Our Catliolic Heritage in Texas
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either interest or ambition in life. Education would, in his opinion, change the indifferent attitude of the Nacogdoches people to give them a goal in life. Father Sosa's last recommendation concerned the Indians in the vicinity and those who frequented the outpost, who, he declared, were friendly. He admitted that while some Indians were interested only in gifts, there were others who seemed anxious to be instructed in the faith. Among those tribes desirous of religious instruction, he thought missions might be established, but he was of the opinion that these should be organized differently. He believed that in the past the Indians congregated in the missions had been pampered too much and given too many things for nothing. The new missions should be for only those Indians who wanted to be instructed and were willing to adopt European customs and habits; those who wanted to be allowed simply to idle in the mission when they were not on a hunting expedition or on the warpath should be excluded. 56 It is a pity that these constructive suggestions of Father Sosa were not given a trial. Bayou, Pierre. Although a large number of foreigners were located at Bayou Pierre, Governor Salcedo did not bother to visit the settlement. He contented himself with referring to the July census taken at his request. According to this census report, there were seventeen men and their families at Bayou Pierre. They were Juan Bilberg and David Gaul- teman (Waltman), natives of Germany; Juan Bolbado, from Nantes, and Juan Duponey and Carlos Bruillar, from France, and Vicente Nolan, who claimed to be from that country also; Miguel Benson, from Canada; Pierre Bonet Lafitte, Luis Beltran, Sylvestre and Atanacio Poisset, Pedro Dolet, and Remi Christi, natives of Natchitoches; Miguel Rohen, from Natchez; Bautista Colet, from Louisiana; Santiago Guales (Wallace), a native of the United States; and Guillermo Estretche, from Nueva Mercia. 57 Needless to say, no investigation was conducted to ascertain the manner in which they had come in or the length of time that they had been residing in Texas. A tascosito, Because of the rains the governor did not visit Atascosito. The very name, which means "muddy," indicates the character of the terrain. Little wonder that Governor Salcedo, who was not interested in 56 Father Mariano Sosa to M. de Salcedo, May 26, 181 o. Bexar Archives. ~ 7 Aflidavits and census of settlers at Bayou Pierre, July 26, 1809, and August 2, 16, and 17, 1809. Bexar Archives.
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