History of California, Volume I, Part 35

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers
Number of Pages: 852

USA > California > History of California, Volume I > Part 35
USA > California > History of California, Volume I > Part 35

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

In the mean time Rivera went on to Monterey, arriving on the 15th, and sending word to Serra to come over from the mis ion for his letters, which he wished to deliver in person and was too unwell to visit him. Serra came, and thought Rivera's illness, which was a slight pain in the leg, greatly exaggerated. He found his letters likewise broken open, though Rivera assured him it was accidental and they had not been read. He then told the president of his excommunication at San Diego, and Serra, after con- sultation with the San Carlos friars, approved what Fuster had done, refusing to grant the captain's re- quest for absolution, until he should give satisfaction

20 Pieras was returning in his company to San Antonio. Anza, Diario, MS., 185, says he took a written certificate from the padres. Font, Journal, MS., 43, says: 'We supposed that he had returned to speak with Capt. Anza before his departure and treat about the affairs of the expedition, and that we should probably have to return to Monterey or at least stay where we were; but we soon found that his arrival did not cause us any detention what- ever, for when we fell in with Capt. Rivera, a short time afterward, thic two captains saluted each other on passing, and without stopping to speak about anything Capt. Rivera immediately went on to Monterey, and we continued our journey toward Sonora.'

271

ANZA AND RIVERA.

to the church by returning the Indian Carlos to the sanctuary, on which condition the San Diego minis- ters could grant absolution without necessity of Ser- ra's interference. He also wrote the guardian about the matter, and after much difficulty in getting an escort from Rivera, who put him off with frivolous pretexts, he sent Cambon with the letter to overtake Anza. The next day, April 19th, Rivera himself started south again, refusing Serra's request to go with him on the plea of very great haste.21

Cambon overtook Anza at San Luis on the 19th, bringing besides the president's letters for Mexico one in which he announced his purpose to come down with Rivera if possible, and asked Anza to wait a little; another from Moraga telling of Rivera's arrival at Monterey, and volunteering the opinion that the · commandant was insane; and still another from Rivera himself announcing his immediate departure, asking for a delay and consultation, and apologizing for past discourtesy on the plea of ill-health.22 On the after- noon of the 21st some soldiers came in saying that Rivera had encamped for the night but a little way off. Anza at once sent a message that he would con- sult with him on matters affecting the service, but that all communication must be in writing. Next day came back a letter naming San Gabriel as the place of consultation. Auza was there on the 29th,23 and

21 Palou, Not., ii. 291-7. Another serious cause of trouble between Rivera and Serra was the action of the former respecting the mules which were sent for mission use. One hundred mules were sent via Baja California, and 89 were sent up by Gov. Barri to Rivera, who, knowing that they belonged exclusively to the missions, distributed them all the same among his soldiers, except 40 which he brought to Monterey, admitting when ques- tioned that the mules were not his, but pleading military service. Subse- quently, a letter came to Serra for Rivera ordering the distribution of the mules. The letter was open, and was sealed and delivered after being read, but Rivera never mentioned the matter again. Id., 209-11.

22 Palou, Not., ii. 297-300, says that Anza was iuduced by the padres to read the letter, but would not answer it. According to this author Rivera's apology was in the subsequent letter.

23 This is Anza's own version, Diario, MS., 189-97. Font, Journal, MS., 44, tells us that Rivera came to San Luis on the 22d, and after staying a while without seeing Anza started for San Gabriel. Palou also says that Rivera came to San Luis, got angry because Anza refused to communicate

272

EXPEDITIONS OF ANZA, FONT, AND GARCÉS.

found that Rivera had arrived two days before him. Here the two commandants had no personal interview, but exchanged several letters, Anza sending to Rivera a description and map showing his survey of San Francisco, and giving him three days in which to prepare such reports or other communications as he might wish to forward to the viceroy. When the time had passed Rivera was offered more time, but replied that no more was needed and that his de- spatches would soon overtake Anza.24 The latter finally set out for Sonora May 2d, with the same company he had brought from Monterey and the re- mainder of his ten soldiers.

Next day there came from Rivera, not his report to the viceroy on matters connected with his com- mand, but a private letter to Anza in which he said that he "lacked a paper bearing upon a criminal who took refuge in the place where mass is said at San Diego," and asked Anza to present his excuses to the viceroy. He also enclosed a letter to the guardian of San Fernando. Anza sent back both letters to the writer, and went on to the Colorado; while Rivera went immediately down to San Diego. The quarrel is certainly a curious item in the annals of California, being a subject which it is difficult fully to compre- hend. Rivera was evidently a weak man. Whether he was insanc, or influenced solely by a spirit of child- ish jealousy, of which we have seen manifestations in a previous quarrel with Fages, is a question. Both officers were subsequently reprimanded by Bucareli

except in writing, and went on to San Gabriel followed by Anza. Here may be mentioned a tradition of the natives recorded by Anza as having been told to P. Figuer, of the arrival and wreck, 23 years before, of a vessel bear- ing 12 white men like the Spaniards. who before their death in the wreck had landed and gave the Indians beads and other articles, including the knives found by the Spaniards in 1769. ' Qué gente seria esta queda al discurso de quien está mas instruido que yo,' writes Anza, and I can do no better than follow his discreet example.

24 Palou says that Anza did not stop at the mission but encamped at a little distance, fearing a controversy with Rivera; and that he subsequently sent back Rivera's letters with the message that 'he was not the mail.' The cor- respondence between the two was sent by Anza to the viceroy but has not, so far as I know, been preserved.

273

WANDERINGS OF GARCÉS.

for allowing a quarrel in matters of etiquette to inter- fere with the public service; but Rivera's early re- moval to Lower California put an end to the matter, as it did to his quarrel with the friars.

The return march of Anza's party to the Colorado presents nothing of importance. They followed the same route as before, except between San Sebastian and Santa Olaya, where they kept more to the north, and arrived May 11th at the Portezuelo de la Con- cepcion, just below Palma's ranchería, and nearly if not exactly identical with the site of the modern Fort Yuma. Here they found Padre Eixarch in safety and added him to the company; but of Garcés nothing could be learned except that he had gone up the river to the country of the Jalchedunes, whither a letter was sent ordering him to return. Palma with three other natives also joined the party, being allowed at the earnest solicitation of himself and nation to go with Anza to Mexico to present his petition for mis- sionaries. They crossed the swollen river on rafts just below the Gila, followed the banks of the latter stream for two days, and then, turning to the right, returned to Horcasitas by way of Sonoita, Caborca, and Altar, arriving the 1st of June. 25

I have now to narrate briefly the Californian wan- derings of Father Francisco Garcés, whom Colonel Anza had left on the 4th of December 1775 at Palma's ranchería opposite the mouth of the Gila, and whom he had subsequently seen at Santa Olaya on the 9th, the friar being already on his way to ex- plore the country and learn the disposition of the natives toward the Christians. This first trip lasted till January 3d, and in it the friar wandered with

25 Anza, Diario, MS., 198-232; Font's Journal, MS., 45-52; Arrieivita, Crón. Seráf., 464-8, 490. The last author affirms that Palma was well received at Mexico, but there was some hesitation about sending missionaries, as he was chief of one rancheria only. I should add that one of the deserting mule- teers condemned by Anza to remain in California escaped from San Diego and. crossed the country eastward alone and unmolested, joining Anza on the Colorado. The name of this first explorer on this route is not recorded. HIST. CAL., VOL. 1. 18

274

EXPEDITIONS OF ANZA, FONT, AND GARCÉS.

three Indian interpreters in all directions over the country between Santa Olaya and the mouth of the Colorado,26 everywhere kindly received, everywhere showing his banner with a picture of the virgin on one side and of a lost soul on the other. The natives invariably looked with pleasure on the former paint- ing, pronouncing it muy buena, but turned with horror from the latter as something very bad, to the uu- ceasing delight of Garcés, who regarded their prefer- ance as a token of predestination to salvation. The diary contains much useful information respecting the aboriginal tribes.

On the return of Garcés early in January the two padres moved their residence from Palma's ranchería to what they called the Puerto, or Portezuelo, de Concepcion, the site, as already stated, of the modern Fort Yuma. They also examined the ranchería, or puerto, of San Pablo below on the river, and pro- nounced it a suitable site for a mission. Visitors came in from different nations, and among others from those dwelling in the mountains toward San Diego. The people called Quemeyabs announced that those on the coast had already killed a priest and burned his house, that war was expected, and that in case it came all the nations would combine against the Spaniards, asking the Colorado tribes to remain neutral. Garcés paid, however, very little attention to this story, knowing of course nothing about the massacre at San Diego; yet he lost no opportunity to insist on the necessity of maintaining the most friendly relations with these tribes, in order to insure the safety of the coast establishments and communi- cation with them.

On February 14th Garcés started up the river, . always to the west of it, with two or three interpret- ers to visit the Yamajabs, as the Mojaves were orig-

26 The general route is indicated by dotted lines on Font's map, but must have been added after the diary was finished, for then Font had heard noth- ing of Gareés. This part of the padre's wanderings might, indeed, have been reported by Eixareh, but not his northern travels, also shown on the map.

FROM MOJAVE TO SAN GABRIEL.

inally called, arriving on the 28th in their country, or rather opposite, for they lived on the east of the river, between what are now the Needles and Fort Mojave.27 During his short stay two thousand natives came across the Colorado to visit the first white man who had ever been in that region. Here the adventurous friar conceived the idea of crossing the country west- ward to visit the friars who lived near the sea, and was encouraged by the natives, who had traded with the coast tribes and said they knew the way. Leav- ing some of his not very bulky effects and one of his interpreters, he started with the rest and a few Yam- ajabs March 1st and arrived on the 24th at San Gabriel.28 The route was substantially that of the modern road from Los Angeles to Mojave, up the Mojave River and through the Cajon Pass; and the journey was without incident requiring special mention.

Garcés was warmly welcomed by the priests at San Gabriel, where it will be remembered he had been with Anza in 1774, finding that establishment "muy adel- antada en lo espiritual y temporal," and remaining for

27 This being the first exploration of most of this region, or of all west of the river, I give the route in full. See also Font's map route marked --- Puerto de la Concepcion, 63 1. N. w .; 21. w. N. w. through pass in Sierra de San Pablo to San Marcelo watering-place; 5 1. N. w. in sight of Cabeza del Gigante in the east, Grande Medanal, and vicinity of San Sebastian, passing near Peñon de la Campana; 81. N. and N. N. W. through pass in the sierra on north of the Medanal to San Jose watering-place 33° 28'; 321. N. N. W. and E. N. E., across sierra to a valley; 61. N. N. W. and E. N. E .; 61. E. N. E. and N. into Sierra of Santa Margarita to banks of Colorado, across valley to watering-place in 33° 23'(?); 1}1. w .; 6 or 111. N. w. and w. N. w. to Tinajas del Tezquien, one day's journey from river; 8 1. (or 6 1.) N. N. W. and N. across a sierra, to Santo Angel springs 34° 31' (in Chemehueves country); 61. N. E. and N. w .; 71. N. N. E. across a sierra to Yamajab nation, whose rancherías, La Pasion, were across the river. (35° on Font's map.)

28 The full route over a country which Garcés was the first, as also for many years the last, to traverse is worth recording as follows. (See also map): 3 1. N. w. to rancherias of Santa Isabel; 31. N. w. and E. N. w. (sic) to San Pedro de los Yamajabs in 35° 1', still near the river; 2} 1. s. w. to San Casimiro wells; 81. w. ¿ w. s. w. to wells; 51. w., 31. w. s. w. to Sierra de Santa Coleta; 41. W. N. w. across sierra (Providence Mts.) to Cañada de Santo Tomás; 6 1. w. s. w. to wells of San Juan de Dios, where the country of the Benemés begins; 51. to Pinta Pass and Arroyo de los Mártires (Rio Mojave); 12}1. w. s. w. on same stream; 2 1. w. N. w., and 21. s. w. and s. 34° 37'; 5 1. s. w. up the stream; 831. up the stream; 31. s. w. and s. to San Benito rancheria; 31. s. s. w. across sierra (Cajon Pass?) in sight of sea, and 31. E. S. E. to Arroyo de los Alisos; 2}1. w. s. w. into Anza's trail, and 81. w. N. w .; 21. W. N. w. to San Gabriel.

276

EXPEDITIONS OF ANZA, FONT, AND GARCÉS.

over two weeks.29 It had been his intention to reach San Luis instead of San Gabriel, but the natives had. refused to guide him in that direction. He now de- termined to go up to San Luis by the highway, and thence to return eastward to the Colorado across the tulares. He applied to the corporal of the mission guard for an escort and supplies for the trip, and was refused, being subsequently refused also by Rivera to whom he wrote at San Diego. The commandant soon arrived, however, on his way to Monterey, and a dis- cussion ensued on the matter, which finally elicited from Rivera, after various excuses, the declaration that he was not in favor of any communication between the natives of the Colorado and those of the missions, having already taken some measures to prevent it by ordering the arrest of eastern Indians coming to the missions to trade. Garcés deemed Rivera's views erroneous, but he was obliged to submit, receiving, however, from the missionaries supplies which enabled him to partially carry out his plans, though he did not venture along the Channel shores.

Setting out on the 9th of April, the padre crossed the San Fernando Valley-I use here for convenience modern names, referring to a note for those applied at the time30 and the Santa Clara River; entered

29 It appears by the mission record that Garcés on April 6th baptized an Indian of 20 years named Miguel Garcés, Sergeant Grijalva being godfather. San Gabriel, Lib. de Mision, MS., 10. It is very strange that neither Anza nor Font in their diaries mention Garcés' visit to San Gabriel, though the route is indicated on the latter's map, which, as I have said, must have been made after the completion of the diary.

30 See also Font's map. San Gabriel; 1} 1. N. w. and w. N. w .; 53 1. N. W. at foot of sierra; 2}1. N. w. to rancheria in 34° 13' (vicinity of San Fernando mission); 21. N. to Santa Clara Valley and 13 1. W. N. W. to a ciénega; 91. w. and N. across (?) the Sierra Grande ; }l. N. E. to a lake where Fages had been (Elizabeth Lake?); 51. across valley to Sierra de San Marcos ; 2} 1. N. and 3} 1. w. across the Sierra to San Pascual rancheria of the Cuabajay nation (in edge of Tulare Valley, but this nation farther west on map); 1}1. W. N. w. to ranchería in 35° 9'; 8 1. N. to Arroyo de Santa Catarina in country of the Noches; 1 1. N. w. to a great river San Felipe flowing with rapid current from eastern mountains (Kern River above Bakersfield?) and 31. N. W. and N. to smaller stream Santiago (Posa Creek?); 4} 1. N .; 2} 1. N. to River Santa Cruz (White River?); 1 I. E. to rancheria. Back to San Miguel at junction of two branches of River San Felipe; back to San Pascual rancheria ; 2 1. E. and N. E. in sierra to lagoon of San Venancio; 33 l. N. W. and s. E .; 1}1. S. E. to Arroyo

277

EXPLORATION OF THE TULARES.

the great Tulare Valley by way of Turner's and Tejon passes; crossed Kern River, which he called San Felipe, near Bakersfield; went up nearly to the lati- tude of Tulare Lake, which he did not see, being too far to the east; left the valley, probably by the Teha- chepi Pass but possibly by Kelso Valley; and thenee went across to the Mojave, and baek by nearly his original route to the starting-point on the Colorado. Thus he had been the first to explore this broad region, the first to pass over the southern Pacific railway route of the thirty-fifth parallel. His petty adventures with the ever friendly natives in the Tulare Valley are interesting, but cannot be sufficiently con- densed for insertion here. Seven days' journey north of the limit of his trip he heard of another great river which joined the San Felipe, and which Gar- cés thought might be that flowing into San Fran- cisco Bay, the San Joaquin, as it doubtless was. At one place the priest was greeted by a native who asked him in Spanish for paper to make cigarritos, who said he came from the west, and who was, doubtless, a runaway neophyte from San Carlos or San Antonio. Everywhere the natives were careful to inquire of the guides whether the friar was a Spaniard of the west or of the east, the latter bearing a much better reputation than the former.

On the Colorado Garcés received Anza's letter requiring his return if he wished to accompany the party to Sonora. But it was already too late; there was much to be done in his favorite work of making peace between hostile tribes, the Indians desired him to stay, and there were other regions to explore. Consequently, although he had onee started down the river, he suddenly changed his mind and decided to visit the Moqui towns. Parting from his last inter-

de la Asuncion ; 63 1. s. s. w. out of mountains and over plains; 7 1. s. s. w. to Rio Mártires at old station in 34° 37'; back to San Juan de Dios by old ronte; 21. E. N. E. to Médano; 4} 1. E. S. E. across Sierra of Santa Coleta; 31. E. N. E. to well of San Felipe Neri; 51. N. E .; 131. N. E. to Trinidad; 1}1. N. E .; 91. E. and s. E. to San Casimiro; 21. E. s. w. (sic) to starting-point.

278

EXPEDITIONS OF ANZA, FONT, AND GARCÉS.

preter he crossed the river and started June 4th with a party of Hualapais for the north-east, reaching the Moqui towns the 2d of July. Here his good-fortune deserted him. The Moquis did not harm him, but would not receive him in their houses, would not re- ceive his gifts, looked with indifference on his paint- ings of hell and heaven, and refused to kiss the Christ. Having passed two nights in a corner of the court-yard, and having written a letter to the min- ister at Zuñi, Garcés turned sorrowfully back and retraced his steps to the country of the Yamajabs, where he arrived on the 25th. He was a month in going down the river to the Yuma country, and reach- ing San Javier del Bac, on the 17th of September.31

The expedition of Dominguez and Escalante may be alluded to here as an unsuccessful attempt to reach California. They went in 1776 from Santa Fé, New Mexico, to Utah Lake. But winter was near, food became scarce, reports of the natives were not en- conraging, and they soon gave up their plan of reach- ing Monterey, returning to Santa Fe by way of the Moqui towns. 32

31 Garcés, Diario, 246-348. Signed at Inbutama Jan. 30, 1777. Forbes, Hist. Cal., 157-62, saw this diary in MS., at Guadalajara. Journey men- tioned in Prov. Rec., MS., i. 47-8; vi. 59. Palou, Not., ii. 281-2, mentions rumors that Garcés had been killed by savages.

32 Dominguez and Escalante, Diario y Derrotero, 1776. In his Carta de 28 de Octubre 1775, MS., Escalante favors a route from Monterey to the Moquis and to Santa Fé. He has heard of some light-colored natives somewhere on the route, who had probably reached the interior from Monterey, by the great rivers.

CHAPTER XIII.

FOUNDING OF THE PRESIDIO AND MISSION OF SAN FRANCISCO.

1776-1777.

ANZA'S EXPLORATION OF THE PENINSULA OF SAN FRANCISCO-ITINERARY -- THE CAMP ON MOUNTAIN LAKE-SURVEY OF THE PENINSULA-ARROYO DE LOS DOLORES-TRIP TO THE GREAT RIVER-BLUNDERS OF FONT IN CORRECTING CRESPÍ-RETURN TO MONTEREY-ORDERS FOR THE FOUNDA- TION-A HIT AT THE PADRES-ARRIVAL OF THE TRANSPORT VESSELS- MORAGA LEADS THE COLONY TO THE PENINSULA-CAMP ON LAKE DOLORES-COMING OF THE 'SAN CARLOS'-THE PRESIDIO FOUNDED- NEW EXPLORATION OF ROUND BAY AND RIO DE SAN FRANCISCO-FLIGHT OF THE NATIVES-FORMAL DEDICATION OF THE MISSION-DISCUSSION OF DATE, LOCATION, AND NAME-EARLY PROGRESS-ANNALS OF 1777- VISITS OF GOVERNOR AND PRESIDENT AND COMMANDANT.

THE expedition of Anza, described in the preceding chapter, was planned and executed with almost exclu- sive reference to the establishment of a presidio at San Francisco, and of one or two missions in the same region under its protection. Though I have not found the text of Bucareli's instructions to Anza, it was probably the intention that the foundation should be accomplished during that officer's stay in California, and to a certain extent under his supervision. The expedition, however, for various reasons, did not reach California so early as had been intended. The matter was delayed by the critical state of things at San Diego, and still farther delayed by Rivera's idiosyn- crasies; and Anza was obliged to leave the country before his colonists had been settled in their new home. Yet he did not go until he had made every possible effort to forward the scheme by repeatedly

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280

FOUNDING OF SAN FRANCISCO.

urging its importance upon the dilatory and obstinate commandant, and by making in person a new exam- ination of the San Francisco region. This examina- tion, minutely described in the original records,1 was omitted from its chronological place as a part of Anza's expedition, and must now receive attention.

With Moraga, Font, a corporal, and two soldiers from the presidio, eight of his own men, and provisions for twenty days, Anza left Monterey for San Fran- cisco the 23d of March 1776, having been but two days from his sick-bed at San Carlos.2 The party followed the route of Rivera and Palou in their jour- ney of December 1774,3 to the Arroyo de San Fran- cisco, now known as San Francisquito Creek, at a spot where the Spaniards had first encamped in December 1769, and which Palou had selected two years previously as a desirable site for the mission of San Francisco. The cross set up in token of this selection was still standing, but intermediate explora- tion, as Anza tells us, referring presumably to Heceta's trip of the year before, had shown a lack of water in the dry season, very unfortunately, as in respect of soil, timber, and gentilidad the place was well adapted for a mission.

Instead of entering the cañada of San Andrés Anza seems to have kept nearer the bay shore-though neither he nor Font states that the bay was kept in sight; but after crossing the Arroyo de San Mateo, so called at the time and since, there are but slight data, save the general course, between north-west

1 Anza, Diario, MS., 139-78; Font's Journal, MS., 30-43.

2 Palou, Not., 285-7, says the start was March 22d, and the total number of soldiers 10. Anza wished Palou to go with him, but Serra objected. Two of the soldiers, however, had been over the route before.

3 See chap. x. of this volume. The itinerary, with Font's distances in parentheses, was as follows: From Monterey, 7}1. (7) to Asuncion or Nativi- dad across the River Monterey or Santa Delfina: 81. (12) to Valley of San Bernardino or Arroyo de las Llagas (still called Llagas Crcek) across Arroyo de San Benito and Pájaro River (?); S1. (12) to Arroyo de San José Cupertino (93 on Font's map) in sight of bay; 41. (6?) to Arroyo de San Francisco. At one place on the way the poles used to support the altar on a previous visit of the Spaniards were found decorated with offerings of arrows, feathers, food, etc., recalling the similar occurrence at Monterey in 1770.

281

MAP OF EXPLORATIONS.

IFANGELES

Pta Caballo

ALCATRAZ

Pta:Diablo

I.YERBA BUENA

Pta:Donete

Castillo

Pta.S.JoseB

Presidio

8Laguna

Pt.Lobos

Mt. Lake

Pta.Rincon

ivera 1774

Mision

Sera

Arr, Dolores

Pta.S.Quintin

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History of California, Volume I, Part 35

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe Publication date: 1885 Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers Number of Pages: 852

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers
Number of Pages: 852