79
Tlee Founding of Mission Nu1stra Senora del Refugio
the cost of the church, the priest's lodging, the storeroom, and stockade, all to be built of timber, at one thousand ,pesos; the vestments, sacred vessels, baptismal font and other necessities for administering the sacraments at six hundred fifty-two ,pesos; four hundred fifty cows with calves, twenty-two hundred fifty ,pesos; corn to feed the Indians until the first crop was harvested, three hundred ,pesos; clothing, tobacco, farm imple- ments, kitchen utensils, twenty-five horses, trinkets for gifts, and wages for servant help during the first year, twenty-four hundred eighteen ,pesos, a total of six thousand six hundred ten ,pesos. 28 At the same time he explained that the Indians to be congregated were wild and untrained, incapable of tending the stock or planting the new crop. He suggested, therefore, that the soldiers assigned to guard the mission be instructed to assist the missionaries in tending the cattle and in teaching the Indians how to till the soil and how to plant and harvest the crops. Their services would save the expense of employing civilians to do this work during the first year. The fiscal was shocked at this last suggestion. On May 2, 1792, he declared that those duties were incompatible with the dignity of the soldiers,.and should be performed by civilians. 29 In the meantime Father Garza had returned in August, 1792, to the coast, where he found two hundred eight Indians gathered at Muelle Viejo (Old Wharf). This seems to have been at or near the village of Chief Llano Grande, and possibly derived its name from a common landing place used by the Karankawas at or near the mouth of the Guadalupe River. The location was probably near the present site of Tivoli. He informed the natives of what had taken place and assured them he would soon return to establish the desired mission for them. In December, Father Lopez, president of the missions in San Antonio, called Father Garza and urged him to carry out the establishment of the mission in accord with the viceregal decree of January 4, 1792. Father Garza requested Governor Munoz to accompany him to select the site for the formal establishment, and the two undertook the prelimi- nary survey. 2 'Memoria· de lo que por ahora se juzga precisamente necesario para la nueva fundacion del Refugio presentada por Fray Jose Francisco Garza. A. G. I., Audi- encia de Guadalajara, 104-1-1 (Dunn Transcripts, 1794-1798, pp. 183-186). 19 /bid., A.G. I., Audiencia de Guadalajara, 104-1-1 (Dunn Transcripts, 1790-93, pp. 183-1 90) ; Galindo Navarro to Pedro Nava, June 26, 1 794, ( Dunn Tran- scripts, 1794-98, pp. 15-16).
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