History of Alameda County, California : including its geology, topography, soil, and productions, Part 8

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : M.W. Wood
Number of Pages: 1206

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For some unexplained cause, not much use had been made of the information gained from these trips, which were of frequent occurrence, and it was not for one

EARLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT.

hundred and sixty-eight years that any steps towards the permanent settlement of Upper California were undertaken. Under the joint management of Church and State, a plan with this end in view was commenced in the year 1683, but it failed, the State being represented by Admiral Otondo, and the Church by a Jesuit Father named Kino, La Paz being their point of operation ; but we are correct, we believe, in stating that they did not all visit Upper California. The settlement of the peninsula was finally undertaken fourteen years later, when sixteen missionary establishments were founded by Father Salva Tierra. The order which he represented falling into dis- grace in Europe, however, was banished from the dominions of Spain and Lower California in 1768, after laboring for seventy years. They were in turn succeeded by the Franciscans and Dominicans, the former of whom, under the guidance of Father Junipero Serra, proceeded to the conquest and conversion of this part of the country. This Reverend Father is recognized by the Roman Catholic Church as the Apostle of Upper California and acknowledged in history as its founder.

To effect this conquest and conversion two expeditions were simultaneously dis- patched from Lower California, the one by land, the other by sea. The overland one, under the command of Don Gaspar de Portala, the first Governor of California, reached San Diego on the first of July, 1769, and after a short rest there. resumed its northward march on the 14th of the same month. Two schooners, the San Jose and the Principe, had been directed to follow up the coast, and a rendezvous appointed at the Bay of Monterey, described by Viscaiño as a magnificent port, and which Galvez designed to occupy as the base of his new colony.

After numerous vicissitudes Portala's expedition descending the valley of the Salinas reached its mouth October Ist. Unable on a hasty reconnaissance to find the "magnificent port " described by Viscaiño, and misled by a fog-bank into the belief of another headland immediately north of Point Año Nuevo (now the extreme southwestern point of San Mateo County), the adventurers continued their journey, and, on the 30th of the month, reached Point Corral de Tierra and camped on the site of the present town of Half Moon Bay. The headland to the west of them, Father Crespi, the chaplain of the expedition, called Point "Guardian Angel," but the more worldly-minded soldiers, from the abundance of mussels found there, gave it the name of Punta de Almeja or Mussel Point.

In attempting to go further up the coast the ascent of the first ridge revealed to the observers of the expedition, far to the north-northwest, Point Reyes, with the Bay of San Francisco under its lee, and the Farralones to seaward, and confirmed the doubts which had, for the past month, distracted the leaders of the party, whether they had not long since passed by the famous port of Monterey, without finding it. A halt was called and a counter-march decided on. But, preliminary to returning from their unsuccessful search, Sergeant Ortega, with a party of soldiers, was dis- patched over the hills to the northeast, to explore and report on the character of the country to be found there. Three days were allowed for this examination, and in the meantime the men were permitted to hunt at discretion through the neighboring hills. On the evening of November 2d some of these hunters returned announcing the dis- covery of an immense arm of the sea, stretching inland. This was confirmed on the following day by the return of Ortega's party, who announced their glad tidings in advance, by the discharge of musketry, waving of flags, etc.

HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

Animated by this unlooked-for intelligence, Portala broke up his camp on the following day and struck out over the hills to the northeastward. From the summit of these the party looked down on our noble bay, which, in their admiration, they termed another Mediterranean Sea. They turned southward, with the idea of getting round the head of the bay and so reaching Point Reyes and the harbor of San Fran- cisco, lost for one hundred and sixty-seven years. On the evening of November 6th they encamped on the northerly bank of the San Francisquito Creek, not far from where Governor Stanford's house now stands near Menlo Park. Explorers were again sent out, but as these reported that the bay became wide and extended to an unknown distance southeastwardly, alarm at the rashness of their undertaking began to prevail, and they arrested their march. In fact their powers were spent, and it was well they decided to attempt no more ; for, to have pursued their journey further, in their exhausted con- dition, might have resulted in the loss of their whole party. The discoveries they had made it was important to preserve. Their provisions were almost exhausted; several of their number had died, and more than half the remainder were down with scurvy ; the native inhabitants showed signs of hostility, and the winter of an unknown region was at hand. A council was again called, and it was voted unanimously to retrace their steps. Governor Portala would indeed still have pushed on, but yielded to the unanimous voice of his companions, and on November 11, 1769, they com- menced their homeward march.

All their meat and vegetables had long been consumed, and their ammunition was nearly exhausted. Their allowance of food was reduced to five small tortillas a day. These, with shell-fish obtained on the sea-shore, acorns and pine nuts gathered by the way, or furnished by friendly Indians, and an occasional wild goose killed with a stick, furnished the staple of their poor food, as they toiled over their weary homeward march. They reached Point Pinos again on the 27th of November, and not- withstanding their distressed condition remained there till the 9th of December, search- ing in vain up and down the coast for that famous harbor of Monterey which Vis- caiño had described in such glowing terms. Point Pinos, indeed, they recognized from its description and the latitude assigned to it; but nothing else could they find corresponding to the description of the bay they were in search of. In despair they at last concluded that the harbor must have been filled up by sand or obliterated by some convulsion of nature. All hope of meeting the schooners from whose stores they might have obtained succor, was abandoned ; and on the 9th of December they sadly prepared to renew their toilsome and dreary march towards San Diego.

Before starting they erected on the south side of Point Pinos a large wooden cross, on which was rudely carved the words, " Dig at the foot of this and you will find a writing ;" and at its foot accordingly they buried a brief account of their journey. Its text, as set forth in Father Crespi's diary, was as follows :-

" The overland expedition which left San Diego on the 14th of July, 1769, under the command of Don Gaspar de Portala, Governor of California, reached the channel of Santa Barbara on the 9th of August, and passed Point Concepcion on the 27th of the same month. It reached the Sierra de Santa Lucia, on September 13th, entered that range of mountains on the 17th, and emerged from them on the ist of October; on the same day caught sight of Point Pinos and the harbor on its north and

EARLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT.

south sides, without discovering any indications of the Bay of Monterey. Determined to push on further in search of it, on the 30th of October we got sight of Point Reyes and the Farralones at the Bay of San Francisco, which are seven in number. The expedition strove to reach Point Reyes but was hindered by an immense arm of the sea which, extending to a great distance inland, compelled them to make an enormous cir- cuit for that purpose. In consequence of this and other difficulties, the greatest being the absolute want of food, the expedition was compelled to turn back, believing that they must have passed the harbor of Monterey without discovering it. Started on return from the Bay of San Francisco, on November 11th, passed Point Año Nuevo on the 19th, and reached this point and harbor of Pinos on the 27th of the same month. From that date until the present 9th of December, we have used every effort to find the Bay of Monterey, searching the coast, notwithstanding its ruggedness, far and wide, but in vain. At last, undeceived and despairing of finding it after so many efforts, sufferings and labors, and having left of all our stock of provisions but fourteen small sacks of flour, we leave this place to-day for San Diego. I beg of Almighty God to guide us; and for you, traveler, who may read this, that he may guide you also to the harbor of eternal salvation.

" Done in this harbor of Pinos, this 9th of December, 1769.

" NOTE .- That Don Michael Constanzo, our engineer, observed the latitude of various places on the coast, and the same are as follows :--

"San Diego, at the camp of the overland expedition, 32° 42'.

"Indian Village, at the east end of the channel of Santa Barbara, 34° 13'.

" Point Concepcion, 34° 30'.

"The southern foot of the Sierra de Santa Lucia, 35° 45'.

" Its northern extremity at this harbor and Point of Pinos, 36° 36'.

" Point Año Nuevo, which has low reefs of rocks, 36° 04' .*

" The land near the harbor of San Francisco, the Farralones bearing west quarter north, 37° 35'.

" Point Reyes, which we discovered on the west-northwest from the same place, supposed to be 37° 44'.

" If the commanders of the schooners, either the San Jose or the Principe, should reach this place within a few days after this date, on learning the contents of this writing, and the distressed condition of this expedition, we beseech them to follow the coast down closely towards San Diego, so that if we should be happy enough to catch sight of them, we may be able to apprize them by signals, flags, and firearms of this place in which succor and provisions may reach us.

"Glory be to God," says the pious old chronicler, "the cross was erected on a little hillock close to the beach of the small harbor, on the south side of Pinos, and at its foot we buried the letter." On the other side of the point they erected another cross, and carved on its arms with a razor, the words: " The overland expedition from San Diego returned from this place on the 9th of December, 1769-starving."

Their prayer for succor was, however, in vain; it never reached those to whom it was addressed. The schooners, after beating up to the latitude of Monterey, were compelled to turn back to the Santa Barbara channel, for want of water, and never reached

*Probably an error in transcribing. The other latitudes are very nearly correct.

HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

the coveted port. They ultimately put back to San Diego, which they reached just in season to relieve that colony from starvation. The land expedition meanwhile prosecuted its weary march down the coast, encountering sickness, privation, and occasionally death, until on the 24th of January, 1770, it reached San Diego, whence it had started six months and ten days before.

Father Junipero Serra, who accompanied this expedition, writes from San Diego, under date July 3, 1769, his first impressions of California, as follows :-

" The tract through which we passed is generally good land, with plenty of water; and there, as well as here, the country is neither rocky nor overrun with brushwood. There are, however, many hills, but they are composed of earth. The road has been in some places good, but the greater part bad. About half way the valleys and banks of rivulets began to be delightful; we found vines of a large size, and in some cases quite loaded with grapes; we also found an abundance of roses, which appeared to be like those of Castile. In fine, it is a good country, and very different from Old California. " We have seen Indians in immense numbers, and all those on this 'coast' of the Pacific, contrive to make a good subsistence on various seeds and by fishing. The latter they carry on by means of rafts or canoes made of tule (bull-rushes), with which they go a great way to sea. They are very civil. All the males, old and young, go naked; the women, however, and the female children, are decently covered from their breasts downwards. We found on our journey, as well as in the place where we stopped, that they treated us with as much confidence and good-will as if they had known us all their lives. But when we offered them any of our victuals, they always refused them. All they cared for was cloth, and only for something of this sort would they exchange their fish or whatever else they had. During the whole march we found hares, rabbits, some deer, and a multitude of berendos, a kind of wild goat."

His earliest recollections of the country he never forgot-they lasted to the end of his days. He returned to Mexico and was subsequently preferred to the high posi- tion of president of the missions of California. In or about 1783-84, feeling that old age was fast overtaking him, as well as to have some spare time from his arduous labors, he determined to visit some of the missions established in Upper California, to hold his last confirmations, and, having been invited to dedicate the Mission of Santa Clara, also to perform that ceremony. About the first of May he visited the selected spot,. and on the 4th continued his weary journey to San Francisco, accompanied by that devoted fellow-countryman Father Palou, a brother Franciscan monk, a co-voyager to these shores, and afterwards his biographer, preferring to make his confirmations. on his return. He had tarried in San Francisco but a few days when the distressing news of the illness of Father Murguia was received; he thereupon dispatched Father Palou to Santa Clara, who found Murguia sick of a low fever. Unhappily this worthy man never rallied, and on May 11, 1784, his soul took its flight, while naught was left to his followers but the consolation that

" Death's but a path that must be trod, If man would ever pass to God."

The funeral took place, but the venerable Junipero was too enfeebled to attend; he, however, accompanied Don Pedro Fages, the Governor of the territory, to the dedicatory services of the mission, arriving on the 15th. On the meeting of the two.

Hm Mr Mendenhall

EARLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT.

fathers their hearts were too full to speak; with eyes suffused in tears, they grasped each others hands, and finally in a solemn embrace, each sent aloft a prayer to Him who had seen fit in His wisdom to take away their revered brother.

Of the life and death of Junipero Serra, much has been written; for the informa- tion of the reader, however, let us refer him to the subjoined paper which appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, over the caption "N. V. S."

MONTEREY, February 4, 1882.

In the hasty, anxious life which most Americans lead, it is generally supposed that there is little room or even desire for that pursuit to which so many residents of the Old World devote their lives, and that not from the hope of reward, but from pure love of it. I refer to the love of antiquities that searching into the memories of the past which seems to have so powerful a charm for some minds. It is difficult to divine a reason for this, unless it be that the sight of relics of a former time excites the imagination to a train of thought so agreeably romantic that we are impelled again and again to seek the excitant, as the opium-eater returns to his drug. At any rate, the feeling exists and is latent in American breasts, only we have nothing for it to feed upon. I say nothing, but to-night I remembered that we have something when my eyes were attracted by the brilliant moonlight of Monterey striking full upon the white cross which marks the place where Father Junipero Serra first landed. The memory of a good man, who gave the labor of a long life solely to improve the state of his fellows, certainly is sufficient to give to the finding of his bones a deep interest. Father Casanova, the present pastor of Monterey, is full of gratification with the result of his researches, and has kindly given some of the details of the discoveries.

The ancient records of the old Carmel Church were brought forth for our won- dering eyes to gaze upon. They are, of course, yellow with age, and filled partly with the handwriting of Junipero himself, his signature standing out firm and clear, as if written but yesterday. These records contain quite an extended account of his death and burial, together with a description of the exact spot of interment. By means of this description Father Casanova was enabled to locate the grave of Junipero beyond a doubt, and thus made his recent discovery. The following is the passage referred to as translated :-

Very Rev. Father Junipero Serra, D. D., President of all the missions, died on the 29th of August, 1784, at the age of seventy-one years, and is buried in the sanc- tuary, fronting the altar of Our Lady of Seven Dolors, on the Gospel side.

There remained nothing but to face the altar of "Our Lady of Seven Dolors " in the sanctuary, and then commence digging next the altar on the Gospel side. That is what the workmen did, and their spades soon struck upon the stones covering the grave. Father Casanova produced a diagram illustrating the manner of formation of the grave and the condition in which it was found. Originally the floor of the church was composed of brick tiles. Tourists visiting the church admire these tiles so greatly that they even go to the trouble to dig them up, break them to pieces and carry away bits of them. In this connection he also stated that one visitor even went so far as to take his penknife and cut from the canvas a bouquet which was carried in the hand of a saint in one of the old paintings. This picture was much valued for its age and the association connected with it by the padre and the parish; but such consid-

HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

erations are as nothing to the hard heart of one in whom the love of antiquities has taken such an evil turn.

As was said before, the floor of the church was composed of tiles. The graves were apparently constructed with great care, being plastered and hard-finished inside as neatly as the walls of a house. The coffin was lowered into this plastered opening, and then large slabs of stone were fitted carefully over it, in such a manner that they were exactly level with the tiles forming the floor of the church. The tiles had grad- ually become covered with a layer of debris, which it was the first task of the work- men to remove. Upon reaching the slabs of stone covering the grave of Father Juni- pero it was found that the three covering the upper part of the grave were intact, but that those over the lower part had for some reason given way, so that about one-half of the coffin had been exposed to decay. The skull and ribs were found within, how- ever, excellently well preserved, considering the time that they have lain there. Cling- ing to the ribs were found considerable portions of the stole of violet silk, and its trim- ming of silver fringe, both blackened and crumbling with age. Upon being asked if he intends to pursue his investigations further, the padre replied that he will certainly do so. In fact he has already reached the graves of two other priests, and also of two of the old Mexican Governors of California, who were buried, it seems, in the same part of the church, but on the opposite side of the altar. In the discovery of these he again went by the records, which pointed them out quite accurately.

The padre says he intends to continue this search for these hallowed graves until he uncovers the whole of them, both of the mission fathers and of the Mexican gov- ernors. As a large number are buried there, and as the work is prosecuted with care, it will probably be some time before a completion is reached. It is then the padre's intention to have them properly replaced in the graves, the slabs of stone carefully arranged as they were originally, those wanting restored, and then to have each grave marked, so that in future they may be pointed out to visitors, with some account of the occupant of each. The padre gave no hint of any such wish, but the thought crossed the mind of the correspondent that it would show good taste and feeling in the many wealthy Catholics, who are doubtless to be found in California, if they would unite in the erection of a monument over the remains, worthy of the pioneer of their religion in California. The people of Monterey would gladly do this, but no doubt the lack of means prevents it. Junipero Serra was the founder of every mission in California-twenty-one in all. His history, briefly recounted by his friend and fellow- student, Francisco Palou, in language, whose very simplicity bears witness to its veracity, is such an one that every heart capable of appreciation of the unselfish and noble in character must be filled with the deepest admiration by it. Protestants as well as Catholics must give honor to a man to whom it is so unmistakably due. According to a Catholic custom, a record of all deaths in Monterey and the Carmel Mission was kept by Junipero himself from the year 1770 up to the time of his death, in 1784. Each was written in a strong, bold hand, with the signature "Fr. Junipero Serra " at the end. Upon his death this record was continued by his successors. He made his last entry on the 30th of July. On the 29th of August Fr. Francisco Palou entered upon the record the fact of his death, the narrative of his life and circumstances of his death.

EARLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT.

According to this account Serra was born in the Province of Majorca, in Old Spain. He was a man of thorough education and unusual accomplishments. Before coming to California he had enjoyed the honors of high position both in Spain and Mexico. When only a little over nineteen years of age, he put on the dress of the Order of San Francisco. He was a graduate of the schools of theology and philos- ophy, and was given the professorship of each in a royal university. These positions he filled in the most highly honorable manner. At this time he was in the receipt of large revenues and had good prospects for advancement to almost any position to which he might care to aspire. But worldly ambition of this kind had no place in his soul. Brilliant prospects, a life of luxury, associations which were doubtless pleasant to a man of his culture-all this he chose to leave behind him for the purpose of enter- ing upon a life of danger, toil, and privation, for which he could only expect a reward after death. Perhaps even the hope of that reward influenced him less than the simple consciousness of duty. His first step was to resign his professorship. He then joined the College of Foreign Missions in Cadiz, probably because there he could obtain the most authentic information for the purpose which he had in view. In 1749 he embarked at Cadiz for Mexico. The voyage occupied the tedious period of nearly . a year-long enough to have cooled the zeal of a less earnest man. He arrived in Mexico, January 1, 1750, with interest in his work unabated. At that time there were many missionary societies in Mexico, and Junipero was sent by them to prose- cute the work in various directions, in each case exhibiting the same wonderful ear- nestness and peculiar adaptation to such a life. It was probably to this power which he possessed of throwing his whole soul into his labors that his success was mainly due. In Mexico he gained the friendship and close confidence of the Viceroy, and took position among the highest in the Church.

In 1767 he was appointed by the General of the Catholic establishments in New Spain to the presidency of the fifteen missions in Lower California, then under man- agement of the Jesuits. He crossed the gulf and made his headquarters at Loreto. From that place he was constantly going out upon visits to the other missions, inspir- ing each with his own zeal. But even then he did not think his life sufficiently occupied nor his duty accomplished. He was constantly tormented by thoughts of the thousands of unfortunate creatures still in a savage state whom he knew to inhabit the great unknown region extending to the north. He had the true pioneer spirit forever urging him on, and he soon formed the resolution to embark for what was then a distant land. Not much was then known of California, but Serra had seen charts describing the Bays of San Diego and Monterey. In 1769 he left Loreto in company with an exploring party going north in search of these two points. He stopped on the way at a point on the coast near the frontier of Lower California, and founded the Mission of San Fernando de Bellicota. The next stopping-place was the port of San Diego, where he remained long enough to found the mission. During his stay at this place the exploring party went on, but returned the next year, having failed to discover the Bay of Monterey. In 1770 Serra again set out to find this bay, sending a party by land at the same time. As usual with most of his undertakings, the search was successful. Having landed at the spot so often mentioned in the descriptions of Monterey, and having taken formal possession of the country in the

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History of Alameda County, California : including its geology, topography, soil, and productions, Part 8

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : M.W. Wood Number of Pages: 1206

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : M.W. Wood
Number of Pages: 1206