Our C at/10/ic Heritage in T e:ras
move to San Antonio or some other Spanish settlement, where they could be established in a mission. They explained that the foreign Indian tribes were harassing them and that American traders were supplying- their enemies with arms. They would wait at the Trinity for the reply of the governor. 51 Governor Munoz welcomed the proposal and immediately sent Lieu- tenant Bernardo Fernandez, an Indian interpreter, to urge the Ais and their friends from East Texas to come to live in the San Antonio missions. He was to assure them that if they wanted to settle on the lands of the now secularized San Antonio missions an escort would be sent to bring them from the Trinity and the necessary supplies for the trip and their maintenance for a year would be furnished. 59 When the commandant general was informed of the proposal and the reply, he approved the action taken, but warned that the Ais should be made to understand clearly that they were to be settled in San Antonio and that they were to submit to mission regulations. Upon their arrival they were to be distributed among the old missions in order to keep expenses down to a minimum. They could raise crops on the lands already cultivated and save considerable expense in supplying the necessary food for their maintenance. The governor was asked to make a rough estimate of the number of oxen, plows, tools, and other essentials for the new- comers and submit it to Nava, but he was not to buy anything until formal approval was given to the plan. 60 Antonio Leal took the message back to the waiting Ais and urged them to come to San Antonio, in accordance with their expressed desire. It seems that the Indians were not so enthusiastic about the plan pro- posed as were the Spanish officials. They reluctantly set out for San Antonio with Leal late in the spring and went as far as the Navasota. They were accompanied by several Bidais and Chief Flechado. It was now flood season and the rivers were impassable. The group camped on the Navasota, and Leal reported that they were waiting for the floods to subside to continue their journey. He explained that what the Indians wanted was not to settle in San Antonio, but to have a mission estab- lished for their people on the Trinity, and a presidio of about fifty men to protect them.
51 Manuel Munoz to Pedro Nava, January 31, 1795. Bexar Archives. 59 /bid. 60 Pedro Nava to Manuel Munoz, February 26, and May 5
1 1795. Bexar Archives.
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