Reestablishment of Missions, 1721-1722
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Miguel which was going to be reestablished for their benefit in the vicinity of the new presidio which he was about to build. The Indians promised they would congregate in the new mission as soon as they har- vested their crops. In spite of their promises and apparent joy at seeing the Spaniards back, a whole month passed, during which the new Presidio of Nuestra Senora del Pilar was almost completed and a presidia! chapel was built, without sufficient Indians appearing there to start the proposed mission on the new site. Finally, on the Feast of the Archangel St. Michael, September 29, it was decided to declare the establishment, this being the day of its titular saint and patron. The ceremony took place in the pre- sidia} chapel. After the celebration of High Mass, during which salvos were fired by the entire battalion and the six fieldpieces of the expedition, the Reverend Father Antonio Margil de Jesus, President of the missions of the College of Zacatecas in the Province of the Tejas, declared that not being able to establish at this time the proposed Mission of San Miguel de Cuellar de los Adaes because the Indians, who were to be congregated in this mission, were now living ten to fifteen leagues away and would not be able to come together until the spring, he requested, nevertheless, that a place be designated for its establishment at a later date, with sufficient lands and water to raise crops and cattle and to found a pueblo, and that these allotments be granted for that purpose. In the meantime, he, Father Margi!, promised to care for the Indians of the Adaes nation in the presidia! chapel and to visit them and minister to them in their distant randzertas as well as circumstances permitted. He agreed to assign another missionary to this mission upon the arrival of those who were now on their way to Texas. Upon hearing the petition of the Very Reverend Father Margil, the Marquis granted everything he asked, selected a spot, and gave possession to him and to such Indians as might be congregated later. This mission, which was not erected at this time, was located about a mile from the new Presidio of Nuestra Senora del Pilar, which for fifty years was to be the residence of the governors of the province until the office was moved to San Antonio in 1772. Its location has been definitely fixed about two miles from the present town of Robeline, Louisiana. 13 San Francisco Xav-ier 111ission in San Antonio. \Vith the nominal reestablishment of the Mission of San Miguel de los Adaes, the last of 13 Peiia, Derrotero, 22; Buckley, o-p. cit., XV, 52-53; Dilirencias Erecutadas, Audiencia de Mexico, 62-2-2.
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