Om- Catlzolic Heritage in Texas
The instructions provided that the expedition should sail from Veracruz directly to the Bay of San Bernardo or Espiritu Santo, where it was, first of all, to examine the buoys. If they marked the entrance to a navigable river, it was to be carefully explored and mapped. If the stream did not lead to the French fort or to the new mission, its exploration should be abandoned "since the present expedition is directed solely [for the purpose of learning] which [one] of the rivers coming from the province of the Tejas, or passing near it and emptying into this bay, is navigable and crosses the region between that province and the gulf." Cardenas was to draw a careful map of the bay and all the surrounding country, showing in detail all the streams that flowed into it, the relative depth of their channels, and the main entrance to the bay itself. This, which was Caballo Pass, was to be carefully examined to determine if it were possible to close it by placing an obstruction in it. Captain Salinas Varona, who had previously visited the site of La Salle's fort with De Leon, was to go to its ruins and unearth the artillery which had been buried. If the location was deemed suitable for the erection of a fort, he was to leave the cannons there, but if not, he should bring them back to Veracruz. 30 The expedition finally set out from Veracruz on October 14. Making its way directly to San Bernardo Bay, present Lavaca, it proceeded to examine the buoys, the coast, and the neighboring streams with great care. The buoys were found to be nothing more than two old logs brought down by the currents and cast on end. Needless to say, they were promptly removed. No navigable river to the Tejas country was discovered, how- ever, but the bay was carefully explored and an excellent drawing, which fortunately has come down to our day, was made of it. "The map is so accurate," declares Bolton, "that we are able to identify practically every point which Llanos, Salinas, and Cardenas visited; and there can be no question as to its reliability. It is the work of a skilled and careful engineer." 31 30 The above summary of the decree and instructions of the viceroy are taken from Testimo. de las Dilixs. executadas para guitar las Boyas, 6 Valisas en el Lago de Sn. Bernando que llaman Vahia del Spiritu Sto., A. G. /., A11diencia de Mexico, 6 r-6-2 r (Dunn Transcripts, 1688-1 690), 3-8. For a detailed account of this expe- dition by means of which the location of La Salle's colony was first definitely estab- lished by modern historians, see Bolton, "The Location of La Salle's Settlement," The Quarterl-y, XXVII , r7r-189. 31Bolton, np. cit., 178-r79. A drawing, based on a photograph of the original map still extant in the archive!; of Seville. is reproduced in this article.
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