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1797.]
ERA OF FILIBUSTERS.
38
United States and Spain.- After Louisiana became
the property of Spain, a dispute arose as to whether the
Americans had any right to navigate the Mississippi.
This tended to bring Louisiana and Texas more promi-
nently before the eyes of the American people, and to
make Texas a still more attractive place to daring ad-
venturers. The Spanish officers became less strict as to
trading in Texas, and the colonists began to be more
prosperous. Americans, seeing that the door into Texas
was slightly ajar, were not slow to begin pushing into
the forbidden ground.*
Nolan's Expedition.- In 1797, Philip Nolan t obtained
permission from the Spanish commander to enter Texas,
for the purpose of getting wild horses for the American
general in Louisiana. While on the trip, Nolan was
keen enough to make a good map $ of the country, and
to open trade with the Indians. Meeting with success,
he decided (October, 1800), to repeat the experiment. By
this time, the ever jealous Spaniards began to fear that
* How strict were the Spanish laws against aliens may be judged from the fol-
lowing extract from Bancroft: " All foreigners found on Spanish territory unpro-
vided with passports were arrested and thrown into prison, where they often
lingered for years. Especial severity was observed toward American citizens."
. t Philip Nolan, an Irishman by birth, but at this time a devoted American
citizen, was a gentleman and a scholar, being specially well informed in geography
and astronomy. As early as 1785 he was engaged in trade (though the Spanish
laws forbade such trade) between San Antonio and Natchez, Miss., but as this
business did not bring him wealth rapidly enough, he decided to seek other fields.
Some authorities claim that he came into Texas expecting to discover rich gold-
mines near the lands of the Comanches, but the Spanish officers declared that from
papers in their possession it was clear that Nolan expected to raise a revolution and
make himself ruler of Texas.
t This map, which is said to be the first made of Texas, was given by Nolan to
Baron de Carondelet, Governor of Louisiana.
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Pennybacker, Anna J. Hardwicke. A new history of Texas for schools : also for general reading and for teachers preparing themselves for examination, book, 1895; Palestine, Tex.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth2388/m1/47/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.