The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 1, July 1897 - April, 1898 Page: 217

Obscure Points in the Mission Period.

and Mexico, though displeased, has come to look upon it in the
same light.
There were, moreover, other consequences attendant upon this
entry of the French; not directly, it may be; but all indirectly
traceable to this one event. The entire life of the State has felt its
influence. In the first place, the occupation of the country by Spain
was thereby brought about. Indeed, it is possible that except for
the French occupation of a day, as it were, Texas would have re-
mained destitute of Europeans for scores of years. The lasting ef-
fect of it all is seen to-day in the laws, the institutions, the language
left for our eternal heritage.
It is scarcely necessary to state how the French colony came to
anl end; the story is too well known to bear repetition. Perhaps I
should say stories; for the truth is, more than one have appeared
in print. But the generally accepted version is that through disease
and conspiracy the colonists melted away, and that finally the toma-
hawk silenced the last soul in the miserable Fort of St. Louis.
The other side is inclined to aver that the Spanish knew something
of how the last Frenchman died. Doubtless the latter view has for
its basis the several expeditions known to have been dispatched by
Mexico in search of the French. I-How many there were and what
they accomplished, the world is left yet to conjecture. Some were
by sea and some were by land; but it was not till April 22, 1689,
that a Spanish force under Gov. Alonzo de Leon of Coahuila
reached the blackened and deserted spot which had witnessed the
rising and the setting of the French dominion in Texas.
It may seem a little strange that only with the coming of La
Salle were the Spaniards brought to realize the fact that Texas, a
country first sighted and explored by sons of Spain, might be lost
to them. From this event, however, is reckoned the inception of
the plan for the occupation of this territory, so fair with its mead-
ows and hills and so peaceful with its kindly red men. De Leon's
glowing report of the country, together with that of Padre Man-
zanet-who must be remembered as the father of Texas missions--
concerning the friendly Indians, caused the viceroy, Galve, to con-
sider the question of sending out a company to settle the land.
Just at this time of indecision the report came that the French
1 Bancroft, North Mexican States and Texas, Vol. I., pp, 399, 400.

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