The Bcgi11ni11gs of Present Nacogdoches
341
had been changed before a decision was reached as to whether they should be allowed to establish themsel\"es at Nacogdoches. Was that as good a location and was it advisable to establish a permanent post there? Governor Cabello agreed with the settlers in the choice, but De Mezieres, who had personally inspected Paso Tomas and the site of the old mission was not of the same opinion. During the first visit of De Mezieres to Bucareli, in March, I7i8, this poignant obsen·er had praised in unstinted terms its beauty, its natural resources, and its strategic location. \Vhen a little over a year later he visited Nacogdoches, he had reported that the new site, while not lacking in beauty, offered less advantages for a permanent settlement than Bucareli. The stream near Nacogdoches had high banks, which precluded the possibility of irrigation; the soil was not so rich, being better suited to cattle raising than agriculture; and the settlers had already lost the first crop. As a matter of fact, De Mezieres painted a dismal picture of conditions at Nacogdoches in contrast with the encouraging reports of Ibarbo and his friends. He went as far as to say that the condemnation of the site of Bucareli on the Trinity on the grounds of its susceptibility to floods was unfounded, there being many places nearby where the houses could have been built, that were not subject to o,·erflow. 80 The well-known character of this trusted officer made his objections worthy of consideration. In view of the circumstances Galindo Na,·arro concluded by' recom- mending that since the return of the settlers to San Antonio, as provided by the New Regulations of 1772, was out of the question, a special inspec- tion of Bucareli and Nacogdoches should be made by the Governor of Texas. Upon his report concerning the relative merits of the two and of the attitude of the northern tribes, final approval could be gh·en to the site thought best suited for the permanent settlement of the former inhabitants of Los Adaes. 81 Croix lost no time in acting upon the recommendations of Galindo Navarro. On January 29, he sent Governor Cabello a copy of the report and requested him to make the corresponding inspection and report. He expressed his highest confidence in the integrity and zeal of the go,·ernor and assured him he could think of no other person to whom he could entrust so delicate a mission. If his state of health or his time did not 80 De J\Iezieres to Croix, l\larch 18, 1n8; same to same, August 23, 1779. A.G. ,II. Historia, Vol. 51, pp. 592-595. 81 Dictamen del Asesor General Pedro Galinda Navarro, January 18, 1780. In Ibid., pp. 555-573.
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