Our Catleolic Heritage in Texas
132
alleged that the Indians refused to come to live in the mission, but the truth of the matter was that there never were sufficient supplies available to support and keep them in the mission. Much of the mis- sionary's time, furthermore, was taken up by his duties to the garrison, leaving him very little opportunity to work among the natives. The French traders who frequented this area at that time had much more to offer them than the Spanish presidio and the missionary, but he was convinced that the natives were well-disposed towards the Spaniards and that they were sincere in their desire to embrace Christianity. Father Reyes took advantage of the opportunity to state the reasons for the reestablishment of the mission. Louisiana was now a Spanish province. The French traders would no longer work among the natives to set them against the Spaniards; consequently the missionaries would be able to teach them. The site proposed by the Indians at Atascosito was not surrounded by marshes and there were no swarms of mosquitoes and other pests as at the original location. The Indians wanted to become Christians. Their sincerity could not be doubted. As an illustration of their faith, he cited the instance of the epidemic that desolated the country shortly after Bucareli was established. At that time a group of Bidais and Tonkawas asked Father Jose Mariano Garza to permit them to take the statue of Our Lady del Pilar to their pueblos. With great reverence the sacred image was carried in a solemn procession by the natives. Conditions were more favorable now than at any other time to convert the native tribes of the coast to Christianity, bring them under the permanent influence of Spain, and prevent the intrusion of foreigners into this dangerous zone. Father Reyes was old and growing feeble. He was contemplating his return to the College of Zacatecas for a well-earned rest. But he assured the commandant general that" after the recent visit of his old friends he had changed his mind and decided to sacrifice the comfort of the College in his declining years. He would wait until spring, hoping that the desired permission to visit among the Arkokisas would be granted. He expressed an ardent hope that the mission would be reestablished, and that, if this decision was reached, the officials would undertake to make available to the missionaries supplies in sufficient quantity to assure the success of the enterprise. He estimated the cost would amount to eight thousand pesos. The last time he had been to the country of the Arkokisas he had risked his life for lack of proper protection and had endured sickness and privations from the effects of which he was still
Powered by FlippingBook