Reiistablislmzent of Missions, 1721-1722 1 57 The Indians were earnestly entreated by Aguayo, as they had been by Father Espinosa, to form a pueblo and live there in order that the Padres might be better able to instruct them in the faith and to care for them. To the chief who was chosen as governor of the mission Indians he gave a full dress of English cloth and the customary cane with a silver head as the insignia of his office. There were three hundred and ninety Indians present at the ceremony and all of them were given articles of clothing and presents of various kinds. To conclude the occasion, the Marquis ordered a great banquet to be served to the missionaries, officers, and chiefs of the Indians. In this manner was the first of the Zacatecan missions officially restored by Aguayo. 9 Reformding Mission Dolores. From Guadalupe, Aguayo continued his march to Mission Dolores. After going six leagues to the east-north- east, the expedition halted at Lake San Bernardo. From here the Venerable Father Fray Antonio Margi! de Jesus went ahead with a detachment of soldiers to undertake the work of restoration. Because of difficulties encountered in crossing the numerous streams and in making their way through wooded areas, it was not until the 21st that the main body of the expedition reached the site of the former mission. This had been completely destroyed and not a trace of it was left. When this vanguard arrived, camp was established about half a league from the original site. But not pleased with the former location, Father Margi! had, in the meantime, selected a new one. He chose a place beside a stream, near a beautiful spring, on a high slope of clear ground from which a plain well suited for planting extended all around. The stream described in Pena's Diary has been identified as Ayish Bayou. The site of the mission itself was on a conical slope, about half a mile south of the present city of San Augustine, on the old King's Highway, at the edge of the bayou. 10 The following day, the church which Father Margi! had started to rebuild was partly finished with the help of the whole battalion and everything was made ready for the restoration of the old mission on the next day. On August 23, High Mass was celebrated with all solemnity and, after the customary speech by the Marquis, possession of the new Mission Nuestra Senora de los Dolores de los Ais was given to the Very Reverend Father Antonio Margil de Jesus as representative of the College of Zacatecas. At the same time the Indians who had gathered for the 'Pena, op. cit., 1 8 vuelta; Dilixencias Executadas, A udi~11cia de M e:i-ico, 6i-2-2. IOBuckley, op. cit., XV, 50.
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