The Search far La Salle, 1685-1689
The third maritime expedition, 1687. As already indicated, worried over the long delay of Rivas and Iriarte, the viceroy had written Admiral Navarro on June 20, that it would be well for him to make ready and dispatch without delay two vessels from the fleet to go in search of the explorers, before the stormy season set in. Ten days after the receipt of the letter, Admiral Navarro had complied with the request. He selected Andres de Pez and Francisco Gamarra, both Captains of the Windward Squadron, to undertake the expedition. To these he gave a similar set of instructions to those prepared for Rivas and Iriarte, and placing seventy men on board each one of the two frigates, ordered them to sail on June 30. Hardly had the two vessels left port before the others arrived. Mes- sengers were sent posthaste to Tampico in an effort to stop them, but the two captains upon their arrival in that port, had been told that Rivas and Iriarte had met with misfortunes, according to the Indians, conse- quently they had left port before the messengers arrived. Following the coast more rapidly than the previous expedition, they soon arrived at the Rio de las Flores and hence explored the bay where the second wreck had been noted before. From here they appear to have gone on to Mobile Bay, but as their predecessors, they failed to note any trace of the French colony and they did not try to enter the mouth of the Mississippi. After leaving Mobile Bay, they attempted to explore Pensacola, but contrary winds made them desist from their purpose and they decided to return to Veracruz, where they arrived in September, less than three months from the date of their departure. They reported their observations and confirmed tr.e general impression that the ill-fated colony had met with disaster. 16 Fourtlt maritime expedition, 1687-1688. But the general feeling of relief, inspired by the certainty that the French attempt to occupy the Texas coast had failed miserably was not to last long. In September, 1687, Governor Munibe of Havana sent to Veracruz a certain Ralph Wilkinson, accused of piracy, who claimed to have definite information concerning a town called St. Jean, founded by the French on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Speaking of this interesting character, Dunn says: "Ralph 16 As in the case of the Rivas-Iriarte, the official diary of this expedition has not been found.. The details summarized here are taken from the following documents: The Viceroy to the King, July 25, 1687 ; the Viceroy to Navarro, June 20; Navarro to the Viceroy, June 24; and the Viceroy to the King, l\farch 20, 1688, all in A. G. I., A11diencia de Jlfh:;co, 61-6-20 (Dunn Transcript~, 1685-1688).
Powered by FlippingBook