Early Exploration of the Coast of Texas
19
of Jamaica was preparing a long and detailed report concerning his activities in exploring and settling the country discovered at his expense. Late in 1520, or perhaps early in 1521, he dispatched Juan Lopez de Torralva, a member of his household, to Spain, with samples of the gold obtained by Pineda and the map of his explorations, to request a grant or patent from the king to settle the land. 47 He pointed out the friendly nature of the Indians, their inclination to Christianity, and the wealth and natural resources of the country. The king granted the request and authorized Garay to settle the lands discovered at his own expense. 41 In the charter it was declared that it was his will that the Holy Catholic Faith be planted in the new lands and that the natives be converted and brought to a knowledge of that religion, so that they might live as Christians. As there was no possibility at the time to determine the respective boundaries of the discoveries recently made by the A delantados Diego Velazquez, Juan Ponce de Loon, and Garay, from the information available in Spain, it was declared that the newly appointed Veedor Cristobal de Tapia, Governor of the lands and islands discovered by Velazquez, had been authorized to delineate their respective jurisdictions. The portion of the lands that might fall within the jurisdiction of Garay was to be known as Amichel. He was ordered to name all towns discov- ered and to see that the natives were given instruction in the faith. In selecting sites for settlements, he was advised to choose such locations as were not subject to floods, whose climate was healthy, and which could be easily reached by water in order that the natives might not be com- pelled to carry supplies and other heavy burdens on their backs. Whenever possible, he should induce them to become Christians by mild and fair means. He should make no repartimiento of natives among the Spanish settlers. The wives and children of the Indians must be respected so as to avoid the serious consequences which their maltreatment brought about elsewhere. All forms of gambling were to be prohibited and serious 47 Cardenas y Cano, Ensayo Cro11ologico, 4; Oviedo, Historia, I, 582. Oviedo says Torralva was sent to Spain in 1519, obviously an error, since in the cedula or grant, dated 1521, at Burgos, a summary of Pineda's explorations is made and the date I 5 I 9 given. That the petition in which this account was transmitted must have been sent late in I 520 is likewise evident from the fact that mention is made of having dispatched a second expedition, the one of Camargo. "Navarrete, Real ccdula da11do facullad a Francisco de Garay para poblar la provincia de Amichel, e11 la cos/a firme que co11 navios armados por s11 cuente para b11scar 1111 estrecho l1abia reconocido, III, I 47-1 53. This royal c;dula is dated at Burgos, in the year 1521, but day or month is not indicated.
Powered by FlippingBook