USA > California > History of California, Volume I > Part 44
USA > California > History of California, Volume I > Part 44
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The resolutions were to a certain extent carried into effect, but about the result there is little to be said.
26 Prov. St. Pap., MS., iii. 236-9. Croix communicated the plan to Neve Jan. 3d and Jan. 6th. Id., 236, 182-3. Nove acknowledged receipt March 2d. Prov. Rec., MS., ii. 57. March ISth Croix announces that Fages is on the march. Prov. St. Pap., MS., iii. 185. April 30th Neve wrote to Croix that Fages had arrived at San Gabriel and that the Yumas had left their own country and retired to that of the Yamajabs. Id., 233. And still carlier on March 29th he had written in answer to Croix's letters of January, announc- ing a postponement of the campaign uutil September. Id., 198; Prov. Rec., MS., ii. 53.
27 Palou, Not., ii. 383, says that the messenger overtook Neve March 26th, the same day he had left San Gabriel to found San Buenaventura.
28 Prov. St. Pap., MS., iii. 198-207, including a letter of Croix of May 18th, communicating to Neve the junta's action, and another letter an- uouncing the sending of 200 horses and 40 mules to mount the Californian troops.
HIST. CAL., VOL, I. 24
370
PUEBLO-MISSIONS ON THE RIO COLORADO.
Captain José Antonio Romeu29 with a force of one hundred and eight men reached the seat of proposed war at the specified time. Neve, having intrusted his adjutant inspector, Nicolás Soler, with the temporary government of California, departed from San Gabriel August 21st,30 with Fages and sixty men. Some three days' journey before reaching Concepcion a mes- senger met the party with despatches for Fages which caused him to return and assume the governorship of California,31 while Neve proceeded and joined Romeu on the 16th, not returning to San Gabriel, but going to Sonora after the campaign to assume his new office of inspector general of the Provincias Internas. About the campaign we know little save that it was a failure, since the Yumas were not subdued, peace was not made, and the rebel chiefs Palma and the rest were not captured. Yet there was some fight- ing in which a few Yumas were killed.32 The nation remained independent of all Spanish control, and was always more or less hostile. Neither presidio, mission,
29 Romeu, afterwards governor of California, had been with Fueros on the Colorado earlier in the year, and had written a diary of that expedition, which by resolution of the junta was sent to Neve for his instruction.
30 Neve's instructions to Soler, July 12, 1782. Prov. St. Pap., MS., iii. 120. Neve to Croix, Aug. 3, 1782, receipt of letter announcing approval by the junta of the suspension of Yuma campaign. Prov. Rec., MS., ii. 65-6. Neve to Croix, Aug. 12, 1782, announcing march of troops on Aug. 21st, and his own departure on Aug. 25th or 26th. Id., 47.
51 Palou, Not., ii. 390-2. More of this change of governors in a later chapter.
$2 Iu Prov. St. Pap., MS., xiii. 205-6, there is mentioned as existing in Mexico in 1795 a Diario de las marchas y ocurrencias ... desde 21 de Agosto 1782, which my search of the archives has not brought to light. A short let- ter of Neve to Croix dated Sonoita Oct. 16th-Prov. Rec., MS., ii. 53-is the only original account extant. He says he sent an alférez with 8 men to recon- noitre, heard firing, and hurried up to support the alférez, but the enemy fled. Theu Romeu attacked a Yuma rancheria and inflicted some loss, having 4 sol- diers wounded. He vaguely states that he should have subdued the Yumas and left communication by that route secure, had it not been for distrust caused partly by the imprudent actions of preceding expeditions. Arricivita, Crón. Seráf, 514, says 108 natives were killed, 85 taken prisoners, 10 Christians freed from captivity, and 1,048 horses recovered, but all without pacifying the foe. Palou states that after receiving his appointment as inspector, Neve did not eare to march against the Yumas. The enemy, however, eame out boldly to taunt and challenge the Spaniards until one of the Sonora captains (Romeu) could endure it no longer, and obtained Neve's permission to punish the Yuma insolence, which he did in three days' fighting in which many natives fell.
371
THE FIELD ABANDONED.
nor pueblo was ever again established on the Colo- rado; and communication by this route never ceased to be attended with danger. Truly, as the Franciscan chroniclers do not fail to point out, the old way was best; the innovations of Croix had led to nothing but disaster; the nuevo modo de conquistar was a failure.
CHAPTER XVIII.
FOUNDING OF SAN BUENAVENTURA AND SANTA BARBARA PRESIDIO-FAGES GOVERNOR.
1782.
READY TO BEGIN-MISSIONARIES EXPECTED-NEVE'S INSTRUCTIONS TO OR- TEGA- PRECAUTIONS AGAINST DISASTER-INDIAN POLICY-RADICAL CHANGES IN MISSION SYSTEM-SAN BUENAVENTURA ESTABLISHED-PRE- SIDIO OF SANTA BÁRBARA-VISIT OF FAGES-ARRIVAL OF THE TRANS- PORTS-NEWS FROM MEXICO-NO MISSION SUPPLIES-NO PRIESTS- VICEROY AND GUARDIAN-SIX FRIARS REFUSE TO SERVE-CONTROL OF TEMPORALITIES-FALSE CHARGES AGAINST NEVE-CHANGES IN MISSION- ARIES-FAGES APPOINTED GOVERNOR-NEVE INSPECTOR GENERAL-IN- STRUCTIONS-FUGITIVE NEOPHYTES-LOCAL EVENTS-DEATH OF MARI- ANO CARRILLO DEATH OF JUAN CRESPÍ.
THE new establishments of the Channel, of which so much has been said, were not yet founded. The required force had arrived late in the summer of 1781, but it was deemed best to delay until the rainy season had passed, and moreover the disaster on the Colorado had resulted in orders to suspend all operations and settlements that might interfere with measures against the Yumas. The forces had therefore remained in camp at San Gabriel, where some slight barracks had been erected for their accommodation,1 under Ortega who had been chosen to command the new presidio, Lieutenant Zúñiga taking his old command at San Diego.
1 Oct. 29, 1781, Neve writes to Croix that he has taken a corporal and 7 men from Monterey and the same number from San Diego to form a basis for the Santa Bárbara company, and also that he has built 40 small huts to shelter the men and their families during the rainy season. Prov. Rec., MS., ii. 89, 91. Reviews during the winter show a lieutenant, Ortega, an alférez, Argü- ello, 3 sergeants, 2 corporals, and 49 or 50 soldiers. Prov. St. Pap., MS., iii. 261, 264; St. Pap., Miss. and Colon., MS., i. 104.
( 372 )
373
PRESIDIO INSTRUCTIONS.
In the spring of 1782 it seemed to the governor that he might proceed in the matter without prejudice to other interests, and accordingly in February he wrote to President Serra, announcing his intention and asking for two friars, for San Buenaventura and Santa Bárbara respectively. Serra had but two super- numerary friars in all California, one of whom was needed at San Carlos during his own occasional absence. But he was extremely desirous that the new missions should be established, and he expected six new friars by this year's transport; so he went south himself, administering confirmation en route at San Antonio and San Luis, reaching Angeles on March 18th, and San Gabriel the next day. Here he he met Father Cambon, who at his order had come up from San Diego, and the two agreed to attend to the spiritual needs of the two new establishments till the coming of the six missionary recruits.2
Meanwhile on March 6th Governor Neve had issued his instructions to Ortega, indicating the line of policy to be followed at the new presidio and the missions under its protection and jurisdiction.3 Like all the productions of Neve's mind these instructions were models of good sense in substance, though diffuse as usual. The first duty urged was that of vigilance and precaution. Late events on the Colorado would have suggested extraordinary vigilance anywhere; but the comparatively dense native population in the Channel country rendered it especially necessary there. The erection of defensive works must be the com- mandant's first care, and beyond a few temporary shelters of brushwood for the families, and a ware- house for the supplies, no structures could be built
2 Palou, Not., ii. 380-9; Id., Vida, 243-7. February 8, 1782, Minister Galvez communicated to Croix, who forwarded it on July 24th, the royal order approving Neve's acts and propositions respecting the three new founda- tions as made known to him in letter and documents of February 23, 1780. St. Pap. Sae., MS., iv. 30-1.
3 Neve, Instruccion que ha de gobernar al Comandante del presidio de Santa Bárbara, 1782, MS. This document was examined by Fages at Santa Bárbara on October Ist, and Ortega was ordered anew by him to obey its requirements.
374
FOUNDATIONS; FAGES GOVERNOR.
until the square was safely enclosed by a line of earthworks and palisades. The natives were not to be allowed within the lines except in small numbers and unarmed. The utmost efforts were to be made to win and retain the respect and friendship of the native chiefs, and to this end a policy of kindness and strict justice must be observed. Soldiers must be restrained by the strictest discipline from all outrage, oppression, or even intermeddling. They were not to visit the rancherías under severe penalties, such as fifteen consecutive days of guard duty wearing four cueras, unless sent with definite orders to escort a friar or on other necessary duty.
The natives were to be interfered with in their ranchería life and government as little as was possi- ble. They were to be civilized by example and pre- cept and thus gradually led to become vassals of the king; but they were not to be christianized by force. Any outrages they might commit must be punished firmly by imprisonment and flogging with full ex- planation to the chiefs; but to remove the strongest temptation to Indian nature, the soldiers could at the beginning own no cattle. Trade with the na- tives was to be encouraged by fair treatment and fair prices. In a word they were to be treated as human beings having rights to be respected. In that part of Neve's instructions relating to the friars and the missions, however, there appeared a palpable trace of the policy inaugurated by Croix on the Colorado, with the most dangerous features omitted. In fact I am inclined to think that the Colorado experiment, so far as it affected the relations between padres and the temporalities, was largely inspired by Neve, an intimate friend, whose advice had great weight with the general. In the Channel missions the priests were to be virtually deprived of the temporal man- agement, because there were to be no temporal inter- ests to manage. They were to attend exclusively to the instruction and conversion of the natives, and to
375
NEW MISSION REGULATIONS.
this end were to be afforded every facility by the mil- itary; but the natives must not be taken from their rancherías or required to live in mission communities, except a few at a time, who might be persuaded to live temporarily with the missionaries for instruction.
The reasons given for these regulations were the small area of tillable land in proportion to the num- ber of inhabitants, rendering agricultural mission communities impracticable, and the great danger that would be incurred by any attempt to break up or re- arrange the numerous and densely populated native towns or rancherías along the Channel. Without doubt also another motive, quite as powerful, was a desire on the part of the governor to put a curb on missionary authority. The new system which it was now proposed to introduce was a good one in many respects, and was at least worth a trial; but it was nevertheless a complete overthrow of the old mission system in one of its most important features, and the wonder is that it did not provoke a general and im- mediate outburst of Franciscan indignation through- out the whole province. No such demonstration, however, is recorded, though much was written on the subject later. It is probable that the friars, at- tributing the proposed innovations to the local au- thorities, strong in the result of recent experiments on the Colorado, and believing they could interpose such obstacles as would prevent any very brilliant success of the new experiment, determined that quiet and prolonged effort would be more effective than open denunciation, trusting to their influence in Mex- ico and Spain to restore the old state of affairs. Their practical success was rapid and not very difficult, as we shall see.4
All being ready the company5 set out from San
" There are three copies of these instructions, in one of which they are preceded by some preliminary remarks of a general nature respecting past intercourse with the Channel tribes, their intertribal quarrels which will favor the Spanish settlement, and the general policy to be followed.
5 Palou, Vida, 245, says it was the largest expedition ever seen in Cali-
376
FOUNDATIONS; FAGES GOVERNOR.
Gabriel the 26th of March. At the first encampment Fages' courier arrived with orders for Neve, who was obliged to return with his escort; but the company continued and arrived on the 29th at the first ran- chería of the channel, named Asuncion, or Asumpta, by Portolá's party in 1769. This had long ago been selected as a suitable locality for one of the three mis- sions. A site was chosen near the beach and adjoin- ing the native town with its neat conical huts of tule and straw, and here next day a cross was raised with the required shelter of boughs for the altar. With the usual ceremonies, including a sermon from Serra, on the 31st of March the mission was founded and dedicated to the 'seraphic doctor' San Buenaventura,6 in the presence of a large attendance both of Spaniards and of natives, the latter expressing much pleasure at what had been done, and cheerfully aiding in the work of building.
About the middle of April Neve came up from San Gabriel and expressed his satisfaction with the progress made.7 Cambon remained in charge of the new mission until the coming of Dumetz and Santa María, assigned to San Buenaventura as regular
fornia, including besides officers 70 soldiers with their families, to say nothing of Neve's escort of 10 men from Monterey. The 70 should however include the 10.
6 San Buenaventura, Lib. de Mision, MS. On the day of foundation Serra writes to Lasuen expressing his joy at witnessing the foundation. Arch. Sta. Bárbara, MS., ix. 288. Gen. Croix congratulates Serra in letter of July 22, 1782. Id., i. 261-2. April 24th, Neve writes to Croix that by April 12th the euclosure of 40 by 50 varas, of palisades 4 varas high with two ravelins, a gate, and a small warehouse had been completed. Facilities were good for irrigation and for obtaining building material. Prov. Rec., MS., ii. G1. Giovanni di Fidanza was born at Bagnarea in Tuscany in 1221. St Francis of Assisi, meeting him one day and foreseeing his future greatness, exclaimed 'O buona ventura!' and the name, Buenaventura in Spanish, clung to him. He became bishop, minister-general of the Franciscan order, and cardinal. His title of seraphic doctor was founded on his skill in mystic theology, to which a large part of his numerous writings was devoted. He died in 1274. His day is July 14th.
7 Palou, J'ida, 254-5, says that the mission had been established on the old footing though Neve had entertained the idea and had been instructed, as it afterward proved, to found it on the Colorado plan; but late cvents had changed his mind and he made no objection. This sounds somewhat strange, in connection with the instructions already noted. Possibly the nature of the instructions was not made public at first, and this accounts for the quiet of the priests.
377
FOUNDING OF SANTA BÁRBARA.
ministers in May. Only two adults received the rite of baptism in 1782.8
About the middle of April the governor, president, commandant, and the whole company of soldiers, except a sergeant and fourteen men left as a guard for the mission just founded, started up the coast to establish the presidio of Santa Bárbara. The site chosen was on the shore of a small bay affording toler- ably secure anchorage, at a place said to have been called San Joaquin de la Laguna in the first expedi- tion of 1769,9 and near a large native town, which, like its temi, or chief, was called Yanonalit. Near the lagoon were found springs of a peculiar water, and an eminence suitable for the fort. The formal establishing was on April 21st, when Serra said mass and chanted an alabado. The natives were more friendly than had been anticipated, and Yanonalit was willing to exchange presents. Work was at once begun and oak timber felled for the requisite shelters, and particularly for the palisade enclosure, sixty varas square, which was later to be replaced by a solid wall enclosing an area of eighty yards square.10 The natives were hired to work and were paid in articles of food and clothing. Yanonalit had authority over some thirteen rancherías, and his friendship proved a great advantage.
Affairs progressed favorably, and Ortega even found time to construct irrigation works and pre- pare for farming on a small scale. Serra, on ascer- taining that there was no immediate prospect of founding another mission, wrote to Fuster at San Juan Capistrano to come up for temporary service at
8 In December 1782 a Frenchman, Pierre Roy, was a sirviente at the mis- sion. S. Buenaventura, Lib. Mision, MS., 2.
9 The original diary gave no such name. See chap. vi. of this volume. But the place was called Pueblo de la Laguna and Concepcion Laguna.
10 On foundation of Santa Bárbara presidio sec letter of Neve to Croix April 24, 1782, in Prov. Rec., MS., ii. 61-2, 64; Serra, April 29, 1782, in Arch. Santa Barbara, MS., ix. 293-4; baptismal book of presidio in Id., vii. 32-3; Croix to Neve, July 22, 1782, approving foundation, in Prov. St. Pap., MS., iii. 232-3; Id., iii. 128-9; iv. 38; vi. 172-3; Neve to Fages August 25, 1783, in St. Pap., Sac., MS., xv. 18.
378
FOUNDATIONS; FAGES GOVERNOR.
Santa Bárbara,11 and himself returned to Monterey. During the months of May and June Lieutenant- colonel Fages made a tour of unofficial inspection from San Diego to San Francisco, including in his route the new presidio of Santa Bárbara.12
Just before Serra reached Monterey from the south, May 13th, the transports Favorita and Princesa, under captains Echeverría and Martinez,13 brought full car- goes of supplies for the three presidios and also for the old missions, together with Cambon's gift for San Francisco, purchased in China, as already related, with his earnings as chaplain on the San Carlos. There also came by these vessels many items interest- ing to the friars, with other unrecorded news doubt- less of equal interest to other Californians. There came the report that Antonio Reyes of the Querétaro college had been made bishop of Sonora and Cali- fornia; that Rafael Verger, the ex-guardian of San Fernando, had been also made a bishop in Spain;14 and that it was again proposed to divide the Franciscan missions into four independent custodias, a measure that was never carried out.15
What the transports of 1782 did not bring, greatly
11 Palou, Vida, 255-6. The same anthor says, Not., ii. 388-9, that Cambon was to come to the presidio while Fuster was to take his place at San Buena- ventura. It is not certain that Fuster ever came.
12 Palou, Noticias, ii. 390-1.
13 The officers of the Favorita were Agustin de Echeverría, captain; José Tobar, second; and José Villaverde, a clergyman, as chaplain. Those of the Princesa were Estévan Martinez, captain; Juan Pantoja, second; and Miguel Dávalos, also a clérigo, as chaplain. Both vessels had left San Blas the same day, and, though they anchored the same day at Monterey, had not seen each other after the first few days of the trip. Palou, Not., ii. 386-9. The two vessels were at Sta. Bárbara Aug. 4. Prov. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., iii. 17. 14 Verger was bishop of Nuevo Leon in 1785-7. Letters in Pinart, Col. Doc. Mex., MS., 153-5.
15 Bishop Reyes was consecrated at Tacubaya on Sept. 15, 1782. He re- mained for some time at the two colleges, where there was much discussion about his future plans and considerable opposition on the part of the colleges to giving up the missions to custodios. The bishop finally proceeded north to establish the custodia of San Carlos de Sonora, aud proposed later to go over and establish that of San Gabriel de California. In connection with this movement the Dominicans were to give up Lower California. Such was the news that came to California in June 1783. Palou, Not., ii. 394-5. Bishop Reyes was vicar general of the Californian troops. Prov. Rec., MS., iii. 183; Prov. St. Pap., MS., iv. 121.
379
CONTROVERSY IN MEXICO.
to the surprise of all, was the six expected friars, and supplies for the missions of Santa Barbara and Puris- ima. The reason of their non-arrival came, however, and that carries us back to an interesting dispute and correspondence in Mexico. Viceroy Mayorga at the request of General Croix, December 7, 1780, called on the college of San Fernando for six friars to serve in the three Channel missions about to be established. Four of the number should be sent to San Blas to go by sea, while two should proceed to Sonora to accom- pany Rivera by the Colorado River route. The vice- roy announced his readiness to furnish such aid as might be required.
The guardian, Francisco Pangua, replied December 18th by stating that the aid required for the new missions was the same as that furnished the old ones, that is, a full complement of church vestments and utensils including bells; a proper supply of live-stock and seed grain; an outfit of implements for house, shop, and field; and one thousand dollars to be ex- pended in clothes and various articles useful in attract- ing the good-will of the natives. A full list of the articles needed was annexed. A year's stipend must be paid in advance. The friars could not walk eight hundred leagues, nor were they accustomed to ride on horseback, and the viceroy was entreated to per- mit that all might go by sea. It was also suggested that if there was any doubt about the transports of 1782 being able to carry supplies for all the new establishments, it would be better to attend to the wants of the old missions and let the establishing of new ones be postponed. After these preliminaries the guardian named six friars selected for duty in California,16 who would be ready to sail from San Blas with the supplies asked for and expected.
Mayorga's reply was dated April 5th, and in it he
16 The friars were Antonio Aznar, Diego Noboa, Juan Rioboo, Manuel Arévalo, Mateo Beavide, and José Esteves. Only the second and third ever eame to California.
380
FOUNDATIONS; FAGES GOVERNOR.
declines to furnish either church paraphernalia or the implements of house and field as requested; the former because they had already been ordered as a matter of course for the new missions by General Croix, who alone had control of the matter; the latter because neither general nor governor, though well acquainted with the country, had indicated that any such implements were needed. If after the friars have begun work they find that the necessity exists, they can report, and the subject will receive due attention. The vice- roy not only consents to an advance of stipends, but authorizes the payment of two hundred dollars to each friar for travelling expenses. He urges the guardian to act with the least possible delay. The Franciscan authorities now saw clearly what they had previously more than suspected, that an attempt was to be made in California to overthrow the old mission system. No implements of house and field signified no agricult- ural and mechanical industries, no communities of laboring neophytes, no temporalities for the friars to control. Pangua notified the viceroy on April 7th that, while the right to the implements in question was not relinquished but would be pressed at a future time, he would despatch the missionaries on the terms proposed. This signified nothing, however, for the guardian was not inclined to take ventures; and two days later he sent to Mayorga a communication from the six friars, in which they flatly refused to serve in California on the proposed basis, Pangua expressing his opinion that no others could be. induced to go in their place, but promising to write more fully after easter.
The promised communication was dated the 19th of April. In it the writer, after calling attention to the fact that under the laws no friar could be com- pelled to serve as a missionary against his will, pro- ceeds to justify the refusal of the six. The argument is that only by gifts can the missionaries gain the good-will of the savages as shown by experience; that
381
COMPLAINTS OF THE GUARDIAN.
the only way to the native heart is through the na- tive stomach and pride of personal adornment; that not only are laborious habits essential to civilization, but such habits can be formed only under the friar's influence based on their having the exclusive right to distribute the fruits of neophyte labor; and that while at best the work of conversion is difficult and dis- couraging, without the old advantages of material rewards to native faithfulness coming exclusively from the padres, permanent progress will be impossible, friars' efforts will amount to nothing, and their sup- port will be a useless expense to church and crown. The soldiers are not only fed and clothed but armed and equipped for their work of conquest and defence; why should the militia of Christ be denied arms and ammunition for spiritual warfare?
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