The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 30, July 1926 - April, 1927 Page: 208

                                
Southwestern Historical Quarterly

of the Cadodachos and certain chiefs of this Province of Texas-
known also by the name of Asinai-        have given me.    I am  like-
wise moved to write you this letter and to send you this brief
report of the things I have thought most necessary to call to your
attention at this time for the encouragement of the conversion of
these souls of the Lord in order that His Most Holy Name and that
of His Blessed Mother may be praised among all nations.
Report
Most Excellent Sir,
In the first place, I offer your Excellency a thousand congratu-
lations on so great an enterprise and one so pleasing to Our Divine
Ruler as that of winning the souls of those who are in the power
of the enemy of all the people of these dominions and provinces.
In the second place, I wish to report to your Excellency the fol-
lowing facts:
Damian Mansanet to investigate rumors of the presence of the French
under La Salle and the possibilities of mission work among the Indians
of the region. Upon hearing the rosy report made by these men, he gladly
jcined a new expedition and, after aiding in the establishment of missions
among the Tejas Indians, he remained on that exposed frontier with only
two companions to aid him in his work. He tried to learn the language
of the Indians and gained their confidence by spending practically all his
time in teaching them. Out of the rich experience gained from a year
and a half's sojourn among them he wrote the detailed description here
translated. In February, 1692, he went back to the College of Queretaro
in the hope of securing additional means and workers for the new field.
He then visited Mexico City and presented to Fray Juan Capistrano,
Comissary-General of the Order, the report he had so carefully prepared.
Much to his disappointment he was informed that, although the report
v ould be presented to the Pope, conditions in Texas were not propitious
for undertaking additional work. All plans were therefore dropped for
the time being. Disappointed but not embittered, he turned his attention
to missionary work among the Indians of New Mexico. In 1693, the year
in which the Texas missions were abandoned, he carried the standard of
the Cross to that country, being assigned to duty among the Xemes. He
longed to go overland for the purpose of trying once more to work among
the Texas Indians, but was forbidden by his superiors to undertake so
dangerous a journey. I-Ie obediently continued his labors in New Mexico
until 1696 when lie met a martyr's death at the hands of the treacherous
Apaches who lured him to a secluded spot by representing that a dying
Indian was calling for him. At the foot of a cross which he himself had
erected he was cruelly murdered by a blow from a macina in the hands
of one of the Indians whom he was trying to serve. As a final indignity
the murderers cast stones upon his body, thus increasing the resemblance
to the death of the first Christian martyr, Stephen.-Espinosa, Isidro Felis
Chronic Aposlolico Y Seraphicae De Todos Los Colegios De Propoganda
Fide De Nueva Espaa De Missioneros Franciscanos Observantes.
260-286.

208