Our Catholic Heritage, Volume II

The Organization of Mission Life, I722-q28

185

the arrival of the ship, they attacked and killed four sailors one evening as they were coming from the ship to the presidio. The natives not only murdered the seamen, but they stole the boat in which they were making their way to shore. 23 Removal of Presidio and 1J1ission to tlze Guadalwpe River. Both the missionary and the new captain, after his arrival, must have reported to the viceroy that all efforts to reconcile the Indians and induce them to return to their former mission had proved useless; for on April 15, 1725, he sent detailed instructions to the commander to hold a conference with Governor Perez de Almazan at the earliest opportunity to discuss the advisability of the removal of the presidio to a more suitable location. If the two agreed, they were instructed to select the site to which the post was to be moved and report the matter to the viceroy for final approval. 2 ' Bustillos communicated the orders he had received to Governor Perez de Almazan, but the latter was unable to hold the conference during that year because he had to go first to Coahuila to secure greatly needed sup• plies, and after his return, the rains and floods prevented him from com- ing to La Bahia as requested. In the meantime, Bustillos explored the country and on September 20, he wrote a long letter to the viceroy informing him that although the governor had been unable to come for the various reasons stated, he had explored, in his absence, a site which he thought was suitable for the purpose. It was in a nearby ranch, a league or two from the present location, and offered many advantages both for the presidio and the mission. Impatient at the delay, he again requested the governor in January, 1726, to come as instructed by the viceroy. 25 It was not until the first week in April, 1726, that Almazan was at last able to make the trip to La Bahia. By this time Bustillos, or rather the missionary, had discovered a much better place than the ranch which had been previously chosen. Accordingly, the governor was taken to a spot on the Guadalupe River, about five or six leagues from the original location on the coast. The new place had much in its favor. It was on the bank of the river, with spacious plains extending back which could 23Governor Perez de Almazan to the Viceroy, October 25, 1724. Arcl,ivo San Francisco el Grande, Vol. 10. UJuan Antonio de Bustillos y Ceballos to the Viceroy, La Bahia, June 18, 1726. A.G. N., Provincias lnternas, Vol. 236, Part 1. 25 /bui.

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