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Our Catholic Heritage in T e:tas
garrison in San Antonio and to increase its population. He declared that the only way to have a well-disciplined force was to send convict troops. "These can be trained rigorously, and when they have served their time they can be assigned lands and given the means to enable them to start life anew."zo In July. 1772, Governor Ripperda learned that a group of English traders had established a post along the coast in the vicinity of the mouth of the Trinity, the San Jacinto, or the Brazos. He immediately ordered Captain Luis Cazorla to make a reconnaissance of the coast area with an adequate force of soldiers and Indians. Exploration of tlie coast by Luis Cazorl,z. On September 18, Cazorla joined a detachment sent by Ripperda at the crossing of the Guadalupe known as Paso del Gobernador (possibly where Alarcon came near drown- ing in 1718). This must have been near present Victoria. With a force of forty soldiers, two sergeants, an alferez, and five mission Indians from Mission Rosario. he proceeded on the eighteenth towards Orcoquisac, crossing the Colorado on September :2 r, in the vicinity of present Wharton. The next day, he halted one day's journey from the Brazos, with the intention of exploring the mouth of the river, but when informed by the Indian guides. it was impossible to do so on account of lakes, marshes, and heavy thickets. he resumed his march. crossed the Brazos on September 24. near present Richmond, and camped. After going a short distance towards the mouth of the river he came upon a randieria of Karankawas, where many Cocos, Bidais, and Xara- names had gathered. He noticed sailor shirts, various colored ribbons, silk cloth, and other foreign goods among them. Inquiry revealed that they had obtained them from traders in a village above Orcoquisac. The Indians told Cazorla they were now hunting deer in order to go back to secure more goods. The captain noticed with much surprise numerous guns with an English trade-mark "stamped on the barrel." By means of liberal gifts he obtained the service of a guide who promised to lead him and his men to the \'illage where they traded with the foreigners. On September 25, the march was resumed and on the 27th the party crossed the San Jacinto, probably near present Houston, continuing as fast as possible to the Trinity, where they arrived on the following day. They struck the river above Orcoquisac, near present Liberty. Leaving 20Ripperda to the Viceroy, April :20, 1771. A.G. M. P,-O'vi11cias /11/ernas, Vol. 100, pt. I, pp. I I 8-J :ZJ.
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