Plans for tl,,e Reorganization of tlie Frontier
221
Island seems to have been St. Joseph, opposite present Copano Bay, where Indians of this tribe lived. Before Parrilla left La Bahia and made his report to the viceroy, he asked Captain Manuel Ramirez de la Piscina to offer suggestions. The aged and experienced old commander confirmed everything that had been said by the different persons who had been examined by Colonel Parrilla. In his opinion, the best way to safeguard the entire coast was to establish a small detachment of soldiers under a subaltern officer on the coast at a point approximately half way between the Guadalupe and the Nueces Rivers. This detachment should be provided with two boats of small draft fitted with sails and oars. In this way the men could make periodic inspections of the entire coast line from La Bahia del Espiritu Santo through that of Santo Domingo, to Corpus Christi and beyond to the mouth of the Rio Grande. Such a measure would prevent smuggling, give timely notice of the presence of foreigners, and save the unfortunate victims wrecked on the coast from the bar barbarous treatment and cruel death dealt them by the fierce Karankawas and other coastal tribes. 34 Suggestion for coast guard. The English scare had been pro\·ed false. But as a result of the unfounded rumors a careful exploration of the Gulf Coast from the Trinity to the mouth of the Rio Grande had been conducted and detailed information about the coast, its bays, and the adjacent islands had been gathered. On June 23, 1767, the new viceroy, the :\larques de Croix, informed the king that the reported plans of the English to occupy the Bay of San Bernardo and to establish a line of forts on the Gulf Coast were unfounded. They had very likely been originated by the commission entrusted to Colonel Ortiz Parrilla by the Marques de Cruillas. The officer at Natchitoches had probably obtained a distorted idea of actidties through the soldiers at Los Adaes, when the Governor of the Province of Texas had been notified as a matter of form to extend such aid as might he needed to Colonel Parrilla. The reports of Ulloa and Conde de Fuentes. the viceroy assured the king, had no foundation in fact. The king expressed his approval of all that had been done and thanked the Yiceroy for his solidtude on October 2 I. I 767 . 35 34 CttrlificacMn by Manuel Ramirez de la Piscina, October 1-1, 1 ;66. In ibid. . 33-35. :ISMarques de Croix to the king, June 23, 1767. A.G. I., ../udi,uui<J de G11,1<ial<Jjar,1 (Dunn Tr. 1767) p. 130; Arriaga to the Viceroy, October .?t. 1;6;, Rt1,1/,;1 (.:i.111!,1•• 1678-1772 (Bolton Tr.) p. 155.
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