Ottr Catlwlic Heritage in Texas
he would furnish them such supplies as he could spare and would promise to take care of the families left behind and the guard assigned for their protection. If they decided to establish a settlement at El Paso, he promised to furnish the camp, at whatever site they chose, ten head of cattle and eight fanegas of corn daily until the viceroy could be notified of their plight and provision made to take care of them. He pointed out that a decision should be reached as soon as possible, as in either case the supplies then available were limited, and the nearest place from which they could replenish them was eighty leagues away. After hearing the opinions of the principal men and the most experienced captains, Luis de Granillo, appeared before Governor Otermin on October 5, and in behalf of al_! the people in the camp presented a petition explaining that out of regard for the dangers to which they were exposed in the present site of La Salineta, the camp should be allowed to move across the river to a place nearer the monastery of Guadalupe. The petitioners went on to show that there they would find materials to build huts and that close by they would find sufficient pastures to graze the cattle and stock. 13 On the following day, October 6, 1680, Governor Otermin formally announced his decision. He declared that he had come to the conclusion that it would be unwise to attempt the reconquest of New Mexico at this time with the reduced and weakened force at his command; that it would be best to wait until further aid could be secured from the viceroy; that since winter was approaching and there was no shelter for the people at the present site, it would be to the best interests of the king for him to make a stand by taking a position at El Paso in the vicinity of Guadalupe rather than to separate the forces in a useless campaign. Consequently he agreed to permit the camp to move as requested and ordered that Father Ayeta be officially thanked for his liberal offer. When Father Ayeta was informed of the decision reached, he gladly informed the governor that he had obtained, in the meantime, some new supplies and that he was now able to increase the allowance of eight f anegas of corn daily to ten. He further announced that on that very day he had bought and paid for one thousand six hundred and forty head of cattle at Casas Grandes, "all of which he freely gave, asking that it he distributed among the people most needing it ." 24 %3Auto of Otermin and Ayeta, in Autos Toca11tes, A . G. 111., Provincias /11ter11as, Vol. 37, ff. 62-77 . ! 4 H:tckett, "Retreat of the Sp:tniards ..." Tl,e Quarterly, XVI , 274-27 5.
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