353
Establiskmcnt of J11issio11s in East Texas, 1689-1693
.I I I '
From May 25 to June 1 , the Spaniards and Indians worked diligently to build a more substantial church and lodgings for the first mission. The site chosen was in the middle of the large Indian pueblo which the Spaniards called San Francisco de los Tejas. Just where was this located? According to the diary, the distance from the Tejas village. where the church was built, to the Neches, was about three leagues in a general northeastern direction. On the 26th. Alonso de Leon , accom- panied by the missionaries and some of the Indians explored the country to the northeast from the village, where the feast of Corpus Christi was celebrated, to the Neches River. which he called San Miguel Arcangel, in order to select the best site for the permanent establishment of the mission. Three small valleys were visited, but none was considered as good as the one where the temporary chapel had been erected on !\fay 24. So they returned to San Francisco de los Tejas and there built the church and the lodgings for the missionaries. This, as already stated, was in the middle of the principal village of the Tejas, although in reality it w;,s the principal village of the Nabedache, on the bank of a small creek of good water, which has been definitely identified as San Pedro Creek . The actual site of the mission establishment has been placed "on San Pedro Creek, just northwest of Weches and some six or eight miles west of the Neches River," by Bolton, who made a per- sonal inspection of the ground and found unmistakable evidence of its former location. 19 Although possession had already been given to Father Massanet on May 25 , the ceremony was repeated on June 1 , when the new church was duly blessed before High Mass was sung by Father Massanet. The chief of the Tejas and a large number of Indians from all the neigh- boring villages attended the ceremony and appeared much impressed. The church and the mission were dedicated to Saint Francis. Governor Leon wished to leave a garrison of twenty men, but the Tejas chief objected to so many unmarried soldiers. It was finally decided, after consultation with the Padres and the chief, that three soldiers would be sufficient. Father Massanet and Governor Leon suggested to the chief that some of the Indians go back to Mexico with them to pay their respects to the viceroy. A brother, a nephew, and a cousin of the chief and one other agreed to go back with the Spaniards. After the usual ceremonies, the expedition set out on the evening of June I, Alonso de
19 " 1tinerary of De Leon"; Massanet, Carta, Bolton, Spnnis/1 E xploration, 414-417, 376, note 2. 380.
Powered by FlippingBook