That Disturbances Cease: The Journals of Don Diego de Vargas, New Mexico 1697-1700 (review)

Over the past several decades, scholars have called for an overhaul, or at least a modification, of the "grand narrative" of American History—one that is more inclusive and that tells not only the story of the dominant culture, but also speaks to and legitimizes the experiences of traditionally marginalized groups. Many professional historians who specialize in the history of the United State generally recognize the timeliness of such an endeavor and would be willing participants therein. But, from what sources can one draw to recast history? Unfortunately, because of the lack of rigorous language training in graduate education, most U.S. historians are not up to the task of delving into primary sources in any language other than English. Fortunately, on the other hand, there exist in the subfield of Latino/Chicano/Mexican-American history a growing number of good, reliable translations of important source material that might serve as a point of entry for the English-only crowd to gain a different perspective on the early history of what is now the United States. The series entitled "The Journals of don Diego de Vargas" has played an important part in this initiative.

With wide ranging support from individuals and local, state, and federal entities (including the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Historical Publications and Records Commission), the editorial team at the Vargas Project has produced over the years excellent scholarly translations of Spanish colonial documents that deal with one of the crucial figures in the history of New Mexico: don Diego de Vargas Zapata Luján Ponce de León, Marqués de la Nava de Barcinas. It was Diego de Vargas who in 1692 led the successful effort to reclaim the "kingdom" of New Mexico for the Spanish crown, after the Spaniards had been driven from the upper Rio Grande Valley in the wake of the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. Previous volumes of the series detail the circumstances of Vargas's reconquest of New Mexico and his role in reestablishing Spanish rule and consolidating the crown's authority in the region. His success as pacificador was the high point of his career. The present volume (fifth in the series) examines the period in which Vargas's fortunes took a turn for the worse, a three-year nightmare from 1697 to 1700 during which Vargas was placed under arrest by his successor and bitter rival, Pedro Rodríguez Cubero, and subjected to a judicial investigation on charges of fraud, malfeasance, endangering the lives of the settlers, and scandalous behavior. The acrimony between contending parties of government officials, colonists, and Franciscan missionaries seemed to pose a threat to the continued existence of the colony itself. Taken as a whole, the documents presented herein shed considerable light on the workings of Spanish colonial institutions and on the dynamics of inter-ethnic squabbling in this province located on New Spain's northern frontier.

Like other volumes in the series, That Disturbances Cease features translations of the highest caliber, done with precision and care, and effective narrative introductions that provide context within both local and imperial frameworks to facilitate a more thorough understanding of the documentary record. There is, however, one thorny editorial issue of which potential buyers and users of this book should be aware. Apparently to avoid duplication of information, the editors have chosen in many instances to refer readers to citations and notes found in previous volumes. While understandable, perhaps, that editorial decision might well lead to considerable frustration for those who have at their disposal this volume alone and who do not have the previous tomes readily at hand. This minor criticism aside, the editors of the Vargas Project continue as paragons of the often under-appreciated craft of scholarly translation. Their efforts, as well as others...