History of California, Volume I, Part 45

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

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USA > California > History of California, Volume I > Part 45

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Yet another point de no menor consideracion is brought forward in this document, which is signed not only by Pangua but by the other five members of the college discretorio. This is the "irregular manner in which missionaries are regarded and treated in those establishments" of California. So pronounced is Neve's aversion to the friars that the soldiers are warned not to become fraileros, not to perform any service for the missionaries, and not to aid in bringing back fugitive neophytes. The natives lose their re- spect for the priest when they find he is not supported by the civil and military authority, and the result is of course disastrous. Again, subaltern officers and the soldiers under them, encouraged to disregard alike the teachings and chidings of the ministers, form scan- dalous connections with native and other women, and thus, with the tacit approval of the governor, they entirely neutralize all missionary effort and teach the natives to despise Christianity.17 It is impossible to arrive at any other conclusion than that these charges

17 The priests go so far as to charge that on one occasion the governor and his escort on the march from one mission to another deliberately stopped and waited while one of the number se separó para ir a sus liviandades.

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FOUNDATIONS; FAGES GOVERNOR.

against Governor Neve, resting on the bare assertion of the authors, were in part exaggerated, and in part false. There is nothing in Neve's preserved writings or in the annals of his time to show dislike to the friars, disinclination to aid them in their work of con- version, or a tendency to overlook immorality on the part of his subordinates. He favored a change in the mission system because he believed the missionaries were inclined to abuse the powers given them under the old regime, and this to the prejudice of the royal authority which he represented in California.18

The viceroy allowed the matter to rest here but reported to the king for instructions. Such were the facts that came to the knowledge of Junipero Serra at Monterey in May 1782. Clearly the proposed foundations must be postponed; in fact, instructions soon came from the college that neither Santa Bárbara nor any other mission must be established except in accordance with the laws, that is, under the old system.19 San Buenaventura, however, need not be disturbed, for it had been provided for long ago, and the supplies of different kinds had been in readiness. Neither Neve nor Fages seems to have made any special effort to enforce the new regulations here. Like the viceroy, they were content to await the decision of the king. Fathers Dumetz and Santa María were appointed to the new mission; Cambon returned to San Francisco; Fuster went back to San Juan, or possibly had never left that mission; there were now just eighteen padres for the nine missions; and Santa Bárbara presidio had no chaplain.20

18 The preceding correspondence is found in Arch. Santa Bárbara, MS., i. 231-46; vi. 266-71. It is a fact worthy of notice that Palou, Not., ii. 38S, does not argue the case, and that while opposed to Neve's policy he makes no charge against him either of immorality or of bitter feeling against the friars. Gleeson, Ilist. Cath. Ch., ii. 93-4, tells us that Governor Croix of California wanted to found missions on the Colorado plan, but the priests refused to serve.

19 Guardian to Serra, Jan. 8, 1783, in Arch. Sta. Bárbara, MS., xii. 158-9. 20 July 22, 1782, General Croix refers to Serra's request for live-stock, servants, and other aid for the San Buenaventura padres, and seems to favor granting the request, although contrary to the reglamento. Prov. St. Pap.,

3S3

END OF NEVE'S RULE.

On leaving San Gabriel for the Yuma campaign, Neve left Captain Soler, his adjutant-inspector, in command. His instructions to Soler as temporary ruler were attached to others of July 12th relating to his duties in connection with the presidial inspections, and they contained but little beyond the technicalities of routine duty. They enjoined care and kindness in dealing with gentiles, but discouraged the use of force in bringing back runaway neophytes.21 Neve and Fages, as we have seen, marched together from San Gabriel on or about August 21st for the Colorado. Whether either of them anticipated an early change in his official position I have no means of knowing; but shortly before their arrival at the river in the first days of September they were met by a courier, who among his despatches bore a promotion for both, from Croix, who had appointed Neve inspector general of the Provincias Internas, and Fages governor of California.22 At the camp of Saucito September 10th the office was formally turned over to Fages, whose governorship dates from that day.23 Neve's instruc-

MS., iii. 231. December 30th he writes to Serra that beyond the six sailor sirvientes allowed by him to the Channel missions and the $1,000 allowed by the junta for live-stoek and implements, no further aid ean be granted-not even rations to the padres. The stipend is sufficient and older missions can help the new. Arch. Santa Bárbara, MS., i. 277-8.

21 Neve, Instruccion al Ayudante Inspector Nicolás Soler, 12 de Julio 1782, MS. At the beginning of the year Soler had been in Lower California as shown by letters of Neve in Id., 2-20. Aug. 7, 1782, Neve announces to Croix that Soler will come to San Gabriel and take his place. Prov. Rec., MS., ii. 50-1.

2ª The appointments, both provisional or requiring confirmation from the king, were dated July 12, 1782. Prov. Rec., MS., i. 179; ii. 48. Neve an- nounees the news of the appointments Sept. 4th, which was perhaps the date they were received. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xxii. 20-1. Also in Sept. Croix announced that by a royal order Neve had been rewarded with the eross of the order of San Carlos. Prov. Rec., MS., ii. 48-9; Prov. St. Pap., MS., iii. 224.

2J Neve to Gonzalez Sept. 10, 1782, in Prov. St. Pap., MS., iii. 24-6. Fages to P. Hidalgo Dee. 9, 1782, in Prov. Rec., MS., iii. 69, 72, announcing his taking possession, and his salary of $2,500, which he thinks will be $4,000 when it is confirmed. See also Prov. Rec., MS., ii. 92, and Id., iii. 227, in the latter of which Fages seems to say that he took possession on Sept. 12th. Feb. 2Sth Fages thanks Neve for his influence in getting his pay increased to $1,000, and also thanks Gov. Corbalan of Sonora for his influence in his favor. Prov. Rec., MS., iii. 85. The royal confirmation of Fages' appointment was dated July 6, 1783. Prov. St. Pap., MS., v. 247. Aug. 19, 1783, Fages is granted by royal order the subdelegation of the vice regis patronato. Id., xxii. 5. Feb. 16, 1783, Fages orders Neve to be proclaimed as inspector-general of all troops in California. Id., iv. 39.

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FOUNDATIONS; FAGES GOVERNOR.

tions, or memoranda, for the guidance of his successor had been dated at Saucito three days earlier; but there is very little in the document that requires notice, save that he repeats the advice already given to Soler respecting the necessity of taking every precaution to maintain friendly relations with the gentiles, and dis- approves the use of soldiers to bring back fugitive converts, who should rather be persuaded to return by the friars and by Christian Indians. In this last of his official papers Neve shows more opposition to the friars than ever before, for he implies that they are wont to ask for escorts on frivolous pretexts. He thinks that a priest actually going to administer sac- raments should have a guard of two soldiers, who should, however, never pass the night away from the mission, and no friar should be allowed to accompany the soldiers on their expeditions to the rancherías. Moreover, care should be taken to enforce the laws forbidding missionaries to board the galleon, showing that even at this early day they were suspected of a willingness to indulge in clandestine trade. If the governor was somewhat severe at the last, it must be admitted that his patience had been sorely tried. All the varied interests of presidio, mission, and pueblo are commended to the watchful care of his successor.24

Governor Fages returned westward to San Diego, and during the month of October made another tour from south to north, visiting and studying the inter- ests and needs of each mission, personally exhorting the neophytes to good behavior, promising pardon to such runaways as would voluntarily return to duty, but threatening severe punishment to those who might refuse. His efforts in this direction, as Palou asserts, were successful, most of the fugitives return- ing. At the end of October the governor reached San Francisco, whence he turned back to Monterey,

24 Neve, Instruccion que da sobre gobierno interino de la península, 7 de Set. 1782, MS. Neve speaks of the instructions as secret in Prov. Rec., MS., ii. 48. Soler was still to be ayudante inspector and comandante de armas. Prov. St. Pap., MS., iii. 26.

385

CHURCH AT SAN FRANCISCO.

the capital. It must have been a severe blow to Serra to see his old enemy, whom he had worked so hard to remove from the command when he was but a simple lieutenant, returning as lieutenant-colonel to assume the governorship of the province. Much as the friars hated Neve, a change in favor of Fages can hardly have been welcome; but their feelings on the subject at this time are not on record. So far as Fages was concerned his policy respecting runaway neophytes showed a disposition on his part to let the old quarrels drop.

On the 25th of April there was laid at San Fran- cisco mission the corner-stone of a new church, with all the ceremonies prescribed for such occasions by the Roman ritual. Murguía officiated as prester, assisted by Palou and Santa María and in the presence of Lieutenant Moraga, his son Gabriel, Alférez Lasso de la Vega, Surgeon Dávila, the mission guard, and a body of troops from the presidio. "There was enclosed in the cavity of said corner-stone the image of our holy father St Francis, some relics in the form of bones of St Pius and other holy martyrs, five medals of various saints, and a goodly portion of silver coin." 25

In May of this year the old presidio church at San Diego was burned; and in November fire destroyed a large part of the mission buildings at San Luis Obispo with some six hundred bushels of maize.26 At Mon- terey in January there occurred the death of two prominent men. One was Mariano Carrillo, a pioneer soldier of 1769, who from the first had been Ortega's most efficient aid as corporal and sergeant, in the mili- tary service required for the protection of Spanish interests in the south, and who had lately been trans- ferred to the north and had been given the commis- sion of alférez.27 The other death was that of the

25 S. Francisco, Lib. de Mision, MS., 16, 17. There is no evidence that this corner-stone has ever been disturbed.

26 Monterey Co. Arch., MS., vii. 11; Prov. Rec., MS., iii. 158-9; Prov. St. Pap., MS., iv. 90-1.

27 Carrillo was a native of Loreto and entered the service as a private in HIST. CAL., VOL. I. 25

3SG

FOUNDATIONS; FAGES GOVERNOR.

venerable missionary Father Juan Crespí, whose pen has left original records of the first explorations by land of California from the peninsular frontier to the Strait of Carquines. It is as the chronicler of those first expeditions that his memory will live; of his sub- sequent life as a missionary, chiefly at Monterey, we know but little save that he was a faithful worker, beloved by his neophyte flock and by his companion friars. In the disputes between secular and missionary authorities his name never appears. He died at San Carlos January 1st at the age of not quite sixty-one years.23

the presidio company on July 26, 1756. He came to San Diego in 1709 as a corporal; was made sergeant in April 1771; and alférez in Fcb. 1780. He was also habilitado of the Monterey company at the time of his death, which occurred on Jan. 27th, being buried by P. Serra on Jan. 28th. His hoja de servicio, St. Pap. Sac., MS., i. 108-9, represents him as of 'medium' valor, application, and capacity, of good conduct, and unmarried.

28 Juan Crespi-there is a shadow of doubt whether it should be so written and pronounced, or without the accent-was born in 1721 on the island of Mallorca, where he was also educated, being a school-mate of Francisco Palou. He was distinguished from the first for humility and piety, if such expressions from a priestly biographer and eulogist mean anything, and was sometimes called by fellow-students El Beato or El Mistico. He came to San Fernando de Mexico in 1749 and was sent two years later to the Pame missions of the Sierra Gorda, where he served over sixteen years, particularly distinguishing himself by the erection of a large stone church in the Valle del Tilaco, the mural decorations of which he paid for out of his own scanty salary. He arrived in Baja California in April 1768, and served on the peninsula at La Purísima. He accompanied the first land expedition which reached San Diego in May 1769, and a little later was one of the party that searched for Monterey and discovered San Francisco Bay. His diaries of both these trips are extant and have been utilized in my narrative. Returning from San Diego to Mon- terey in 1770heassisted in founding the mission of San Carlos in June, and served there as minister until March 1772. Then he went with Lieutenant Fages to the San Joaquin River, of which exploration his diary is the only record. He was now sent south to serve with Jaume at San Diego from May to September, and returning resumed his duties at San Carlos, where with the exception of two short periods of absence, he toiled until his death. From June to August 1774 he served as chaplain on board the Santiago in northern waters, writing a diary of the voyage; and in the autumn of 1781 he accompanied Serra to San Francisco and Santa Clara. On his return from this last journey he was attacked by a fatal illness. It was from his old friend, companion, and superior Father Junipero, that Crespí received the last consolatory rites of his religion, and his body was interred in the mission church within the presbytery on the gospel side, with the assistance of commandant and garri- son, and amid tears from his flock of neophytes, who lost a true friend in Padre Juan.

CHAPTER XIX.

RULE OF FAGES-GENERAL RECORD. 1783-1790.

AN UNEVENTFUL DECADE-STATISTICS OF PROGRESS-MISSIONS, PRESIDIOS, AND PUEBLOS-POPULATION, PADRES, AND NEOPHYTES-PEDRO FAQES BRINGS HIS FAMILY TO CALIFORNIA-DOÑA EULALIA-A JEALOUS CATA- LAN-A MONTEREY COURT SCANDAL-FAGES AND SOLER-INSPECTION OF PRESIDIOS-SOLER'S PROPOSED REFORMS-TROUBLES WITH HABILI- TADOS-GOVERNOR AND FRANCISCANS-A NEVER ENDING CONTROVERSY- GENERAL REPORTS OF PALOU AND LASUEN-CHARGES AND COUNTER- CHARGES-FRANKING PRIVILEGE-CRUELTY TO NATIVES-CHAPLAIN SERVICE-PATRONATO-PRICES FOR MISSION PRODUCTS-INVENTORIES- LICENSE TO RETIRE-NATIVES ON HORSEBACK-MISSION ESCORTS- NATIVE CONVICTS AND LABORERS.

THE rule of Pedro Fages as governor of California extended from 1782 to 1790. It was an uneventful period, the annals of which include little beyond petty local happenings; yet it was a period not of stagnation but rather of silent unfolding, as may be seen from the following statistical view. The nine missions1 were increased to eleven before the close of Fages' rule by the founding of Santa Barbara and Purísima. In round numbers the neophyte population under mis- sionary care and living in mission communities grew from 4,000 in 1783 to 7,500 in 1790, this being an average gain per year of 500. In the mean time 2,800 had died, 6,700 had been baptized; while about 400 had apostatized and fled to the old delights of savagism. In temporal matters progress had been yet more pronounced. The mission herds of horses,

1 These were in their order from south to north: San Diego, San Juan, San Gabriel, San Buenaventura, San Luis, San Antonio, San Carlos, Santa Clara, San Francisco.

(387 )

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RULE OF FAGES-GENERAL RECORD.

mules, and horned cattle multiplied in the seven years from 4,900 to 22,000 head, while sheep, goats, and swine increased from 7,000 to 26,000. Agri- cultural products, chiefly wheat, maize, and barley, amounted in 1783 to 22,500 bushels; in 1790 there were 37,500 bushels, though these figures give no accurate idea of progress, since the harvest of several intermediate years had been larger than in 1790. Improvement in buildings, corrals, fences, and irrigat- ing works was constant, though not to be so briefly indicated in figures. Several new churches were erected, few of which, however, were the permanent structures still to be seen in different stages of ruin. In 1782 there were nineteen friars in charge of the nine missions-the full complement of two to each establishment, besides the president. Before 1790 sixteen new padres came, five retired, and four died at their posts, leaving twenty-six still on duty.2

No new pueblos were founded, nor did any new immigration of settlers take place. A few pobladores left the country; a few soldiers became pobladores, and a few boys growing up adopted an agricultural in preference to a military life. Hence the united population of San José and Angeles varied from 185 to 220, men, women, and children of so-called gente de razon. The pueblo herds increased from 750 to 4,000 head of cattle and horses, while the small stock remained at about 1,000 head. Agricultural products were 3,750 bushels in 1783, and over 6,750 in 1790,

2 The 19 serving in 1783 were: Cambon, Cavaller, Crespí, Cruzado, Dumetz, Figuer, Fuster, Lasuen, Mugártegui, Murguía, Noriega, Palou, Paterna, Peña, Pieras, Sanchez, Santa Maria, Serra, and Sitjar. The 16 new-comers were: Arroita, Arenaza, Calzada, Danti, García, Giribet, Mariner, Noboa, Orámas, Rioboo, Rubí, Santiago, Señan, Sola, Tapis, and Torrente. Left California: Mugartegui, Palou, Noriega, Sola, and Rioboo. Died: Cavaller, Figuer, Murguía, Serra, and Crespí. In 1785, Aug. 20th, Father Sancho, the guardian, made a full report to the viceroy on the Californian missions. Sancho, Informe, 1785, MS. It was largely devoted to a description of the system and routine to be utilized elsewhere; it predicts that 'many years' will elapse before the Indians will be fit for any other system; enters somewhat into the controversies to be noted presently; and states that up to date there had been 5,80S baptisms, 5,307 confirmations, and 1,199 marriages. There were 12,982 head of live-stock, and 12,119 fanegas of grain at the last harvest.

389

STATISTICAL VIEW.

more than the average at the missions; while in 1790 Angeles produced more grain than any mission except San Gabriel. But the pueblos were not yet on the whole a success. They were far from fulfilling the high expectations with which they had been founded; they had by no means repaid the government for their cost. At the four presidios there was no change that can be statistically expressed. The regulation allowed a military force of 205 men for garrisons and mission guards, and the ranks were generally full, never lacking more than ten men. The places of such as died or served out their term, were filled for the most part from boys who became of age in California, and though individuals were doubtless recruited from other provinces and from the transport vessels, there is no record that any body of recruits was ever sent to replenish the ranks. Most of the soldiers were married men, and their families, added to the pueblo inhabitants, the priests, and the sirvientes from other provinces, made the total population of gente de razon in round numbers one thousand souls.3

Having thus presented a statistical view of the period under consideration, I pass on to a study of certain events connected with the provincial govern- ment and its officials, which have something more than a strictly local signification.

Fages came to Monterey as we have seen late in the autumn of 1782; but in the spring of 1783 he went south again to Loreto to meet his wife Doña Eulalia de Callis and his little son Pedrito whom he had left behind in Sonora. The lady had consented at the solicitation of General Neve and Captain Romeu, and on their assurance that California was not altogether a land of barbarism, to live at Monterey.4 Leaving

$ According to a Resumen de Poblacion for 1790, in St. Pap., Miss., MS., i. 72, the neophytes were 7,353, and the gente de razon 970.

៛ Dec. 9, 1782, Fages writes to his mother-in-law Doña Rosa Callis, that Neve has undertaken to attend to his wife's departure; and on Dec. 21st he asks Romeu to use his influence to induce Doña Eulalia to come. Prov. Rec.,

390

RULE OF FAGES-GENERAL RECORD.

Monterey in March the Governor reached Loreto in May. He set out on his return in July, and on Novem- ber 18th was congratulated by Palou on his safe ar- rival with wife and son at San Diego,5 and by the middle of January was back at Monterey. The jour- ney was delightful. Everywhere along the route, writes the governor to his wife's mother Rosa, padres, Domínicos and Fernandinos, troops, settlers, and even Indians vied with each other in showering attentions upon the travellers. "The Señora Gobernadora is the Benjamin of all who know her; she is getting on famously, and Pedrito is like an angel; so rest as- sured, for we live here like princes."6 Doña Eulalia, a native of Catalonia, like her husband,7 belonged apparently to a family of considerable position and influence, a fact which I suspect had something to do with Don Pedro's rapid promotion and invariable good-fortune at court. She was perhaps the first woman of her quality who ever honored California with a visit. It is related that on arrival she was shocked, and at the same time touched with pity, at the sight of so many naked Indians, and forthwith began to distribute with free hand her own garments and those of her husband. She was induced to sus- pend temporarily her benevolence in this direction by a warning that she might have to go naked herself since ladies' clothing could not be obtained in the country. Nevertheless after a long residence at Mon- terey she left a reputation for her charities and kind- ness to the poor and sick.8

MS., iii. 72. For further correspondence on this subject see Id., 86-9, 96, 105. It seems that Captain Cañete was sent over from Loreto to escort the lady, who, as the fond husband affirmed, was to have in California a reception befit- ting a queen.

5 Palou writes from San Francisco Nov. 13. Arch. Arzob., MS., i. 7. There are however some documents to show that Fages was at San Fernando de Velicatá in December, the lady being delayed by a miscarriage at Mulege. See also Fages' trip. Prov. Rec., MS., iii. 101, 108, 111, 122, 138, 200-25, 249; Prov. St. Pap, MS., iv. 94; Palou, Not., ii. 392.

Prov. Rec., MS., iii. 127.

7 San Francisco, Lib. de Mision, MS., 20.

8 Vallejo, Hist. Cal., MS., i. 90-1.

391

A JEALOUS CATALAN.

It would be pleasing to record a continuance of tranquillity in domestic life at the gubernatorial man- sion; but the archives contain records revealing the presence of a skeleton in the household, a court scan- dal at Monterey which cannot be passed over without notice. At the end of a year's life in California the ‘señora gobernadora,' having in the mean time borne to her husband a daughter, whose birth is recorded in the mission register of San Francisco under date of Aug. 3, 1784, expressed herself satiated with California, and wished to leave the country. Don Pedro was by no means disposed to give up his lucrative and hon- orable position for a woman's whim, and a quarrel ensued, during which for three months the governor was exiled by his spouse to a separate bed. Finding this treatment, however, less effective than she had anticipated in overcoming the executive obstinacy, Doña Eulalia set herself to work to learn the cause of his lonely contentment, and found it as she sus- pected in the person of an Indian servant-girl whom her husband had rescued from barbarism on the Colo- rado and brought to the capital. On the morning of February 3, 1785, the irate gobernadora followed Don Pedro when he went to call the servant, accused him of sinful intent, heaped on his head all the abusive epithets in the vocabulary of an angry and jealous Catalan, and left the house vowing divorce, and ring- ing out upon the wind her wrongs.

The governor went over to San Carlos and en- listed the services of the friars to bring his wife to reason, but she was not to be moved. All the more she scandalized their reverences by flatly declaring that the devil might carry her off before she would live again with her husband. The padres examined witnesses and decided, so says Fages, that there was no ground for divorce; but sent the case to the bishop and ordered the lady to remain meanwhile in the re- tirement of her own apartments, separated from the gubernatorial bed and board, and not at liberty to

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History of California, Volume I, Part 45

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