379
Missionary Activity Among tl,e Apaches, 1743-1758
structions were received from the viceroy. 61 Three Apache chiefs, with nine hundred and eighty-six persons, joined the missions on the San Marcos and remained there for some time. Of this number, four hundred and sixty-four were capable of bearing arms. 62 The padres and the presidio stayed on the San Marcos until the latter part of November, 1756. Thus it may be said that Mission Candelaria and Mission San Francisco remained at that location and were operated successfully practically for a whole year. On July 2, 1756, Fray Sebastian Flores was the resident missionary at Mission San Francisco Xavier, and Fray Benito Varela was at Mission Candelaria, both still on the San Marcos at that time. It was between July 15 and the latter part of November that the two missions were again moved to the Guadalupe. 61 The searclt for silver mines. Both Galvan and Don Pedro had declared in their reports that indications of mineral deposits in the Apache country had been noted. To the ardent desire for the spread of the gospel that moved the zealous missionaries had to be added other worldly motives before their end was realized. The fear of French incursion always perturbed the officials. Evidence of their activity had been clearly pre- sented and the importance of preventing the extension of this influence to the Apaches had been forcefully declared. To this political considera- tion the Governor of Texas was unwittingly to add a more sordid anc more powerful incentive, the greed for wealth. No sooner had Lieutenant Galvan returned and hinted that rich mines might be discovered, when several of the bolder and more adventurous settlers of San Antonio set out to search for these silver deposits. Their failure seems to have convinced Governor Barrios that the matter was important enough for an official expedition. Bernardo de Miranda, the Lieutenant-Governor, had been interested in mines and mining before coming to Texas, and he had acquired much practical experience while at the Real de San Pedro de Boca de Leones. On November 15, 1755, therefore, Governor Barrios formally commissioned him to undertake an exploration in search of Los Almagres, two rich mineral deposits said to be in the Llano and upper Colorado region. One was the Cerro del Almagre, near Llano 61 Petition of missionaries, August 23, 1755; Reply of Don Pedro Rabago y Teran. In A. G. I. Audie11cia de ll1exico, 92-6-22 (Cunningham tr., 1763, pt. 3), pp. 160-166. 62 Pedro Rabago y Teran to the Viceroy, August 26, 1755. In Ibid., 164-166. 63 Testimonio of Fray Sebastian Flores, July 2 . 1756; Testimonio of Fray Benito Varela, July 3, 17 56; Fray l\fariano"s l\'lemorial to Diego Ramon, July Io, 17 s6. In ArcMvo del Colegio de la Santa Crur, 1750-1767, pp. 189-200; 201-207.
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