Ottr Catltolic Heritage in Texas
Miranda's description of tlze ltr&er Trinity. The report which Miranda made on April 26 clearly shows his thorough knowledge of the country he had explored, and the map which he drew remains one or' the most accurate of that region. st He explained that he could not give a descrip- tion of the entire country from Los Adaes to the Trinity and east to the Mississippi, because the French had not permitted its exploration. Although the most direct route from Los Adaes to Orcoquisac was by way of Monsieur Masse's cabin, he had been obliged to go to Los Ais and hence to Nacogdoches, fifty leagues to the southwest, and fifty more leagues south to reach the lower Trinity. This was a roundabout way. The Presidio of San Agustin was practically at the mouth of the river on its north bank. Since the viceroy wanted to know more about Santa Rosa del Alcazar, Miranda declared this place was in the heart of the country of the Orco- quisacs. From the springs of Santa Rosa, the San Jacinto River was almost ten leagues due east, and from this river to the site where the Presidio de San Agustin had been erected, there were six more leagues in the same direction. The Neches was sixteen leagues to the northeast from the presidio. It was in this region along the river that the Attacapas lived. They traded freely with the French, who supplied them with guns, powder, lead, clothes, beads, knives, and various trinkets in exchange for buffalo, deer, and bear skins, and stolen horses. East of the Neches River were two other streams, the Angelina and the Atoyac, which joined before entering the Gulf. From the Neches to where the two streams joined there were twenty-two leagues. It was on the south bank of these two streams that Monsieur Masse had his house. Beyond, at a distance of twenty-two leagues, was the Sabinas River, and forty leagues farther to the northeast was the Mississippi. Between the Sabinas and the Mississippi, not far from the coast, Monsieur Tabion had estab- lished himself. He owned many slaves and had a large farm and cattle ranch. He had heard that Tabion had settled there before 1748. Although :\Iiranda had ne,·er been to New Orleans, he declared this city was on the north bank of the Mississippi, close to its mouth, protected by long walls made of logs to withstand frequent floods. 55 Satisfit:d wit~ the information given him, the viceroy ordered the 91, pt. 1, pp. 86-8;; tht \'ictroy to Bernardo dt l\liranda. April 15, 1 7 57, A. G. M., 1/isloria, Vol. 91, pt. 1, p. 23. :.4Publishtd in Bolton, Texus in the tlfiddfr Eigllteent/1 Century, opposite p. 350. :.,Jnforme de Bernardo dt Miranda. April 26, 1757. A. G. M., Historia, Vol. 91, pt. I, pp. 29-34.
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