The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 3, July 1899 - April, 1900 Page: 66

66 Texas Historical Association Quarterly.
NOTES AND FRAGMENTS.
DON CARLOS DE SIGUENZA.-I have read with pleasure the trans-
lation of the "Letter of Don Damian Manzanet to Don Carlos de
Siguenza Relative to the Discovery of the Bay of Espiritu Santo,"
by Miss Lilia M. Casis, in the April number of THE QUARTERLY.
It is a step in the right direction to develop the real facts, by
exciting a spirit of investigation, and it may finally lead to a col-
lection of all the official reports on the subject. Of course the
reverend writer manifests that same disposition seen in most of the
writings of the early fathers, that is, exaggeration of their own
doings and depreciation and even misrepresentation of all done by
the military. One of the chief excellences of Miss Lilia M. Casis'
translation is her faithful rendition of the original.
In this connection some facts relative to Don Carlos de Siguenza
may be of interest to the readers of the Quarterly.
The Marqu6s de la Laguna was succeeded by Don Melchor Porto-
carrero Laso de la Vega, Conde de la Manclova, who reached the
City of Mexico November 30, 1686. He it was who sent the two
frigates to examine the Gulf coast as far as Apalaches for French
settlements, on account of notices just previously brought in by
the Spanish flotilla called Armada de Barlovento, that had been
sent out by the Marqu6s de Laguna, and had captured a French
ship, and learned from one of the prisoners that La Salle had
gone to settle the coast of the Mexican Gulf. The two frigates
executed the orders of the Conde de Monclova, going even beyond
the forest of Apalaches, without finding any Frenchmen, but
finding several wrecks of French ships. This viceroy, Conde de
Monclova, held the reins of government until November, 1688,
when he delivered them to Don Gaspar de Sandoval, Silva y Men-
doza, Conde de Galve, said to be thirtieth viceroy of New Spain.
This Conde de Galve it was who sent the expedition to settle and
garrison Pensacola, under command of the able mariner Don An-
drez Pez, and appointed the celebrated Mexican mathematician
and poet, Don Carlos de Siguenza, to accompany the expedition,
which honorable charge the illustrious Mexican accepted with
pleasure. The work lasted until the arrival of the forces to garri-