Preparing to Weather the Storm, r790-1800
fix the date of the formal reoccupation of Mission Rosario as December 4, 1789.' 8 The request was granted and Father Jose Francisco Lopez, president of the missions in San Antonio, received five hundred ,pesos which were paid out of the Mestefia Fund. Conditions at Mission Rosario. In his letter of March 26, the governor explained that since Jaudenes had taken charge, the mission walls had been rebuilt and sufficient lumber had been cut to reroof the church, all with the help of the Indians, who seemed to be enthusiastic and well pleased with the restoration of the mission. He had sent twelve bundles of tobacco, six axes, six hoes, and various other tools. He assured Nava that he would make every effort to supply the most urgent needs. By August there were eighty-five Indians living at the mission. Father Jaudenes had almost completed repairing the church and the quarters of the Padres. One hundred pesos out of the Mestefia Fund, and five large copper cooking kettles were turned over to Father Lopez in San Antonio to be sent to Father Jaudenes. On October 9, 1791, the new church was blessed and dedicated. The governor reported that he was doing every- thing in his power to contribute to the success of the enterprise, and that he would soon send a .brick mason and a carpenter to make an estimate of the cost of other improvements desired by Father Jaudenes." The problem of feeding ·the neophytes became acute during the fall. The crop planted by the Indians had been lost for lack of rain. The mission had no cattle, for its herd had been scattered during the period of its abandonment. Father Cardenas, of Mission Espiritu Santo, had been obliged to furnish meat to Father Reyes the previous year.·Governor Munoz now asked Father Lopez, president, if the San Antonio missions could help feed the natives of Rosario. At the same time he inquired from the captain at La Bahia if it would be possible to round up wild cattle to supply the needs of the mission. He suggested that the settlers be asked to help the soldiers and neophytes, and be promised a share in the cattle rounded up or killed. Carlos Martinez, one of the settlers, succeeded in rounding up some of the former mission cattle, and the missions in San Antonio agreed to help in proportion to their now very "Manuel Muiioz to Revillagigedo, March 26, 1791. Nacogdocl11s Arcl,ives, Vol. 7, pp. 45-49. ' 9 Muiioz to Revillagigedo, March 26, August 15, and October 10, 1791. Nacog- dockes Arc!,ives, Vol. 7, pp. 45-49; 100-101; u7-u9.
Powered by FlippingBook