Ottr Catlzolic Heritage in Tezas
occasion occupied the mission lands and were urged to congregate in a pueblo. The usual formalities were observed as in the previous reestab- lishments. After the official Act of Possession had been concluded, the Reverend Father Margil presented Father Fray Joseph Albadadejo as the resident missionary and promised to give him an assistant upon the arrival of the missionaries who were now on the way to Texas. The Indians then elected a chief to be the governor of the mission Indians and the Marquis presented him with a new suit of fine cloth and the customary cane with a silver mounting as the insignia of his office. After these ceremonies, clothes and gifts were distributed to one hundred and eighty Indians. As the church and the dwelling house of the mission- aries had not been completed, Aguayo left a detachment of soldiers to help finish them, while he continued on his way to Los Adaes.11 Refomzding Mission San Migttel. After six days travel the expedition reached the site of the old Mission of San Miguel de los Adaes, but find- ing it undesirable, pitched camp about half a league beyond, at a spring that flowed through a spacious plain. Aguayo was somewhat perplexed to find no Indians present. Scouting parties were sent out in different direc- tions, but it was not until two days later, on August 31, that news of their whereabouts were obtained. The scouts reported that they had found the rancherias of the Indians about ten or fifteen leagues away; that they had welcomed them with much joy; and that their chief, on hearing of the arrival of the Spaniards and their intention to restore the Mission of San Miguel, had promised he would call his people together and would come to see the Marquis as soon as possible. 1 z On September 1, the chief of the Adaes nation came into camp accom- panied by many Indians. They all assured Aguayo they were very glad to see the Spaniards return. The old chief told a sad story of how the French had cruelly treated them because of their friendship with the Spaniards, and how the enemy had taken many of the Indian women and children captive to sell them as slaves. He said that his people had been forced to abandon their homes and to move to a more distant site because of the hostility of the French and their allies. Aguayo assured him the Spaniards had come to protect them against their enemies. He told them that a large number of soldiers were going to make their home in this region and that the Adaes should gather in the new Mission of San u Pena, Derrolero, I 9; Dilixencias Executadas, A udie11cia de l,fexico, 62-2-2; Espinosa, Chro11ica, 1, 443. llPeiia, Derrotero, 20.
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