The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 27, July 1923 - April, 1924 Page: 199

                                
St. Denis's Second Expedition to the Rio Grande

such an expedition to the viceroy.11 In any case, St. Denis left
Mobile early in October, 1716, either in the company of his asso-
ciates, or followed by them after a short interval, and arrived
among the Tejas Indians some time during December.12 Diego
Ram6n, Jr., St. Denis's father-in-law, who had carried on a very
profitable trade in horses while in Mobile, also returned at this
time.13
2. Sojourn Among the Tejas; the Journey.-Once more in
Texas, St. Denis ingratiated himself with the missionaries by aid-
ing in the construction of two new missions.4 He also made
three trips to the French post at Natchitoches to buy maize for
the provisioning of the six Spanish missions. In March, 1717,
leaving a part of the goods in the province of Los Tejas, in the
care of four of his associates and a servant, St. Denis, according
to the account given by Captain Domingo Ram6n, started for the
Rio Grande. He was accompanied by two other Frenchmen, and
they carried the merchandise which made up St. Denis's personal
possessions which Alf6rez Ram6n had permitted him to bring from
Mobile. He also was accompanied by the alfirez of the Spanish
forces among the Tejas, Francisco Hernandez, by whom          Captain
Domingo Ram6n sent despatches to the newly appointed governor
of Coahuila, Don Martin de Alarc6n. Captain Domingo Ram6n
likewise very thoughtfully sent along his mule train to be placed
at the disposal of Alarc6n. It is natural to suppose, however, that
""Carta [de Don Gregorio de Salinas Varona al Virrey, Santa Maria
de Galve, 15 de Febrero de 1717]," in Testimonio de Diligencias, folios
8-16.
72B6nard de La Harpe (in Margry, 200-202) says that St. Denis arrived
in Texas on December 24. In his Declaraci6n, St. Denis stated that he
arrived there "early in December." La Harpe also staes that Graveline,
La Fresn'i6re, and the others accompanied him from Mobile to Natchi-
toches, where they arrived on November 15, and from which St. Denis
went on ahead with two-thirds of the merchandise, leaving the rest to
be brought by his associates, for whom he waited when he reached the
Tejas. In his Declaracidn, St. Denis first stated in answer to a direct
question that he left Mobile alone; later he stated that two of his cousins
accompanied him to help transport his goods; and finally, he stated that
at the presidio of San Juan de la Palizada three canoes, occupied by
eleven Frenchmen, "whose names he did not know," overtook, but did not
accompany him.
"'Carta [de Martin de Alarc6n al Virrey, Saltillo, 27 de Junio de
1717]," in Testinonio de Diligencias, folios 24-26.
'4"Declarason de sn Dionis," etc., in Ibid., folios 40-62.

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