Palaces of the Desert 277 



cepcion, and San Jose near to the presidio of 

 Bejar. 



At this time San Jose was changed to San 

 Juan Capistrano. Many changes were made in 

 the years to come, the friars always losing in- 

 fluence, and in 1743 the Comanches destroyed 

 the mission of San Sebastian Sab& and mas- 

 sacred the friars; in retaliation the friends of 

 the friars gathered an army and marched against 

 the Comanches, but they were put to flight. 

 From now on the Spaniards and the missions 

 became the objective of all marauding Indians, 

 and in 1767 the viceroy ordered the abandonment 

 of the missions. 



Up to this time the Crown had expended over 

 six millions of dollars in what is now Texas, 

 and in 1782 the vast domain, owing to the con- 

 tinued attacks of savages, could boast of but 

 twenty-six hundred whites, mostly about the five 

 missions in the vicinity of San Antonio. This 

 large sum, hundreds of lives, and the strenuous 

 labors of scores of brilliant men through sev- 

 eral centuries is represented to-day by these 

 crumbling ruins in Texas. What they accom- 

 plished it would be difficult to state, but that 

 they paved the way to a later civilization must 

 be accepted. According to B. Morfi, San An- 

 tonio Bejar was a ruin in 1785. It cost $80,000. 

 At San Antonio 1972 natives were baptized down 

 to 1762. At this time the mission owned 1200 



