To acquire this deed would require some tact. First, he would get the land and then a wife who could be able to help him operate his business. Which nationality owned this land on the east bank of the Arroyo Hondo made no difference. Jose decided that he would get a grant-title from both representatives of their respective governments. It would be interesting to see if he, a Spaniard, might obtain a land grant from the French, too, and if this could be done, it would be quite a feather in his hat, making him more popular among his Spanish friends. The grove of trees and the slight rise of the earth there formed a sort of flat shelf. The land was about ninety _toises_ (540 feet) square and extended from the Arroyo Hondo to the base of Grand Montania, and the trail leading up the face of Grand Montania divided the land. This was a good feature and he would ask for all land on each side of the trail so that no one else could come in and establish another business near this resting place and be his competitor. Guiterez was excited. Even he, with no experience in the operation of such a tavern, could see the immediate success of it. El Trumpitero with a loud whinney announced the presence of other horses in the vicinity, and, as Jose looked across the Arroyo Hondo, he could see a small pack train composed of eight horses and three riders. As the train neared and the animals began to ford the stream he recognized the party of Jean Lagross with his Ais squaw wife, Isobel, and their daughter, Francine Manuella, named “Manuella” to honor Madam St. Denis, who was her godmother. Because of so much rainfall the water of the stream was swift and deep, and Jose rode El Trumpitero out to the ford to offer assistance to the party if needed. One thing that both the French and Spanish had learned from the Indians was the maintenance of markers on fordable streams such as the Arroyo Hondo. Slender, cypress poles were placed in a line and at intervals across the stream, each pole was painted in rings of green, yellow and red; the red being at the top of the pole. By looking at the poles and their markings the depth of the water could be ascertained. The markers were on each side of the crossing marking the now submerged trail. This ford crossing of the Arroyo Hondo was only about sixty feet from bank to bank, but on occasion it could be very dangerous if one were not careful and allowed the current to get the upper hand. The water at this time had risen past the red markings on the poles, denoting the stream to be nearly six feet deep and warning that fording it would be dangerous. Jose had noticed the markings and this was the reason that he rode his horse part way out into the water.