Our Catltolic Heritage in Texas
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these reasons Delgado well merits a place among the early explorers of the southern portion of the United States." 34 Although Governor Cabrera was desirous of organizing another expe- dition to continue the search from Mobila westward, the opposition of the officials in Florida, and the renewal of the intensive search for the French colony from New Spain after the arrival of Viceroy Monclova, prevented him from carrying out his plans. De Leon's third expedition into Texas. After the fruitless attempt to find the French in the previous year, Alonso de Leon had been authorized by the viceroy to establish a villa and presidio with thirty families in Coahuila, making him, at the same time, governor of this province. While busily engaged in putting down a revolt of Toboso Indians, which was interfering with the establishment of his proposed villa, he learned of the presence of a Frenchman, just a short distance beyond the Rio Grande. In May, 1688, Governor Leon had sent a Tlax- caltecan Indian named Agustin into the region north of Coahuila to secure allies against the Tobosos. While on this mission Agustin crossed the Rio Grande and came to a large ranclzeria ruled by a white chief. The Indians took him into the presence of their ruler and made him kneel before him. He found the chief to be a man about fifty years old, white like the S!)aniards, but naked, with his body painted after the fashion of the Indians. He sat with great solemnity upon a bench covered with buffalo skins. On either side stood an Indian warrior, fanning him in oriental fashion. Through signs and interpreters, this august personage informed Agustin that he was a Frenchman, that he had been sent by God to found pueblos among the natives and to help them in their wars against their enemies. The Tlaxcaltecan told him of Governor Leon, whereupon the white chief expressed a desire to see him. He gave Agustin some pages from a French book to carry to the Spaniards as a message. 35 Governor Leon was staying at the pueblo of San Francisco de los Tlaxcaltecas, near the present site of Monclova, at this time. As soon as he heard the story of Agustin and saw the pages from the French book, which he sent on to the viceroy, he concluded that the white chief 3 4 Dunn, Spanisl, a11d French Rivalry, 74. 35 Auto de Alonso de Leon, May 18, 1688, in Auttos y Diligencias q se han Executado .. . A . G. I., Audie11cia de Mexico, 61-6-20 (Dunn Transcripts, 1685- 1688).
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