Establislm1e11t of San Fernando de Bejar, r723-r73r
279
an adequate guard and under the care of an able guide or conductor and to allow them to rest from their long trip here, while the Governor of Texas and the Captain of the Presidio of San Antonio could make the arrangements for their reception. The necessary supplies, horses, mules, tools, clothes, tents, and other things necessary for the journey must be gathered and made ready in the meantime. He inclosed a detailed itinerary that should be followed in conducting them from Veracruz to Cuatitlan, one of the outskirts of Mexico City, and he sug- gested that Francisco Duval, a resident of Mexico, be appointed as guide. 16 The recommendations of Rivera were immediately referred to Olivan Rebolledo, the At,ditor de Guerra, who, on July 17, informed the vice- roy that he agreed with all the suggestions made by Brigadier Rivera as to the arrangements for the removal of the settlers to Cuatitlan and hence to Texas. He approved the selection of Francisco Duval as con- ductor and said that the overland route was preferable to the sea voy- age. He fully endorsed the idea of establishing the families in the vicinity of the Presidio of San Antonio de Bejar. Thus the final des- tination of the Canary Islanders was definitely determined in this report. With his accustomed care, the Auditor pointed out that the daily jour- neys suggested in the itinerary prepared by Rivera were too long for women with young children and advised that the guide or conductor be allowed to use discretion. He concluded by declaring that the group of ten families was the minimum number required by the Laws of the Indies for the establishment of a town. This entitled the settlers to organize their own civil government, to receive lands for the construction of their homes and the sowing and raising of crops, to have a church and town hall, and to build a town with a public square and regularly planned streets.17 It will be remembered that up to this time no word had been said in the royal orders concerning the establishment of an independent municipality by the Canary Islanders, although this pur- pose has been properly inferred. It was Olivan Rebolledo, however, who called the attention of the viceroy to the advisability of permitting them to found a separate town and the granting to them of all the rights and 16Report of Rivera, summarized in the Opi11io11 del A11ditor, July 17, 1730. A. G. I., A11die11cia de Guadalajara, 67-4-48 (Dunn Transcripts, 1710-1738}. 1 7 Opinion del Auditor de Guerra, July 17, 1730. A. G. I., Audiencia de Guada- lajara, 67-4-38 (Dunn Transcripts).
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