Page:Vol 3 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/432

412 the troops; and the mode of choosing habilitados and rendering them effective.

It will be unnecessary to dwell here on the presidios of the country north of Durango, as they will be fully treated of in other volumes. The presidios of Monterey and Nayarit were suppressed, placing in lieu of the former two salvaguardias in each of the eight missions of Nuevo Leon, and seven salvagfuardias in lieu of the latter.

It was Rubí's report on the secure condition of Nuevo Leon that induced the suppression of the presidio of Monterey. It was ill-founded, for in 1774 the country was overrun by natives. The comandante of the presidios, Hugo O'Connor, came to the rescue, and a detachment was stationed at Punta de Lampazos, which place was made stronger. Subsequently, in 1783, an attempt was made to increase the force in Nuevo Leon, but Colonel Juan de Ugalde, late governor of Coahuila, strenuously opposed it, as expensive, burdensome in every way, and useless, for Nuevo Leon being in the rear of Coahuila could be of no assistance to other provinces if assailed. The people of Nuevo Leon, however, were all armed. In 1795 there were twenty-two companies of militia well equipped. The total military force in 1786 in the