Escandon and Settlement of Lower Rio Grande, 1738-1779
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to report to Captain Joaquin Orobio y Basterra, of the Presidio of La Bahia, to accompany him in the exploration of the coast to the Rio Grande. But the detachment did not arrive at La Bahia until January 24, because of the heavy snows and the extremely cold weather encountered while on their way from Los Adaes. Five days later, on January 29, 1747, Captain Orobio y Basterra set out from La Bahia, accompanied by the twenty-five men from Los Adaes and twenty-five men from his own garrison. With him went Father Fray Juan Gonzalez, missionary of the College of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe of Zacatecas, in charge of the mission at La Bahia. It seems the winter was particularly severe this year, for even at La Bahia the soldiers were delayed by a heavy snowfall. Marching to the southwest, Orobio y Basterra arrived on the San Antonio River a few days later and camped at a spot which he named Santa Clara. The distance from La Bahia to the San Antonio was fourteen leagues, or slightly less than forty miles. He must have come to the river, therefore, somewhere west of present day Goliad. From here he explored the country still farther west, along the river for a distance of eight leagues but he found no suitable place for an irrigation ditch on account of the high banks of the stream. He described the lands, however, as being fertile, covered with abundant grass and good ·timber, and admirably suited to the raising of cattle and sheep. He returned to his camp at Santa Clara and continued his explorations to the east along the river. At a distance of about eight leagues he came to a place where the river bed is narrowed by two hills. At this site he thought it would be practical to dig an irrigation ditch to water a level valley about a league and a half in length, which lies to the north of the river, as well as other level pieces of land which could be cultivated for the maintenance of a mission. He called the place Santa Dorotea. In the vicinity he observed that there were timber, stone, and lime, all of which could be used for the construction of a presidio and mission. Six leagues beyond, the river entered the Bay of Espiritu Santo (San Antonio Bay) after flowing through heavy woods and underbrush. An examination of the bay disclosed that it was deep enough to accommodate small vessels to promote fishing, facilitate the transportation of timber, and permit the vigilance of the inlet and thus guard the coastal area against sudden attack. In the vicinity of Santa Dorotea lived a nation of Indians called Cujanes, consisting of about sixty families. Here also were found the Carancaguaces (Karankawas), which consisted of about one hundred
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