In 1730 Natchitoches welcomed the arrival of its first French priest, Father Vietry. In April of 1731 Zavalles received an urgent message from St. Denis saying that the Natchez Indians were on their way to attack the French Post and asked for assistance. Zavalles sent fifteen men, which may just have been enough to help St. Denis gain a victory over the Natchez Indians. One Spaniard lost his life in the battle. Zavalles was criticized by his Spanish superiors at San Antonio and Mexico City for assisting the French, but Zavalles reasoned that if the French Post had fallen to the Natchez Indians nothing would have prevented the Natchez from attacking the Spanish presidio. There was also the possibility of the Caddos aligning themselves with the Natchez. Such a procedure had often happened among warring Indian tribes against the white man. It is far better, if a battle is to be fought, that it take place in foreign territory. He reasoned that even if the French lost, there would be other Frenchmen to return and settle the land. If the Spanish had gained control of the Adais-Natchitoches frontier their dominance would not have been for long. As a result of this assistance of the Spanish, food and trade-goods from the French became more plentiful and cheaper in price. Manuel de Sandoval in 1734 replaced Zavalles as Governor of Los Adais. After a few months on the frontier he left and assigned Jose Gonzales as Governor of Los Adais. Zavalles in the meanwhile was being prosecuted at San Antonio de Bexar because of his leniency with the French. An investigation of the conditions on the Spanish frontier proved that Zavalles was correct in his actions. His rank and prestige were restored. St. Denis took advantage of the unrest of the Spanish, and in the midst of protests and letter writing, he moved the Post St. Jean Baptiste “one pistol shot” distance to the west bank of the Red River. Jose Gonzales was commandante of an ill-equipped presidio, the crops were failures and the French had control of the food, but the Spanish always had time for fiesta. And the French came to visit and trade. Much to the discomfort of Gonzales, fraternization became the order of the day. It was the year 1735, when Chamard erected his home and added a chapel so that civil marriages could be blessed by the priests from Los Adais on their monthly visits. Natchitoches was quite often without the services of a priest at this time. Chamard came to the Natchitoches area in 1730 as an agent and notary for the Company of the Indies. Chamard was a very devout Catholic and was a leader in rebuilding the church which had burned in 1734. He set an excellent example on the frontier for those who were not inclined to attend religious services regularly. V DOCTORS AND EARLY MEDICINE—1722 TO 1744