For the reason Teran had not contacted any Frenchmen in all the territory and much to the disappointment of the members of the College of the Holy Cross, all missions north of the Rio Grande were withdrawn.
Padre Francois Hidalgo, being determined to establish missions north of the Rio Grande and among the Texas Indians, which were called by the Spaniards the Federation of Hasinai Indians, secured the support of the College of the Holy Cross to appeal to the Viceroy of Mexico. They only succeeded in obtaining permission to establish a mission at their own expense south of the Rio Grande but in an area visited by the Hasinai Indian traders. On November 7, 1698 Father Francois Hidalgo, assisted by Father Salazar, established the mission Maria de Los Delores, ten leagues north of Lampassas and ten leagues west of the Rio Sabinas. (Note: this Sabine River is not to be confused with the Sabine River which is the boundary between Louisiana and Texas).
From this outpost mission Francois Hidalgo conceived the idea of a “Chain of Missions” to extend to the very eastern edge of the Texas Indians’ territory. He had at his disposal the reports of Father Massinetes and those of Teran and DeLeon. He knew that the land with its fertile soil and the enormous growth of forests, together with an abundance of wild game of the forests and fish of the lakes would supply many families of the frontier settlers with food and shelter. These families, who at this time were no better off than when they left Spain to settle in Mexico, would welcome such an opportunity.
1700
From the Journal of Father Paul De Ru. February 1, to May 8, 1700.
“Iberville, having founded the Fort at Biloxi, ascended the Mississippi River. At the village of the Tensas Iberville became ill but sent westward St. Denis and Bienville with nineteen other Frenchmen, two of whom were the Tulon brothers, Roberto and Piedro;[3] at the village of the Tensas was a Wichita Indian whose tribe had settled near the Tensas.” This Indian declared he had visited a Spanish mission in the Texas Country (The mission Maria de Los Delores). The Indian was immediately employed by Bienville as a guide.
On April 20, 1700 the St. Denis-Bienville party reached the Yatasee village on Nantanchie Lake near present day Montgomery, Louisiana (See Location 5 on map).
The Frenchmen were among the Natchitoches Indians (Location 8 on map), on May 8, 1700 for on this day Bienville departed with Father Paul De Ru leaving St. Denis to scout the locations of the Caddo Indians. Bienville, having secured pirogues from the Natchitoches Indians, returned by water down the Red River to the Mississippi and back to Biloxi. St. Denis soon followed and brought with him a number of the Natchitoches Tribe of Indians, who settled on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain. St. Denis settled near by at Fort Louis.
1701-1707
During these years Father Hidalgo and Father Salazar were trading and preaching to the Indians at Mission Maria de Los Delores. Father Hidalgo traded with the Indians for gold; Anya, who was then the Governor of Coahuile, was aware of this. There are several historical records referring to the raiding of the Hidalgo mission in search of gold. Hidalgo at first did turn the gold over to the government, part of which was to be given to the College of the Holy Cross. A Captain Hernandez was broken in rank when he gave Hidalgo a receipt for the gold. Padre Hidalgo realized that very little, if any, of the gold was reaching the King of Spain.