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109
Tlr.e Founding of Missi.on Nuestra Seii.ora del Refugio
only one missionary should now be assigned to Refugio. In spite of protests, however, two missionaries continued their labors at Refugio for some time. 106 Ref1,gio does its bit for king and country. The troublous times that followed the establishment of the first French Republic in 1793, plunged Spain into war. It was not unusual for the king to call upon all loyal subjects to aid in the successful prosecution of a war by making liberal contributions. When such a call as this came in the fall of 1798 to the distant outpost of Spain in Texas, Mission Refugio responded enthusi- astically. Father Garavito pledged one hundred cows which were accepted and sold at auction by Captain Del Moral at La Bahia. He obtained ten pesos a head for eighty-nine, and six pesos each for the remaining eleven, a total of nine hundred fifty-six pesos for the war fund, a sum more than three times the amount contributed by the garrison and scattered settlers of La Bahia. Both Nava and Munoz acknowledged receipt of the liberal donation. 107 106 Nava to Munoz, June I 5, I 799. Bexar Archives. 107 J. M. del Moral to Munoz, January 23, and February 4, 1799; Nava to Munoz, February 19; Del Moral to Munoz, M.arch 17, 1799. Bexar Archives.
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