San Antonio de Valero and Missionar,y Activit,y, z7z6-I7I9 99
had set in and the cold northers and frequent rains made travel both slow and difficult. Painfully, the small group with its precious cargo made its way with untold hardships as far as the Navasoto River. Just beyond this stream they were forced to halt on January 28, on the banks of Lake Santa Anna, unable to proceed farther on account of the swollen streams. From here Father Nunez sent back eleven soldiers for help, while he remained with four companions to watch the cargo and to wait for an opportunity to proceed on his errand of mercy. They stayed there doggedly waiting for the rains to cease and the rivers to subside until March 30. At first, some of the Tejas Indians in the neighborhood gave them corn, then others gave them different kinds of edible roots on which they sub- sisted, but at last all the friendly Indians had to go away to sow their crops. In vain did Father Nunez try to get someone to swim the lake and the streams beyond to carry word to the distressed missionaries in East Texas. Finally in despair the four men hid the cargo in a thick wood, covered it with a tent, and gave letters to a Tejas Indian for the Padres, explaining to them where the supplies were hidden. After leaving instructions for the delivery of the message at the first opportunity, they started back to report to Alarcon. The governor had tried on two previous occasions to send help to Father Nunez, but the men had been unable to cross the Colorado River. One time four men were sent and on another occasion thirteen, but all to no avail. It was not until April 2r, that Father Nunez and the four soldiers met Alarcon, about six leagues west of the Medina River, and acquainted him with their misfortunes. The missionary did not need to tell h.im how much he had suffered. His appearance was a silent testimony of the hard- ships he had undergone. He was pale, sickly, and emaciated. A new cargo was ordered from the Rio Grande and on June 27, the President of the Missions at San Juan Bautista set out with instructions to search for the cargo left at Lake Santa Anna, referred to from this time as Laguna de las Cargas, and if not found, to continue to East Texas with the new shipment of goods." By a strange coincidence, that same day, unaware of the action taken by the governor, but moved by the urgent appeals received from the missionaries, the viceroy called a meeting of the officers of the treasury to determine the action to be taken in view of the loss of the goods sent to East Texas. The Junta de Hacienda advised the viceroy to send immediately a new relief cargo and authorized the expenditure of another
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