Reiistablislnnent of 111issions, r72r-r722
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for he rejoiced to see the reestablishment of the mission and the Catholic Faith." Among those who came to witness the events at Mission Concepcion were about eighty Cadodachos. These Indians lived in territory controlled by the French and were under their influence. They were invited, how- ever, by the chief of the Tejas, with whom they were on friendly terms. The large number of troops and the completeness of their arms and equip- ment made a profound impression also upon these visitors, according to the chronicler. When the ceremony at the church was over, the chiefs of the various tribes and other Indians who had assembled went to one of the two dwelling houses of the Padres to meet the Marquis. The women brought in as gifts their favorite articles of food. When all had assembled, one . of their spokesmen told Aguayo that the Indians feared that the Spaniards would abandon them again as in the past. He reassured them of the firm intention of the Spaniards never to forsake them again, explaining that a sufficient number of soldiers would be left among the natives this time to protect them against their enemies. Singling out Chief Cheocas, of the Tejas nation, which he knew was one of the strongest and most influ- ential, he requested him to gather all his people because he, Aguayo, wanted to give them presents and explain why the king had sent so many Spaniards to their land. The chief replied that his people were then sc~ tered but he promised to bring them together soon. The Marquis ordered dinner to be served to all the captains and the Padres ar great feast was enjoyed by all. I After dinner the Reverend Father Espinosa appeared before Go, Aguayo and requested, as had been done at San Francisco de los Nee to be given possession of the mission in the name of the College of the Holy Cross of Queretaro and on behalf of the Indians of the Aynay nation and such others as might be congregated. The President stipulated, as in the previous case, that if a more suitable location was found later for the mission and the proposed pueblo, the act of possession would not be invalidated by this circumstance, and he declared that the Mission of La Purisima Concepcion would again be designated as the capital or head of all the missions placed under the care of the College of Queretaro in the Province of the Tejas. He presented Father Fray Gabriel Vergara as the resident missionary who, together with the petitioner, would instroct the natives in the catechism and educate them in all things pertaini~g to mission life. Upon hearing the petition, the governor declared that, in
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