The Beginnings of Missionary Activity, 1670-1676
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small groups. In the settlement alone, within a radius of two and three and four leagues, there are more than three thousand persons." 30 Although a good start had been made, the work was slowed down by the lack of enough missionaries. In vain did Father Larios and his com- panions appeal to the Commissary General for more workers in this fruitful field. Their request went unheeded. But this was not due to a lack of interest of their superiors. A controversy appears to have arisen among the civil officials as to the form of government that should be organized in the new Province of Coahuila. The Commissary General, therefore, was obliged to withhold his whole-hearted support of the project until this matter was settled. But in the meantime Father Larios and his companions were not only very much disappointed, but were actually reduced to such want that they had to abandon Santa Rosa temporarily to secure supplies. During their absence the Indians became discouraged and suspecting that they had been abandoned, robbed the sacristy of the recently established mission and burned all the buildings. It was not until May 15, 1674, that the Audiencia of Guadalajara finally appointed Antonio Balcarcel de Rivadeneyra Alcalde 11'/ ayor of the Province of Coahuila for a period of five years. According to the terms of the contract, he was to explore and colonize the province at his own expense. The Governor of Nueva Vizcaya was enjoined to give him such aid as he might need and all other officers were commanded to acknowledge his jurisdiction and offer him help in carrying out his instructions. But personal jealousy and conflicting interests caused Captain Francisco de Elizondo and Don Agustin de Echevers to oppose the appointment strenuously, by charging that the new Alcalde was going to exploit the natives and ,vould undo much of the work of pacifi- cation already accomplished by the missionaries. 31 Father Larios himself seems to have opposed at first the plan for the establishment of a presidio or military post in Coahuila by Balcarcel. But after the revolt of the Indians in his absence from Santa Rosa, he seems to have changed his mind and to have advocated that a presidio of at least one hundred men be established, declaring that this force was necessary to protect the neophytes against attack from the wild tribes. He went further and 3 °Fray Francisco Bas.in to the Commissary General, Saltillo, July 19, 1674. MS., San Francisco El Grande Archive, I, 129-134. llPortillo, A,P11t1tes, 45-53.
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