits up in or near Edwards County, the cartographers had a problem. The border between Chihuahua and Coahila in the area of Devil's Sinkhole is difficult to decipher, but I am pretty sure the cave was in northern Coahuila. It might be interesting to find the spot where Chihuahua, Texas and Coahuila came together, and put a marker there. One would need to research some good maps of the that area from the 1830's to verify. My guess is that it would be in the town of Rocksprings, but not any further east of there, and certainly no further west than the Devil's River, as the maps show the northern boundary of Chihuahua there to be a group of hills and not a river. ( I have another theory that the northern boundary of Edwards County is related to this historical spot, but that is for somebody else to research ) The historical point I am trying to make with all of this hoopla, is that the complicated history of the region where the cave lies, is also related to the history of Coahuila. Since that state did not get its statehood, until 1824. it could be stated that Devil's Sinkhole was, for about 275 years, in an area known as "La Nueva Extremadura," and the city of Monclova was the controlling government body of the cave area. But the indians still thought they owned it. Surely the Lipan Apache or Commanches controlling that area, called the region something else. ( see photo link at bottom of some of the last known indians from the area ) The language and culture appears to be extinct. Only about 200 people claim any affiliation to them ( see link at the bottom ) It is also worth noting that from the perspective of the people of Coahuila, that Devil's Sinkhole was briefly ( in 1840 ) in a nation called, "The Republic of the Rio Grande." ( That is why I was saying Devil's Sinkhole was never really in The Republic of Texas. ) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_the_Rio_Grande So the new map ( in yesterday's news ), shows that as early as 1844, the U.S. Gov't considered the region where Devil's Sinkhole lies to be in Texas. I do not think that is news to anybody, but it further confirms the early history of the war to occupy and steal that territory from Mexico. It is a known fact that U.S. troops occupied the disputed border area ( in Brownsville ) before the war officially started. On a related note, Most people think that after 1848, everything was normal along the Rio Grande, and both sides lived happily ever after. But the river changed course. ( see link at the bottom ) Feel free to correct me on any of this. Also, A geography student, and someone more poetic than me, and more of a history buff, might be able to expand on this and put something on paper worth reading. ( I actually did complete a geography course at A&M, and had a similar term paper ) David Locklear Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siete_Leyes#mediaviewer/File:Political_divisions_of_Mexico_1836_(location_map_scheme).svg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gonzales http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamizal_dispute http://www.philaprintshop.com/images/carhartmex.jpg http://casitasdegila.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/march12.jpg http://www.lipanapache.org/StateRecognition/StateRecognitionEvent.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thornton_Affair _______________________________________________ Texascavers mailing list | http://texascavers.com Texascavers@texascavers.com | Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/texascavers@texascavers.com/ http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers
