103
Tlee Founding of Mission Nttestra Seiiora del Refugio
Relations between tlie Indians of Refttgio and Rosario. When the mission was moved to Santa Gertrudis, it was reestablished with only forty-three Indians. A little over a month later, on February 21, 1795, a party of thirty-two more arrived. By the end of October, when the first report on the progress made was sent to Governor Munoz, there were eighty-two Indians, but twenty-six of them had gone to the coast with the permission of the Padre to visit relatives and induce them to join the mission. The missionary complained that the natives were unaccustomed to labor and that there was no way in which they could be induced to exert themselves for long. 92 Most of the Indians at Refugio were Karankawas, but their number was not large. Mission Rosario, under the administration of Father Francisco J audenes, was experiencing great difficulty in keeping its neophytes fed and clothed. Early in 1797, Fray Jaudenes, unable to care for the Cocos and Karankawas in his mission, suggested that they be temporarily placed in Refugio. Captain Juan Bautista Elguezabal, who was at La Bahia at this time making an inspection, interviewed the chiefs of the two nations to ascertain if they preferred to be sent to San Antonio, where they could be cared for better. The Karankawa chief, Zertuche, the Coco chief, Pedro J aspe, and several other leaders of the mission Indians of Rosario told Elguezabal that they did not want to go to San Antonio because it was too far from their lands and too many Comanches frequented the place. They preferred to live at Refugio, the place Father Jaudenes had suggested. The climate was more agreeable and they would be closer to the coast and farther from the Comanches. When told the Comanches would not bother them because they were now the friends of the Spaniards, the Karankawas and Cocos of Rosario refused to believe it. Father Garavito frankly opposed transferring the Rosario Indians to Refugio, and objected on the score that the Refugio Indians would be hostile to the newcomers. The chiefs replied that they were all one people, that they spoke the same language and belonged to the same nations. Elguezabal consented to the transfer and asked Father Garavito to make a report on the number of Indians at Refugio, designating the nation and number of the old residents and of the newcomers. On June 30, 1797, he reported that there were seventy-two Karankawas who belonged to Mission
9 2 Cortes to Manuel Muiioz, February 21, 1795; Manuel Silva to Manuel l\luiioz, September 30, 1795; Manuel Muiioz to Pedro Nava, October 26, 1795. Bexar 4.rchives.
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