Plans for tlee Reorganization of tlee Frontier
2 53
intended as the end of the reorganized line of presidios, it would be best to allow La Bahia to remain on the San Antonio River, where a sub- stantial settlement had grown up whose colonists had developed extensive cattle ranches. This place could be reenforced with such families from Los Adaes as chose to come to this presidio instead of San Antonio. The natives in the vicinity, who were the Cujanes, Piguiquis (Pihuiques), Jaranames, and Karankawas, were generically called Borrados, Rubi explained, and were no menace to the welfare of the settlement. Like Rivera, he formed a low opinion of their prowess. "Their exhaustion, pusillanimity, and wretchedness make them despisable," he averred. 6 ' Inhospitable natttre of coast. Some had advocated the occupation of the entire Gulf coast from the Mississippi to Nuevo Santander (at the mouth of Soto La Marina River) for fear of foreign aggression. Such an idea was erroneous and should not be contemplated. The very character of the coast precluded both the possibility of settlement by foreigners and the establishment of effective defenses by Spain. Repeated explorations by land and sea had amply proven its inaccessible nature, and innumerable wrecks along the shore bore mute testimony to its inhospitability. Posts such as Orcoquisac and La Bahia could never prevent an enemy from landing, nor render aid to the unfortunate victims of the infuriated sea cast upon the shore. Recently two ships, the NueYo Constante and the Santa Maria, were wrecked on the banks opposite Orcoquisac and its garrison could do nothing for them. More recently still Go,·ernor Ulloa of Louisiana had sent two ships to reconnoiter and map the Gulf coast, but the sailors could not approach the shore e,·en in the ship's boats. They had difficulty entering San Bernardo Bay and returned to New Orleans, according to letters received from Ulloa by Rubi. Lastly there was the report of Colonel Ortiz Parrilla. The proposal was impossible. 6 • Laredo sho1'ld be well garrisoned. The struggling new settlement on the east bank of the Rio Grande did not escape the attention of the watchful Rubi. This new colony lay well to the southeast of San Juan Bautista. If the new line of presidios was reorganized as suggested and the Lipan-Apaches were further pressed by their enemies. they might penetrate into Nuevo Santander by this crossing to commit their accus- tomed depredations in the young colonies. In view of this possibility a regular garrison ought to be established at Laredo. 66
~Ibid., 40-41. •stbid., 41-42. "Ibid., pp. 37-38.
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