Our Catl,olic Heritage in Tcx<ls
68
amounts secretly. The price had gone up to four and five ,pesos a bushel and even at this price many preferred not to sell than to run the risk of being caught. A certain Henri had contracted to deliver eighty bushels. Elated at his good fortune, it seems the Frenchman indiscreetly boasted of his profitable deal. The commander at Natchitoches quickly seized and confiscated all his corn. Governor Barrios informed the viceroy that as soon as the orders of February 12, 1756, arrived in Los Adaes, a messenger had been sent from Natchitoches to New Orleans. A second one was dispatched when Ruiz came. No apprehensible result had been noticed, however, either at Natchi- toches or in the vicinity of the new post on the Trinity. The situation had been further complicated by the corresponding shortage of cattle to supply the French. The chief sources for this trade were the missions at Los Ais and Nacogdoches. The establishment of the new presidio had forced him to secure two hundred thirty-five head from them, and he would need three hundred fifty more, when the settlers came, to feed them during the first year. This demand would use all that the missions had, leaving them barely enough for their own needs. Conse- quently no cattle could be sold at this time to the French, in spite of the recent instructions that permitted a limited trade. The French attributed the shortage, however, to design and ill will. 33 Mystifying indeed is the great interest displayed by Governor Barrios in the founding of a settlement at Orco- quisac, as the location of Presidio San Agustin de Ahumada was generally designated, and the thoroughness with which he worked out the minutest details and succeeded in not only getting the plan approved but in having over thirty thousand pesos set aside for its establishment. Then he cooled suddenly in his ardor and eventually caused the defeat of his own plan. Was it that he expected to derive great material profits from the scheme and found he could not carry it through in the short period of time left of his administration? On August 21, 1756, he was appointed to the government of the Province of Coahuila by royal order, and Don Angel Martos y Navarrete was named to succeed him. It was not until October, 1757, that Barrios learned of his transfer, which he justly considered a demotion. On the 16th of that month he asked the viceroy to excuse him for his failure to carry out all the orders given him, recounH:d his services, and, after enumerating what remained to be accomplished, he begged to be allowed time to complete the settlement on the Trinity. The viceroy Plans for the civil settlement.
Uinforme del Gobernador ... In ibid., Vol. 7, pp. 80-83.
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