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Ou,- Catliolic Heritage in Texas
in their nightly revels. Little wonder they do not want to work the following morning. A good corn crop had been expected but only one thousand f anegas had been harvested and most of these were not properly seasoned. The reason was that the soldiers had begun to set the example of eating the roasting ears, and the Indians had rightly concluded they were entitled to eat as many as the soldiers. San Ildefonso had three times as much corn as San Francisco, and its fields were the earliest to begin to yield, but not a grain had been harvested. Everything was consumed before it ripened. The Bidais, Deadoses, and Orcoquisacs were known for their skill as horsemen and as riflemen. The French kept them supplied with guns by bartering a rifle for four skins. Their natural pride had been increased by the apparent cowardice of the soldiers, who did not dare to reprimand them for their insolence in dealing with the Padres. The result was that the Spaniards and the missionaries were in fact dependent upon these Indians. A day did not pass without the soldiers going to the quarters of these Indians to beg of them a piece of meat or to trade bullets, lead, and powder in exchange for a jar to cook with, or something to eat. Such conditions had made the natives so bold and insolent that life for the Padres was almost unbearable, and only by the exercise of the greatest patience did they manage steadfastly to persevere. 65 It was not long before the conditions so vividly portrayed bore fruit. On October 23, 1749, Fray Mariano urgently attempted to inform the governor, who was still in San Antonio, that a messenger had just arrived from San Xavier with the unwelcome news of the abandonment of Mission San Ildefonso. This was deeply to be deplored. The long and painful efforts of the missionaries and the increasing and considerable sums of money spent for the conversion of the natives at San Xavier might prove a total loss. The other two missions were in grave danger. Their neophytes might follow the bad example. But this was not all. The messenger had brought news also of the serious illness of one of the missionaries, who had requested from Galvan an escort to return to San Antonio and had been refused aid. Consequently it seemed urgently necessary that on the morrow Fray Mariano or some other Padre should leave for San Xavier to relieve the sick missionary. He therefore formally begged that an appropriate escort be made ready.
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~y Aciclos Valverde to Fray Mariano, October 8, I 7 49- San Francisco el GrONJe Ar&l,ive, Vol. 19, pp. 167- 1 7 2 •
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