The Zacatecanos were as a class by no means equal morally or intellectually to their predecessors, as will be apparent from their actions in later years; and besides this inferiority, there were naturally many difficulties to be encountered by them at the first, arising from their inexperience and a certain degree of prejudice felt against them by neophytes and others. It did not take them long to learn that their lines had not fallen to them in places altogether pleasant; and in September we find their prefect begging for a certificate of the miserably sad condition in which he and his associates found themselves, for exhibition to the government on returning to his college; for "we cannot subsist here longer, because the climate is destroying our health."[1]
Their troubles in 1833, to say nothing of the climate, were of a threefold nature, arising from the unmanageable character of the neophytes, from the difficulty of furnishing supplies to the presidio, and from Padre Mercado's conduct at San Rafael. The Indians did not behave in a manner at all satisfactory to their new masters, who resorted freely to the use of the lash. Vallejo, comandante of the San Francisco district, made complaint to Figueroa on the subject, and the latter to Prefect García Diego, with a notification that flogging was forbidden by the laws. The prefect seems to have made an earnest effort to remedy the evil; and though some of the padres were disposed to be obstinate, no special complaint is recorded after the issuance of a pastoral letter on the subject on the 4th of July.[2]
- ↑ Sept. 5, 1833, García Diego to Figueroa. Arch. Azob., MS., v. pt i. 41.
- ↑ May 5th, 31st, Vallejo to Figueroa. Vallejo, Doc., MS., ii. 41, 52. The complaint is of flogging at the 4 missions, nothing being said of S. José.
Spanish friars not being able to tolerate the lax morals of the Mexicans. Alvarado, Hist. Cal., MS., ii. 205, 209-10, says the Zacatecanos wanted all the missions; but the Fernandinos refused, and finally succeeded in convincing the stupid Mexicans that, as there were 21 missions and only 10 friars, a division was necessary! Wilkes, Narrative, v. 173, states that the new friars were in every way inferior to the old ones, and totally unfit for missionaries. Vallejo, Hist. Cal., MS., ii. 197-8; Robinson's Statement, MS., 8; Ord, Ocurrencias, MS., 55-6.
