Ou,· Cat/1olic Heritage in T cxas
They would continue to return and to raid the place until it was com- pletely destroyed. In the meantime the Comanches had gone to one of the villages of the Taovayas in the vicinity of present Wichita Falls and there left most of the stolen stock in charge of seven warriors. A band of Tejas and Quitseys, numbering about thirty, undertook to rescue the stolen stock of their friends of Bucareli and attacked the Comanche guard of seven, killed three and drove off the herd. Before the Tejas and Quitseys could reach the safety of their own country and the vicinity of Bucareli, they were overtaken by the infuriated Comanches, who on being told by the survivors what had happened, had gathered their forces, and with a group of friends rushed to recapture the stock. The struggle was short. The Tejas and Quitseys, seeing themselves greatly outnumbered, fled, leaving three of their warriors and the whole herd behind. They brought the news to Bucareli and warned Ibarbo of new reprisals. Effect of Comancl1e l1ostilities. It is difficult to tell with certainty that the attacks by the Comanches were wholly responsible for the decision to abandon the site Qn the Trinity and refound the settlement at Nacog- doches, on the lands of the former Mission of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe. But it must be admitted that the Comanches were the most feared and dreaded foes of the Spaniards, that Bucareli had fortunately escaped their fury until l\'lay, 1778, that they had no regular garrison or presidia, and that in case of more determined efforts on the part of the enemy they would have to depend entirely upon their own resources and strength to repel the Comanches. Given these considerations they had reason to be apprehensive. Ibarbo, in reporting the last raid, declared there were ominous signs of a widespread renewal of Indian hostilities and even San Antonio should be on its guard. Friendly Indians had just told him (in December, 1778) that a large party of Tonkawas was con- gregating at Monte Grande, near the former site of San Xavier (present Rockdale) where a parley with the Comanches was to take place. He also pointed out that early in March De Mezieres and himself had visited the Tawakonis and promised to send them a trader. But up to the present the promise had not been kept and these Indians, who were inclined to be friendly and would prove of great value in repelling a general Comanche attack were dissatisfied. To appease them temporarily, Ibarbo told the gov- ernor that he, at his own expense, had given the chief a present. 56 56 Ibarbo to Governor Cabello, December 7, 1778. A.G. Ill. Historia, Vol. 51, pp. 482-484.
I.
Powered by FlippingBook