Our Catleolic Heritage in Texas
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pensity for promiscuity. When Captain Del Moral at La Bahia received the protest, he replied that the soldiers were not lazy ; that they had, in fact, built the stockade; that they had always conduded themselves with decency, and that from the earliest times of the founda· tion they had always been permitted to reside within the stockade. 101 He wrote an indignant dissent to Governor Mufi.oz and threatened to withdraw the guards altogether. But the governor advised moderation, Fray Garavito relented, and the rift ended. The reduced number of troops at the mission, however, proved painfully inadequate during the closing years of the century. Comanche raids, fear of foreign agents among the natives along the coast, and the internal dissensions of the Cocos and Karankawas compelled the governor to increase the guard from five to fifteen men. 103 Tl,e missionaries at Refugio. After Father Garza had left, and just before the mission was moved to Santa Gertrudis, Fray Jose Manuel Pedrajo was sent to assist Father Silva. He was present at the removal and he claimed to have set out from Zacatecas for Texas on November 15, 1794. But the climate proved too unhealthful for Father Pedrajo, forcing him to leave Refugio on June 23. Six days later he left San Antonio to return to his college. 1 °' He was replaced by Father Francisco Puelles, who was temporarily relieved of his duties at Mission Espiritu Santo. He served but a short time, only until the new missionary arrived. Fray Antonio Mariano Jose Garavito was ordered to go to Refugio on December 29, 1794. He appears to have arrived in Texas just as the mission was being moved. Shortly afterwards, he assumed his duties and served until 1801, assisted at various times by other missionaries. 105 It is to be remembered that originally only one missionary was author- ized, but as the result of the appeals of Father Silva, an assistant was granted for three years. The regulation went into effect at the time of the reestablishment of Refugio in January, 1795. When in June, 1799, Father Cardenas, president of the missions in San Antonio, requested payment of the salaries for the two missionaries at Refugio, Nava reminded the governor that the three-year period had expired and that lOZGaravito to Del Moral, March 12, 1799; Del Moral to Munoz, March I 3, I 799· Be:car Archives. 103 Governor to Uranga, April 28, 1801. Be:car Archives. 161 Mufioz to Silva, February 20, 1795; Jose Manuel Pedrajo to Munoz, June 28, I 795. Be:car Archives. 105 Certification of Governor Munoz, February 12, 1796. Bexar Archives.
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