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Our Catl,olic Heritage in T e:xas
there was no desire to deceive the viceregal authorities. He was convinced that there was more and better arable land capable of irrigation on the San Xavier than in San Antonio. The important thing was to keep the Indians congregated and begin their formal instruction. Delay might prove fatal. 55 Unknown to Fray Benito, the day after his protest, the viceroy approved the recommendations of Altamira and authorized the establishment of what was tantamount to a presidio. Disregarding the strong protest. Governor Barrio ordered Juan Galvan and Gregorio Estrada to accompany him as assistant judges. He forthwith informed Fray Benito that within an hour he would set out for San Xavier that same day (July 6). The zealous missionary again registered his unmitigated protest and declared null and void all the acts of the governor.$(; Governor carries out investigation. Findings of Governor Barrio. The governor arrived in San Xavier on July 11 and on the following day began his formal investigation. 51 The fields on both sides of the river were paced, and on July 14 it was set down that there were four fields, running south from the San Xavier (present San Gabriel), three of which were paced and were found to be thirteen hundred by three hundred and sixty, five hundred by two hundred and seventy, and five hundred by twenty-seven paces, respectively. On the north bank, extending in this direction, were two prairies, one measuring three hundred by one hundred and twenty-six paces and the other five hundred by one hundred and twenty. These were all the tillable lands found for a distance of two leagues upstream and one down from the site of Mission San Francisco. On July 15 the San Adres was explored to its juncture with the main stream of the Brazos, of which Joseph Martinez declared it was a branch. He asserted that this stream had been known since the time of Aguayo SSProtest of Fray Benito, July 6, 1749. San Francisco el Grande Archive, Vol. 4 , pp. 144-158. 56/bia., Vol. 4, pp. 158-168. 57The official autos concerning this investigation are in the San Francisco el Grande ~ L ' (photostat copies now in the University of Texas). This took place in July .nrcnwe . f h" · · • • 1749 , and not in May. Morfi, in his Memor,as~dcdo 1 n Eus_e\ t 1s ~nscpechon with that of M 8 and Bolton, in his Te:ras in the M, e 1gnte11ntr. ent"ry, 291, n. 4 6 ay, 174 , • h" t · t · • • ' misled by this fact, says Musquiz was wrong m 1s rep~r m s atmg M1ss1on Cande- . f ded i"n July since it was already estabhshed when Governor Barri·o lana was oun • · · d • h . . t"on i"n May meaning July. The ongmal ocuments definitely prove made 1s mspec 1 , . , • 1 ht These were not available to Bolton m I 91 s. Musquiz r g •
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