285
Establislmzent and Early Progress of San Xavier Missions
(1721-22); that it was the first brazo (branch); but that it was useless for irrigation because it was subject to floods in times of rain and it dried up into pools during long droughts. On July 16. the San Xavier was carefully surveyed and its channel was found to be thirteen varas wide and three-quarters of a vara deep. On July 17, Governor Barrio proceeded to investigate the missions. In Mission San Ildefonso he found forty-six warriors, forty-eight women, and thirty-seven children; in Mission San Francisco Xavier, located about three-quarters of a league below San Ildefonso, there were fifty-five warriors, thirty-three women, and thirty-seven children; and in Mission Nuestra Senora de la Candelaria, located about two gunshots from San Francisco, and which had not been formally founded as yet, there were living at this time twenty-four warriors, twenty-five women, and twenty- two children. Thus by the governor's own census there were three hundred and twenty-seven persons living in the three missions, and although Candelaria had not been formally established, the site for it had been definitely chosen and a formal beginning made. The visit of Governor Barrio was cut short on July 18. News was brought on this day from San Antonio by four soldiers and a corporal that the Apaches had made a surprise attack near the Rio Grande and killed eight soldiers and a priest (Fray Francisco Xavier Silva) on July 5. Fearful lest the Apaches should attempt another surprise, he decided to return to San Antonio immediately, where he arrived on July 25. 55 Upon his return, he had the various witnesses ratify the findings and on August 12, 1749, dispatched a detailed report to the viceroy with a private messenger at his expense. In the letter of transmittal he declared that during his first visit in 1748 the officers at San Xavier had told him there were neither Indians, nor water, nor suitable lands; that since a presidio was contemplated, he had felt it was his duty to make a formal investigation; that he had summoned the Padres to witness the examina- tion, but on their refusal, had carried out the investigation without them. st New disagreements witli tlze governor. The report and letter of Governor Barrio arrived too late. On July 7, the viceroy had ordered 58 Autos of Investigation of San Xavier by Governor Barrio, July 12-17, 1749. San F,-ancisco el G,-ande A,-cl,ive, Vol. 4, pp. 168-190. The total number of persons at the missions given by Bolton in o,p. cit. is 32:1, but since he based his figures on Morfi's Memorias Ms.• it can be an error of the copyist. 59 Governor Barrio to the Viceroy, August 12, 1749, San Francisco 4l Grande Arcnive, Vol. 4, pp. 98-100; also 190-205.
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