011,r Catholic Heritage in Texas
In discussing the project, he gives some interesting information con- cerning the Indian tribes that were congregated in San Xavier. He agreed that the Bidais, Deadoses, and Tops, being related coastal tribes, could be taken into the proposed mission on the Trinity. The Indians of Candelaria could be joined to those in Valero Mission, but those formerly in San Francisco Xavier, being Tawakoni, Yojuanes, Mayeyes, Yerbi- piames, and Quitseys, could not be congregated in either mission because of their ancient enmity with the other groups. They could only be assembled successfully under the plan arranged for the Guadalupe River. Under this plan settlers would be attracted and the Indians would be Christianized and civilized without much expense. 69 The mission on tlze Guadalupe River. On the strength of Diego Ramon's recommendation and the unqualified endorsement of his brother missionaries, Fray Mariano appears to have refounded Mission San Francisco Xavier on the Guadalupe River shortly afterwards. When Colonel Diego Ortiz Parrilla, the new commander appointed to succeed Don Pedro and commissioned to establish a new presidio on the San Saba River, arrived in San Antonio, in December, 1756, an unofficial mission was actually in operation at the Guadalupe. Shortly after his arrival Fray Mariano presented a memorial to him, setting forth the circumstances that had led to the establishment, and asking him to make an official inspection and recommend its approval or order its abandonment. He explained how the orders of the viceroy of May 18, 1756, to prepare in San Antonio for the reception of the former neophytes of San Xavier had been received and obeyed. Ever since 1733 he had been engaged in the conversion of the Indians of Texas. The northern tribes were in- compatible with those in San Antonio. For fifteen years he had tried to overcome this aversion, but to no avail. This had been the chief reason for the San Xavier project. Nevertheless, by dint of great effort, he had succeeded in bringing to San Antonio a number of the former neophytes in compliance with the orders recently received, but two-thirds had run away in spite of liberal gifts and the kind treatment accorded them. Seeing .that the few who still remained were on the point of fleeing, he proposed to them to establish a separate mission on the Guadalupe River, fifteen leagues away. They had joyously accepted the proposal and im- mediately left to await the missionaries at the appointed site. He soon
69Report of Diego Ramon on the Guadalupe River plan, July 16, 1756. Arckivo del Colegio, 1750-1767, pp. 201-206.
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