I ! 'l r I I
Our Catliolic Heritage in Texas
280
thirty-nine persons, including ninety-six Orcoquisacs, eighty-eight Bidais, and fifty-five Deadoses. Fray Benito declared there were enough Tonkawas congregated now for the establishment of the third mission. But these Indians could be cared for in Mission San Francisco, with whose neophytes they were on friendly terms. He had decided to reserve the third mission for the Cocos and their allies from the coast. He assured the viceroy that this establishment would not be delayed and that he would report it opportunely. Mission Nuestra Seiiora de la Candelaria. In closing his report he stressed once more the need of a presidio. The thirty men at San Xavier were inadequate, lacked discipline, and set a bad example to the Indians with their loose morals. 49 Fray Mariano apologizes. Three days later, Fray Mariano made his own apology. The effect of the accident suffered in April of the previous year still lingered and he was hardly able to use his right hand. But even had he been able to remain at San Xavier little more could have been accomplished. Fray Benito had done everything possible. The greatest handicap was the lack of pack animals. The scarcity of mules permitted the transportation of only one hundred fanegas of corn a month. This amount was totally inadequate for the needs of the Indians, the soldiers, and the Padres. The Apaches 1lad intensified their attacks both at San Xavier and in San Antonio. Recently they had taken fifty horses from a group of San Antonio settlers who had gone to cut timber for the proposed new church. The guard at San Xavier, he averred, was insufficient, and he urged the establishment of a formal presidio. Speaking of the Orcoquisacs and the report of Captain Orobio concerning them, Fray Mariano declared that these Indians had assured the mis- sionaries several years before that they would join the San Xavier Missions. This was natural, since they spoke the same language of several of the tribes congregated there, with whom they were friendly and to whom, in some instances, they were related. Some Orcoquisacs were in fact already at San Xavier. By inducing them to congregate there the expense of a new mission and possibly a presidio on the coast could be averted. He expressed some surprise at the assertion that the Cocos were enemies of
"Fray Benito to the Viceroy, March Io, I 7 49• In / bid.
I
l
Powered by FlippingBook