San A11to11io de Valero and llfissionary Activity, 1716-1719 83
Ramon, junior, should be taken away from Coahuila. The latter accom- panied St. Denis to Mobile and seemed to have profited considerably, judging from his opulence since his return from East Texas.u Upon his arrival in Saltillo, he found a letter from Father Olivares waiting for him. After wishing him divine guidance in the great under- taking entrusted to him, and assuring him it would be a pleasure to carry out any instructions he might give him, the disappointed mis- sionary goes on to say that he arrived at the Mission of San Juan Bautista on May 3, with the intention of continuing on his journey to the San Antonio River without delay for the purpose of planting crops immedi- ately. The Rio Grande was very low at the time and could have been crossed with ease, but the governor of Coahuila and the Captain of San Juan Bautista failed to give him the escort ordered by the viceroy. Captain Ramon refused to let him have the eight men because he claimed he could not spare them, nevertheless he took a larger number and went to the Presidio of Coahuila just to see a bullfight. Father Olivares paints a gloomy picture of conditions at the Presidio of San Juan Bautista. "I have witnessed and experienced all that these holy religious in charge here suffer as a result of the negligence of Captain Ramon and the haughtiness of the Indians, who, encouraged by the captain, have lost all respect for the soldiers as well as for the Padres. The whole country from Coahuila to the Tejas is in revolt ( alsada) and there is no nation we can trust. ... Your Lordship will see for himself how the Indians steal from the Spaniards and will notice many articles which they have exchanged with those of Nadadores and Parral." The French come and go freely, he declares, and three were actually digging a mine at Coahuila, while four were at that time at the Presidio of San Juan Bautista. He closes by earnestly entreating Alarcon to enlist his men somewhere else than in Coahuila, as the people of this region are not dependable.1 6 Without answering the letter, Alarcon proceeded to the Rio Grande and reached the Presidio of San Juan Bautista on August 3, 1717. Two days later he took possession officially of the government of Coahuila and was duly sworn into office by the Cabildo of the Villa de Santiago de la Monclova, the capital of the province.17 Here, while making an extensive 15 Alarcon to the Viceroy, June 27, 1717, A. G. /., Audio1cia de Mexico, 61-6-33 (Dunn Transcripts). 16 Father Olivares to Alarcon, June 5, 1717. A. G. I .. Audit:ncia de ,llhico 61-6-35 (Dunn Transcripts). ' 17 Certificacion de! Cabildo, Justicia y Regimicnto de la Villa de Santiago de la Monclova, August 6, 1717, Provinci,u /11ter11<1s, Vol. 181, p. 221; Alarcon to the
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