Our Catholic Heritage in Texas
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suppressed, particularly since the cession of Louisiana to Spain there was now no need for the maintenance of frontier defenses in Texas. During the inspection, Rubi found several abuses which he ordered corrected. Chief among these was the excessive price of some of the commodities furnished to the garrison. He instructed the acting captain, Melchor Afan de Rivera, to credit the accounts of the soldiers with two pesos for each silk handkerchief charged at five pesos and that in the future this was to be the standard price. Similar credit was to be given for silk ribbon sold for two pesos a vara, whose price should be one and a quarter pesos; leather cases for guns, which were being sold for ten pesos, should be charged at six; and black and colored ribbons which sold for seventy-five cents should be charged· at fifty cents. The company was eighty-three horses short of its one hundred thirty-two. But twice the number would. not be sufficient to keep the garrison supplied adequately with mounts, because of the nature of the service they were called to perform in making frequent trips to Los Adaes, La Bahia, and San Antonio. The guns were of different makes and calibers, some Spanish and some Catalonian. Of the eight cannon four were useless and two were badly in need of repair. The garrison lacked cartridge belts, but their saddles were in fairly good condition. Such were the conditions found by Rubi during his inspection. 11 Upon being absolved of guilt in the burning of the presidio, Captain Martinez Pacheco returned to his post, where he arrived on September 28, 1769. He immediately took an active and enthusiastic interest in repairing the presidio and in the reduction of the Indians to mission life. The two missionaries, Fathers Fray Anselmo Garcia and Fray Ignacio Maria Lava testified to the lively interest displayed. He called the Orcoquisacs and the Attacapas and distributed numerous gifts to them, supplying as many provisions as he could spare to the missionaries. He also furnished them tools and implements to work the fields. Because of the prevalence of various ailments he brought a physician at his own expense to treat the soldiers and Indians alike. Aware of the effect of a good example, he attended personally the evening services held in the mission and led the soldiers in prayer. "So solicitous has the captain been for the welfare of the settlers, the soldiers, and the Indians," says Fray Ignacio, "that he Martinez Paclzeco returns to San Agustin. 11 Copia de la cartta que comprehende las resoluciones tomadas en la revistta de ynspeccion .. . 1767, A. G. I., Audiencia de Guadalajara, 104-6-13 (Dunn Tran- scripts, 1767), pp. 341-356.
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