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Our Catleolic Heritage in Texas
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the Tops. He added that although there were no Karankawas now in the mission, the Cocos and Tops had told him several times that next winter this nation would come; that they had not come before because they had heard of the scarcity of food that prevailed in the mission.u Gratifying indeed, were the conditions found by Eca y Musquiz during his inspection, but the progress made is much more remarkable when the adverse conditions under which it was attained are considered. The growth and development of the three missions had been materially retarded by the lack of adequate supplies. This was clearly shown by the investigations, which revealed there were numerous Indians ready to be congregated as soon as the missions were in position to care for them. Hardslei,ps of tlee missionaries during 1750. In spite of urgent appeals and notwithstanding the official approval of the project, viceregal officials had been unable to defray the growing expenses of the new missions. The demands on the royal treasury were great at this time. Escandon had just launched his unparalleled coloni- zation scheme, a new presidio was being considered at La Junta (present Presidio, Texas), proposals for a new mission at La Bahia had been presented, and every presidio in Texas, Coahuila, and New Mexico was damoring for an increased garrison. Father Santa Anna, burning with zeal for the conversion of the Apaches, was promoting with might and main the erection of a mission for these Indians and had even urged with vehemence the abandonment of the site of San Antonio and the removal of its presidio to the Pedernales. Harassed by conflicting claim~ of the sponsors and opponents of the various plans and constantly being called upon to defray the expenses of new explorations and investigations, royal officials of the exchequer were reluctant to g~ant financial aid even for those projects that had been approved. Thus early in 1750, Fray Santa Anna, who was in Mexico, informed his College at Queretaro that aid for the proposed Apache missions had been flatly refused. Father Castellanos, now Guardian, transmitted the sad news to the missionaries on the Rio Grande and San Antonio. There is a note of despair in his letter. A request for permi~sion fro_m t~e Commiss_ary General to solicit alms to aid the new enterprise had likewise been denied. This was the last and only resource left. He now appealed to the presi-
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d , de Nuestra Senora de la Candelaria, July IS, 17 so. Archivo del 6 (Dunn Tr) pp. 44-46. This m1ss10n was ac ua y ounded in . • · t ll f
13
Tercer pa ron
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Coleg,o, 1750-17 7 July, 1749, an n d
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O t later as supposed by Bolton. ee pages 2 o, 2 7.
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