Our Catholic Heritage, Volume IV

Our Cat/10/it; Heritage i11 Texas

104

presidia, on the San Marcos or the Guadalupe. The additional forty men were necessary to the proposed location of the presidio. As in the case of the campaign, Parrilla suggested that the matter should be carefully studied by a Junta in San Antonio, who should be asked to report on the advisability of such a plan and the way and means for carrying it out. 5 Request for permission to move temporarily to tl,e San 111arcos or tl,r Guadalupe. It is difficult to tell just what Parrilla really wanted to do. Hardly had he finished his two former proposals, when he formally requested permission to move the presidia provisionally to either the San Marcos or the Guadalupe, to await there the final disposition of the viceroy. Both streams offered excellent facilities for missions. He reminded the viceroy that he had examined the San Marcos early in 1757, to determine whether a mission should be continued there or at the Guadalupe. He had further opportunity to acquaint himself with the San Marcos when he camped on it for more than a month prior to his departure for San Saba. The Apaches were more amenable now to a proposal to congregate in missions than ever before. On either of the two streams several missions could be founded not only for the Apaches, but for the former neophytes of the three San Xavier missions. There was one question, however: Would Don Pedro Romero de Terreros agree to continue to bear the expenses of the new missions, if they were moved to the San Marcos or the Guadalupe? Parrilla argued that although Fray Giraldo had once ruled that his cousin would not support other missions than those founded for Apaches to the north of San Antonio, the fact that the Apaches had moved to these streams would maintain Terreros' obligation in force. At any rate the matter would have to be taken up with him. 6 Upon receipt of the proposals, they were referred to the new Fiscal Don Luis de Mosqueira, Marques de Aranda. As meticulous and as logical as his distinguished predecessor, the Marques de Altamira, he prepared a remarkably clear and able report. After reviewing the history of both the San Xavier and the San Saba missions to the destruction of the latter, he declared that the three communications of Parrilla could he reduced to four propositions. First, was a campaign desirable to punish the Indians who had attacked Viceregal action on tl,e ,proposals of Parrilla. 5 Diego Ortiz Parrilla to the Viceroy, April 8, 1758. A.G. I., Aud;em:ia de A-lexico (Cunningham Transcripts, 1763), pt. 2, pp. 60-65. 'Ortiz Parrilla to the Viceroy, April 8, 1 i 58. A. G. /., Audiencia de Me:rico (Cunningham Transcripts, 1763), pt. 2, pp. 66-71.

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