Our Catliolic Heritage in T ezas
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Friends/tip with northem tribes. Martinez Pacheco was able to report in the spring of 1790 that steady progress had been made in consoli- dating peace with the Indians of the north. When he first took over the government of the Province of Texas on December 5, 1786, the Taovayas had been alienated by the killing of two members of their tribe in San Antonio. The rumor reached him that two hundred warriors were coming to avenge the death of their companions. On January 29, 1787, a group of seventeen Taovaya spies were reported in the vicinity. That night one entered San Antonio but was captured and held prisoner. A few days later fourteen others were trapped. These were not punished or maltreated, but the circumstances of the death of their two companions were explained to them, presents were distributed, and four of the prisoners released to take a message of friendship to their chief and an invitation to come for the hostages. The policy of moderation produced the desired results. The chief came, the prisoners were all released, and a lasting peace negotiated. The Comanches had been won over similarly. Spanish soldiers had rescued a three-month-old Comanche baby from the Lipans. The infant and its mother were to be eaten at a festival. The governor had kept the child, who was now almost two years old, and had sent the mother back to her people. The coast Indians were also at peace. Many of the former neophytes of Mission Rosario had returned, and recently forty-three children had been baptized. On February 15, 1790, a delegation of Karankawa~, Copanos, and Cujanes visited San Antonio, where they feasted and were given presents. They had come to request Fray Jose Mariano Reyes, who was on the point of leaving Texas, to stay to found a mission for them. The good friar was persuaded to remain and await authorization for the founding of the contemplated mission. In the meantime, the governor had sent seven soldiers to help rebuild Rosario Mission which had been almost abandoned. 25 Progress in lndia,i relations. Contrary to general belief, the new policy instituted by Viceroy Galvez proved successful to a considerable extent in curbing the widespread depredations of the Apaches and in winning the friendship of the northern tribes. The immediate effect was to cause many of these Indians to sue for peace and to agree to dwell
ZSJ',fartinez Pacheco to Viceroy Revillagigedo, March 1, 1790. Nacogdoches Arc/rives, VI, pp. 123-131. See Chapter VI.
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