185
Escandon and Settlement of Lower Rio Grande, 1738-1779
plan for the suppression of Nuestra Senora de los Dolores de los Ais, the transfer of one missionary to La Bahia to found a new mission for the Cujanes, and the transfer of the other missionary to Nacogdoches." But the Fiscal was still unconvinced. Fray Camberos impatiently repeated his arguments. He added that six chiefs were ready to appeal to the viceroy in person. If a decision was reached soon, the supplies for the new mission could be sent with the regular train, which would set out from Zacatecas about the middle of July. He consequently urged immediate action. By this time the Fiscal was convinced and gave his approval on June 10, while the new Auditor, Baka.reel, recommended its execution on the 17th. The viceroy decreed the abolition of Mission Dolores on June 21 and issued instructions for Fray Camberos' plans to be carried out. 65 Mission Dolores, the first founded by the saintly Margi! in East Texas, was not yet doomed to disappear. When Father Fray Francisco Vallejo, president of the East Texas missions of Zacatecas, received the viceregal order for the suppression of Mission Dolores, he decided to suspend its execution until further consideration. He hurriedly con- sulted Governor Jacinto Barrios y Jauregui at Los Adaes and transmitted his adverse opinion to the viceroy together with a long memorial setting forth the reasons why Mission Dolores should not be suppressed. Father Vallejo alleged he had thirty years of operation in East Texas. His long experience had convinced him the Ais mission was essential to the welfare of this nation, to the salvation of their souls, and to the safety of the dominions of the king. The Indians, although not actually congregated, were located in close proximity to the old mission and had on many occasions lived for several years at a time in the mission itself. They had learned to cultivate the soil and to take care of the· mission herds. Furthermore they were dependent on the mission for many things. If the mission were suppressed and the remaining missionary lived at Nacogdoches, most of them would die without baptism and the others would soon revert to heathenism because Nacogdoches was from eighteen to twenty leagues away and separated by several streams that were impassable in the winter. The Indians would be little inclined to call the Padre and would be discouraged by the many difficulties of the long "Camberos to ~e Viceroy, May 6, I 7 54. In lbltJ., 44-46; Andren to the Viceroy, May 2, I 7 54, Ibid., 40-42. . 65 Camberos to the Viceroy, May 30, I 7 54 ; Dktamenes del Fiscal y el Auditor, June to and 17; Viceregal decree, June 21, 1754. Historla, v. 287, pp, 47-55,
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