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THE EARLY DAYS
OF
SANTA BARBARA CALIFORNIA BY WALTER A HAWLEY
SANTA BARBARA
Gc 979.402 Sa73h 1721831
5 SENELLOST .GALACTION
BE XI
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02002 5836
THE MISSION OF SANTA BARBARA IN 1880 From an Etching by Henry Chapman Ford
THE EARLY DAYS
-OF-
SANTA BARBARA
CALIFORNIA
FROM THE FIRST DISCOVERIES BY EUROPEANS TO DECEMBER, 1846
-BY- WALTER A. HAWLEY
AUTHOR OF "ORIENTAL RUGS" AND "ASIA MINOR"
ILLUSTRATED
SANTA BARBARA
1920
COPYRIGHT, 1910 BY WALTER A. HAWLEY
COPYRIGHT, 1920 BY RUBY C. HAWLEY
-
Press of The Schauer Printing Studio Santa Barbara
1721831
PREFACE
IN DISREGARD of the historic value of the old build- ings of the Mission, Presidio, and Pueblo of Santa Bar- bara-precious monuments sacred to the memory of men who will be remembered for generations to come- tiled roofs have been destroyed, walls allowed to crum- ble, and foundations effaced. Already some of the most interesting buildings have gone. Even their former locations are known to few.
Fifteen years ago, realizing how rapidly the old land- marks were dissappearing, the writer with the assistance of an engineer made surveys both at the Mission and at the presidio of all the buildings then standing, and also of all the ruins and traces of foundations of former buildings. These surveys were then carefully platted.
This work was done on account of a personal inter- est in the subject, and with the view of placing the data, thus obtained, at the disposal of any one competent and willing to write the history of the early days of Santa Barbara. But the subject has awakened but little inter- est in the historian; and as some of the ruins that were then surveyed have since disappeared, the writer now offers this little sketch, accompanied by plans of the Mission and presidio, made from the original surveys, in the hope that it will create a greater interest in the lives and works of the founders of this beautiful city.
At the time of making the surveys, the writer con- sulted a number of the oldest residents, who are no longer living; and made notes regarding the old ruins
phone FIR- 10-25-72. Saddleback Bock shop
- 05.8
4
PREFACE
and early history of Santa Barbara. He has also gath- ered facts from nearly every source, regarded as reli- able; so that he is more or less indebted to nearly every writer on the early history of California, and particu- larly to the Rev. J. J. O'Keef and the Rev. Juan Cabal- leria.
SANTA BARBARA, December 20, 1909.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
PAGE
I. INTRODUCTORY .
9
II. THE ABORIGINES
11
III. THE EARLY EXPLORERS
24
IV. THE PRESIDIO
30
V. THE MISSION .
48
VI. THE SECULARIZATION
74
VII. THE PUEBLO
80
VIII. THE RANCHOS
93
APPENDIXES .
97
ILLUSTRATIONS
The Mission of Santa Barbara in 1880 Frontispiece Plat of the Presidio page 33 One of the Original Houses of the Soldiers in the Presidio facing 36 The Mission of Santa Barbara in 1798 page 55 Plat of the Mission Grounds page 57
Former Arch in Mission Wall facing 66
The Mission of Santa Barbara in 1865
page 67
.
The Ground Plan of the Mission Church in 1890 page 71
Plat of the Pueblo of Santa Barbara page 84
House of the Comandante facing 88
The De la Guerra House
facing 94
FOREWORD
IT IS my privilege to answer the repeated requests of the public in republishing this book written by the late Walter A. Hawley.
It's worth is appreciated by the student for its accu- racy as to date and detail of event. And to those minds of lighter vein it holds its own charm-permanently placing itself in the substantial chronicles of early Cali- fornia life.
R. C. H.
INTRODUCTORY
THE history of the early days of Santa Barbara not only awakens the general interest which is felt in the causes which lead to the founding of all cities and in the economic reasons for their subsequent growth, but also arouse a special interest, as this city is one of the few in the United States founded by an alien race. However excellent the traits and institutions of the Anglo-Saxon race may be, each of the other races which founded cities within the United States has contributed something to be admired. The towns of New York State founded by the Dutch have been influenced by the sterling qualities of that race; New Orleans still re- fects the spirit of the French, both in its interesting architecture and the fascinating society; and the cities founded by the Spanish in Florida and the southwest have a fascination distinctly referable to their founders.
In the Mission style of architecture, characterizd by its strong yet simple lines, the Spanish introduced a style which probably has no superior in unaffected beauty. The Spanish have also contributed to the charm of social life in all cities which they founded.
The City of Santa Barbara is one of the best repre- sentatives of the cities of the southwest founded by the Spanish or their descendants. Its Mission Church is not only typical of that style of architecture, but is the best preserved of any in California. Also, as recorded by writers who visited this city three-quarters of a cen- tury ago, the society here was at that time more aristo- cratic and refined than on any other part of the coast; and the city still feels the influence of that early Spanish atmosphere which adds greatly to its interest. Accord-
10
INTRODUCTORY
ingly, the study of the early history of this city and of the life of its founders should be particularly attractive.
Many of the earliest pioneers of California were not Spanish of pure blood, but Mexican descendants of Spaniards married to the natives of Mexico. The latter are far more capable and interesting than is generally known. At the time of the conquest of Cortez, the na- tive races had advanced to a state of semi-civilization, To-day not only do they cultivate their own ranches, work their own mines, and engage in various lines of in- dustry, but some of them are men of great force and ability. The present ruler of Mexico, who is one of the ablest of the living rulers, is a Mexican of nearly pure native blood. The natives are also artistic and musical; and many of those whose ancestors have for generations lived among the mountains of Mexico, remote from the refining influences of city life, show a charm of manner and delicacy of sentiment which are remarkable. To the descendants of these native races of Mexico, inter- marrying with the Spaniards, is due the credit for the founding and building of the pueblos and Missions, and the picturesqueness of the early life of California.
THE ABORIGINES
IT WOULD be interesting, if it were possible, to see this part of the coast as it was a little over a century ago. There has been but little change in the natural scenery, but it was probably even more beautiful then than now. The rugged peaks and upper ridges of the Santa Ynez mountains were more heavily timbered with pine, and the valleys were more heavily wooded with oaks. The face of the land was neither plowed, nor fenced, nor disfigurd by artificial roads. In the spring of the year, the surface of every valley and rolling hill was covered with bright wild flowers; and in the fall, it was a mat- ting of sun-browned grass and aromatic tarweed. The same ocean girded the coast with its chain of islands, and reflected a blue more beautiful than Italian skies. Nor was nature inanimate; as droves of deer rested in the shade of the woods, bear hid in recesses of the can- yons, and otter sported in the kelp, while birds of varied plumage unmolested, claimed their natural homes.
But if there has been but little change in scenery, the change in many other respects is very marked. A city inhabited by enlightened and cultured people, now occupies the sloping plain which was then a broad field, dotted with groves of oaks and marked with lines of sycamores which followed the arroyo banks. In the lower stretches of the plain and in the neighboring val- leys were Indian rancherias or villages. Over these hills and through these valleys the Indians roamed and hunted, and out in the channel they fished.
Compared with other races of American Indians, those of the Santa Barbara Channel would rank neither among the highest nor lowest in intellectual and social development. They showed nothing of that progress
12
EARLY DAYS OF SANTA BARBARA
towards civilization which characterized the Incas of Peru and the Aztecs of Mexico; yet in many interest- ing particulars they showed marked superiority over the other tribes of this coast. The Santa Ynez and San Rafael ranges of mountains separated them so effectu- ally from the races to the north and east, that they en- joyed almost constant immunity from hostile attack; a climate, mild and almost enervating with its constant sunshine and balmy atmosphere, had its influence in predisposing them to peaceful lives; and a shore rich in shell fish, and a harbor where breakers were un- known and where fish abounded, rendered it easy to ob- tain the necessities of life. Accordingly, with freedom from warfare, with mildness of climate, and abundance of food easily obtained, the Indians who for many gen- erations had lived on this part of the coast had de- veloped into a higher type than had those who lived in many other parts of California.
Coming at the time of the Spanish padres, that part of Santa Barbara County which is near the coast was thickly populated with the Indians, who were divided into small tribes, each of which lived in a separate rancheria. While some of the rancherias consisted of only a few houses, others consisted of as many as one hundred; and as there were approximately ninety rancherias within the present limits of Santa Barbara County, including those of the Islands, the native population was probably not less than fifteen thousand. Each of the tribes had a separate name which was given to the locality where it was situated. Though the names of most of the tribes are forgotten, yet a few of these names are still retained, such as: Tecolote, Lompoc, Najalayegua, Sisquoc, Suey and Tinacuac, which are the names of ranches similar to the names of the tribes that formerly occupied the land.
The rancherias were frequently built on sites which, on account of the large accumulation of shells found
13
THE ABORIGINES
about them, are now known as Shell Mounds. A piece of land, slightly elevated above the beach and favorably situated for obtaining water, was generally chosen; and here were built the houses, which were conical in shape, and were constructed by planting long poles in the ground and fastening the tops together. These poles were then covered with reeds and adobe, and the earth about the house was raised to prevent the rain from entering beneath the covering. Cooking was generally done in the open air; yet in the center of the floor was the fire-place, the smoke from which escaped through an opening at the apex of the house.
Each tribe had its head; a number of tribes being united under one great chief who governed both in re- ligious and secular affairs. In this county there was a triumvirate, of whom Yanonali ruled over the tribes dwelling between the Rincon and La Patera; Alioli- quit ruled over the tribes of Dos Pueblos; and Salia- puato ruled over the tribes beyond Dos Pueblos as far as Lompoc and Santa Ynez. Yanonali was a ruler of many excellent qualities and one who exercised great control over his people. He welcomed the Spaniards and rendered them much assistance; and although sixty years of age, when he came under the influence of the padres, he was converted to Christianity, and was bap- tized with the name of Pedro. Salispuato, also, was very kindly disposed towards the Spaniards and ren- dered them very important services, particularly in hewing and bringing pine timbers from the San Rafael range. He was also noted as being the father of Tsin- juic, who was renowned for her beauty.
According to many of the accounts of the early voy- agers, the Indians of the Santa Barbara Channel were far from unattractive in personal appearance, as both men and women were well formed and had regular features. Their dark brown faces were shaded by the long hair which fell to their shoulders, and within the
14
EARLY DAYS OF SANTA BARBARA
folds of which were sometimes attached daggers of stone or flint. The men of some of the tribes wore beards of such length that they were tied in knots beneath their chins; but others were beardless and are supposed to have plucked out their beards with bivalve shells. The women had beautiful eyes, and many of them were pre- possessing in appearance; yet they were modest in their bearing and agreeable in manner. They wore earrings, bracelets, and necklaces, which were made of ivory and shells; and to add to their natural attractions they painted their cheeks, and in some instances tattooed their breasts and arms. The children, who were light- hearted and playful, were of fair complexions and had light brown hair and rosy cheeks.
Owing to the equableness of the climate, the cloth- ing was often scanty and at times exceedingly abbrevi- ated. But although the men of some of the tribes dis- pensed with clothing, yet the men of other tribes wore tunics made of the skins of rabbits, deer, or seal. A few also wore jackets made of the feathered skins taken from the breasts of wild fowls. The women were more carefully clothed, and although some of them wore only short skirts of reeds, most of them were dressed in petti- coats of skins, which hung from their shoulders and terminated in a heavy fringe which fell to their knees. Moccasins of deer or seal skins were worn by both sexes.
The Indians had little difficulty in obtaining food, as rabbits, deer, quail, and wild fowl were plentiful and easily trapped or shot with their arrows. Although they cultivated none of the vegetables eaten by civilized races, yet they ate acorns, which they ground into a meal and cooked, and also the wild cherry or plum, which grows very abundantly along the ridges of the Santa Ynez mountains. This fruit they called Islay, and not only the fleshy part of the cherry was eaten but also the pits, when crushed and cooked. They occasionally ate roots; and were very fond of the wild blackberry and
15
THE ABORIGINES
the fruit of the tuna. The ocean furnished an abun- dance of fish; but the shell fish were probably the most esteemed article of diet and were consumed in large quantities. The accumulating shells were scattered about the houses and covered with layers of sand or earth; until gradually the mounds grew in height, and the half-buried houses were raised or replaced by oth- ers on the elevated surface.
Some of the principal Indian tribes lived on the Islands of Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel; but after the Mission of Santa Barbara had been estab- lished, these island tribes were persuaded by the padres to move and settle near the Mission; although pre- viously they had lived permanently on the Islands, and between them and the tribes of the Coast there was con- stant communication as well as barter. The boats used for crossing the channel were sufficiently large to carry one or two dozen men, and were propelled by oars. They were sharpened at both ends and made of planks, fastened carefully together by thongs of leather and wood fibre, and rendered water tight by a coating of bitumen. The Indians had canoes also, which were made from the trunk of a single tree, and were capable of carrying three or four men; and rafts made of brush and covered with thatched tules were occasionally used.
The Island of Santa Rosa has been regarded by in- vestigators as the locality where was manufactured most of the circulating medium by which exchanges among the Indians were effected. Their money consisted of small pieces of shells, perforated and strung on a thong of leather. As the Indians were inefficient in the art of counting, the length of the string of beads and not their number was the guide to their exchange value.
The weapons of the hunt and warfare were the bow and arrow, sword, spear, and club; and were similar in construction to those used by other American tribes. Arrow heads were made of flint, porphyritic stone, and
16
EARLY DAYS OF SANTA BARBARA
obsidian. So few, however, have been found that it is probable that they were generally made of hardened wood. The knives were of flint and obsidian, and were often carried in sheaths of skin; but the daggers and the swords were most frequently made of hardened wood, although occasionally they were made of bone or stone. Bone awls took the place of needles; and buck- skin thongs of fibre, answered for thread. Smoking was habitual among the Indians, and many of the pipes used by them have been found. The bowls of the pipe were tubular in shape, and tapered gradually from the larger end of the bowl, which was about an inch or an inch and a half in diameter. They were made of serpentine or obsidian, and the mouthpiece was formed of the bone of a water fowl and securely united to the stem of the pipe with bitumen.
The utensils used for domestic purposes were prim- eval in construction and character, and were made al- most exclusively of stone. Mortars and pestles for crushing acorns and other articles of food were in com- mon use. The mortars were generally from nine to eighteen inches in diameter; although one, twenty-seven inches in diameter and constructed with mathematical exactness, was exhumed from an Indian grave. Vessels called Ollas, used for holding liquids and for cooking purposes, were made of steatite. They were spherical in form with small openings about one-third of the maxi- mum diameter, and were capable of holding five or six gallons. As steatite is not found near the coast but on the Islands of Santa Rosa and Santa Catalina, these ollas were undoubtedly obtained from the island In- dians in exchange for other articles. Cups and saucers made of serpentine were occasionally used, and when broken the corresponding parts were frequenly re- united by bitumen. Artifically colored baskets util- ized both for cooking and for general purposes, were made of reeds, woven so closely as to make the basket
17
THE ABORIGINES
waterproof ; and other baskets, used for holding liquids, were bottle shaped, and were coated within and witli- out with bitumen.
The Household furniture was extremely simple, and consisted almost exclusively of a few skins and a couch. The latter was constructed by driving into the ground four forked stakes, so as to form the corner posts of the bed, and across these were placed poles. Transversely across the poles were placed more slender ones which were covered with rushes. Skins took the place of blankets, and it is stated that comforters, made of the feathered skins of birds, were sometimes used.
The natives seem to have lacked some of the savage instincts of other races of aborigines, and open warfare between the neighboring tribes was almost unknown. They were constantly singing, dancing, and feasting; and births, marriages, or deaths were regarded as prop- er occasions for similar demonstrations, which were en- livened by music produced from reedlike instruments.
The men showed a higher regard for the women than was usual among most of the tribes of North American Indians. Monogamy was the prevailing custom, al- though the chiefs were allowed several wives. Parents arranged for the marriage of their children; and boys and girls were often betrothed in infancy, and when grown were married with formality and ceremony, of which singing, dancing, and feasting were the principal features.
In religion the Indians were polytheistic, and some of their mythology is very interesting. To Chepu, the creator, were erected wooden temples for worship; and Cabrillo relates that he saw on one of the Channel Islands wooden temples containing idols. Their relig- ion, like that of the races of ancient history, was very closely associated with superstition, as they were con- stantly looking for favorable or unfavorable omens, and
18
EARLY DAYS OF SANTA BARBARA
were influenced by their numerous sorcerers. The lat- ter by intimidations exercised a considerable influence over the weak-minded and assumed some of the func- tions and privileges of the classic soothsayer.
Sickness was at times regarded as something to be alleviated by the charms practiced by the sorcerers, though generally receiving more practical considera- tion, as the medical value of the herbs and roots was well known; and even to-day many of the native Cali- fornians prefer these Indian remedies to the drugs of the pharmacy. The Mission padres learned the value of some of these plants and gave them Spanish names. To the trailing vine with aromatic, purplish white flowers, known in science as Micromeria Douglasii, they gave the name Yerba Buena, as it proved a most valuable febrifuge. The Erydicton glutinosum, a shrub with leaves like those of the peach and with small white or purplish flowers, was called Yerba Santa. It has proved so valuable for colds and bronchial troubles that it is now constantly used in the practice of physi- cians. Growing in profusion near the site of the former rancheria at Hope ranch and in many other low damp spots near Santa Barbara, is the Anemopsis Cali- fornica, a plant to which the padres gave the name Yerba Mansa, and which was used as a specific for many ailments. The Cascara Sagrada is known to all. Its bark was used by the Indians for rheumatism, and to-day it is gathered annually and shipped to all parts of the United States and Europe. Another plant made use of by the Indians and now well known to the medi- cal world is the Grindelia Robusta. Its yellow com- posite flowers which appear in the late summer make it easy to be recognized. Its value is principally for pulmonary troubles, but it was formerly used in cases of skin disease also. In addition to the remedies de- rived from the plants, the natives utilized the temescals, or sweet-ovens, remains of which are occasionally found
19
THE ABORIGINES
near the bank of a stream or near the ocean, to effect cures for certain illnesses.
The Indians believed in the immortality of the soul, and the dead were buried with care. Separate cemeteries were used for the men and the women; over the graves of the former were frequently erected paint- ed poles, to which were attached human hair; and over the graves of the latter were poles, to which were at- tached baskets. Along the coast, in favorite spots may still be found the Indian cemeteries, which were very numerous, as every tribe had its own cemetery, which was generally very near to the village and in many instances a part of it.
On Nidever hill, near the eastern end of the city of Santa Barbara, a number of Indians were buried, and a few also were buried at Burton Mound. One of the largest Indian cemeteries was on the mesa at La Patera, and another was near Dos Pueblos. From these two latter cemeteries it has been estimated that the remains of five thousand Indians have been exhumed. At La Patera all of the indians were buried face downwards and with their heads towards the north, as if in com- pliance with some superstitious motive; but at Dos Pueblos they were buried without regularity. Some of the graves were surrounded by fences of wood, others by slabs of stone, or bones of whale. A peculiar feature of the burial was that their heads were often covered with ollas, many of which were so narrow at the neck that it has been a subject of wonder how the heads of the Indians were inserted into the ollas and yet remain intact. In the graves were buried weapons, utensils, and other objects, used by the Indians when alive, and which it was deemed they would require hereafter. Even the pipe and paints were not forgotten; and in one grave were found the remains of an Indian, who had been buried in his canoe, prepared to cross to the shore beyond.
20
EARLY DAYS OF SANTA BARBARA
Different kinds of paint were frequently found in the Indian graves. The paint was not, however, used solely for facial ornamentation, as numerous petro- graphs, or rock paintings, have been found among the caves and on prominent boulders, among the mountains of Santa Barbara. Perhaps the best preserved paint- ings are on a hollow sandstone rock that is known as La Pietra Pintada, or the Painted Rock, which is in the Santa Ynez Mountains about thirteen miles westward from the City of Santa Barbara. Here are painted representations of the sun, and of men and animals; and near the San Marcos pass, in a boulder nearly twenty feet high, is a cave upon the sides of which a checker board, suns, and anomalous forms of animal life are easily discerned. The principal pigments used in mak- ing the paintings were a red ochre, and white and black; and these were applied by rubbing the pigments against the face of the wall. The black paint has been found by analysis to be hydrous oxide of manganese; and ochres were easily obtained from the many mineral de- posits found near Santa Barbara. Other painted rocks have been found near Montecito and along the coast near Gaviota. Whether these paintings were intended as hieroglyphics for the purpose of conveying definite ideas, or were simply expressions of the native artistic taste, is difficult to decide; but they have generally been found at some point frequented by the Indians.
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