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many other purposes. With this preliminary statement he then expressed serious doubts as to the suitability of the site chosen for the San Xavier missions. He made bold to hint broadly that Fray Mariano and Fray Benito in San Antonio were not above forging testimony. He affirmed that he knew from statements made by eyewitnesses that the San Xavier was not actually a river but merely a creek which at times dried up, leaving only pools of water in its bed. If he carried out the orders just received, it would seriously endanger the maintenance of the presidio at La Bahia, and of the missions in its vicinity. 27 Governor Francisco Garcia presented similar excuses for his failure to fulfill the viceregal instructions of July 27, 1747. He declared that it was now the middle of winter and that the horses of the presidio were exceedingly poor. There was ice and snow in this forlorn country, and the conditions for travel were very unfavorable. Furthermore, Los Adaes was also threatened by the Apaches, and he needed the entire force of the garrison. Since it was now almost the middle of December, it would be impossible to send the horses and men to San Xavier until March or April, depending on the length of the winter. Like the captain of La Bahia, the governor took this opportunity to recount his many difficulties. Supplies were difficult to procure; the soldiers had to spend much time planting corn; the stockade had to be frequently repaired; the missions helped but little, barely enough corn being raised for their own needs. To show the general distribution of the men, he said that fourteen watched the horses, six were detailed as mission guards, twenty escorted goods to and from San Antonio. This left only twenty for all other duties. Furthermore, the men had received the news of their transfer to San Xavier with positive horror. Some of them knew the site and .disliked to go there to live. They claimed there was only a creek, and that the location was exposed to the attacks of the Apaches. Thirty men were insufficient for the post. To confirm his opinion he quoted a Deadose chief, who had recently visited Los Adaes, as saying that the Spaniards were fools to attempt to establish a presidio on the San Xavier River. 21 Appeal to tlze King. While the various officials in Texas kept inventing reasonable excuses to disregard the orders of the viceroy, Fray Francisco Xavier Ortiz, impatient at the delay, and encouraged, perhaps, by the Z70robio y Basterra to the Viceroy, November 21, 1747. Safi Francisco el Grande Arcl,ives, Vol. 19, pp. 84-86. 2acovernor Francisco Garcia to the Viceroy, December 12, 1747. San Francisco el Grande Arcl,ives.
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