Our Catl1olic Heritage in Texas
S11bstitttte proposal. He then declared that the weakening of the garri- son stationed at Los Adaes as planned was ill-adYised. This post was the capital of the province and the residence of the governor. It was a frontier outpost facing the French fort of Natchitoches, located only seven leagues away. Its garrison of sixty men should not be reduced, particularly for the protection of the proposed site on the San Xavier, where the thirty men would be inadequate. If anything the establishments in East Texas should be reenforced and encouraged. The small detachments at Boca de Leones and Cerralvo should be maintained for the security of the flourish- ing settlements that had developed in their vicinity. The transfer of Presidio de Santa Rosa del Sacramento would result in the inevitable abandonment of the Villa de Santa Rosa that had grown and flourished under its protecting influence. From the facts presented, the description of the various Indian nations to be congregated, and the territory over which they habitually roamed. it seemed much more logical to establish the proposed missions between the Trinity and the Sabine, in the land of the Tejas Indians. The same purposes could be accomplished without so much expense and with much less danger by establishing a mission for the new Indian converts at San Pedro de los Nabedaches, the first Indian pueblo in the country of the Tejas. Here the four nations could be congregated and they would serve as an example to the Nabedaches. Another mission could be similarly founded at El Loco, a pueblo of the Ainais, admirably suited for thl! purpose and located half way between the site of former Mission Con- cepcion and Nues!ra Senora de Guadalupe de los Nacogdoches. This would accomplish three important objects, concluded Bustillo y Ceballos. It would obviate the necessity of moving the Presidio del Sacramento; it would enable the missionaries to gather the abundant fruit of conversion which they so much desired, among the Indian nations mentioned; and it would restore to the Tejas Indians the spiritual comforts that were withdrawn from them when the Queretaran missions in East Texas were abandoned. Being closer to the presidio at Los Adaes, there would be no need for such a large troop as requested and the garrison there could easily furnish the customary mission guard of two or three soldiers for each of the missions.11 Need for a prompt decision. In the meantime F_ray Mariano \~as • • to keep the Indians congregated m the temporarily strammg every nerve t he Viceroy, May 28, 1746. San Fra11ci.sco 11l Gra11de llBustillo y Ceballos to Archive, vol. 19, 56-62.
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