History of California, Volume I, Part 61

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 61
USA > California > History of California, Volume I > Part 61

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troubles with these reckless men who used the Otter as a means of escape. The Dorr family furnished several masters and owners of vessels engaged in the fur-trade in northern waters, as will be seen in the Ilist. N. W. Coast, this series.

27 Nov. 5, 1796, Borica to viceroy, announcing arrival and stating that no irregularities have been committed by the Americans. St. Pap., Sac., MS., iv. 62-3; vi. SG-8. Nov. 10th, Borica to V. R., describing the subsequent 'irregularities.' Id., iv. G3-4. Dec. Gth, Has received order to send the Irish- man Burling and all other foreigners to Cádiz, will therefore send by first vessel the men left by Dorr. Id., iv. 68-9. Dorr obtained supplies to the value of $187. Prov. Ree., MS., iv. 288. Five Englishmen kept as prisoners until the Aranzazu arrives. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xxi. 244. Aug. 1796, V. R.'s order to send Burling and foreigners to Cádiz. Prov. Rec., MS., viii. 165; iv. 147. I suppose this Burling and the Boston boy, and O'Cain to have been possibly the same person. Oct. 6, 1797, Borica to V. R., sends the 11 to San Blas. Prov. Rec., MS., vi. 56. Oct. 19th, Borica asks Capt. Caamaño to take them. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xxi. 270. Feb. 3, 1798, V. R. approves. Id., xvii. 17. Oct. 23d, a strange vessel anchored off Santa Cruz. Prov. Rec., MS., v. 94. Doubtless the Otter. The Spanish vessels of the year were the Valdés and San Carlos which brought troops, etc., from San Blas in April, tonehing at San Francisco, Monterey, and Santa Barbara; the Sutil, Capt. Tohar, from a tour in the north; the Concepcion, Capt. Salazar from Manila at Santa Bar- bara in April; and the Aranzazu, Capt. Cosme Bertodano, with the memorias at Monterey and San Francisco in July, and at Santa Barbara in September. Prov. Rec., MS., iv. 60-1, 74, 77, 148; Prov. St. Pap., MS., xiv. 24, SG, 133; xxi. 236; St. Pap., Sac., MS., xvii. 6. According to the Relacion de las Embarcaciones que han conducido los Situados de los 4 presidios de la Nueva California, con cspresion de los nombres de sus comandantes, desde el año de 1781, hasta 1796, MS., it appears that since 17SS only one vessel each year had come especially with the regular memorias of supplies, though as we have seen several vessels arrived for one purpose or another.

28 Arrival of the vessels. St. Pap., Sac., MS., xvii. 6. Arrival of Concep- cion, 1797, with Lieutenant Suarez and 4 privates. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xvii. 14S. The compañia franca of Catalan volunteers consisted of captain, 2 lieu- tenants, 3 sergeants-Joaquin Ticó, Francisco Gutierrez, and Juan Iñigues- 8 corporals, 2 drummers, and 50 privates-73 men in all. Full list of names in Fror. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., xxiv. 1-4. The artillery detachment con- sisted of a sergeant-José Roca-3 eorporals, and 14 privates-13 men in all. Total 93. Id., xxiii. 11.

541

REËNFORCEMENTS FROM MEXICO.

colonel Pedro Alberni, captain of the Catalan volun- teers, became at once commandant at San Francisco, where twenty-five of his men were stationed. Twen- ty-five were sent to San Diego under Lieutenant José Font, and eight under sub-lieutenant Simon Suarez remained at Monterey, a sergeant and thirteen men being scattered in various duties. The artillery de- tachment under Sergeant José Roca was also distrib- uted between the three presidios.29 With the troops came the lieutenant of engineers, Alberto de Córdoba, who proceeded to make an inspection of the coast de- fences. In September he reported to the viceroy, chiefly on the works at San Francisco, which he found exceedingly defective and well-nigh useless. The bat- tery at Monterey was also useless so far as the de- fence of the port was concerned, since vessels could easily anchor and land men out of range of the guns. Córdoba believed that effective forts and enough of them could not be erected except at an enormous expense, and he favored rather an increase of troops and one or more cruising vessels on the coast. He subsequently visited the south, and found the defences not more effective than those in the north, as the governor informed Branciforte at the beginning of 1797. Borica, however, found some comfort in the thought that the foes from whom attack might be feared were probably ignorant how weak the fortifi- cations really were.30

29 July 8, 1793, the presidios had 161 muskets, 50 pistols, 177 swords, 223 lances. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xxi. 150-3. July 10th, received from San Blas 158 muskets, 142 swords, 96 lances-value 82,650. Id., xxi. 194; Pror. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., xxv. 1. Sept. 15, 1795, 170 ewt. powder sent. Prov. St. Pup., MS., xiii. 81. Dec. 1796, Feb. 1797, 200 muskcts, 200 pistols, 200 cartridges, 200 musket-cases, 16,000 flints. Prov. Rec., MS., viii. 170, 173; iv. 157; vi. 58; Prov. St. Pap., MS., xv. 223; xvi. 240; xvii. 146; xxi. 253.

30 ('órdoba, Informe al Virey so're defensas de California, 1796, MS. Dec. 27, 1796, viceroy to gov. has received Córdoba's plans of San Francisco, Mon- terey, and Santa Cruz, has ordered the fitting-out of two cruisers, and has taken measures for the proper strengthening of San Francisco. St. Pap., Sac., MS., vii. 32-5. Jan. 20, 1797, Borica to V. R. Prov. Rec., MS. vi. 78. Córdoba's first report was sent to Mexico by Borica with his communication of Sept. 21st, enclosing five plans and approving Córdoba's suggestions. St. Pap., Sac., MS., iv. 56-7. Borica's instructions to Córdoba for his southern trip, Oct. 8, 1796. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xxi. 246-7. He was to gather material for

542

RULE OF BORICA-FOREIGN RELATIONS.

The transport San Carlos, Captain Saavedra, arrived at San Francisco March 11, 1797, and probably brought the news of actual war with England, though the communication of the viceroy does not appear in the archives;31 for the 13th of March despatches began to circulate throughout the province, ordering the seiz- ing of English vessels, instructing commandants to redouble their precautions, and calling upon friars to give not only prayers but Indians if needed. On the first alarm of invasion notice was to be sent to Mon- terey, the military forces were to concentrate at the threatened point, and live-stock was to be driven inland. Men were drilled in the use of arms; messen- gers were kept in constant motion; Indians were harangued on the horrors of an English invasion; sentinels were posted wherever an anchorage or land- ing was deemed possible; able-bodied men were gathered at the presidios, while the disabled ones were detailed to protect women and children; and strict economy was practised, since a non-arrival of the supply-ship was feared. This state of things lasted several months, but the popular excitement was considerably allayed by the arrival of the Con- cepcion and Princesa in April and May, and by the delay of the English invasion, nothing more alarming having occurred in the mean time than the rumored finding of some bodies of white men in the surf at Point Reyes.32

a general map of California. Dec. 11th, Córdoba arrived in San Diego. St. Pap., Sac., vii. 53.

31 Arrival of San Carlos, Prov. St. Pap., MS., xxi. 249; Prov. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., xvi. 02. There is a letter of the viceroy to Borica dated Jan. 25th, in which he alludes to some vague rumors of trouble with England, and recommends precautions. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xv. 218-19.

32 March 13th, Borica to Lasuen, Prov. Rec., MS., vi. 183. Borica to com- mandants. Id., iv. 155. March 13th to 14th, Lasnen to padres ordering prayers, litany on Saturdays, mass once a month, and exhortations such as Maccabeus gave during the campaign against Nicanor. Arch. Sta Barbara, MS., xi. 141-4; Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iv. 83-4. March 17th, Borica to commandants. Pror. Rec., MS., iv. 155-6. March 19th, 24th, Sal to B. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xvi. 220-22. March 22d, B. to commandant S. F. Cautious with strange vessels, war-ships to be menaced. Prov. Rec., MS. v. 82-3. March 28th, April 10th, 2d, Goycoechea to B., Santa Bárbara defences in a very bad state to resist attack. Is suspicious of the Indians to whom the British have given beads.

543

ALARMING RUMORS.

During the months of July, August, and Septem- ber all seems to have been quiet,33 but in the middle of October there came a report from the peninsular mission of San Miguel that five, ten, or even sixteen vessels had been seen making for the north. The falsity of the report was ascertained before a week had passed, but not before it had been published with all the precautionary orders of old throughout the province, and had been sent to Mexico.34 This emer- gency elicited from Governor Borica peremptory in- structions which went all the rounds, to the effect that in case he were taken prisoner by the English no attention was to be paid.to any orders purporting to come from him, whatever their nature; but the commandants were to go on in defence of California as their duty and circumstances might dictate.35 A

Families to be gradually removed to Angeles. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xv. 40, 43-5, 188-9. March 3Ist, Sal to B., all care taken. Provisions to be destroyed and not allowed to fall into the hands of the foe. Id., xvi. 220. March 31st, April 6th, May 11th, Grajera to B., a sentinel on the beach at San Juan Capistrano, Invalids of Angeles, San Gabriel, and Nietos rancho ready. If the Presidio has to be abandoncd, shall it be destroyed or not? Id., xvi. 267-9, 211-12. April 5th, Fidalgo to B. from San Blas. The Con- ce pcion, Captain Manrique, and the Princesa, Captain Caamaño, will protect the California coast. Id., xvii. 147. April 24th, B. to Goycoechea, Target- shooting every Sunday. Indians must be imbued with anti-English senti- ments, taught that the foe are hostile to religion, violators of women. Prov. Rec., MS., iv. 88. April 25th, B. to commandants, economize, for the supplies of 1798 cannot come. Id., iv. 158. April 30th, Alberni to B., Indians refuse to go to Bodega from fear. Prov. St. Pop., MS., xvii. 152. May 25th, Princesa at Sta Bárbara with supplies. Will remain as a coast- guard. Id., xxi. 261-2. Junc Sth, B. to commandants. If Presidio is aban- doned, guns to be spiked and powder burned. Prov. Rec., MS., v. 254-5. Finding of bodies at Pt Reyes in April. Prov. St. Pap., MS .. xv. 116. Two years later it was learned that San Diego Bay had been surveyed by the English in 1797 on a moonlight night. Prov. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., xiii. 20.

33 Oct. Ist, Vallejo, writing from San José, mentions the arrival of an English ship at Santa Cruz, Prov. St. Pap., MS., xv. 155, but nothing more is heard of the matter.

31 Oet. 15th, Grajera to Borica. Oct. 20th, contradiction. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xvi. 190-1. Oct. 19th, B. to all, Spread the news in all directions & mata-caballo. Vigilancia !! Prov. Rec., MS., iv. 160; v. 259. Dec. 3d, 4tlı, viceroy to B. Ile doubts the accuracy of the report, since the Concepcion and Princesa came down the coast without seeing any vessels. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xv. 273-5.

33 Oct. 20th, Borica to commandants. Prov. Rec., MS., iv. 161. Oct. 22d, Alberni to comisionado of San José. San José, Arch., MS., v. 28. Nov. 3d, Goyeocchea to B. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xv. 100. Nov. 9th, Grajera to B. Id., xvi. 195-6.

544

RULE OF BORICA-FOREIGN RELATIONS.

large war-ship arrived at Santa Bárbara on Dec. 17th, but she proved to be the Spanish Magallanes, Cap- tain Espinosa, from Manila, and had come to protect rather than to invade the country. Finding no foes in California waters, she sailed for the south, as the Concepcion and Princesa had done a little earlier.36

The only subsequent events of the war, so far as California was concerned, were the contribution for the relief of his Majesty's exchequer, called for by Viceroy Azanza through bishop and governor in the fall of 1798 and paid in the summer of 1799,37 and a new fright, also in 1799, resulting in the usual precau- tionary orders, and caused by the report of from fifteen to nineteen English frigates in and about the gulf of California. 38

86 Of the San Carlos we know nothing beyond her arrival on March 11th at San Francisco. The Concepcion left San Blas in March with $1,088 of provisions; she brought also 9 settlers, 2 smiths, 4 soldiers, and 11 padres, having on board Alférez Lujan and Lient. Suarez; arrived at San Francisco April 14th; was at Monterey June 2Sth; left Monterey Sept. 4th; left San Diego Nov. Sth; arrived S. Blas Nov. 22d. The Princess arrived at Sta Bárbara May 27th with 100 men, many sick with seurvy; was at San Diego from June to October; and sailed with the Concepcion. The Magal'anes re- mained only a few days at Sta Bárbara and sailed for Acapulco. The only other vessel of the year was the Activo, Captain Salazar, from Manila, which arrived at Monterey Sept. 27th, and sailed Oet. 7th. The vessels of 1798 were the Concepcion, Caamaño, and the Activo, Leon y Luna. The former arrived at Santa Barbara in May with 8 padres and 24 convicts, and left Monterey in June. The latter arrived at San Francisco in June. On move- ments of vessels: Prov. Rec., MS., iv. 90-1, 94, 105, 157, 162; vi. 52, 54, 56, 76, 87, 92-4, 104, 236; St. Pap., Sac., MS., viii. 76; Prov. St. Pap., MS., xv. 52, 68, 113-14; xvi. 54, 62, 175, 192, 197; xvii. 1; xxi. 249, 233-5, 281.

37 Oct. 20, 1798, vieeroy to gov. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xvii. 82. Nov. 13th, bishop to padres, and Lasnen's refusal. Arch. Sta Bárbara, MS., x. 67-72; xii. 235-7; vi. 296-7. Jan. 31st, Borica to V. R., sends $1,000 as a personal contribution. Prov. Rec., MS., vi. 118. Same date to commandants. Id., iv. 170. June 26, account of results. Settlers and Indians of the missions (per- haps an error for Monterey including Borica's amount?) $1,853; San Fran- cisco, $242; Angeles, $175; Santa Bárbara, $375; San Diego, $519; Catalan volunteers, $237; artillery, $39; total, $3,460. Prov. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., xxvii. 7. Another account makes $1,853 the total. Prov. Rec., MS., vi. 128.

38 July 4, 1798, Borica to commandants, 19 frigates in the Pacific. Prov. Rec., MS., iv. 172. July 12th, 15th, Sal to comisionado of San José, for- warding orders and 1,000 cartridges. S. José, Arch., MS., vi. 48-9. July 19th, B. to commandant Sta Bárbara, a place to be prepared at San Fernando for archives, reserve arms, and church vessels. Prov. Rec., MS., iv. 112. Aug. 3d, V. R. to B., the Manila galleons must remain at Monterey until the way is cleared of privateers. Pror. St. Pap., MS., xvii. 237. Governor's orders in accordance. Prov. Rec., MS., iv. 176; vi. 131. Sept. 18th, two Spanish vessels reported as captured, not in Cal. Id., iv. 173.

545

AMERICAN SAILORS.

From 1797 to 1800 the military force and distribu- tion remained practically the same as in 1796 after the arrival of the Catalan volunteers and the artil- lery. In April 1797 Borica asked for twenty-five recruits per year to fill vacancies and for an increase of thirty infantry and fifty cavalry, besides three war- vessels. At the beginning of 1799 the total expense of the military establishment as given by the gov- ernor, was $73,889 per year. In March Borica urged an increase of $18,624 in the annual expense, by the addition of three captains and an adjutant inspector, and the substitution of one hundred and five cavalry for the Catalan volunteers. Nothing was accomplished, however, in these directions until after 1800.39 In the mean time some slight progress was made on local fortifications, and the engineer Córdoba, having com- pleted his surveys and made a general map of Cali- fornia, had returned to Mexico in the autumn of 1798.40

At the end of 1798 four sailors who had been left in Baja California by the American vessel Gallant were brought up to San Diego and set to work while awaiting a vessel to take them to San Blas.41 In May 1799 James Rowan in the Eliza, an American ship, anchored at San Francisco and obtained supplies un- der a promise not to touch at any other port in the province.42 In August 1800 the American ship Betsy,

89 Prov. Rec., MS., vi. 86-8; Prov. St. Pap., MS., xvii. 180, 188-9.

40 Oct. 17, 1793, viceroy to Borica, speaks of Córdoba's appointment. He is able, well behaved, and energetic. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xiii. 46. Jan. 1797, Córdoba at work on a map of California. Prov. Rec., MS., vi. 78. Nov. 26, 1797, Borica forwards the map to the viceroy; received in March (or Nov.) 1798. Id., vi. 62; viii. 189; Prov. St. Pap., MS., xvii. 3. Nov. 27, 1797, Córdoba ordered by V. R. to return to Mexico. He sailed in October 1798. Id., xv. 272-3; xxi. 286.

# Prov. Rec., MS., v. 283, 285; vi. 111; Prov. St. Pap., MS., xvii. 197-202. They were examined carefully but no information of importance was elicited. Wm. Katt, Barnaby Jan, and John Stephens were natives of Boston 'in the American colonies.' Gabriel Boisse was a Frenchman.

42 May 27, 1799, Rowan to commandant. Gives the promise required; will pay eash; would sail to-day if it were less foggy. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xvii. 206-S. June 3d, Borica to viceroy. The Eliza had 12 guns; gave a draft on Boston for $24. Prov. Rec., MS., vi. 123-6. Aug. 3d, V. R. to B., Approves his course; names John Kendrick as supercargo, and says he wished to winter at Monterey.

HIST. CAL., VOL. I. 35

546

RULE OF BORICA-FOREIGN RELATIONS.

Captain Charles Winship, obtained wood and water at San Diego. 43 In October there anchored a large vessel, of suspiciously English appearance and carry- ing twenty-six guns, off the mouth of the Rio San Antonio in Monterey Bay; but she sailed without committing hostilities.44

In the spring of 1800 there had come news of war between Spain and Russia. This brought out the usual orders for precautionary measures and non-inter- course, but it failed to arouse even a ripple of excite- ment. An invasion from Kamchatka seems to have had no terrors for the Californians after their success in escaping from the fleets of Great Britain.45

Precautions taken to guard against invasion by a foreign foe having thus been narrated, it is necessary to give some attention to the dangers that threatened from within at the hands of the natives. Although this subject of Indian affairs, in this as in most other periods of California history, is prominent in the archives, I do not deem it necessary to devote much space to it here. The Spaniards, few in number and surrounded by savages of whose numbers and disposition little was known, were peculiarly situated.

43 Prov. Rec., MS., viii. 132; xii. 6; Prov. St. Pap., MS., xxi. 41; St. Pap., Sac., MS., ix. 12, 13. She arrived on the 25th and sailed Sept. 4th; she had 19 men and 10 guns; she asked aid later at San Blas, but was frightened away by the approach of Spanish vessels, leaving her supplies, papers, captain, su- percargo, and some sailors.

# Nov. 30, 1800, governor to commandant. Prov. Rec., MS., xi. 146-7. Gov. to viceroy. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xviii. 67. Dec. 18th, V. R's orders to look out for returning whalers. St. Pap., Sac., MS., ix. 50. The Concepcion brought the memorias with nine padres to San Francisco in May 1799, being kept in quarantine 13 days, and not leaving California until January 1800. Coming back she arrived at Monterey in August 1800 with supplies, padres, and children, convoyed by the armed Princesa, Capt. Vivero. They were at Santa Bárbara in September, and left San Diego in November. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xviii. 9, 69; xxi. 30, 43-4, 48, 54; Prov. Rec., MS., ix. 12; xi. 84, 144; St. Pap., Suc., MS., iii. 20; vii. 76-7.

45 Dec. 21, 1799, viceroy to Borica. Newspapers announce war. St. Pap., Sac., MS., ix. 54. Feb. 8, 1800, B. to commandants. War not certain; but the province must be ready for an invasion from Kamchatka. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xviii. 23; Prov. Rec., MS., x. 5. March 31st, declaration of war known at Monterey. Interconrse with Russia forbidden. Id., ix. 2, 7. Oct. 9, 1802, mass ordered for peace. St. Pap., Sac., MS., vii. 1.

547

INDIAN AFFAIRS.

They fully realized the dangers to which they would be exposed in case of a general uprising among the natives; and the consequence was that any unusual action on the part of the aborigines, the rumor of impending hostilities, gave birth to long investiga- tions and a mass of correspondence out of proportion to the cause. Nine tenths of the rumors investigated proved to be groundless, and the few that had real foundation rested for the most part on petty events of no interest save in the mission or pueblo where they happened. Therefore I shall have something to say of these matters in connection with local annals, but in this chapter shall enter but slightly into the details either of events or correspondence.

In September 1794 fifteen or twenty neophytes of San Luis Obispo and Purísima were arrested with some gentiles for making threats and inciting revolt at San Luis. Five of the culprits were condemned to presidio work. Throughout the year there was some apprehension of trouble at San José and Santa Clara, caused mainly by the natives suddenly leaving certain rancherías. Lieutenant Sal went in person to make investigations, and the natives disclaimed any idea of revolt, but Father Fernandez was admonished to be somewhat less zealous, not to say cruel, in his treatment of the natives.46

In March 1795 a party of neophytes were sent from San Francisco across the bay northerly in search of fugitive. Christians. After marching two nights and a day in that direction they were attacked by the gentiles and eight or ten slain. The friars were blamed for having sent out the party, and the gov- ernor deemed it unwise to avenge the loss and make enemies of these warlike and hitherto friendly tribes. In the south Alférez Grijalva had some trouble with the natives on the frontier between San Diego and San Miguel. This was in June and one or two sav- ages lost their lives. Near Santa Bárbara there was

46 Prov. St. Pap., MS., xii. 33, 49-53, 100-4, 124-32, 194.

548

RULE OF BORICA-FOREIGN RELATIONS.

a fight in October between pagans and neophytes in which lives were lost on both sides.47

In June 1797 thirty neophytes were sent across the bay from San Francisco, in a direction not clearly indicated, in search of fugitives, and they were rather roughly treated by a tribe of Cuchillones though none were killed. This affair caused a long correspondence and finally brought positive orders from the viceroy forbidding the friars to send out such parties. In July after many preliminaries Sergeant Amador made an expedition against both the Cuchillones and the Saca- lanes, who had committed the outrage of 1795. He brought in nine of the gentile culprits and eighty- three fugitive Christians. The savages are said to have dug pits which prevented the use of horses, and obliged Amador to fight on foot hand to hand, seven or eight of them being killed. At San Luis Obispo a neophyte was murdered by a gentile and there was a temporary excitement and fear that the mission would be attacked. Depredations continued on the southern frontier and San Diego as usual was deemed in danger.49

In 1798 the savages are said to have surrounded San Juan Bautista by night, but they retired after killing eight Indians of an adjoining ranchería. In the resulting expedition to the sierra under Sergeant Macario Castro, one chief was killed, four captives were taken, and a soldier was badly wounded. There was a false alarm of impending attack on San Miguel, San Luis, and Purísima by the Tulare and channel Indians. Around San Francisco Bay and especially at San José Mission there were constant rumors of preparations for hostilities that never occurred.49

47 Prov. Rec., MS., v. 227-8; iv. 35-6; vi. 48-50, 56, 146; Prov. St. Pap., MS., xiii. 82, 177-8, 215-16, 241-2, 275-6; xvi. 71. According to Calleja, Respuesta, MS., 12, the ranchos of four men in the Monterey district were destroyed by Indians this year.

48 Prov. St. Pap., MS., xv. 19-27, 122-5, 173-8, 282-3; xvi. 70-3, 90, 239, 249; Prov. Rec., MIS., iv. 88; v. 206-7, 267.

49 Prov. Rec., MS., iv. 285; v. 210; vi. 106-7, 100; ix. 9; Prov. St. Pap., MS., xvii. 97, 100, 106-7.

549

INDIAN AFFAIRS.

The only recorded event of 1799 was an expedition of Macario Castro in June to the various rancherías of the Monterey district. His object was to collect fugitives from San Carlos, Soledad, and San Juan Bautista, and also to warn the gentiles against har- boring runaways. Fortified by long and explicit instructions from Borica, and accompanied by thirteen soldiers and as many natives, Castro was successful. In May 1800 Pedro Amador made a raid from Santa Clara into the hills. He killed a chief, broke many weapons, and took a few captives and runaways. The natives again committed some depredations at San Juan Bautista, and in July Sergeant Moraga, march- ing against them, captured fourteen.50 From the pre- ceding paragraphs it appears that Borica's rule was a period of peace so far as Indian hostilities against the Spaniards are concerned. Naturally there were con- flicts between neophytes and pagans, especially when bands of the former were sent out by the friars to scour the country for fugitives, and here and there a theft or other petty depredation was committed; but the natives were not yet hostile, though they resisted the soldiers on several occasions in the hills, and showed that in case of a general war they might prove formidable.

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History of California, Volume I, Part 61

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