In the Lt. William Echols Camel Expedition Map, 1859-60 map, and diary, (see map page), Echols describes a watering place called LaHita, and lists it on the map.   This location is what appears to be Coltrin's Camp, (as shown on the 1902 Terlingua District map).   Echols refers to Lachita Crossing, and La Hita.    In most of the early (1855 to 1880's) maps that title Terlingua Creek, it is listed as names that are very similar to Lates Lengua.   Lengua is described in Spanish as where a smaller body of water joins a bigger body of water.  Lengua also means tongue in Spanish.   Where Terlingua Creek meets the Rio Grande, the creek often has water at this joining, and is quite large after rains.  And everyone familiar with Terlingua Creek knows that the watershed for this creek extends almost to just South of Alpine, at the O2 Ranch.    Since Echols knew of the name La Hita, or Lachita, the name was probably used in maps that they may have been using, many likely being hand drawn sketches.   But the name La Hita existed prior to Echols expedition.    As time would progress, one can see how the name pronunciation, Lahitas, (for Lajitas) could have been "Anglicized"  into the word Lates.    Just miles from the "Lachitas" crossing,(from Echols' diary, meaning the San Carlos crossing),  the large river of the Rio Grande, at the "Grande Puerta", (Grand Door), or Mouth as we call it today, the Lengua backed up into this larger body of water, at the Mouth of the Santa Elena Canyon.  The early cartographers could have described this body of water as belonging to the Lachitas or La Hita.   

 

Therefore, here it seems possible that  the name Lajitas Lengua  could easily have been heard or written on paper, and corrupted by the Anglos as "Lates Lengua".   This corruption could have initially occurred with an error in tracing, or copying a poor copy of another map, which is how maps were copied by the early mapmakers.   This is just a theory, my observation from studying the many maps that I have so far seen.   It could change however, should I find evidence indicating otherwise in future finds.   But in the last three years of locating and studying old maps, this theory holds for me at the present time.    Thanks for taking the time to read my version.

How does Lates Lengua evolve into Terlingua.   We  have maps that show how Terlingua  (or Tarlinga) is listed simultaneously with Lates Lengua, (see the military maps of 1883 & also 1884).   County Survey Maps and survey field notes by Gano, the Deputy surveyor for Presidio County in the 1880's, recorded the creek  as TOS LINGUAS and TASA LINGUAS ARROYA.   These copies are hard to scan, but I'll have them on the site in the future.   And I'm still researching for  more clues and  future finds in old maps and documents.