II
Our Catholic Hentage i11 Texas
as it had always been, but in fact, making progress in spite of contra- dictory reports. In the last two years repeated search had been made by different officials for a better site and each one had claimed jubilantly that he had found the best and only one in the area. Just recently Governor Martos y Navarrete had discovered one at Los Horconcitos, which to judge from his report was admirable and beggared description. But appearances had proved deceiving so often upon a closer investigation. that the experienced friar wisely observed that it would be better to allow the presidio and mission to remain where they were. The objections, so loudly denounced, were not so bad as described and many of them had disappeared in the meantime. Taking each one in turn, he proved his contention with surprisingly good logic. True, he said, there had been many ants and mosquitoes, and flies, and other inspects, but these were always found in new settle- ments and they had been no worse here than anywhere else. They were not half so bad now, he declared, and as the place became permanently settled, they would cease to be a pest. Much had been said about the marshy character of the land.. It was true the lowlands were flooded periodically, but there were others which were not and on these the prin- cipal buildings of the mission had been built, while officials talked and argued the advisability of moving. The truth of the matter, he assured the viceroy, was that there was no other place any better, as investigation of each one of the proposed sites had plainly revealed. How the Padres had chosen the location on which to build the houses he explains in these words: "The two missionaries having explored and examined the land with the greatest care and exactitude, did not find any place more suitable or nearer to the presidio than a hill, a little less than a quarter of a league to the east, on the same side of the river and near the lagoon. This site . . . because of its elevation commands a view of the presidio and the surrounding country to the west and south, to where the river turns." He pointed out that to the east, for a distance of a league or more, the country sloped gently downward, but that although it was not as high as that on which the mission stood, it was nevertheless capable of cultivation. Here he thought enough corn and other food could be raised to feed a large settlement. Nearer to the low hill or prominence on which the mission was built, there were other fields that were cultivated by the neophytes. The mission was made of hewed timbers and plastered with clay mixed with hay. It had a graceful arcade with four arches. Proud of his mission, Fray Abad declared that it was the strongest and most pleasing structure to be found in this region
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