founded, and fathers Urbano de Covarrubias, Cristóbal Lauria, and Manuel Fernandez being added to the Jesuit force.
Flores came back to Nayarit at the end of 1723, and new troubles soon arose, resulting in the temporary abandonment of Trinidad and Santa Gertrudis, the burning of the churches at Rosario and Santa Teresa, and the death of one of the leading allies of the Spaniards named Luna. Aid was sent, however, from different quarters, and quiet restored without much difficulty. It is said that none of the missions revolted on this occasion unless the padre was absent. Perfect safety was secured before March, when Flores returned with a body of fugitives whom he had pursued into Durango.
The tonati does not seem to have been a very important personage in these latter days. He wandered for some time, a fugitive even from his own people, until captured by the Spaniards in 1722. He was baptized in 1725, when the visitador Rivera stood as godfather to this relic of Nayarit royalty. Rivera found nearly four thousand Indians in ten settlements, all in excellent condition; and when in 1728 the bishop came on a pastoral visit he was delighted with his reception and with the progress of the converts.[1]
Indeed from this time, so far as the record shows, the Nayarits were model converts, attached to their teachers, living quietly in their settlements, and all the more orderly doubtless because few Spaniards ever had occasion to visit their mountain homes. The missions were still flourishing in 1767 under seven Jesuits, who were expelled with their order.[2] They
- ↑ Alegre speaks of 5,000 pesos distributed to pay for damages during the conquest; he also mentions difficulties in 1729 caused by the bad character of the soldiers sent to the country. Hist. Comp., iii. 227-8, 238-9. It is stated, however, by Mota-Padilla, writing in 1742, that the people had given no trouble since the conquest, and that the military governors might well be dispensed with. Conq. N. Gal., 510. In 1725 a presidio with 38 soldiers was still kept up. Villa-Señor, Teatro, ii. 270. In 1752 a real de minas was established at Bolaños and part of Nayarit brought under a corregidor. Instruccion Vireyes, 44-57.
- ↑ The seven missions in 1767 were Santa Rita, Santa Teresa, San Pedro,
