359
Establislm,ent of 111issio11s in East Texas, 1689-1693
After almost a month spent in exploring the coast of the bay and the surrounding country, during which time the old site of Fort St. Louis was again visited, Llanos was satisfied that there was no stream that led to the Neches mission and that there were no traces of recent French activity. The expedition, therefore, crossed the bar of Cavallo Pass and sailed back to Veracruz, where they arrived on December 9, 1690, and made their report. Plans for the extension of missionary acti11ity. In the meantime, the viceroy had requested Father Massanet to make a detailed report con- cerning the best means of extending missionary work among the Tejas and the establishment of Spanish settlements. It is to be remembered that Alonso de Leon had suggested the erection of four presidios and Spanish settlements and that in his report he had emphatically declared that until this was done little success could be expected in the conversion of the Indians. To him is due the credit of first advocating the founding of civil settlements in Texas. Agreeable to the request of the Count of Galve, therefore, Father Massanet made a long report in September, which until now has been almost entirely ignored. In general terms, he first described the different tribes of Indians that inhabited the lands from the outposts of Coahuila to the Trinity. He explained that in this vast area there were numerous groups of nomadic tribes, who neither planted nor sowed, but were always moving from one place to another. To establish missions for these tribes would prove expensive and difficult. The Tejas, however, were more highly civilized, had permanent settle- ments, and were already congregated. North of the Tejas were the friendly Cadodachos, who lived in four large settlements and had an organized form of government. Still farther to the north were the tribes described by the Venerable Mother Maria de Agreda, whom, he hoped, would eventually be brought into the fold of the church. To the west were the Auache (Apaches), who were the enemies not only of the Tejas but of the Spaniarcis as well. Having described in general terms the country and the character of the various Indian nations, he now proceeded to express his views con- cerning the extension of missionary work among them. In his opinion seven more missions should be established: four among the Cadodachos, two additional ones among the Tejas, and one on the Guadalupe. This would require fourteen additional missionaries and seven lay brothers. He thought that this number would be sufficient to minister to the
Powered by FlippingBook