Ottr Catholic Heritage in Texas
pesos, the one of Luisa Hernandez cost twelve pesos and four reales, and the one for the little child cost four pesos. 31 The solicitude of government officials extended to the horses of the Canary Islanders as well as to the settlers. On September 12, the Alcalde Mayor of Cuatitlan received one hundred and forty-six horses by order of the viceroy, which were to be used in transportation of the families to Texas. Until the date of their departure, which was finally set for November 15, he was instructed to employ as many men as might be necessary to take care of these horses and to pay each one of the herd- ers four reales a day. Ignacio de Tapia, Pedro de Tapia, Juan de la Vega, and Manuel Vazquez, all residents of Cuatitlan, were accordingly employed to look after the stock and were paid one hundred and twenty- eight pesos for services rendered during sixty-four days. This assistance was provided to give a period of complete rest to the worn-out colonists before they started on their march to distant Texas. 38 It cost the king two thousand four hundred eighty-nine pesos and five reales to pay for all the expenses of the prospective settlers during their stay at Cuatitlan. This amount included the rent for the three houses, the daily allowance given to each member of the party, mt:dical attention furnished to the sick, medicines, shrouds for the dead, the pay- ment of caretakers for the horses, and the fee paid to the guard that escorted them from Veracruz to Mexico City. The accounts presented by the Alcalde Mayor were finally approved by the viceroy on December 20, 1730, and the reimbursement made to him on April 16, 1731. 39 Rottte followed from Cttatitlan to Saltillo. While the Canary Island- ers were resting in Cuatitlan, the viceroy was busy making the final arrangements for their transportation to the Presidio of San Antonio de Bejar, where they were to establish an independent municipality, as advised by Brigadier Don Pedro de Rivera and endorsed by the Auditor Olivan Rebolledo. At the request of Casafuerte, Rivera had presented an itinerary that might be followed from Cuatitlan to Saltillo, where the families were to rest once more while the escort that was to conduct them to the San Antonio River arrived from the Presidio of Coahuila at Monclova. This matter was referred to Olivan Rebolledo, who, on October 31, 1730, gave his opinion. 37Recibos de gastos. A. G. N., Provincias /11ternas, Vol. 32. lBRecibo de los cuatro hombres que cuidaron los Cabos. 128 pp. A. G. N., Pro- vi11cias /nternas, Vol. 32. 39In!orme del Factor de esta. R. Caja. A. G. N ., Provincias /nternas, Vol. 32.
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