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Our Catholic Heritage in Texas
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fleet. The boat would be easily captured and precious time would be lost. With but one dissenting vote it .was agreed that Arriola should leave immediately for l'vlexico. Accordingly on February 2, he embarked for Veracruz, leaving Francisco Martinez, 17 an experienced officer, in charge of the fort. Upon his arrival in Veracruz, Arriola found Spanish officials deeply concerned over what at that time was considered the most serious aggres- sion of Spain's colonial empire. From Caracas and from Havana conclu- sive evidence of a contemplated Scotch settlement on the Isthmus of Darien had been sent to the viceroy with an urgent appeal for immediate help to ward off this grave menace to the interests of the king. The dis- quieting news of the French on the Gulf coast now brought by Arriola only added to the already tense situation. Special councils were ordered to meet both in Veracruz and in Mexico City to discuss the situation and decide on a course of action. The majority of the officials was inclined to consider the danger from the French as more imminent and of more serious consequences to New Spain than the remote peril of Darien. But the viceroy, with a broader view of things, would not be convinced, and steadfastly refused to allow any action to be taken with regard to the French until the threat of a Scotch settlement at Darien was past. He firmly believed that the French, upon finding Pen- sacola previously occupied, had returned home. In spite of all the efforts of Arriola, action was deferred for almost a year. 18 In the meantime the French settlers gained a secure foothold. Iberville returned to the settlement at Biloxi on January 8, 1700. During his absence an English corvette carrying twelve guns, had entered the Mis- sissippi but Bienville had succeeded in forcing it to leave. This news, however, and the fact that English traders from Carolina were among the Chickasaws, made Iberville take immediate steps to establish a fort on the banks of the river. He placed four guns there and gave the com- mand to Bienville and M. de Saint Denis, "a Canadian of noble birth," 17 Francisco Martinez had accompanied De Leon's expedition to Texas in x689 and had also been in Texas with Teran in 1691. When it was decided to occupy Pensacola, he was made sergeant major and second in command of the expedition under Arriola. Dunn, op. cit., 108, 132, 133, 137, 179. 11£/ Virrey de Na. Espa,ia Da que11ta a V Al. con Autos de las ,provide11cias qtte a,Plico ,pa. que los 11auios del gl. Don 1lfa11. de Zavala ,pasase11 al exterminio de escozeces . •. July 14, 1699. 16 pp. (Dunn Transcripts).
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