History of California, Volume II, Part 10

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers
Number of Pages: 826

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There was a proposition in Mexico to admit to new

19 Prov. Rec., MS., viii. 97; ix. 113, 115; xii. 79. In Coyner's Lost Trappers, 144-69, I find an account of the wanderings of two hunters, Work- man and Spencer, who crossed the country from the Arkansas to the Colo- rado, fell in with a caravan from Santa Fé, and accompanied the Spanish traders to Los Angeles, spending the winter of 1809-10 in California. Coy- ner's narrative as a whole bears marks of having been written in good faith, but he does not claim to have seen any diary of this trip, and he is certainly in error. No such men came to California in 1809, and the trade between Santa Fé and California did not begin until much later. The author has doubtless antedated an occurrence of later years.

20 On July 8th, Agustin Garijo was elected guardian, Tapis reelected president, and José Guilez, procurador. Announced on July 26, 1809. Arch. Obispado, MS., 10; Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iv. 195-8. The seal of the college was changed also at the same time. April 23d, Tapis to the padres, making known the regulations respecting books and libraries. Arch. Obispado, MS., 9, 10.

21 Prov. St. Pap, MS., xix. 237, 252-3; Id., Ben. Mil., xxxix. 6; Sta Cruz, Arch., MS., 14. In the annual reports of several missions the figures for 1809 are omitted altogether. The correspondence, especially in the north, complains of greater want than the tables would indicate. A writer in the S. F. Bulletin, March 19, 1864, obtained an account of this drought from an old resident of Santa Barbara, who said that scarcely any rain fell, and that both crops and live-stock suffered severely.

CHRONOLOGICAL NARRATIVE.

Californian foundations the friars from another Fran- ciscan college at Orizaba; but respecting it we know only that the authorities of San Fernando at last resolved not to admit the strangers.22 An important industrial topic, involving the employment of neo- phytes as laborers, came up for discussion in 1810, though it seems to have occasioned no very heated controversy. The settlers of Los Angeles, encour- aged by the government to engage in the hemp-culture, had obtained from San Juan Capistrano a hundred Indians. Father Suñer for some reason not given recalled the Indians to their mission. The settlers through the alcalde and other prominent men peti- tioned for an order compelling the service of the laborers, and it was also reported that the president had forbidden such service. Tapis, when the matter was referred to him by the governor, replied in a clear argument which throws much light on the labor question at this epoch. He denies that he has given any orders against the letting-out of the Indians, or that he has any desire to prevent it; but argues also that he has no authority to require Suñer to comply with the settlers' wishes. His argument was first, that by royal order of 1713, newly converted Indians were not to serve private persons except voluntarily, the presumption being that the neophytes would not often work of their own accord in the pueblos. Second, that even where repartimientos were legally permitted Indians must not be taken over ten leagues from their homes. Third, the Indians had a right to spiritual care not given them at the pueblo; and fourth, the making of repartimientos belonged to the governor and not to the president. If Arrillaga chose to assign to each mission a certain number of laborers to be furnished for hemp-culture the president would do all he could to render the measure a success. But still he urged that the missions as well as pueblos were engaged in that branch of industry and needed laborers,

22 Feb. 20, 1811, guardian to Tapis. Arch. Sta B., vi. 218.

MORAGA'S FIGHT AT SUISUN.

and that a little more hard work was by no means likely to injure the settlers and their families.23

The Indians were somewhat more troublesome in 1810 than they had been before, both in the north and south; and Alférez Moraga, preeminently the Indian-fighter of the time, was kept very busy in the Spanish acceptation of the term. In May he was sent with seventeen men to punish the gentiles of the Sespesuya ranchería who lived across the bay from San Francisco, apparently near the strait of Carqui- nes in the region of Suisun, and who for several years had committed depredations, killing sixteen neophytes from San Francisco. The Spaniards crossed the strait in a boat and after a hard fight with one hundred and twenty pagans, captured eighteen of the number, who were released as they were almost sure to die of their wounds. The survivors retired to their huts and made a brave resistance, wounding two corporals and two soldiers. The occupants of two of the three huts were defeated and all killed; but when the other hut was set on fire with a view to drive out the occupants they bravely preferred to perish in the flames. Arri- llaga having sent an account of this brilliant affair to Mexico, and the viceroy having transmitted it to Spain, there came back a royal order expressing the satisfaction of the council of regency, in the king's name, at the glorious action of May 22, 1810. By the terms of this order Moraga was promoted to a brevet lieutenancy. Corporals Herrera and Francisco Soto, wounded, were made sergeants; the wounded soldiers, Antonio Briones and Ventura Zúñiga, were given a slight increase of pay, while the others who shared in the action were rewarded with the thanks of the nation. 24

23 Tapis, Parecer sobre Repartimientos de Indios Trabajadores, 1810, MS. Dated Oct. 5th, at San Francisco.

24 June 28, 1810, Arrillaga's report to viceroy. Prov. Rec., MS., ix. 122-3. Nov. 12, 1811, viceroy to gov., enclosing royal order of Aug. 19th. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xix. 314. June 26, 1812, governor to Com. Estudillo, transmitting viceroy's communication. Prov. Rec., MS., xi. 222-3. Vallejo, Hist. Cal., MS., i. 151-5, in describing a fight in the same region by José Sanchez in

CHRONOLOGICAL NARRATIVE.

Moraga's two expeditions to the San Joaquin Val- ley and another to Bodega from August to October of this year have already been mentioned in a chapter on inland exploration. During the second exploration to the San Joaquin, sixteen Christian Indians were recovered and eighteen gentiles captured by a sudden attack on a ranchería, to say nothing of fifty women taken and set free-all without bloodshed.25 In No- vember there was trouble at San Gabriel, where an attack was deemed imminent, and Moraga was ordered south. Though the archives contain several communi- cations on the subject, it is impossible to learn exactly what took place; but the danger, whatever it may have been, was averted through Moraga's efforts and those of the company of militia artillery at Los An- geles. 26

Other local events of 1810 include nothing more important than a slight misunderstanding between Los Angeles and the padres of San Gabriel, caused by the action of the latter in cutting off the pueblo's water-supply and in neglecting their spiritual attend- ance on the settlers.

I have already mentioned briefly the otter-hunting voyages made under Russian contracts by the Winship

1817 against the Snisunes under chief Malaca, states that the Indians set fire to the huts and temescales in which they had taken refuge, and perished in the flames. It is possible that the author has confounded two different battles. Alvarado, Hist. Cal., MS., i. 69-70, makes the date 1817, but puts Gabriel Moraga in command, and says that Samyetoy, afterward known as Solano, was captured on this occasion.

25 Viader, Diario ó Noticia, MS .; Id., Diario de una Entrada, MS. Sec chapter iii. of this volume.

26 Nov. 12, 1810, Sergt. Cota with 18 men to go every 15 days in pursuit of fugitive Indians of San Gabriel and San Fernando. Prov. Rec., MS., xi. 8. Nov. 27th, Moraga to go to San Gabriel and investigate the causes of dis- orders and the rising of Martinez, who with 50 men holds that place. Id., xi. 9. Dec. 31st, 21 Christian Indians and 12 gentiles in prison for complicity in the revolt. Id., xi. 16. Before June 1811 Moraga captured all the leaders and proceeded so wisely that 400 gentiles were converted. Zalvidea, in Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iv. 175. The hostile Indians were the Amajabas (Mojaves), and came within two leagues, but retired on hearing the mission was defended, killing one neophyte on the way. Arch. Sta B., MS., iii. 271. The rebels intended to attack both San Gabriel and Angeles. Names of the artillery- men and settlers who served during the crises from Oct. 28, 1800, to Jan. +, 1811. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xix. 327-8.

WINSHIP AND GALE.

brothers, William Davis, and George Eyres on the O' Cain, Albatross, Isabella, and Mercury. The log- book of the Albatross, Captain Nathan Winship, pre- sents many interesting particulars respecting the operations of all the fleet on the California coast in 1810-11.27 The journal was written by the captain's clerk, William A. Gale, afterward prominent in the Cal- ifornia hide trade. William Smith was chief mate, and the crew consisted of twenty-two men. Winship went with instructions from a Boston company to form a set- tlement on the Columbia River, and sailed in July 1809. Doubling Cape Horn, and touching at the Hawaiian Islands, the Albatross entered the Columbia in May 1810. The attempt to found a settlement was not successful, but the details do not belong here. In the north was met the Mercury, Eyres, master, from California, and on July 19th the vessels parted, Win- ship sailing south, and anchoring near the south Fara- llones at the end of July. Here were two gangs of sealers, one belonging to the Mercury and the other to the Isabella. Seven men were left there in charge of Gale. The Albatross continued southward; touched at the Santa Barbara Islands, where were found few seals, but many sea-otters, which in the absence of Aleuts apparently could not be caught, and left another gang of sealers on Cedros Island. Returning northward she arrived at Norfolk Sound October 22, 1810.

Repairs were here made and a contract entered into with Baranof for thirty bidarkas and fifty Kadiak hunters,28 with which reenforcement the Yankee cap- tain sailed on the 16th of November. At Drake Bay at the end of November he found the O'Cain, the Isabella, and the Mercury. Early in December communication was had with the party on the Fara-

. 27 Albatross, Log-book of a Voyage to the Northwest Coast in 1809-12, kept by I'm. Gale, MS. The substance only of the journal is given with occa- sional quotations. See also Iluut's Merch. Mag., xiv. 202.

28 Contract also mentioned in Khlébnikof, Zapiski, 9, 10; and Baránof, Shizneopissanie, 129-30.

CHRONOLOGICAL NARRATIVE.

llones who had already taken 30,000 seal-skins, and who were now reenforced by six Kanakas. Next the Albatross repaired to San Luis Obispo for wood, water, and beef, and a party of hunters took sixty prime otter-skins. At San Quintin the O'Cain was rejoined and the two Winship brothers, Nathan and Jonathan, carried on a profitable business during the rest of the year, keeping parties of hunters on differ- ent islands, and also obtaining furs from the peninsular missionaries.

Though it will carry us beyond the limits of the decade, it is best to conclude this narrative here. On April 1, 1811, the Albatross sailed for the north, leav- ing the O'Cain to look after affairs on the lower coast, and returned to the Farallones to leave supplies. Then she went to Drake Bay, where she was joined by the O'Cain and Isabella on the 11th of May. Here the two vessels remained a month, often com- municating with the different gangs of hunters by means of boats. In June the Albatross went south again, and was occupied in picking up for final de- parture the hunters and the product of their labors for both ships; and on the 19th she sailed for the north, arriving at the Russian settlements in August. After repairing the ship and discharging his Indians, Winship returned down the coast, and anchored on the 27th of September at the south Farallones. The 2d of October, taking on board all the hunters, except Brown with seven Kanakas, the Albatross2 sailed for the Islands, so loaded with furs that some water-casks had to be broken up and the hemp cables carried on

29 An account of all the different kinds of skins obtained for the Albatross to this date, Oct. 1, IS11, in the log-book cited, p. 57: Fur seal skins taken by Gale, 1810, 33,740; fur seal skins taken by Gale, 1811, 21,153; fur seal skins taken by Brown, 18,509; total from Farallones, 73,402; total from Lower California, 1,124; total, 74,526. Sea-otter, ship's share, taken by Kadiaks, 561 tails(?), 581; sea-otter, bought, 70 tails(?), 58; total otter, 631 tails(?), 639. Besides 248 beaver, 21 raccoon, 6 wild-cat, 153 land-otter, 4 badger, 5 fox, 58 mink, S gray squirrels, 1 skunk, 11 musk-rat, and 137 mole skins. Estimated value of all at Canton prices, $157,397. The Russian au- thorities (see note 24) agree with the American as to the product, 560 skins being the company's share.

VOYAGE OF THE 'ALBATROSS.'

deck. She arrived at Oahu early in November, and was soon joined by the O'Cain and Isabella, the results of whose trip are not so fully recorded, but which, according to Russian authorities, carried north as the company's share of their 'catch' 2,728 and 1,488 sea- otter skins respectively. The three vessels formed a kind of partnership with the intention of returning to California; but after a voyage to China this plan was abandoned in favor of a sandal-wood contract with the king of the Hawaiian Islands. The Albatross accordingly came over to California to take off a party of sealers and close up the business. She was at the Farallones in August, and thence went to Drake Bay, where one Jerry Bancroft was nearly killed by a grizzly bear. Winship was back at the Islands in October, where the journal ends on October 25th, and where the three vessels were blockaded for nearly three years during the war with England.30 We shall hear of the Mercury again.

30 The proceedings of all these vessels on the coast in 1810-12 have left but little trace in the Spanish archives. February 1810, declarations taken from deserters of the Mercury. Prov. Rec., MS., ix. 120. Sept. 28, 1810, or Oct. 1Sth, three deserters sent away on the Princesa. None of them were really Americans. Id., xi. 7, 8. Sept. 19, 1810, Com. of San Francisco to governor. Several fishing-canoes seen going toward San José where 24 cayucos and a boat are reported. A big vessel at Bodega, and many canoes between Pt Bonete and San Antonio. Sept. 20th, three Russian fisherman captured in the estuaries of San Jose. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xix. 275-6. Sept. 24, 1810, seven captives taken and five more on Oct. 4th, thought to belong to the Russian ship Falactan, all put to work. Prov. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., xliv. 5; xlviii. 13; Prov. Rec., MS., viii. 211-12; ix. 125. Sept. 28, 1810, a small American vessel at Bodega with 60 men. The crew had built three huts on shorc. Moraga, Diario de su Exped., 1810, MS., 278. Nov. 26, 1810, 13 canoes seen from San Mateo to San Bruno. Some say 20 canoes left the island at Pt San Mateo this morning. Indians report two big vessels between Pt Reyes and San Antonio. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xix. 280-1. Rations supplied in 1810 to seven Russian Indians and four deserters, $616. Prov. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., xl. Jan. 20, 1811, commandant of San Diego to governor, an American vessel touched at San Juan Capistrano and left on Jan. 3d, forced by wind. Arch. Arzob., MS., ii. 83. May 30, 1811, Com. of San Francisco to Gov., the otter-fishing canoes still in the bay; as many as 50 seen together. Indians report 130 of them between Pt Bonete and San Antonio. The fish- ermen had detained the Indians on suspicion of being spies. A number of canoes also toward San Pedro and Pt Pilares. A party sent to surprise them, but without success. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xix. 307-8. July 30, ISI1, the cayucos have retired from the bay. A corpse found on the Sta Cruz beach. No vessels at Bodega. Id., xix. 309. Dr Taylor tells us that, according to Capt. Cooper's statement, old Capt. Bully (Billy?) Smith went to the Fara- llones in 1808 with a party of Kadiaks, stayed there two years, and caught

CHRONOLOGICAL NARRATIVE.

In 1811 Thomas Meek in the Amethyst and Will- iam Blanchard in the Catherine were on the coast under Russian contracts, each carrying back over seven hundred otter-skins for the company, which is all that is known of these expeditions. Whittemore in the Charon shared nearly nine hundred skins. He was found at the Farallones by Winship at the time of his last visit in 1812.31

The supplies for 1810 were brought by the Prin- cesa and Activo, arriving at Monterey on July and leaving the coast late in the autumn. The schooner Mosca also touched at Monterey in June on her way from Manila to San Blas.32 Though the Mexican authorities in August instructed Arrillaga to put the Californian forts in a state of defence by purchasing new cannon, there seems at the same time to have- been an order for the withdrawal of the artillery de- tachment. At any rate we find the governor at the end of the year protesting against such withdrawal.33 When the Princesa reached San Blas on her return she found that town in possession of the insurgents, and was herself captured and held for a short time. Thus slightly was California involved in the great revolution in its first year.34

130,000 seals besides many otter. He took them to China in the Albatross, obtained $2.50 for seal-skins and $30 or $40 for otter; loaded two ships with tea and silk, and sold the cargo in Boston during the high prices of the war of 1812. Discov. and Founders, No. 21, i. We have seen that Wm. Smith was first mate of the Albatross, and we shall hear of him again, for he afterward lived and died in California.

31 See reference to Russian authorities in note 24.

32 Prov. Rec., MS., ix. 124; xii. 81-3, 210.

33 Prov. St. Pap., MS., xix. 293; Prov. Rec., MS., ix. 126.

34 Feb. 20, 1811, guardian to president. Arch. Sta B., vi. 216. The port had already been retaken.

CHAPTER VI. LOCAL EVENTS AND PROGRESS-SOUTHERN DISTRICTS.

1801-1810.

SAN DIEGO PRESIDIO-OFFICIALS-JOSÉ FONT-MANUEL RODRIGUEZ-QUAR- REL BETWEEN RUIZ AND GUERRA-RAIMUNDO CARRILLO-LUJAN-POPU- LATION-FINANCES-FORTS-VISITS OF AMERICAN TRADERS-PABLO GRI- JALVA-SAN DIEGO MISSION-IRRIGATION WORKS-EARTHQUAKE-NEW CHURCH-STATISTICS-JOSÉ PANELLA-SAN LUIS REY-NEW CHURCH- JOSÉ GARCÍA-DOMINGO CARRANZA-SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO-FIRE- CHURCH-JOSÉ FAURA-LOS ANGELES-RANCHOS-PUEBLO AND MIS- SION-SAN GABRIEL-PEDRO DE SAN JOSÉ ESTEVAN-ANTONIO CRU- ZADO-ISIDORO BARCENILLA-SAN FERNANDO-NICOLÁS LÁZARO-JOSÉ ANTONIO URÍA-MARTIN LANDAETA-SANTA BÁRBARA PRESIDIO- CAPTAIN GOYCOECHEA-POPULATION -FINANCES-EARTHQUAKE AND STORM-CRIMINAL CASES-SANTA BARBARA MISSION-EPIDEMIC-PADRE CORTÉS-SAN BUENAVENTURA-SANTA MARÍA-PURÍSIMA-FERNAN- DEZ-PAYERAS' REPORT.

WE will here take up the thread of local annals where it was dropped in 1800.1 With a glance at each presidio, mission, and pueblo, throughout the length-it can hardly be said to have had any breadth -of the land, I shall present the meagre narrative of events at each establishment, name the persons, mis- sionary, military, or civil officials who directed the des- tinies of each, give biographical sketches of prominent men who died or disappeared from the field of their labors in California, condense from voluminous records statistical views of progress, or in a few cases of deca- dence, tell what gentile souls were saved, what build- ings were erected, what crops were harvested, what cattle were branded, and say whatever it is desirable

1 See vol. i. chap. xxx .- xxxii., for local record from 1790 to 1800. HIST. CAL., VOL. II. 7

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LOCAL EVENTS-SOUTHERN DISTRICTS.

and possible to know of California's twenty-six set- tlements during the first decade of the nineteenth century.

I begin as before in the extreme south, at San Diego. Here Lieutenant Font commanded the post till his departure with his volunteer company in 1803;2 and Manuel Rodriguez was commandant of the company, as of the post after Font's departure, till 1806, when he was promoted to be captain of the San Francisco company. He never went north, however, for before the end of the year he was appointed habilitado gen- eral for the Californias to reside in Mexico, and sailed in November to assume the duties of his new and responsible position, which he held until his death, September 28, 1810.3

Captain Rodriguez was an intelligent man, a good

2 Of José Font I have not been able to learn anything beyond the fact of his residence in California with the Catalan volunteers. He was, however, promoted to be captain on June 10, 1803, just before his departure from the conntry. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xviii. 201. June 13, 1803, he was present at the laying of the corner-stone of a new church at San Juan Bautista. S. Juan Bautista, Lib. Mision, MS., 12, 13.

3 Manuel Rodriguez first appears in California history April 23, 1794, when from Mexico he applied to Gov. Borica for a cadetship in the company of Loreto or Monterey. He was then 26 years old. A cadet was obliged to live as a gentleman on a soldier's pay; but Rodriguez had the patronage of his relative, Habilitado General Cárcaba, who not only recommended him but offered to make him an allowance of $20 or $25 a month. April 23, 1794, Rodriguez to governor. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xii. 186. He was admitted to the Monterey company and came to California in 1795. Prov. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., xxii. 5. In August 1798, by provisional order of the viceroy he was made alférezof the San Francisco company, and honored with the titleof Alcalde de la Santa Hermandad de Caballeros Hijos dalgo. Aug. 14, 1798, governor to commandant of Monterey. Prov. Rec., MS., iv. 254; v. 111. His commission was sentby the viceroy Jan. 4, 1799. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xviii. 187. He never served at San Francisco but was habilitado at San Diego from July 1798 till his promotion to the lieutenancy and command of the San Diego company in 1800. Appointment, Feb. 11, 1800; dropped from rolls of San Francisco company, Nov. 30th. Prov. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., xxviii. 15; xxxiii. 12. Commission forwarded by the viceroy July 17, 1801. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xviii. 96. For Cleveland's experience at San Diego and his opinion of Rodriguez sec chapter i. this volume; also Cleveland's Nar., i. 210-21. Heassumed the office of habilitado general in Mexico after Jan. 21, 1807. The exact date of his election in 1806 is not recorded. Prov. Rec., MS., ix. 94; Prov. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., xxxvii. 37; Prov. St. Pap., MS., xix. 103. May 31, 1810, the governor notifies the viceroy of the election by the officers of California, of José de la Guerra y Noriega, Rodriguez being the opposing candidate. Prov. Rec., ix. 121. Rodriguez was notified by the governor of his appoint- ment as captain of San Francisco June 27, 1806. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xix. 148. Death on Sept. 28, 1810. Finally dropped from rolls at San Francisco Nov. 11, 1815. Id., Ben. Mal., xlvi. 34.

CARRILLO AND GUERRA.

officer, and a skilful accountant. Cleveland found him to be "an exceedingly vain and pompous man;" in fact "a most arrant coxcomb," and altogether a most disagreeable personage; but the Yankee smug- gler's judgment of a man who could be tempted neither to trade himself nor permit trade in violation of the laws may be taken with allowance.

Captain Raimundo Carrillo was named as the suc- cessor of Rodriguez, but as he could not leave Santa Bárbara immediately, Alférez Francisco María Ruiz of Santa Bárbara was promoted to be lieutenant, transferred to the San Diego company, and thus became acting commandant at the end of 1806. Lieu- tenant José de la Guerra y Noriega, similarly pro- moted, was sent down to be habilitado, a position which during 1806 had been held by Ignacio Mar- tinez. It chanced that Guerra's commission as lieuten- ant was a few days older than that of Ruiz; therefore the former had to be made commandant of the post. The result was jealousy and bickering between the two officials, not diminished probably by the fact that while Guerra's promotion had been most rapid from the position of cadet, Ruiz had had to work his way up in the usual slow method from the ranks. Nor did the fact that they were related by marriage help matters. The progress of the quarrel in its ear- lier stages is not recorded; but on March 15, 1807, it reached a climax. Ruiz disregarded an order given by his rival in an insulting tone, whereupon Guerra ordered the soldiers to arrest him and to load their arms to support his authority. Ruiz replied by knock- ing Don José down and calling upon the troops to say whom they recognized as their superior officer. Guerra drew his sword and rushed upon his foe; but Father Sanchez and others interposed and prevented bloodshed. This affair came to the ears of Arrillaga who ordered Captain José Argüello to investigate; and the report went to Mexico. There it was decided that both officers were much to blame, but as they had

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History of California, Volume II, Part 10

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe Publication date: 1885 Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers Number of Pages: 826

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers
Number of Pages: 826