Our C at/10/ic Heritage in Texas
182
Benito Fernandez de Santa Anna and Fray Mariano de los Dolores claim the Indians were forced or intimidated into remaining at their present location. 59 This first group of Cujanes was soon joined by another party of ninety-five warriors of Cujanes, Copanes, Guapites, and Karankawas, who were also going to San Antonio. In May another Coco messenger was sent by Fray Mariano of San Antonio to the prospective neophytes, and he reported that one hundred and three men and their families were ready to go to San Antonio, provided a mule train and horses were sent. Fray Mariano quickly complied with the request and even sent the active and intelligent Father Fray Diego Martin Garcia to escort them. But on May 22, Fray Diego reported that on reaching the Presidio and Mission of La Bahia, now ·at Santa Dorotea, they had all been induced to stay there. Father Mariano de los Dolores was indignant and vigorously protested to Fray Gonzalez against such action, pointing out in detail all the cases where he had profited by retaining Cujanes, who had been induced to Jive in missions by the efforts of Queretaran missionaries and at their expense. He closed by saying that in the past the Queretaran missionaries had respected the right of the Zacatecans to the Xaranames, but that such had not been the case with the Cujanes now. 60 Exasperated by the repeated failures to bring Cujanes to San Antonio because of what he considered the intervention of the Zacatecan mis- sionaries at La Bahia, Father Mariano now made a formal appeal to the viceroy through his superior, Father Benito Fernandez de Santa Anna. . After giving a summary of his grievances, he explained that the Cujanes had been considered irreducible for over thirty years. Their assembly now was entirely due to the efforts of Queretarans. He requested, there- fore, that the viceroy should give orders to the Zacatecans to permit the Cujanes to go to San Antonio without interference. The matter was referred to the Auditor, the Marquis of Altamira, who, on December 22, 1751, advised that it would be best to allow things to continue as they were; that the Cujanes were congregated in fact at La Bahia now; and that any change might create a disturbance. But Father Santa Anna S9Fray Gonzalez to Fray de Jos Dolores, April 1 3, 1 7 s 1 ; De Jos Dolores to Fray Gonzalez, June 17, 17 S 1 ; De los Dolores to Fray Santa Anna, October 26, 1751 ; Fray Santa Anna to the Viceroy, December, 1751 ; Capt. Piszina to the Viceroy, December 26, 1751. A. G. M., Historia, vol. 287, pp. 17-18, 19-26, 1-6, 9-12. 60Fray Mariano de los Dolores to Fray Gonzalez, June 17, 17 s 1. A. G. M., l/;storia, v. 287, pp. 19-26.
Powered by FlippingBook