Ortr Catholic Heritage in Texas
112
Gordo (Thick Neck) said that in the attack on San Saba, the northern tribes had not started the fighting. He blamed the Spanish guards on the stockade for firing the first shots. 16 In an official communication to the Governor of Texas a few days later, Le Blanc emphatically denied the charge that the French were to blame for the attack on San Saba or for inciting the northern tribes to hara~s the Spanish frontier posts. Such accusations and suspicions were unfounded and constituted a rank calumny. In support of the good will and coopera- tion which the French had always evinced, he recalled the Blancpain incident. His refusal to incite the Bidais and Attacapas to attack the small Spanish party that had arrested him had prevented the shedding of Spanish blood. He explained that a few days after the arrest of Blancpain, a group of Indians had come to him and offered to drive the Spaniards from East Texas, but he had dissuaded them from their purpose by telling them that the French and Spaniards were friends. It was the Spaniards, he declared, who refused to cooperate with the French. He had returned the articles obtained by Saint Quentin at the risk of his life, yet the Spaniards had refused to make any recompense to the Frenchman for the goods he had lost in obtaining the sacred objects. This was not the only instance of lack of cooperation. He cited the case of a soldier named Bontin, a French deserter who had taken refuge at Los Adaes a short time before, carrying with him a number of stolen objects. When the governor was requested to return the deserter and the stolen property to Natchitoches, he had refused to do so. But now the Spaniards were demanding the return of the leaders in the attack on San Saba. Governor Kerlerec had written him to use his influence with the friendly tribes of the north to obtain th is object and he was trying to comply with the request, but it was not in his power to carry out the orders he had received. Frencli disclaim responsibility for Indian lrostility. Cesa1· Le Blanc warns tlie Spa11ia1·ds. He concluded his communication by stating that the Iscanis. Taovayas, Tonkawas, and Comanches were neg-otiating a treaty and making arrangements to attack the Spaniards. who should beware, for these Indians greatly outnumbered them. Further- more. he had recently learned that the Asinais had visited the Tawakonis in their \'illage and made a hostile harangue against the Spaniards. It was known that the Tawakonis had been helped by the Nasonis in their
16 /bid., 268-269.
Powered by FlippingBook