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Biographical Notes
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Eusebio Francisco Kino
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In 1685 Viceroy Conde de Paredes agreed with Kino about the importance of California and supported an extension of the Atondo effort. Silver mines in Zacatecas were producing well and a considerable amount of money was earmarked to support the effort. On October 31, 1685, while waiting final authority from the king for the return to California, the Viceroy ordered Atondo to take his ships and warn the Manilla Galleon of freebooters who were awaiting it on the Pacific coast. Kino accompanied Atondo on the mission and the Galleon was successfully warned. Father Kino felt that the King would be appreciative of their efforts to protect the treasure ship and would also support their return to California. Unfortunately, at that very time, the king of France demanded payment of a very large debt that arose from the sinking of a French ship in a Spanish harbor. Also at the same time the Spanish presence in Nueva Vizcaya was threatened by the Tarahumara revolt. The Viceroy was ordered to send all available finances to Spain and to simultaneously provide support to Nueva Vizcaya. To Father Kino's very great disappointment the Baja California project was put on hold.
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After returning to the mainland Father Kino proposed that he go to work among the Seri and Guaymas peoples along the coast of the mainland opposite Baja California. His thought was that established missions on the mainland could support work among the people of California. In mid-February 1687 Father Kino was in the vicinity of Alamos during the rush to the newly discovered silver mines located in Los Frayles. By the end of that month he was in Sonora where he met with Manuel Gonzalez, visitor father of Sonora seeking his approval for his proposed mission to the Seri and Guaymas peoples. Father Gonzalez did not support Father Kino's request but instead accompanied him north to meet with Father Juan Munoz de Burgos at Guepaca. Father Munoz was to be Father Kino's new superior in his work with the Pima People far to the north on the northern border of Spanish influence - both civil and religious. His neighbors to the east were to be the dreaded Apache people.
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Fierce Apache resistance had effectively stymied Spanish advance along a line that roughly followed the present boundary between Mexico and the United States. Two Spanish presidios anchored this frontier - one at Janos in Chihuahua Province and the other at Fronteras in Sonora Province. Communication between the two presidios required the transit of the Sierra Madre Mountains. Two of the most important water holes for Spanish soldiers moving between the two garrisons were Agua Prieta and San Bernardino, both on the current international boundary. The Pima people lived west of the Apache and the two tribes were long standing enemies. The area that they occupied was called the Pimeria Alta by the Spanish. It extended north to the approximate location of Tubac in southern Arizona. A number of other Pima related groups were also located in this general area north and west of Pimeria Alta.
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Father Kino reached his new home in March 1687. He established his headquarters at the Indian village of Cosari which he renamed Dolores. He began exploring immediately and was to be on the trail virtually all of the rest of his life. He was universally well received in all of his explorations of the Pimeria Alta and became famous among the Indian tribes far and wide. Father Gonzalez visited Dolores in January 1689 and was impressed with how much Father Kino had accomplished. Although Father Kino had a few detractors within the church, Father Gonzalez became a strong supporter as did most of the civil and military authorities in the region. His work with the Indians was regarded as being consistent with both civil and religious objectives of the time. In later years as Kino widened his travels he frequently traveled alone but sometimes had one or more civil or military officials along with him.
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In 1689 Father Juan Maria de Salvatierra became visiting father for Sinaloa and Sonora. They first met in Dolores on Christmas Eve, 1689, and soon became fast friends. Kino not only showed Salvatierra around Pimeria Alta but also talked to him at length about California. Salvatierra was convinced of Father Kino's effectiveness and became a strong supporter of Kino's plans to build missions at Tumacacori and Bac to the north of Dolores. In December 1693 Kino travelled west through lands occupied by the Soba People (a Pima group) to the shore of the Gulf of Cortez where he could see Baja California opposite. Kino returned to San Juan where he requested a representative of the civil government to accompany him back to the Sobas so that they could be incorporated into the Spanish orbit. Juan Matheo Manje was assigned the duty. Manje and Kino retraced Kino's earlier steps and Manje became a friend and supporter of Kino. The two men subsequently made several trips together.
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In 1694 unrest broke out in a number of Indian villages. Much of the trouble involved Apache attacks on Spanish and Pima settlements. The Spanish soldiers reinforced by their Pima allies were victorious in several important battles against the Apaches and Spanish affinity for the Pima was considerably strengthened. One incident in 1695, however, marred the relationship between the Pima and the Spanish. Father Francisco Xavier Saeta, a Jesuit, was killed by a group of Soba Indians. Father Kino negotiated the surrender of the guilty parties, but his efforts went for naught when Spanish soldiers killed a large number of Indians - guilty and innocent alike. The event is known as La Matanza - the slaughter. This action resulted in more violence, but Dolores and Kino were untouched. Manje, who was with Kino, during this period, attributes this to the profound influence of Kino throughout the Pimeria Alta and this influence made it possible for him to help pacify the area afterwards.
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