O"r Catholic Heritage in Te%as
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sions and a presidia by the Spanish in the Province of the Tejas with gratification, the truth is that, regardless of St. Denis' attitude, the representatives of the French crown were opposed from the beginning to the Spanish settlement of Texas. They resented it as an encroach- ment upon territory to which France had acquired a legal claim by the efforts of La Salle. St. Denis, it is curious to observe in this respect, had been careful to take formal possession of the country of the Asinais in 1714, while on his way to the Rio Grande, even as La Salle had done almost thirty years before. 6 A well posted authority, in discussing St. Denis' expedition to Mexico (1713-1715), voices his disappointment with its outcome, saying, "He had to submit to conduct to the Asinais mis- sionaries and troops which were being sent to establish a post . . . Thus not only were all hopes founded on St. Denis' expedition destroyed, but the Spaniards, disturbed by the first attempt, put themselves in position to forbid us access to this territory." 1 Governor Cadillac, who dispatched St. Denis on the expedition, was of the same opinion and not only saw an obstacle to future expansion in the newly established missions but he feared the possible descent of the Spaniards to the Mississippi by way of the Red River. It was because of this fear that he ordered a fort to be erected among the Natchitoches.• It is further to be remembered that St. Denis wrote Cadillac from Mexico City in December, 1715, urging him to take possession of the Bay of San Bernardo immediately, before the Spaniards did. Referring to this incident, the governor declared in a report: "The Spaniards are going to occupy it in order to exclude us, and Sieur Saint Denis' letter makes known their alarm, to which Sieur Saint Denis has contributed much by not having followed his instruc- tions." But he goes farther to state that he "will give orders to Sieur Saint Denis to engage all the savages on Red River to oppose the estab- lishment of the Spaniards.'" The French, it is evident, did not regard the occupation with favor and were willing to tolerate it only until an opportunity offered to dislodge the Spaniards. In the meantime, they were actively enlisting the help of the Indians to discourage their per- manent stay. The loud threats made by Alarcon that he would drive the French out of :Katchitoches and his much talked ·of plans to occupy the country of 6Margry, o,P. cit., VI, 193. •Heinrich, La Louisia,,e sous la Com,Pagnie des /11des, 1717-1731, lxv. •~targry, o,P. cit., V, 535. 9/biJ., VI, 198-199.
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