USA > California > History of California, Volume II > Part 14
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Arrillaga, who was accustomed to an earthquake country, is said to have replied to this report and to Luis Argüello's verbal account of the temblores by advising the commandant to go home and repair his house for winter and not mind such trifles as earth- quakes, sending also a box of dates as a consolation.12 Finally in 1810 Argüello sent in the last complaint of the decade, stating that continuous storms had reduced the granary and four soldiers' houses to a woful state; also the old barracks and the other structures, includ- ing the chapel, the merlons, and esplanade at Fort San Joaquin were entirely destroyed. The artillery barrack and cavalry quarters were in so bad a condi- tion that serious accidents were to be feared; the ware-
223-5; Prov. Rec., MS., ix. 114, 125; Prov. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., xxxiii. 1,20; xxxiv. 4.
11 Argiiello to Arrillaga. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xix. 235-6. Mentioned in Id., Ben. Mil., xxxviii. 9. Aug. Ist, Arrillaga forwarded the news to the vice- roy. Prov. Rec., MS., ix. 108; and it was published in the Gaceta de Mex., xviii. 802, with some exaggeration of the damage, which was not reported as confined to San Francisco. This series of earthquakes is referred to in Randolph's Ora- tion, 211; Trask, in Cal. Acad. Science, Proced., iii. 134; Tuthill's Hist. Cal., 116; Elliot in Overland Monthly, iv. 339; and various newpapers; but the first translator of Argüello's communication raised the number 18 to 21 and all the rest have repeated the error.
12 Vallejo, Hist. Cal., MS., i. 107-8.
HIST. CAL., VOL. II. 9
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LOCAL EVENTS-NORTHERN DISTRICTS.
house with its zacate roof had been robbed, and there were no workmen for repairs or rebuilding.13
The visits to San Francisco of Brown and Rowan in 1803 and 1804, that of Rezánof in 1806, and those of the Albatross and other vessels to the Farallones in 1810, have already been mentioned and require no further notice.14 The only foreign visitor who gave to the world his observations respecting the bay settlement was Langsdorff, who came with Rez- ánof, and many of his remarks have been given in connection with special topics. The German was much surprised to have dinner at the commandant's house served on silver plate, notwithstanding the humble nature of the rest of the furniture. The variety of birds chiefly attracted the scientist's atten- tion. The visitors often went shooting 'crested par- tridges,' or quail, and rabbits on the sand-hills; and there were bear-hunts which, however, were always unsuccessful. A bear was once brought in by the soldiers for a bull-fight, but it died before the fight came off. There was dancing at the Argüello home nearly every afternoon, to the music of violin and guitar; and the Spanish ladies were greatly interested in learning the English country-dances as a supple- ment to their favorite borrego. In returning from a bidarka voyage to Mission San José Langsdorff had some rather exciting night adventures among the bulls and bears of the San Mateo shore. No geo- graphical information of any value was obtained re- specting the bay region. The measles was rapidly carrying off the neophytes, but the Spaniards were but slightly affected.15
Rezánof and his party were also entertained at the mission by Landaeta and Abella, aided by Uría of San José, and were shown all that was to be seen about the establishment, which, however, is not very
13 March 30, 1810, Argüello to governor. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xix. 282. 14 Sce chap. i. ii, iii. and v. this volume.
15 Langsdorff's Voyages, ii.
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MISSION SAN FRANCISCO.
minutely described. In the church was a painting of a maguey from which rose a virgin, an image as the friar gravely assured the visitors which had wrought many miraculous cures. The dwelling of the missionary consisted of several spacious apartments, and the refreshments offered were keenly relished by the well salted navigators. Behind that dwelling was a large court surrounded by buildings in which the neophytes were employed, chiefly in the preparation of wool and the weaving of their coarse fabrics. About a hundred yards from the mission was the ran- chería composed of eight long rows of dwellings for the Indian families. Buildings for melting tallow and making soap, smiths' shops, and shops for car- penters and cabinet-makers, magazines for storing tallow, soap, butter, salt, wool, and hides, with store- houses filled with grain were duly inspected. The wine served was of very ordinary quality, being a
production of the country. The kitchen-garden was a poor affair, the high winds and drifting sands of the peninsula not being well adapted to horticulture. La Pérouse's hand-mill had disappeared, perhaps because it had been left at Monterey instead of San Fran- cisco, and corn was ground between two stones by hand. It seemed strange that there were no wind- mills. The visitors were very favorably impressed by their experience at the mission, and had nothing but good to say of the friars.
Ramon Abella served at San Francisco throughout the decade, but Martin Landaeta went south in 1807, and was succeeded by Juan Saenz de Lucio, who had come here the year before. Martiarena in 1801, Gil y Taboada in 1801-2 and 1804-5, and Barcenilla in 1802 are the other names of resident friars that appear on the mission registers. The missionaries had less trouble with their neophytes than in former years, though 236 of them died in three months of 1806 from epidemic measles. Twelve or fifteen of the San Francisco converts were also killed in Febru-
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LOCAL EVENTS-NORTHERN DISTRICTS.
ary 1807 by the gentiles in a fight that seems to have occurred in the region of Carquines Strait.16 Moraga's famous battle in the same region, belonging locally perhaps to San Francisco, has been mentioned else- where.17 San Francisco's gain of 64 per cent in neophyte population, from 644 to 1059, was larger than that of any other of the old missions except San Buenaventura. The total number of baptisms in the decade, 1,978, was greater than in any other mission, and it must be added that the total of deaths, 1,530, was only slightly exceeded at one establishment, Santa Clara.18 In horses and cattle San Francisco stood second on the list of missions; in sheep, fourth; while in the average product of agriculture it was excelled at this period by only a few establishments.
Shortly after 1790, the exact date not being re- corded, the pueblo of San José had been transferred from the military and judicial jurisdiction of San Francisco to that of Monterey;19 and in 1805 there was the faintest shadow of a controversy on the sub- ject. In September and October 1804, Sergeant Luis Peralta made two unimportant raids in this region after gentile assassins of Christian Indians. He acted of course under the orders of the comandante of San Francisco, Santa Clara and Mission San José still belonging to that jurisdiction; but it seems that Comisionado Castro also furnished men or other aid for the expeditions without consulting his superior officer, who in January 1805 reprimanded him for so acting, reminding him that nothing could be done at
16 Abella, Noticia de una Batalla entre Cristianos y Gentiles, 1807, MS. This is a rather confused narrative in a communication to the governor, dated Feb. 28th. The fight took place Feb. 3d to Sth, apparently.
17 Chapter v. this volume.
18 Population, gain, 644 to 1,059; baptisms, 1,978; largest number, 326 in 1803; smallest, 64 in 1807; deaths, 1,530; largest number, 371 in 1806; small- est, 69 in 1801; large stock, increase, 8,205 to 12,250; horses, mules, etc., in 1810, 1,010; small stock, increase, 6,238 to 10,000. Crops in 1800, 4, 180 bush .; in 1810, 7,680 bush .; largest, 8,700 bush. in 1805; smallest, 3,720 bush .; average yield, 6,320 bush.
19 See map of San Francisco district in chapter xvi.
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PUEBLO OF SAN JOSÉ.
the pueblo without his, Guerra's, consent. Thereupon Argüello asked the governor that both the comisionado and Guerra be instructed to render him such assistance as he might need against the Indians.20
The town was not prosperous. The population de- creased during the ten years from 170 to 125, this falling-off being largely attributable to the enlistments of 1895-6 by which the presidial companies of San Francisco and Monterey were increased to the extent of sixty men, representing about 230 persons, half of whom may be supposed to have come from San José. Had it not been for the loss of these recruits and their families the total population in 1810 would have been 250 at least.21 Horses and cattle fell off from 6,580 to 3,717, though much of this decline was owing to a general slaughter in 1806 and the following years, intended to reduce the herds and keep them under control.22 Respecting the sheep the records are scanty, but the number remained apparently less than 400. Crops were 4,260 bushels in 1800, and 3,526 in 1810; but there exist no reliable statistics for most of the intermediate years.23 The tithe accounts are, how- ever, very complete from 1804 to 1810. The average of grain was 300 bushels, of cattle 103 head, and of total value $370. By multiplying each one of these items by ten we should obtain an approximation to average crops and increase in cattle.2 Of the results of hemp cultivation still carried on in the pueblo
20 Peralta's narrative of his salida. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xviii. 351-2, 356. Jan. 22, 1805, Guerra to Castro. S. José, Arch., MS., ii. S4. Jan. 31st, Argüello to governor. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xix. 37.
21 In 1806 the governor says to the viceroy that San Jose has but few mncn left to work; and pagan laborers are also becoming very scarce so rapidly are they being converted. Prov. Rec., MS., ix. 81-2. List of many citizens in a militia roll of 1809. Prov. Stat. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., x1. 17-20.
22 May 14, 1806, a meeting held at San José decided on killing all mares except 25 to each vecino, or 800 in all. Seven thousand five hundred were accordingly slaughtered. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xix. 77-8; xxxvi. 6, 7. The discrepancy between this statement and the decrease indicated in the annual statistical reports as given in my text is apparent and inexplicable.
23 In 1801 the wheat crop was short by reason of the chahuistle, or rust. S. José, Arch., MS., v. 17.
24 Tithe accounts 1804-10, in S. José, Arch., MS., vi. 52.
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LOCAL EVENTS-NORTHERN DISTRICTS.
with more or less success, I shall speak in the next chapter.
Sergeant Macario Castro was in charge of the pueblo as the governor's comisionado till 1807, when he was succeeded by Sergeant Luis Peralta. The comisionado was properly responsible to the governor directly; yet most of his orders came practically from the comandante of Monterey, and no misunderstand- ings arose with Argüello so far as the records show. The alcaldes were Miguel de Osuna in 1801, Tiburcio Vasquez in 1802 and 1807, Ignacio Archuleta in 1803 and 1806, Ignacio Castro in 1804 and 1809-10, and José María Martinez in 1805.25
The settlers determined that their spiritual welfare demanded the erection of a chapel in the town; and accordingly, in the person of Comisionado Castro, they applied at the end of April 1802 for permission to carry out their religious scheme. Commandant Car- rillo forwarded the petition to Arrillaga at Loreto in May, and the latter official replied favorably in June. Carrillo was directed to go in person to San José, con- voke the people, listen to the proposals, and reduce them to writing. Then if the amount contributed were sufficient he might order the work to be begun and com- mission some suitable person to superintend the same. For the preservation and proper adornment of the chapel each farmer would stipulate the amount of grain he would give each year, and half a fanega from cach ought to suffice. "To the willing mind ways and means are easy, and a gift to the church impov- crishes no man," writes the governor. It is to be pre- sumed that all preliminary details were satisfactorily
25 The regidores were, Apolinario Bernal and Francisco Valencia in 1802; Bernardo Heredia and Francisco Gonzalez in 1803; Claudio Alvires and Nicolás Mesa in 1805; Dolores Mesa and Manuel Amézquita in 1806; Antonio Soto and Juan C. Altamirano in 1809; and Soto and Pedro Bojorges in 1810. Names of officials for this deeade gathered from S. José, Arch., MS., i. 16; ii. 80, 84; iii. 91, 94, 96-8, 101; v. 3, 5, 17-19; vi. 51; Prov. St. Pap., MS., xviii. 7, 197; xix. 77, 106, 237; Id., Ben. Mil., xxxvii. 6, 7; Prov. Rec., MS., xi. 172, 176, 196; St. Pup., Miss., MS., iii. 20, 35; Estudillo, Doc. Ilist. Cal., MS., i. 80, 90.
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A PUEBLO CHAPEL.
arranged, for next we find the comisionado inviting Alférez José de la Guerra y Noriega in the name of the people to act as sponsor of the chapel. This was carly in July 1803. Don José could not come in person, but he gave Cadet José María Estudillo a power of attorney to act for him at the ceremony of laying the corner-stone, which took place on July 12th with great solemnity under the direction of José Via- der from Santa Clara. Under the stone Estudillo deposited certain coins, and also a sealed bottle con- taining a copy of the document, signed by himself, Viader, and Castro, from which I gather these facts. The structure was dedicated to the patriarch San José and to the virgin of Guadalupe. There is no record of further progress on the building during this decade, but it was sufficiently advanced to have its walls cracked by an earthquake late in 1804.26
The old dispute with the mission of Santa Clara respecting boundaries having been settled in the last decade as already related, there arose a new and some- what similar one in this with the mission of San José. After some slight difficulties about the encroachments of cattle the boundary between pueblo and mission was established by Arrillaga in person about June 1806.27 In 1809 the dispute arose, both parties claim-
26 April 30, 1802, Castro to Carrillo; May 3d, Carrillo to governor. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xviii. 165. June 11th, Arrillaga to Carrillo. S. José, Arch., MS., iv. 36. July 7, 1803, Guerra to Castro. Id., iii. 98. July 12, 1803, account of laying the corner-stone. Id., iii. 98. Damage by earthquake in 1804 in letter of Jan. 1, 1805. St. Pap., Miss., MS., iii. 35. According to Hall's Hist. S. José, 87-9, the chapel, built of adobes with a roof of tules, stood until 1835. An article in the San Francisco Alta, April 25, 1877, de- scribing the dedication of a new church in 1877, says the original chapel, at the corner of Market and Fernando streets, stood until 1859.
27 Oct. 24, 1807, Macario Castro certifies that in June 1806 he was ordered to meet Arrillaga at the Punta de los Esteros in front of La Calera (the lime- kiln, or possibly La Caleta, the little cove) with Alcalde Archuleta. The governor came late with Capt. José Argüello, Cadet Estudillo, Sergeant Es- trada, and Padre Gonzaga (Gil) y Taboada. Arrillaga indicated as the divid- ing line, or its initial point, a certain little cañada coming down from the sierrita, about midway between the house where Larios formerly lived and the little brook where dwelt the deceased Ignacio Higuera. The line was to run to the point of the first estero where the road from Santa Clara to Larios' house crossed that from San Jose to the mission. No written memorandum of the agreement was made at the time. S. José, Arch., MS., v. IS. May 9,
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LOCAL EVENTS-NORTHERN DISTRICTS.
ing that the lands known as Las Calaveras were on its own side of the line. The comisionado was sus- tained by the commandant of Monterey in his position that Las Calaveras belonged to the pueblo, and Arri- llaga took the same view, but Father Duran refused to conform to the decision, though his side of the argument has not been preserved. The result was an order to drive out the mission cattle and substitute those of the pueblo, a guard being established to pre- vent any interference by Duran, a man who as we shall see later was always disposed to have his own way.28
At Santa Clara there was consecrated on August 12, 1802, the day of the titular saint, a grand high- altar which had been obtained in Mexico for the mis- sion church.29 There were also some troubles with the Indians, beginning in 1801, when Bartolo Pacheco narrates an expedition in search of a chief resulting in a fight and the killing of five gentiles.30 In April 1804 the friars sent twenty neophytes to bring in some fugitives, but the party was attacked, one Chris- tian was killed, and the rest came running back with- out a captive. 31 Again in May 1805, a neophyte and a pagan of the Seunenes were caught on the roof of the missionaries' house reconnoitring for a projected
1805, Uría to Castro, there will be a branding on the 13th and the settlers had better look out for their cattle or the mission brand will be put on them. Id., ii. 74.
28 Jan. 28, 1809, Arrillaga to comisionado, warning him that the vecinos must look out for their lands by day and for their live-stock by night. If cattle are killed on mission lands no compensation can be obtained. The set- tlers wished the padres to kill encroaching cattle but to pay for them, but the padres refused any such reintegro and were sustained by the governor. S. José, Patentes, MS., 27-9; S. José, Arch., MS., iii. 76; Prov. Rec., MS., xi. 215. Sept. 25, 1809, Estudillo to Peralta. S. José, Arch., MS., iii. 92. Oct. 2 to Nov. 12, 1809, correspondence about Calaveras between Estudillo, Duran, and Arrillaga. The boundary line is described as running from the Loma de la Cañada to the first creek or esterito. The comandante speaks in very severe terms to Duran. Estudillo, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., i. 85-92. May 14, 1810, the comisionado is ordered not to prevent the neophytes of Santa Clara from fencing and cultivating their gardens at Calaveras, they having the mission- aries' permission. S. José, Arch., MS., iii. 102.
29 Arch. Sta B., MS., xii. 69.
30 Narrative dated March 15th. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xviii. 65-6.
$1 Prov. Rec., MS., ix. 43.
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SANTA CLARA.
attack in which, as was rumored, the mission build- ings were to be burned and the padres killed. Five or six other accomplices were arrested. The alarm was great, and all the available forces of San Fran- cisco with reinforcements from Monterey were sent in haste to the rescue. After a campaign, however, of a month, in which the whole region was carefully examined by Alférez Luis Argüello, it was ascertained that the rumors of impending hostilities were without foundation, some discontented neophytes having ut- tered threats with a view to frighten the friars and avoid certain imminent floggings.32 Magin Catalá and José Viader were the ministers here throughout this decade, apparently without the aid of supernu- merary associates. Though the number of baptisms was larger than at any other establishment except Santa Bárbara and San Francisco, the number of deaths was nowhere exceeded, and the net increase in the mission community was only from 1,247 to 1,332, Santa Clara now standing fourth on the list. In live- stock and agriculture this mission had more than an average prosperity.33 Santa Clara was one of the only two missions-Soledad being the other-where the greatest number of deaths did not occur in 1806.
Barcenilla remained at Mission San José until April 1802, when Luis Gil y Taboada took his place, and in 1804 was succeeded by Pedro de la Cueva. José Antonio Uría, who had served here since 1799, and Cueva both left the mission in 1806, the latter retiring to Mexico the same year.34 Their successors
32 Prov. St. Pap., MS., xix. 30, 42; Id., Ben. Mil., MS., xxxiii. 15, 16.
33 Population, gain, 1,247 to 1,332; baptisms, 1,724; largest number, 336 in 1805; smallest, 84 in 1810; deaths, 1,589; largest number, 258 in 1802; smallest, 101 in 1809; large live-stock, increase, 4,807 to 8,353; horses, etc., in 1810, 2,032; small stock, increase, 5,000 to 10,027; crops in 1800, 4,190 bushels; in 1810 (and largest), 6,525 bush .; smallest, 2,850 bush. in 1807; average, 4,970 bush.
34 Pedro de la Cueva, commonly called in California Padre Cuevas, left Guadalajara on April 23, 1804, and arrived in California Aug. 14th. Some indiscreet action on his part while en route caused him to be reported to the president as a friar whom it would be well to watch; but during his brief service in California the only fault found with his conduct was that of rash- ness in connection with the affair elsewhere related, in which he was shot in
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LOCAL EVENTS-NORTHERN DISTRICTS.
were Buenaventura Fortuni and Narciso Duran, who were new arrivals from Mexico, and who began their long ministry here in June 1806. The number of neophytes increased in ten years from 286 to 545, but it required nearly 1,400 baptisms to effect this result. In its agricultural and stock-raising industries San José was tolerably prosperous. 35
There is a vague record that as early as 1802 Uría and his escort were attacked by the gentiles of the sierra, and that a military force was sent to teach the savages a lesson; but no particulars are known. 36 A subsequent affair of the kind is, however, better re- corded, and I have told the story in another place. 37 It was in January 1805, and in it a soldier and three neophytes were killed; Cueva and a soldier were wounded. The horses were all killed, and the sur- vivors of the party were driven back to the mission. In retaliation Sergeant Peralta made a raid and killed eleven gentiles.
Early in May 1806 Langsdorff from the Juno vis- ited this mission, coming down the bay in an Aleut bidarka. This was the first time a foreigner had trod these south-eastern bay shores or navigated the tor- tuous channels which made approach to the mission by water very difficult. Father Cueva had before met the naturalist at San Francisco, and received him
the head by the Indians while on a visit to a distant rancheria. Ill-health, not relieved by a few months' stay at San Diego, compelled him to retire to his college, and he sailed from San Diego in November 1806. Langsdorff met this friar both at San Francisco and at his own mission in the spring of 1806, and found him 'always gay and cheerful, and indeed a most agreeable com- panion,' besides being ever ready for barter.
35 Population, gain, 286 to 545; baptisms, 1,381; largest number, 247 in 1802; smallest number, 24 in 1SOS; deaths, 1,104; smallest number, 62 in 1809; largest, 197 in 1806; large stock, increase, 367 to 7,190; horses, etc., in 1810, 1,190; small stock, increase, 1,600 to 7,002; crops in 1800, 1,550 bushels; in 1800, 4,070; largest, 7,450 in 1805; smallest, 2,090 in 1809; average, 4,040 bush.
Inventory of sacred vestments, vessels, and other church effects from 1807 to 1824, in S. José, Patentes, MS., 366-70. First marriage of gente de razon at this mission on June 1, 1803, when Joaquin Sota was married to María de la Luz Berreyesa, both natives of San Francisco. S. José, Lib. Mission, MS., 21.
36 Dec. 9, 1802, Argüello to comisionado of San José. S. José, Arch., MS., iv. 35.
37 Chap. ii., this volume.
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MISSION SAN JOSÉ.
with the greatest hospitality, giving his neophytes a holiday with instructions to prepare for a grand dance, since the visitor was particularly interested in study- ing the manners and customs of the natives, to whom he devotes much of his narrative, representing them as in every way superior to those of San Francisco, and giving to the world an engraving which shows six finely formed men and women decked in all their hol- iday paint and finery.
The rarity of foreign visits to interior missions will justify me in quoting Langsdorff's description of San José :
"Although it is only eight years since they were begun, the buildings and grounds are already of very considerable extent: the quantity of corn in the gran- aries far exceeded my expectations. They contained at that time more than 2,000 measures of wheat, and a proportionate quantity of maize, barley, pease, beans, and other grain. The kitchen-garden is extremely well laid out, and kept in very good order; the soil is everywhere rich and fertile, and yields ample returns. The fruit-trees are still very young, but their produce is as good as could be expected. A small rivulet runs through the garden, which preserves a constant moist- ure. Some vineyards have been planted within a few years, which yield excellent wine, sweet, and resem- bling Malaga. The situation of the establishment is admirably chosen, and according to the universal opin- ion this mission will in a few years be the richest and best in New California. The only disadvantage is, that there are no large trees very near. To compen- sate this disadvantage, there are in the neighbourhood of the mission chalk-hills, and excellent brick-earth, so that most of their buildings are of brick. Their stores of corn are much greater than of cattle, conse- quently the number of oxen slaughtered every week is considerably smaller than at St. Francisco, but their consumption of corn and pulse is much greater. The habitations of the Indians, las Rancherías, are not yet
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