The Searcli for La Salle, 1685-1689
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new official the two explorers turned in their detailed report and the map they had drawn of the coast. The Count of Galve, after studying the report and the details of all the previous efforts that had been made to find the elusive colony by sea, concluded, with much reason, that it would be best to abandon further maritime expeditions and to continue the search by land from the northern frontier. He consequently made no changes in the orders, which his predecessor had given for the land expedition, which De Leon was to undertake in the spring of 1689, preparations for which went on with all diligence." Fourtli expedition of De Leon and the finding of La Salle's colony, 1689. It is necessary to go back in our narrative a few months to pick up the thread of the fourth land expedition from Coahuila and Nuevo Leon. Afte:· the examination of the report of Alonso de Leon on the capture of Jean Gery and the interrogation of the prisoner, the Count of Monclova called a Junta General, General Council, of all the high officials of New Spain to determine what action should be taken in view of the new information acquired. The ltmta met on July 23. After due deliberation it was decided that in spite of the confusing nature of the replies made by the prisoner and the very remote possibility of their being true, that "an entrada be undertaken by land after the rainy season, when the large and dangerous rivers of the coast had receded; and that His Excellency issue such orders for that purpose as he deemed prudent, appointing the said Captain Alonso de Leon, as the principal leader, to insure its success." One hundred men should be placed at his disposal for the expedition, fifty of whom were to be taken from the presidios of Cerro Gordo, Cuencame, El Gallo, Conchos and Casas Grandes, in the Province of Nueva Vizcaya, and fifty to be enlisted in Coahuila and Nuevo Leon. 47 The viceroy approved all the recommendations of the ]tmta and imme- diately began to take steps to put them into execution. Calling Captain 46 Viceroy to King, June 17, 1689, A.G./., A11die11cia de Mexico, 61-6-20 (Dunn Transcripts, 1688-1 690). 47 Recomendaciones de Ia Junta General, July 23, 1688, in Auttos y Diligencias q se an Executado pr. el Capn Alonso de Jeon gouor de la prova de coaguila . . . A. G. I., A11die11da de Jllexico, 61-6-20 (Dunn Transcripts, 1685-1688). At the time Clark wrote Tlze Begi1111i11gs of Texas, the sources for this expedition were very meager. Mas~anet's Carta, Velasco·s Dictamen Fiscal, 1716; and the decidedly defi- cient copy of the diary in Vol. 27 of Historill, were the chief documents. Since then much additional material giving first-hand information has become available. Ref- erence to these new sources will be made in the remainder of our account.
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