Establislmient and Early Progress of San Xavier illissions
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acquaintance of the principal tribes of Rancheria Grande and their allies, who lived along the Brazos River and roamed as far as the Trinity. In 1741, while accompanying Governor Wintuisen to the last named river, he had carried presents to the Deodoses and the Mayeyes and had tried to induce them to enter his mission. Since that time he had frequently visited them until 1745, never losing hope that they would eventually consent to be congregated in a mission.~ His faith and constancy were at last rewarded. On June 2, 1745, a delegation of seventeen Indians from the Yojuane, Deadose, Mayeye, and Yerbipiame nations, living in and around Rancheria Grande, came to San Antonio to visit the Padre. After a short stay, they informed him that they wanted to live in missions like those they had seen, and they asked that some be established for their people in their own lands. If this was done, they would be glad to be congregated and would induce other tribes to do likewise. They invited Fray Mariano to go back with them or send some one to visit them in their country to select a site for a mission. The delight of Fray Mariano may be imagined. He promised he would try to send a Padre to visit them and to secure a mission as they desired. At the same time he wrote Father Fray Francisco Xavier Ortiz, the Commissary Visitor, who had recently inspected the missions and had gone to East Texas, to stop in San Antonio on his return. Fray Ortiz acceded to the request, and shortly afterwards he had the Indians examined by Ca_ptain Toribio Urrutia in the presence of other officials. To test their sincerity he first offered to establish a separate mission for them in San Antonio. They objected that this was too far from their friends, their lands, and the country of the Tejas from whom they secured their arms. Urrutia then explained the routine to which they would have to submit, the respect they would owe the missionaries, and how they would have to toil in the fields. They said they were willing to do all these things if the mission was in their country. They then repeated their request, that a Padre go with them to instruct their people and tell them what they had to do to prepare for the founding of a mission. 3 2 Bolton, Te:zas in tire Middle Eighteenth Century, 149-1 so; Satisfaccion de los Misioneros a las objecciones hechas por el Govr. Bustillo, Arcliivo del Colegio de la Santa Cru11 de Queretaro, (Dunn Transcripts, 1716-1749); Fray Mariano to Fray Ortiz, June 12, 1745. Ibid. 3 Fray Mariano to Fray Ortiz, June 12, 1745; Depacho que sin provecho se saco el a_n? ~e 1746 _- .. Arclrivo del Colegio ... (Dunn Transcripts, 1716.1749); Arnc1v1ta, Cronrca, 323.
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