Our Catlzolic H erit.age in Texas
244
The first germ of the proposal for the establi5hment of a new m1ss1on is found in the letter to Fray Ortiz just cited. After explaining the advantages, both temporal and spiritual, that would result from the founding of such an establishment in the land of the petitioners, he pointed out that this, unlike other missions, would require a guard of thirty soldiers. These Indians had to be weaned from the French with whom they had intimate trade relations and they had to be protected against the Apaches. For these reasons the larger guard was essentia1 to protect the missionaries and the new converts and to be prepared to resist a possible invasion. But the mission would furthermore require an annual allowance of more than the four hundred and fifty pesos a year, the stipend granted for each missionary, which if two were assigned. would amount to nine hundred pesos. Such a sum was inadequate to buy implements, supplies, seeds, equipment, presents, and other necessary things for the large number of Indians expected to be congregated. An additional aid in the form of royal alms to purchase all these things would be needed for a number of years until the mission was firmly established. Having explained the needs, he suggested the means of meeting them. With regard to the thirty men to be assigned as guards, these he thought could be detailed from Los Adaes. Adequate protection would induce the ultimate settlement of the two hundred leagues between Los Adaes and San Antonio now deserted, would win the respect and friendship of the Indians, and would offer a point of rendezvous and refuge in case of war. That Los Adaes was unsafe now in case of foreign aggression was evidenced by the proposal of Governor Wintuisen, that the capital be moved to San Antonio.• It is to be noted that throughout the discussion, Fray Mariano spoke of but one mission at this time and did not mention the San Xavier River once. The reason for the latter is that the particular location of the new establishment was not as yet determined in his mind. But the enthusiasm of the missionary for the project knew no bounds. By July, 1 7 4 5, he reported to Father Fray Alonso Giraldo de Terreros, Guardian of the College of Queretaro, that he had learned from the Indians, since the departure of Fray Ortiz, that ther~ were one thousand two hundred and twenty-eight persons in the fo~r nations who were ready to be congregated, besides many other coastal tnbes, whose total member-
1 745 in /oc. cit.
0 I J •Fray Mariano to Fray rt z, une .., I ~
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