Our C at/10/ic Heritage in Texas
to the San Marcos. In notifying the viceroy of the decision taken, Don Pedro explained that San Xavier had become positively untenable. So many of the soldiers were sick and so many had died that it was danger- ous to remain any longer, since recruits to fill the depleted ranks could not be enlisted. The San Marcos was halfway between the former site and San Antonio, and it offered the necessary facilities for subsistence until the viceroy decided the ultimate disposition of the presidio and missions. 58 Governor Barrios did not find out that the San Xavier River had been abandoned until September, and he was naturally displeased because Don Pedro had failed to notify him. He immediately wrote to the viceroy that the transfer to the San Marcos had been effected without his knowl- edge. But Don Pedro had officially informed the viceroy of the circum- stances on August 26. When on February 6, the viceroy acknowledged the letter, he rebuked the commander but was forced to admit the fait accompli. 59 Contrary to the belief that the removal of the missions and presidio consisted mainly of a change of location on the part of the missionaries and of a transfer of bells, ornaments, and other mission property, 60 the evidence now available clearly shows that the removal was real and that the two missions of Candelaria and San Francisco, with forty neophytes, were formally reestablished on the San Marcos, where by August 23, 1755, their depleted ranks had been swollen to over one thousand neophytes. On that date Fathers Fray Jose Lopez, Fray Sebas- ticin Flores, and Fray Francisco Aparicio petitioned Don Pedro, who was now living on the San Marcos (near the site of present San Marcos) to move to the San Saba. They declared that almost one thousand Apaches had joined the missions since their coming, that they could no longer support them on this site, and that they thought it would be best to take them to their country on the San Saba or the Florido. The padres declared they were ready to set out with or without a guard and risk their lives, if necessary, for the salvation of these natives. Don Pedro naturally denied 'their request and refused to let them go alone, urging them to continue to minister to the natives on the San Marcos until further in- SIPedro Rabago y Teran to the Viceroy, August 26, 1755. In A.G. I. Audiencia de Mexico (Cunningham tr., 1763, pt. 3), PP· 164-166. S9Barrios to the Viceroy, September 6, 1 7 55; Viceroy to Barrios, February 1 4 , 1756. A.G. M. Historin, Vol. 97- 60Bolton, Texas in tlu ,Jfiddle Eigl,teenth Centur,.,, 271-272.
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