Our Catholic Heritage in Te:ras
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men from the soldiers of Los Adaes and Orcoquisac, to make up the eighty stipulated by the new regulations, disbanding the rest. The viceroy had asked him in his letter of March I to put into effect the military instructions of the new ordinance, if possible, before July 1, which he did with commendable diligence.◄• The trek to San A11to11io. On June 25, the aged Lieutenant Gonzalez, who had lived in Los Adaes for thirty-se\'en years, mounted his horse and went from house to house to urge the inconsolable settlers to make haste and join the li1~e of march. From the miserable huts poured forth men, women, and children, made more miserable by this sort of banishment. \Vith bundles that beggared description, leaving behind most of their household furnishings, taking only the most essential articles of clothing and food, oftentimes burdened with babies on their backs, the women tearfully joined the weary caravan as they looked back with longing eyes at what had been their homes. Many Indians gathered to see the distressed and forlorn crowd leave their homes built in the wilderness under so many hardships and at such great sacrifices. The old missions had already been abandoned, the missionaries having joined the settlers to encourage them in the long and wearisome march. In an endless, winding line the pitiful procession moved along, with cattle, horses, mules, donkeys, and goats mixed with human beings. The first much needed rest was taken at the prosperous ranch of Gil Ibarbo, known as El Lobanillo (wart or mole), located near the Mission of Los Ais. There Gil lbarbo went to the sick bed of his mother, who for ten years had been an invalid. But she was not the only patient in his home. One of his sisters lay in bed also, where she had been confined for more than nine months with chronic ulcers all over her body, and there also was his brother's wife, suffering from the effects of an abortion. It was impossible to move them. Ibarbo secured permission to leave with them one of his sons and another family to help take care of them. It was necessary for the missionaries to intercede in his behalf so that the afflicted persons might receive medical attention. All together twenty- four persons, young and old, remained at El Lobanillo with orders to continue the march as soon as circumstances permitted. Once more the caravan took up the line of march and painfully made its way to Nacogdoches. By this time the company had begun to experi- ence want and many had become ill as the result of the hardships, while 4 SRipperda to the Viceroy, July I 1, I 77 3. A. G. ,JI. Provincias /nternas, Vol. 1 oo, pt. 2, pp. 493-494.
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