SALINAS "In the Midst of a Loneliness": The Architectural History of the Salinas Missions

LIFE AND TIMES IN THE CONVENTO (continued)

The Second Courtyard:

The second courtyard contained the pens, sheds, corrals, feed barns and lofts, stables. Here the shearing of sheep and the fattening of cattle took place. Milk cows were kept in their sheds and pastured nearby. The first issue of farm animals to a friar consisted of:

10 heifers.
10 sheep.
Unspecified number of chickens.

With time and patience, these few animals could be built up into the huge herds described as held by the missions of New Mexico. Benavides remarks that European domestic animals did very well in New Mexico. The ewes bore three lambs at a birth, for example. He added pigs, horses, and mules to the list of animals probably held by the missions. [67]

The friars usual rode mules, but this rule may not have been followed in New Mexico. At any rate, the first issue to a friar was:

1 mule.
1 saddle.
1 bridle.
1 pair of saddlebags.

Twenty, thirty or forty horses for each missionary, stables where they keep three or four saddle horses, p. 71. Twenty or thirty horses at Las Humanas in 1660, p. 142. Armor for horses, leather jackets, swords, arquebuses and pistols for the Franciscans, p. 71. Lay brothers rode horses and carried arquebuses, p. 152.

Every three years, the friar received:

12 horseshoes
 1 pair of spurs.
 1 Jérez bridle.

The shipping of horseshoes to the convento rather than iron stock from which they and other tools could be made indicates that it was difficult for a convento to get the services of a blacksmith on a regular basis. However, sometimes bulk iron and steel were sent to the missions, indicating that a blacksmith was available, at least on occasion. For example, one hundred pounds of steel were shipped in 1612, and 609 pounds of iron in 1624. [68]

The picture presented by these goods and furnishings in the church and convento is not one of poverty. Instead, the missions appear to have been healthy, prosperous establishments with huge fields and herds--the equivalent of great wealth--and hopes of continuing prosperity. It is unfortunate that a similar picture of life in the civil settlements is not available. However, in spite of the lack of information at present, it is likely that some, at least, of the families of New Mexico lived at the same level of comfort as the missions.