130 I,Cross, 132 Most Excellent Senor: In consideration of the declarations of His Excellency in his letter of the sixth of April of this present year and in the attached dispatch dated the thirty-first of March of one thousand seven hundred and fifty=eight, whereby he orders me, on recommendation of the Setor Auditor y Fiscal, since my predecessor, Don Jazinto de Barrios y Jduregui did not clarify certain points as he was ordered in the dispatch dated the thirteenth of March of one thousand seven hundred, fifty-eight and since His Excellency, believing that the governor failed to receive it, duplicated this order under date of the fifth of July of the said year but has not received the said,documents, to proceed to this presidio to make a'new inspection. Thereforei in execution of the superior order of Your Excellency, I reconnoitered the site of Santa Rosa; and the valley in which it is situated.presents a pleasing appearance, but its lands are sandy. This, however, is not the reason they do not produce corn. It is because the crops depend on the weather, as I am told by persons of ex-
131 I perience, for in Bahia the lands are similar and in the present year there has been an,abundant harvest after sixty days without.rain.. This is attributed to the humidity which conditions the said sand. From this s.ite, after careful examination of the 24th lv of October, I went to the //arroyo in which there was only water for drinking purposes, and it could not by any means be drawn out because we measured more than one vara in depth on both sides, and we found nothing but sand. For this reason a dam cannot be built, es:.- pecially since there is no stone.or lime, and although it might be done with great effort, it would be necessary to build the entire irrigation canal of lime and stone, but since the place is so sandy no advan^?--- tage would be obtained because the water would seep.out. Therefore, Most Excellent Setor, except for the appearance, it is my opinion that the said site is not suitalbe for:a mission,.settlement, or presidio, and since the said place is more than thirty leagues distant from this presidio and on the east side of the Trinity River, it is not accessible or convenient for inspection and is,therefore, contrary to our main objective which. is to prevent the French from becoming strong at any time. The fourth day of November I proceeded with the
132 Reverend Father Abad whom I had previously given a verbal notification of the request and charge which was contained in the commission conferred upon us by superior order to Your Excellency and which made it necessary for us to inspect the place called Atascosito, where we arrived with the lieutenant commandant of this 2 presidio, Don Domingo de el Rrio, and six soldiers, and after examination in all directions we judged it unsuitable for a mission, presidio, or settlement be^-_ cause of the limited extent of its lands. These are good, but they lack timber for building purposes. The arroyo has two small sprinqs which do not even furnish enough water to drink, and there is no watering place for the horses, and in order for them to drink it is necessary to lead each horse to the water separately; otherwise, they would fall intb, the marshes which are on both sides. The site is nineteen leagues distand from this presidio^r and this is an -znfavo.rable location because it does not meet the requirements of the royal laws regarding places for settlement. In the intervening region, three and one-half leagues distant from the said presidio, are several pools of water, and this place*is known as el Orconsito. One league further north there are many
a more of these pools which must extend two hundred and fifty varas from south to north and about nine or ten varas from east to west. Their depth varies - in some places it is one and one-half varas or two varas and in others three varas. The water is fine, and the above-mentioned individuals assure me that is always 2v the same. The land is black //and mixed with sand, and it is extensive except toward the northeast where the soil is loose and the said water is converted into a swamp which we crossed; and thereabouts for a distance of a little more than one-fourth league, there - is sufficient timber,- but it- is -suitabie only for burn= 133 V ing. However, a little more than one-half league distant there is wooded land which I could not examine this same day. Therefore, after some adjustments, I returned with the lieutenant and four soldiers to inspect the aforess.id woods, and there we found good timber and a good firm road to take.us to the said site, but still not satisfied, I asked the said Lieutenant, Don Domingo de el Rrio if the landsta the west, between this swamp and the one formed by the pools of el Orconsito, being marshy from east to west, ^di^d not reach the river, and having told me that they did.._not, I ordered him to go with.a corporal in that direction until he
134 S encountered the river; he executed this order, and at ten o'clock that night he told me he discovered that each of the two swamds at their extremities formed a creek with sufficient water in each, that in their proximity the land was good and on the said creeks 3 //there was every kind of timber, and that going south from el Orconsito he had encountered the river. With this information I proceeded, on the following day, with the aforesaid lieutenant and sergeant of this company and four soldiers to verify the report of the said lieutenant.' Therefore' we continued north about two and one-half leagues, thence one-half_league northwest, and from this point west another halfleague or slightly more, and we reached the place where Orconzito Creek originated. I'f^ depth, where it leaves the pool is two and one!=-half varas, and just before that I Doint the depth is twenty-six French inches, which is a.ying's foot and two inches. This indicates that the said pools are springs of water. From this point we proceeded west to a little hill skirted by this creek and topped by a plateau more than one-half league square; all of which I, and also the aforesaid individuals accompanying me, considered good land for, any kind of seed crop. Thence I followed a west course
135 in search of the large creek, and a little more than one-fourth league distant I encountered one which I examined from north to south, and I found that it 3g has //many deep holes of water and a stronger current than the preceding one. This east side^ from.north.to south, is covered with cypresses, oaks, and evergreen oaks of all sizes, and also other trees of all kinds. The west dide appears to be the same, but I could not examine it because there was no way to cross.. All the land fronting the aforesaid creek is very fine for.all kinds of planting, but it cannot be irrigated-because there is-no means of drawing ou.t the water. However, the lieutenant, the sergeant, and other well-informed soldiers tell me that the land in this region does not require irrigation. In fact, experience has taught them that crops are likely to be lost as a result of excessive rainfall rather than from lack of it. Therefore, I consider the said two sites. suitable for any mission, presidio, and town, or for any number of them. Also, the part between both creeks and the river forms"a good potrero where the horses can be kept in safety9 the water is excellent, and so nothing is lacking as I have said before. Thence I returned to the place where Orcon-
r, 136 sito Creek originated and followed the said creek from north to south as its current runs. At approximately one-half league it flows into the river, and all the land on both sides is eovered with.p ain oaks, evergreen oaks, and cypresses. The frontage on the east and west, running from north to south, provides excellent land for all kinds oflfplanting. The horses and cattle can drink at any //place on the two aforesaid creeks. Where the creek flows into the river, a hill is formed which extends east about one thousand varas, and the presidio and mission can be pladed there. Also, the lands spread out-from east to riorthwest andare adaptable to all kinds of planting. Within this distance there are two or three watering places on the river where the terrain is firm; there is timber of all kinds with the exception of pine trees which can be found in abundance and in all sizes a little less than half a league distant. Further, these three sites, which are three-fourths of a league distant from each other, have shelter for ganado mayor Z menor, many acorns for hogs, and protection for all kinds of stock. No water can be drawn from the said river except by skillful methods in cases of necessity, but since the rains are seasonable, the royal treasury
137 will be spared this expense. Therefore, Most Excellent Sefior, according to the foregoing statements, it seems to me that the aforesaid leagues must be taken into consideration for the proposed'projee.t that I shall undertake by order of Your Excellency. Indeed, they meet all the req'^ments of the royal laws for the establishment of missions, presidios, and towns, and since they are no further than two and one-half leagues from this presidiol directly north-. west, the site can be inspected daily by river and by land in order to prevent the French from taking possession of it. During these days there is wind from the south"which swells the laguna^ and could cause the water to be salty from the ebb-tide of the sea. Therefore, in order to ascertain whether the tide reached the aforesaid site, I ordered some of this water brought to me, but I found it as excellent as it was the day I was there. Since I have.discovered the aforesaid spot, 1+v //I have omitted going again to the placecalled San Jazinto because it is not the will of the Orcoquizas Indians to be put there in a mission, but.when I crossed the said river, I noticed sand on.both sides which appears unproductive to me; and further, it is ten or eleven leagues distant from this presidio, and
138 S my opinion in regard to the inspection of the site is the same that I have already stated. Three Ipdian:;captains of this Orcoquiza Nation have settled near the establishm.ent of the said Reverend Father Abad and the rest are in.this area. They have come to see me, and all have been questioned by the said Reverend Father and the Lieutenant, according to the orders given me by Your Excellency, and all of them say they are awaiting the time when they shall be called to live in the mission, but they have some misgivings because for three years, and soon it will be four.,--this offer to-put them-into a mission-and subsequently maintain them has been made again and again, and since they see no evidence of stock or any kind of supplies, they believe we are deceiving them. Therefore, I hope, Most Excellent Sefio that as a result - of Your Christian spirit and your sense of justice I will soon receive definite orders which_will insure that they lack nothing for their maintenance and also any other orders that you may consider-suitable. Otherwise, by omission of for reasons that I do not comprehend more souls will be lost than those that already have been in the time that has elapsed, and this is contrary to the will of His Majesty (may God
139 protect hio',. The Vidays have also offered to live in the mission, but I have not been able to ascertain their latest intention because they have not appeared since I have been here, but the aforesaid lieutenant' Don Domingo del Rrio, tells me that Captain Thomas, who is the general of the Vidays and these Orcoquizas, //has told him that he would come intothe Orco- 3rd quiza mission with those of their nation and that he would come to see me this month, but they have not carried out these promises, as I have said. Apparently,-the reason-is-, according to the-said lieutenant, that in the month of August one of their nation informed him that they had gone to eat roasting ears with los Texas, as they were accustomed to do every year because of their profeesed friendship; they turned their horses loose, and when they sent to get them, not:a single horse was to be found. This incident was motivated by the fact that the Vidais had establishedfriendly and commero.ial relations with the Apqche6 in June of this year. After waiting to see if their horses would be returned to them, they and their women went back to their rancherias on foot; and since the horses were not returned they were going to steal
140 a herd of exactly the same size, and they all would come here and put the horses on these bays. Then they would go back on the same trail where they might meet los Texas in pusuit; and if they wanted to fight, the Vidais would do so, even to the-,point of annihilating los Texas who would be greatly outnumbered.,.. I left the said lieutenant to take care of the aforesaid situation, and I ordered him to see if he could find out their latest decision. In case they wish to live in the mission, then, Most Excellent Sefior. since they are such a large nation, it will. be necessary to increase the enlistments of this presidio in order to maintain the respect for arms; and the incident that occurred on the 30th. day of March ( of which I gave Your Excellency an account from San-Antonio) will convince you that it is necessary to prevent another similar occurrence, and furthermore, Most Excellent SePlor, since this presidio is 100 leagues distant from los Adaes, which is the 5V nearest one, it is not my opinion //that some of the 3.0 should be removed, as Your Excellency orders in your superior dispatch, although this order is given on condition that the Orcoq^aizas do not wish to live
141 in the mission; but if they offer to do-'so, I shall omit saying how many are needed for the maintenance of this place alone. The day that I arrived here there was an Atacapaz captain at the rancheria.of these Indians, and accompanied by the others he came to see me. In the presence of the Reverend Father Abad he told me that his entire nation, which is a large one, would come. to live in the mission with their relatives, the Or-. coquizas, onbeing notified when they were.ready, arid"the ' Apiltuzas would do the same. These two nations. are situated northeast of this presidio, ana:-their- _ territory extends to the ranch of Monsieur Mas and to another of Monsieur Contablon's which are,90 or 100 ieagues distant from this presidio, and these two trade the Indians all kinds of merchandise, such as gunpowder, balls, and guns, twine, vermillion, trunks, and other things,which the,said Indians want. They cannot deny.that the guns are French for I have:seen them all, and in order that Your Excellency maybe more vositively informed, I am sending you.one for your own satisfaction; and for Your Excellency's superior information, I must explain that as long as the Indians have gunpowder, balls, and guns, none of
S these subjects of our royal crown will come to live in the mission; on the contrary they will grow bolder all the time, and experience with these nations of the north has shown us that all of them are provided with arms and ammunition, and they are skilled in the use of them because their hunting provides them with something to trade; therefore, Your Excellency will take whatever measures.you consider, suitable. Most Excellent Sefior,; if Your Excellency orders me to transfer the presidio to the place I have in- 6 dicated, //to put the mission there, and to designate the site of the town, I shall come from los Adaes immediately to put the order into execution. This will be the quickest method of bringing it to conclusion since the people in this country are a little apatheti,e,i and they need superior officers in charge. This presidio is about eight leagues distant from the sand-bar which is the entrance to the sea. The aforementioned lieutenant and others have verified this point, and it is not two leagues as they recently declared to Your Excellency. I myself have not examined the place because there is no boat available. The one that.monsieur Blampen had here has almost rotted away and it has no anchor or ropes, but I am planning 142
143 to have a boat constructed, and if I succeed, on my return I shall use it to explore the bays or lagunas; I shall try to find some way for the ships from Havana to enter so that they can transport the very fine masts and spars available in these environs. If I am successful I promise Your Excellency to save many Iesos for His Majesty (may God protect him) because.the pines for the sand masts and spars have to be brought from Spain, and those that come from Guazagualcos are very heavy and burdensome for the ships which are ruined within two years. Therefore, I hope that if I achieve the objective mentioned, Your Excellency's sense of justice will induce you to inform His Majesty so that he may give a colonelcy in recompense for this small but unusual accomplishment, with the understanding that during my administration, I shall make every possible effort to, find a port because it will provide an opportunity to strengthen this province and consequently lead to its settlement; then its products will be transported to 6v our dominions%/for the developm:e.nt of commerce; otherwise, it will be a constant expense to the royal crown which will never receive any benefit from the products of this region, because of the great distance between presidios. These-vecinos excel in nlanting, but they
144 8 have no markets, and when they have used whatever is necessary for their own maintenance, the rest lies rotting and uselsss; and therefore, they will always be poor unless the country is settled. I do not know, Most Excellent Sehor, whether this diffusive consulta will merit the attention of Your Excellency, and if the omission of some point displeases you, Your Excellency will kindly_pardon and forgive my limited capacity, but be assured that it is my,earnest wish to serve both Majesties, and this I am able to do without difficulty. Thus I hope you will assign me any duty that you wish, and I will immediately put it into execution, and while I am so engaged I ask that God our Lord will protect the important life of Your Excellency for many years as my heart desires. San Augustin de Aumada, December 6, 1759. Plan which was sent to the Most Excellent Sefior Marquis de las Amarillas. December 6, 1759^ pp. 1-6v]