375
Establishment of Missions in East Texas, 1689-1693
issue the corresponding order for Governor Salinas Varona to proceed with a group of soldiers to escort the Padres safely back from the Tejas. The f 11,nta was loath to give up the project entirely, however, and expressed its hope that the withdrawal would be temporary. Father Massanet was to be thanked for his services and asked to examine suitable sites for missions nearer Coahuila. The Junta even granted him permission to stay at any closer site he might choose, declaring that it would be easier to send him aid to maintain the establishments in the new location.ss But the desired permission to retire was not to be communicated to the missionaries until the spring of the following year. When the orders were received by Salinas Varona in October, he called a council and it was generally agreed that the season was too far advanced now to set out and attempt to bring the missionaries back. It would be best to wait until then to avoid some of the difficulties experienced by Teran. 56 But circumstances were to force the missionaries to leave their dearly beloved Mission of San Francisco de los Tejas before Salinas Varona and his soldiers came for them. The Indians, who were determined to be left alone, had become more impudent than ever after the last visit of the Spaniards in the summer. Through one of the neophytes, they learned that the governor of the Tejas, the much lauded Bernardino, had con- voked the surrounding tribes to propose to them the massacre of the soldiers and the Padres. He had lately appeared in a new suit of cloth, woven and tailored by Frenchmen, and it was said he had invited them to aid the natives in ridding the country of the Spaniards. The time for the bloody attack had been set for the beginning of winter. Upon learning of the plot Massanet had ordered the cannon to be loaded and a lighted fuse kept constantly burning by a watchman to prevent a surprise. He also managed to take from the mission Indians four French guns that had been given to them by traders. On October 6, however, the Tejas chief personally warned the corporal of the mission guard that his people were angry and did not want the Spaniards to stay in their country any more. The few horses and cattle that remained were frequently attacked by the Indians. Father Massanet called the chief and asked him if the story of the corporal was true. The chief replied with a sneer that it was only too true; that the Spaniards ought to leave if they did not want to die. Father Massanet replied with warmth that he and his men were well armed and could defend them-
55 Junta General, August 21, 1693, in Ibid., pp. 71-75. 56 Dilixencias, October 1, 1693, in Ibid., 75-79.
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