The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1884-12-22

to the Duke. He consequently received
him very ooldly. On the other hand the
vIndiotive Don Gaspardo, who could not
forget the victory won over him by his
rival, nor the humiliation inflicted upon
his authority. nor the generosity with
which he had been overwhelmed by st.
Dennis, and knowing the vindiotive
planned to the Viceroy OF st. Dennis,
who had the audacity to pass within
musket shot of Coahuila (Monclova)
without reporting or presenting his re-
spects to such high parsonage as him
self. He, In consequence OF this, de-
nounced st. Dennis as n suspicious char
acter, who cherished some projects hos
tile to the crown, as that motive only
could have induced him to undertake
such trip as that from Mobile to Texas.
This denunciation agreed with some
imprudent words that had escaped st.
Dennis in his wrath. He had said that
If he could not get Justice done him he
would use his influence with the Indians
to war upon the Spaniards.
Valero having received the letter from
the Governor Of Coahuila, caused st.
Dennis to be arrested and incarcerated.
lie was again prisoner In the same
prison where the providential visit of
his friend, the Marquis Of Larnage, had
liberated him. This time there were no
Frenchmen to be found In the Spanish
service In the City Of Mexico, and one
of the least cares of the Marquis of Va
lero was to learn what was going on in
the prisons OF the Vioeroyalty. But in
order to prevent any disorder from the
population, he had 1t circulated that, as
measure of safety, he had st. Dennis
taken back to the Preside, with orders
to send him to the frontier of Louisiana.
This falsehood was known as soon us an
answer to n message that some OF st.
Dennis friends had sent to the Preside
was received. Donna Maria came In
person to the city, and publicly de-
nounced the cowardiy treason of the
Marquis of valero. The population, in
dignant at the conduct of the Viceroy,
took up arms and, having forced the
gates of the prison, set st. Dennis free,
TO whom Nalero was afterwards COM
PEELED to pay an indemnity that repre-
scented double the value of the goods
that had been seized from him.
st. Dennis friends In the City of Mexi-
co, fearing that Nalero and the Cover
nor of Coahuila would try to revenge
themselves by causing him to be muir
dereG on the road, offered to furnish him
with an escort. st. Dennis refused this
testimony of friendship, saying: $50
escape from these two scoundrels we
have three things-my sword, the In
dians and the good steed presented me
| by the Duke of LinareZ."
st. Dennis returned safe and sound to
Mobile, after having crossed twice the
deserts of the immense West, and nc
conplishtd a voyage in those days, as
| Don Gaspardo de Anaya had remarked
rould be considered above the nudacity
| and thought of man. The manner In
which he executed this marvellous eX'
centrioity, nothing abating his courage
and his perseverance, well justified wha
one of his historians said of him: ale
had the soul of a true knight in body
of steel"
/, APPOINTED TO COMMAND TIE FORT OF
NACHIToCHEs, AND FALLS IN IT'S DEFENSE
10 such life n glorious death wal
necessary. st. Dennis had been ap
pointed to the command Of the fort o
Natchitoches. which he had established
no one could better fill such post stu
ated on the extreme frontier. St. Den
mis- had gained an immense influenc,
over the surrounding Indians; for NOR,
than 400 miles around his authority wa
recognized as that Of a king; the Indian
in reality recognized him as their BIZ
chief; he could at any time muster 800
or GOOO warriors. The Natchez wer
practically afraid OF him, knowing hi
indomitable courage. After the horri
bile massacre of the French settlers il
Louisiana by the Natchez, which even
took place on November 2Sth, l72s
they, with reason, suspected that 81
Dennis had been informed of 1t, an,
fearing that he would muster his friend
ly Indian warriors and annihilate them
sent two hundred OF their best warrior
to try and take him by surprise and d
away with him. In approaching tn
NatchitoChes the NatcheZ found GU
that they had been discovered by tn
spies from the fort; they then had re
course to a stratagem. Having en-
camped al short distance from the for
they sent a delegation to present tn
calumet of peace to the daring CON
mander, and say to him that havin
had some difficulties with the Frencl
they came to beg him as 1.-THE big chief
to act as umpire in their quarrels. Il
prove their good intentions they offere
to surrender to him a French woman
whom they had held as their prisone
for long time.
st. Dennis answered that he agreed [
their proposition, but with the conditio
that they should surrender the prisont
under the guard of ten warriors onl,
this they did not accede to, saying thu
, to refuse to receive them all In the fol
was showing them distrust that the
, did not deserve. Almost taken by SUI
prise, and only having with him at tn
, time some thirty soldiers, st. Dem
! was not man that could be intim
I dated.
, lie said to the Natchez, "you are ira
tors, liars and rascally rogues. III
r number of warriors that number you
delegation, the terms you insist on
, trying to get admittance, en- masse, I'M
r the fort, proves, without any dOub
a your malicious intentions. | may n,
chastise you and may permit you to r
. turn unmolested, but you must retul
: Immediately the prisoner, for whom
4 will pay you ransom"
a The Natchez, knowing or confidng
n the superiority of their number al
n knowing that no support could reat
II them In time, determined upon attac
q ing st. Dennis or drawing him into
. snare. In consequence of this they il
. mediately proceeded to fortify the
a camp, and then in front of their ten