History and government of New Mexico . special value. 103. The Trail to San Antonio.—The fourth venture wasmore successful—not for Anza, however ; for it was accom-plished by the Texans. Ever since the founding of SanAntonio (1718) the Spaniards had needed direct communi-cation between that point and Santa Fe, their two north-eastern outposts, both of which were subject to Indian dangerand to pressure from the French in Louisiana until 1762. Finally in 1787 the trail from San Antonio north to theregion of Wichita Falls, then up the Red and Canadianrivers, and on to Santa Fe, was traced by Pier
History and government of New Mexico . special value. 103. The Trail to San Antonio.—The fourth venture wasmore successful—not for Anza, however ; for it was accom-plished by the Texans. Ever since the founding of SanAntonio (1718) the Spaniards had needed direct communi-cation between that point and Santa Fe, their two north-eastern outposts, both of which were subject to Indian dangerand to pressure from the French in Louisiana until 1762. Finally in 1787 the trail from San Antonio north to theregion of Wichita Falls, then up the Red and Canadianrivers, and on to Santa Fe, was traced by Pierre-%al(pyer ve-al), called Pedro Vial by the Spaniards, a Frenchfrontiersman .sent-out by the governor of:_- Texas.;_?•? was somewhat roundabout; and Governor- Anza,wishing to use Vial _for .anotheri: undertaking,, sent :out 84 THE HISTORY OF NEW MEXICO another party that same year under Jose Mares (maras)to find a more direct route. Maress outgoing trip madebut little improvement on the route of Vial; but on the. Primitive Mining return to Santa Fe the following spring he took a muchmore direct route across the upper Colorado and by theheadwaters of the Brazos to Santa Fe. THE CLOSE OF THE SPANISH ERA 85 104. The Route to Louisiana. — That summer (1788)Vial started out from Santa Fe to find a route to Natchi-toches, the great French center on the lower waters of theRed River. He went down the Red and across the upperSabine (sa-ben), spent the winter, and returned a yearlater. A trade route over this line had been the dream ofLa Harpe half a century before (sec. 94). 105. Blazing the Santa Fe Trail, 1792. — Still therewas no route to St. Louis in Spanish Louisiana; and PierreVials success in finding the routes to San Antonio andNatchitoches marked him as the best man for that under-taking. He left Santa Fe with two companions, May 21,1792, under orders from the governor to find a directroute to St. Louis. Going through Apache Canyon, Pecos,and the Las Vegas
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