The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 66, July 1962 - April, 1963 Page: 514
641 p. : ill., maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
good cattle for which reason the scarcity of meat is almost continual;
and it is true that if the hunters (carneadas) did not find buffalo
annually between the months of May and October to supply the need
in part, the greater portion of the families would perish in misery.
The capturing of wild horses (a specie which greatly abounds in this
province) is the second object which particularly calls the inclination
of all the inhabitants.
On the opposite bank of the river is the mission of San Antonio de
Valero, secularized some years ago; its actual population encompasses
the Company of San Carlos de Parras and amounts to 362 souls.
The civilian inhabitants (vecinos) raise corn, beans, chile, and only
Don Antonio Baca, who is from B6xar, possesses land and water
there beneficial to sugar cane. The harvests are small for the same
reason already explained as applying to the Villa of San Fernando.
Following the course of the river, one encounters at a distance of
one league four missions near one another, in ruins for the most
part, although in ancient times they were very opulent. Their popu-
lation consists of three hundred souls, among whom are a few Indians,
some Spaniards, and people of other castes who are occupied as the
rest in raising corn, beans, chile, catching horses, and butchering at
the accustomed times.
The presidio of La Bahia is situated downriver to the southeast
forty leagues from B6xar, and embraces, between troops and local
inhabitants, 618 souls. They are short of water for irrigation for
which reason they plant annually in the summer, but the harvests
have been lost several times. The troops get their supply of seed
from B6xar. They had hoped to construct an irrigation system with
which to remedy all the shortages from which they suffer in that
area, but this foresight demands funds which the inhabitants ab-
solutely do not have.
In the jurisdiction of this presidio are three missions named Nues-
tra Sefiora del Rosario, Espiritu Santo, and Nuestra Sefiora del Re-
fugio. They contain 25o souls from the tribes Jaraname, Karankawa,
Coco, Cujano, and Mayaye. The first two [missions] are in a deplor-
able condition and do not have the necessities to maintain their
respective Indians. The ministers that serve them have acquired a
few good cattle and the related industries at a cost to the synod
which His Majesty has conceded. The last [mission] is in better con-
dition and has good cattle from whose products come kindnesses to
the Indians and pay for servants. In all three they have been reduced
to raising corn in the summer which they have lost a few times for
want of a permanent water supply.
The settlement of Nuestra Sefiora del Pilar de Nacogdoches is
composed of 770 souls and is located a distance of 150 leagues to the
northeast near the boundary of Louisiana. There the inhabitants sub-
sist with scarcely as many articles as are necessary to sustain life.514
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 66, July 1962 - April, 1963, periodical, 1963; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101196/m1/552/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.