Our Catlwlic Heritage in T e:xas
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self had returned to Zacatecas, but Father Vallejo requested another mis- sionary be sent to take up the work. 16 The Mission of Nuestra Senora del Refugio had us Indians and 75 Spaniards. Two missionaries, Fray Jose Manuel Gaitan and his assistant, were still working at the mission, and paid out of the royal treasury. Daily instructions in Christian doctrine were given the neophytes. During the recent disturbances they had been permitted to leave. Consequently, many of them went to the neighboring lagoons, but returned periodically for spiritual ministration and temporal aid. Since this mission was not secularized, its property and income was still administered by the two missionaries, under the supervision of the presi- dent of the Missions from the College of Zacatecas in Texas. At the close of 1814, many of the three thousand head of cattle were left unbranded. because horses were lacking for a roundup. Hostile Indians had raided the mission ranch at will and the Insurgents had, likewise, taken a heavy toll, reducing the holdings of the mission from ten or twelve thousand to its present number. The mission was, nevertheless, still self-support- ing. It supplied all the wants of the neophytes from the returns on the herds and corn.17 The mission at Nacogdoches had been abandoned since the fall of 1812, when Gutierrez and Magee took possession of this frontier outpost. The missionary had returned to Zacatecas. The neophytes had all fled to Los Adaes, and taken over the abandoned settlement. Father Vallejo was awaiting the decision of the Government in regard to the reoccupation of Nacogdoches before requesting a missionary to resume work in that dis- trict. It was reported to Father Vallejo that the old chapel was in ruins and the Indians there had taken away everything kept in the sacristy. The tribes represented in the missions were the Papalaches, Pampcpas, Borrados, Pacawas, Cujanos, Jaranames, and Karankawas. Becauc;e of their long residence in the missions or because of greater diligence in teaching, most of the natives were able to speak Spanish. The missions, the good padre declared with sadness, lacking adequate protection, were constantly exposed to attacks and raids by every hostile tribe from the north. 11 Administrative changes a,ul military defense. The Interior Provinces, which originally included Nueva Vizcaya, New Mexico, Texas, and Coa- 16/bid., Bezar Archives. 11/bid., Bezor Arcllives. 11 Bemardino Vallejo, Notlcia de las Misiones, February 11, 181 5, a;zar Arcnives.
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