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Om- Catleolic Heritage in Texas
so that he might prevent the possibility of a surprise."' The viceroy adopted the various suggestions made by Rivera and ordered that they be put into effect. On July 30, the orders for the purpose were issued and on August 8 they were sent to the captains of the Presidios of San Antonio and La Bahia for their execution. Before these instructions were received, Captain Costales again wrote to the viceroy to inform him that he was doing everything in his power to maintain the peace with the Indians and to conclude a treaty with the two nations that had as yet not come to an agreement. These had prom- ised to assemble with their chiefs, but up to the time of his letter, written on June 1, 1731, they had failed to fulfill their promise, although they had engaged in no hostilities during all the year. He promised to observe most faithfully the regulations with regard to trade with foreigners, par- ticularly in dry goods. He called the attention of His Excellency, how- ever, to the extreme need of salt which this post was experiencing and asked for permission to go in person or send a detachment of soldiers to secure a supply from the salines discovered by his predecessor in order to stock the presidio for a year or two. He assured the viceroy that he was not moved by any selfish motives in making this request and that he had in view only the welfare of the garrison and mission. 65 As usual, the letter was immediately referred_to Rivera, who in his reply explained that the proposal to extract salt from the salines dis- covered about fifty leagues to the south of La Bahia had been previously made and rejected as inadvisable. He affirmed that he was still of the same opinion for the reasons he had previously stated. If it had been deemed inexpedient for this enterprise to be undertaken. in the time of Captain Bustillo y Ceballos, when the presidio had a few more men at its disposal than it had now, it was still more so in the present instance, as the force that could be detailed for this purpose would be smaller and the garrison left to guard La Bahia would be inadequate. This division would expose both the escort and the presidio to destruction by the Indians if they became aroused as a result of this activity. The lack of salt could be remedied by securing it from the same source that the other supplies for the post and the mission were obtained. Thus there would be much less risk of giving occasion for dissatisfaction among the 6'0pini6n del Brigadier Rivera, April I 6, I 7 3 I. A. G. N., Provincias lnternas, Vol. 236. 65Captain Gabriel Costales to the Viceroy, June I, 1731. A. G. N., Provindas /11ter11as, Vol. 236. •
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