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Ottr Catholic Heritage in Texas
blankets, thirty hats, and thret bundles of tobacco distributed among the Indians. The Spaniards were much impressed with the fairness with which all these things were distributed by the Indians, noting that those in charge of the distribution had nothing for themselves when they finished. When all the Indians were gathered that day, Ramon, through an interpreter, addressed them, explaining to them the purposes that brought the Spaniards to their land, which were the salvation of the souls of the natives and the teaching of our holy faith. He told them that all the gifts they had just received had been sent to them by the king through the viceroy, the Duke of Linares, by whose orders he had come, as proof of His Majesty's great love for them, to whom they owed their allegiance. He then pointed out that for their better government and welfare it was necessary that they should recognize one of their chiefs as captain general, and he advised them to elect freely whosoever they wished. The Indians talked among themselves for a while and then elected as captain general a young chief, the son of the Capitan Grande, appointed by the Spaniards.'z It seems that it was their custom to elect a young chief to the highest office in order that his rule should last longer. Ramon now gave him the baton, as the symbol of his office, and presented him with one of the best coats in his own wardrobe. All of these deeds seemed to please everybody. The expedition remained in camp the next day in order to celebrate with proper ceremony the Feast of St. Peter and to wait for other Indians of the Nasoni and Nacogdoche nations who had promised to come. In the morning a High Mass was sung by all the missionaries, which was attended by a multitude of Indians. In the afternoon eight chiefs,' 3 with many followers of the nations expected, assembled arid the previous cere- mony was repeated. Gifts were then distributed among them and that night, a short distance away, the natives celebrated with dances and great rejoicings the return of the Spaniards. The expedition had attained its goal. It was now in the land of the Asinai, just a few miles from the Neches River and not very far from 42 The exact words in the Spanish diary of Ramon read: "Luego salio un mozo bijo menor del Capn Grande que elijieron los Espanoles por que siempre elijen el menor porque dure mas su gobierno." From the text it seems the chief chosen was the youngest son of old Chief Bernardino, who in turn may have been the nephew of the Bernardino met by De Leon and Teran. San Francisco el Grande Archive, VIII, 86. Cf. note 71, Chapter I. •>Ramon does not say how many in this instance. PrO'llirrcias /nternas, Vol. 181, p. 85.
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