266 Recreations of a Sportsman 



can readily be realized. The expedition of La 

 Salle is famous in history. Its object Avas to 

 settle the country and convert the natives, but 

 owing to internal dissensions it was a failure, 

 and nearly the entire party lost their lives. The 

 French and Spanish sent out various expedi- 

 tions in rapid succession, and as a result a num- 

 ber of forts and missions were established, the 

 latter in some instances remaining to-day as 

 striking ruins. 



One of the interesting missions of the seven- 

 teenth century was established through the in- 

 fluence of Viceroy Galve, who sent Leon on an 

 expedition into Texas with a view to the es- 

 tablishment of missions. The fathers were 

 from the College of Santa Cruz of Queretaro, 

 and w r ere Franciscans. In 1690 they established 

 a wooden mission near the Trinity River, and 

 called it San Francisco de los Tejas. Padre 

 Foncubierta was made president, and with a 

 few men, horses, and some provisions, he began 

 the work of converting the Tejas natives, whose 

 name was adopted as the name for the modern 

 State. Orders were now given Governor Teran 

 de los Rios to make a study of the entire region, 

 pacify the natives, and establish eight missions, 

 for which purpose nine Franciscans were brought 

 from Mexico. Another mission, Jesus Maria y 

 Jose, was built, but the work of proselyting did 

 not progress, because some of the priests had died. 



