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French Settlement and Spain's Renewed Interest
Antonio River, St. Denis remarked how suitable this location was for the establishment of a large settlement and a presidio. Upon his arrival he presented to the astonished commander of the Presidio of San Juan Bautista his passport, declaring that he had set out from Louisiana to purchase grain and cattle, which were greatly needed at Mobile, from the missions thought to exist among the Tejas; that having found the missions abandoned, and learning from the Indians that the Spanish settlements were not far away, he had continued his march to the Rio Grande for the same purpose. Here was a frank avowal of a desire to establish trade with the northern provinces of New Spain. Less than two years before, the viceroy had circulated the strictest orders to all frontier commanders against the introduction of foreign mer- chandise and the entrance of foreigners under whatever pretext. He had no choice in the matter but to follow the orders received and arrest the intruders, holding them until further instructions were received from the viceroy, to whom, in accordance with the orders issued in 1713, he had to give notice.7'' With characteristic Spanish courtesy, however, the captain placed the Frenchmen under nominal arrest and lodged them in his own house, treating them with the greatest kindness while he awaited the reply of the viceroy. St. Denis and his companions were still at San Juan Bautista on February 15, 1715. On that date he secretly wrote a letter to the Governor of Louisiana to inform him of what had happened since their arrival on the Rio Grande. He explained that the captain of the presidio had been exceedingly kind, that he could escape with ease but preferred to stay. "As seeing a good fortune before my eyes and wishing to put my name in repute, I rejoice at all that may happen, for I fear nothing from these people or from Mexico." He concludes with an appeal to the governor for his patronage. "After the risks I have run and the services which I have rendered to the public, I flatter myself that you will serve as my here who returned to Mobile, left four among the Tejas and continued to the Rio Grande with three companions. What source he used, is not known. St. Denis him- self declared that twenty-one of the twenty-four who set out with him left him at the Asinai to return to Mobile. This leaves him three companions, as Morfi states. Naturally St. Denis gave no details as to the exact time when the various mem- bers of the expedition left him. Clark, o,p. cit., 12-13; Morfi's History of Teras, Paragraphs 192, 194, 195; Declaracion, San Francisco el Grande Arc/1ive, VIII, 30-31. •'Recomendaciones del Fiscal, in Provincias /nlernas, Vol. 181, p. 11. ,1/irico, A rcltivo General de la Nacion.
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