CHAPTEK XI. 



1696 — 1734. 



MONTANEZ VICEROY. SPIRITUAL CONQUEST OF CALIFORNIA. 



VALLAD ARE S VICEROY. FAIR AT ACAPULCO. SPANISH MON- 

 ARCHY AUSTRIA BOURBON. MONTANEZ VICEROY. JE- 

 SUITS IN CALIFORNIA. LA CUEVA VICEROY. DUKE DE LI- 

 NARES VICEROY. BRITISH SLAVERY TREATY. COLONIZATION. 



NUEVO LEON. TEXAS. OPERATIONS IN TEXAS ALARCON 



AGUAYO. CASA-FUERTE'S VIRTUOUS ADMINISTRATION LOUIS 



I. ORIENTAL TRADE SPANISH JEALOUSY. THE KING'S 



OPINION OF CASA-FUERTE HIS ACTS. 



Don Juan de Ortega Montanez, Bishop of Michoacan, 

 XXXI. Viceroy of New Spain. 



1696 — 1702. 



Scarcely had Galve departed, and the new episcopal viceroy 

 Montanez assumed the reins of government, on the 27th of 

 February, 1696, when news reached Mexico that a French squad- 

 ron was laying in wait near Havana, to seize the galeons which 

 were to leave Vera Cruz in the spring for Spain. The fleet was 

 accordingly ordered to delay its departure until the summer, whilst 

 masses were said and prayers addressed to the miraculous image 

 of the Virgin of Remedios to protect the vessels and their treasure 

 from disaster. The failure of the fleet to sail at the appointed day 

 seems to have caused the French squadron to depart for Europe, 

 after waiting a considerable time to effect their piratical enterprise ; 

 and, in the end, all the galeons, save one, reached the harbor of 

 Cadiz, where the duties alone on their precious freights amounted 

 to four hundred and twelve thousand dollars ! 



At this period the settlement of the Californias, which was al- 

 ways a favorite project among the Mexicans, began again to be 

 agitated. The coasts had been constantly visited by adventurers 

 engaged in the pearl fishery ; but these persons, whose manners 



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