The Papers of Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar, Volume V

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upon San Bernanlo Bay in Fchrunry of the same year at an island [or im1dbar] which is called La Culebra.n- . . J 687 [La Salle] built a fort on the abo\'e me11t1011etl bay, was ktl )ed ln· Duhan: "and this is the sole reason the French allege for say mg that all the c:ountrr of Texa:- is theirs; I it is I without foundation because the sai<l Robert. de La 8alle touched that point without legiti- mate commission and In· mere c:hance." The rest of the party were all killed hy the indiaus or dispersed, except two, Talon & :Muni who were taken ·from the Indian:,: hy the Spaniards and sent to Mexico. 1688. The indians inforrnecl Father Damian 1'Iazanet misionary of Queretaro, that some french hacl settled on the San Bernardo. Galvez, the Vice Roy despatched a force to rout them; but found that the indians bad killed them; it wa:,: La Salle's party.- In the year 1690, 27 :March the Governor of Coahula Don Alfonso de Leon, went on a second expedition to Texas. 26 of April he reached "the bay of Espiril II Santo," found the artillery of the french and burnt the fort, went to the Saint Marks, the Gauclalupe, San Antonio, Colorado Brazos Trinity and Naches.- On the 25 May 1690 the first mas was said to the Indians in this section of the country. They ga\'e obedience to Charles 2nd of Spain- allowed a mission to be established, called San Francisco, the first ever founded in that pro,·ince of Texas. They left there 4 Missionaries & some troops and then returned to )lonclover, capital of Coahula, where they arrived in July, same year.- In this same year 1690 was founded there f the mission] of "Jesus J/aria and J osc, and 1- say nothing of the missiom established in the pro\'iuce of Coahuila-of Leon, San- tander or Tamaulipas, because it is not necessary, and because they were founded at various times many years before." 1691 a new expedition was sent to Texas, commanded by the gov- ernor of Coahuila, Don Dominl!o Teran who first went to the Saint )larks, thence to bay Espiritu Santo, where he was met and joined by troops under the Viceroy of )Iexico, who came by sea & landed at ~Iatngorda. Here they found the cannon left bv Lasalle at the la Ba.ca,. Other expeditions followed in 1692 and 3- •' Hi9 . f sic l The french entered :Mobile and Florida. 1697. lber\'ille, sailed from Rochefort in 2 barks a r nd] discover the Mis- !;issippi; found it in 1698-returned to Canada, broiwht out families, settled above the Balize on the right side of the river, ;t fort Borbourn, in front of Plac-amina. In 1700 Filipe 5th granted permission for commissions for four new missions on St. :Marks & Guadalupe. .; In 1701, It must be noted, with all due allowance, the French did not have e\'en an inch of soil-all the province was called Texas or K. Filipinns,-ueither had thev reached its frontiers &c"- The :-:ame year 1702 more frenc:h emigrants to l\fobile; and in 1703 built fort Louis.- 1709-another expedition was macle by the Duke of Alburquerque, who went to the Trinih·. 17ll Granti:; by the French GoYt. to l\Ir. Croisat.- 171G th<' Vit·e Hoy Linarez ordered another expedition into Texas nuder Dn Domino Hamon, who was accompanied by Padre :Margi!,

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