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Ottr Catholic Heritage in Tezas
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cepc1on. It was at his urging, that the governor finally acceded to the proposals. Fray Vergara pointed out the exposed condition of the missions and settlement to the frequent raids of the Apaches. If this nation could be made to become friendly, peace would be afforded the infant estab- lishment. He wisely hinted that if this powerful tribe did not make peace with the Spaniards, the English or the French might make them their allies.u But the interest of Fray Vergara in making peace with the Apaches was his determination to reduce them to mission life. His plan and intentions are clearly revealed in a letter which he wrote on January 3 I, 1733, to the viceroy. Calling the attention of this official to the excellent character of the prisoners that had been taken in the recent raid, he declared that they would make good citizens, and he deplored that this powerful nation and their numerous allies had not already been induced to live in missions, where they could be taught our holy faith and made into useful subjects of the king. "It is a sad thing," he said, "that such a multitude of souls should be eternal dwellers in the infernal caverns, because of the lack of the gospel," adding that there were many priests and missionaries in New Spain who would vie with each other for the privilege of being allowed to undertake this work. He extolled the good qualities of their lands, water, and other conveniences for the establish- ment of missions among them. 1 ' This is the first proposal to befriend the Apaches and to attempt their conversion. Commendable as the plan was, the peaceful relationship with these Indians was soon to create new difficulties in the Indian policy of Spain in Texas. Acceding to the petitions of the citizens and Father Vergara, Governor Bustillo had sent on January 4, 1733, two squaws with letters to their chiefs proposing peace. The messengers of good will were given horses and supplies for the journey, and they were escorted by a sergeant with nineteen soldiers and a priest as far as the San H ibon River ( the Guadalupe). Twenty-seven days later, on January 31, one of the squaws returned accompanied by three warriors. One of them, apparently the chief, declared that the big chief of the Apaches had sent them to ascertain the truth of the proposals for amity; that the capitan grande (head chief) was assembling his people to bring them to make a pact with the Spaniards; and that there were thirty-seven different tribes along the road to New Mexico bearing the name Apache. After being
llPetition of Father Vergara, December 23, 1732, Ibid., 235. HFray Gabriel Vergara to the Viceroy, Arricivita, Clironica, 345.
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