Our Catholic Heritage in T ezas
the Indians of this region had become fond of the Padres, the Francis- cans also had developed a strong love for them. "God knows," declares Espinosa, writing sixteen years later, "that were my strength not yet all spent, I would consider it a particular joy to go and serve as a com- panion to the missionary in charge of that mission," referring to Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe de los Nacogdoches, which undertook to care for the former neophytes of the Queretarans. 38 The new nations now congregated proved both willing and capable. When the bell rang out its call on the first day, they all came and lis- tened attentively to the doctrina. After prayers, the missionaries started out to the fields, accompanied by a few Indians from their former mis- sions, and the new converts followed and tried to plow and plant like the others, without having to be asked to work. They took to mission life with apparent joy, helping the Padres diligently in the building of the new quarters, in caring for the cattle and horses, and on the farrn. 39 The removals had been no small feat. Over a distance of about one hundred and fifty leagues, all the property of the missions had been transferred without mishap. Large rivers had been crossed with all the furnishings of the chapels, the herds of cattle, horses, mules, and burros. Two trips had been made to the Indian country to persuade the tribes to come, and a large group had been conducted satisfactorily to the new missions. No wonder Father Mezquia declared that the enter- prise ·had been accomplished at the cost of "many hardships and the peril of life itself on more than one occasion." After the destination was reached new buildings had been erected, the fields had been plowed and made ready for planting, ditches had to be built for irrigation, and pro- visions had to be brought from the Rio Grande to feed the large num- ber of Indians that had been congregated. From San Juan Bautista eight hundred fanegas of corn were supplied which cost fourteen reales each, besides four and a half ,pesos for transportation. A herd of two hundred and fifty head of cattle was also purchased at the Rio Grande for six ,pesos and two reales a head, without including the cost of trans- portation to San Antonio. In view of the many difficulties, and more par- ticularly, of the material expense involved, Father Mezquia asked the viceroy to grant the recently established missions such financial aid as he might deem proper. The request was, of course, referred to Rivera, 38Espinosa, Chro11ica, I, 460; Father Perez de Mezquia to the Viceroy, May 4, 1731, A. G. N., Provincias lnternas, Vol. 236. JtMezquia to the Viceroy, May 4, 1731, in Ibid.
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