Rivera's l11spection and Removal of il1issions to San Antonio 26I
natives, who might renew hostilities at a time when peace reigned in the region. 66 The viceroy was content to adopt the opinion expressed by Rivera in the case, and issued instructions that the captain of La Bahia should be informed accordingly, sending him a copy of the recommendations made by the former inspector of presidios for his information. This was done on August 8, and the attempt to secure salt from the salines discovered by Bustillo y Ceballos was abandoned. At the close of 1731 the Mission of Nuestra Senora del Espiritu Santo and the Presidio de la Bahia seemed to have attained a degree of pros- perity and peace. The Indians continued to be friendly and many came to live in the mission. The missionary in charge was able, for a while, to devote his time to the systematic instruction of the neophytes not only in the doctrina, but in the various duties of mission life. Harmony and understanding between the new commander and the mission prevailed and everything seemed promising. The former governor of the province, Don Fernando Perez de Almazan, had been forced to resign his office on account of sickness. In his letters to the viceroy, in 1726 and 1727, he repeatedly referred to his failing health. Shortly afterwards, he declared that he had appointed, subject to the approval of the viceroy, Mediavilla y Azcona, Captain of Los Adaes, naming him also his lieutenant governor, much as Aguayo had done in 1722 in his case. By 1729, Perez de Almazan was in Mexico City, as indicated by the representation against the extinction of the Presidio de los Tejas, which the missionaries made in July of that year. 67 It is safe to conclude, therefore, that he left Texas either in the fall of 1728, or in the spring of 1729, shortly after the termination of the Rivera inspection. As the appointment of Mediavilla y Azcona as lieutenant gov- ernor had been provisional and it was never sanctioned by the viceroy, upon the formal resignation of Governor Almazan, it seems it was decided to name Captain Juan Antonio Bustillo y Ceballos, who had rendered such efficient service at La Bahia and to whom Rivera took a decided liking, as shown by his report on that presidio, governor of the province. The official appointment or its confirmation have not been found, but from the commission issued to Captain Costales, in which it is 66 0pini6n del Brigadier Rivera, July I 9, I 7 3 I. A . G. N., Provincias Internas, Vol. 236. 67 Representaci6n de los Misioneros, July 20, I 729. San Francisco dl Grandi, Archives, Vol. 3, p. 6.
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