T!f.e Founding of Mission N1,estra Seiiora del Refugio
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the stockade around the mission had been completed. The church was a facal of timber with a tule (swamp grass) roof. The Padre's residence was a similar structure. The headquarters for the troops was a facal, seventeen varas in length covered with a straw roof. A smaller facal, six and a half varas long, served as the administrative office, storeroom, and library. How justly this may be called the first library in Texas is questionable, but in his report, Castro so designated it. There were two other similar huts for the Indians. Such was the physical plant at this time. Pedro Jose Salinas and Jose Raymundo Diaz, who had been sentenced in San Antonio to four years of labor on public works, were sent with Castro to help build the mission.' 9 Farias had built the stockade, two additional thatched huts, each thirteen and a half varas long; made 1,900 adobes; cut 32 boards of seasoned timber; and hewed 21 cedar beams. But sickness constantly hindered progress. There were one hundred twenty-five natives at the mission, of whom forty-one were warriors. Many of them, however, were sick. Fathers Velasco and Silva were also sick at the time, and on an average from four to six of the small guard of sixteen men were always on sick leave. The Indians were quiet, gentle as a rule, but incapable and indolent by nature. It became necessary to employ three laymen to teach the natives how to tend the stock. These were paid five reales (60 cents) a day. The overseer received six reales. The natives began to clamor for clothes and more food as winter approached. The soldiers turned to the semi-wild cattle of Mission Rosario that roamed beyond the Guadalupe, but Fray Jose de Cardenas, who was himself having diffi- culty keeping his Indians in the mission, protested. The guards, too, were becoming unruly under such adverse conditions. 50 On November 20, Governor Munoz informed Father Silva that the mission bells, ornaments, vestments, and other supplies had arrived in San Antonio and would be sent to Refugio soon. These were delivered to Father Silva early in December at Rosario where he was staying because of illness. Father Velasco was there, also, seriously ill. At the new mission was Father Francisco Puelles, sent from Rosario to take care of the Indians until the other two had recovered. The train master 49 Munoz to Juan Jose Farias, September I J, 1793; Noticia de lo que corresponde a dha. mici6n entregada por el cavo Juan Jose Farias a Jose Manuel Castro , •.• Bexar Arcliives. 50 Fray Jose Luis Mariano Cardenas to Manuel Munoz, October Jt, 1793; Juan Jose Farias to Governor Munoz, October 22, t 793; Fray Manuel Silva to Governor Munoz, November I, 1793.
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