355
Missionary Activity Among tlie Apaclies, z743-z758
therefore, that Captain Urrutia hold an inquiry and examine witnesses to prove if these facts were not true. The investigation was held and all his claims were corroborated. But in the meantime conflicting reports continued to reach the already distrustful officials.%6 These advisors in- creased the indecision of the viceroy and postponed definite action on the Pedernales plan until it was finally abandoned. A mission in Coalmila for Texas Apaches. Interest in the Texas Apaches was not confined to the missionaries in San Antonio. Contem- poraneously with the efforts of Fray Benito and Fray Mariano another pious son of the College of Queretaro, destined to die a martyr among the Apaches, appears to have been trying to secure authorization to congregate these Indians in the vicinity of San Juan Bautista (near present Eagle Pass). This was no other than Father Fray Alonso Giraldo de Terreros, President of the Missions on the Rio Grande, who, as already indicated, was appointed to succeed Fray Mariano in February, 1752, but unforeseen circumstances kept him from taking possession of the office. 27 The high esteem in which he was held for his great zeal, ability, experience, and tact is emphatically expressed in his appointment by the Discretorio. He had worked among the Indians of Eastern Texas, had served as Guardian of the College of La Santa Cruz, and later he had been sent to take charge of the missions on the Rio Grande. Throughout New Spain he was known for his living faith and fervent zeal. It was chiefly his earnestness and abiding interest that caused the first formal mission for the Texas Apaches to be established. Very properly Dunn says: "This mission was a logical step in the evolution of the San Saba plan, and had much influence upon the subsequent inauguration of that enterprise." 21 It is fitting that its history be included in the present study, 26Memorial presentado por el R. P. Presidte. Fr. Mariano de los Dolores al Capn. Dn. Thorivio de Urrutia, para qe este haga juridica informacion ... Arc/rivo del Colegio de la Santa Cruz de Queretaro, 1750-1767, pp. 50-66. The details of the investigation are found in the following documents: Expediente del Capitan Toribio de Urrutia ... sabre la propuesta mudanza, June 1 7, 1 7 so ; Respuesta del Cabildo, undated; Auto sobre representacion de Fray Mariano, September 1 7, 17 so; Urrutia to the Viceroy, October 14, 1750; all in San FranciJco 111 Grande Arc/rive, Vol. 25, pp. 39-82. 27See pages 322-323. zaounn, "Missionary activity among the Eastern Apaches," Tire Quarl11rly, XV, 1 96-197. It is in this excellent article that the only account of this mission, the fore. runner of Mission San Saba, is found in English. The entire account is based on a manuscript summary made by Dr. Dolton from the original documents which he found in Saltillo.
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