History of California, Volume II, Part 45

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

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Besides the missions the only source whence the provincial exchequer could be replenished was the duties on imports and exports, and the leading com- mercial topic of the year was the controversy already indirectly noticed respecting the payment of duties by the missions. The padres claimed exemption, but the governor would pay no attention to their arguments and protests; and the only comfort they obtained was the privilege of paying by a pro-rata contribution a sum of money supposed to exceed the duties required,12 reimbursable if superior authorities should pronounce the missions exempt. This was of course satisfactory to the governor, and though it somewhat increased the burden of the missions, it left the friars free to flatter themselves with the idea that they were not

12 Jan. 16th, Sola to Guerra. Has heard of the arbitrary acts of the padres and their excesses in buying goods for speculation which are pretended to be for the missions; shipping liquor and other merchandise under the title of gifts, etc .; and he is determined they must pay duties on everything; 'porque csto de estar á la crítica segun su moral de cada uno de estos padres en seme- jantes materias, como no son muy escrupulosos,' it is well to watch them and look out for the nation's interests. Guerra, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iv. 67-8; Prov. Rec., MS., xi. 60. April 26th, Sola to Payeras, demanding original invoices, as already noted; and May 19th, a sharp letter on the duties of the friars as citizens and their disposition to defraud the treasury. The ship Rita was expected, and the friars were to be required to pay $6,000 or $8,000 on her inward and outward-bound cargo. St. Pap. Sac., MS., xviii. 43-6. May 16th, argument of Payeras against paying duties and furnishing in- voices. Arch. Arzob., MS., iv. pt. i. 54-9. May 24th, Payeras' proposal to pay in money or tallow the $6,000 or $8,000 on expected memorias of mission goods, as a reintegro if the missions should be declared exempt. Id., iv. i. 62- 3. May 30th, Sola says padres must pay 6.25 per cent like all other persons. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xx. 296. A smaller vessel, the brig San Francisco Javier, came instead of the Rita in December, and the amount paid was re- duced to $3,000, Sarria protesting to the last. Some of the poorer missions were allowed to pay their pro-rata in tallow. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xx. 296; Arch. Sta B., MS., xi. 441-2. According to a letter of Torre, the governor's secretary, some very sharp letters passed between Sola and Padre Martinez, on account of the latter's smuggling operations. Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iv. 562-3.

439

COMMERCE AND REVENUE.

paying duties at all. Whether they were actually obliged to show any original invoices does not appear. It is not possible to estimate accurately the total income of the provincial government for the year. Besides contributions of food, clothing, timber, cattle, labor, etc.,13 there were obtained from the missions one half the goods purchased with one or two cargoes of produce, and at last $12,000 as advanced duties; and from various vessels for import duties at Mon- terey and San Francisco at least $23,000.

In April there was published in California a royal order of the preceding year declaring free from all duties national products exported in Spanish bottoms to San Blas and the Californias, in which document there are indications that some such expedition was thought of in Spain, together with some points of in- formation about previous schemes of similar nature; but as it appears that San Blas rather than California was the real objective point, and especially as none of the commercial plans were ever carried out, this order merits no further attention here.14 The rates of duties exacted continued as in the last decade so far as the often unintelligible habilitados' accounts can be made out.

Nine vessels are named as visiting the California ports this year, all for purposes of trade or in need of fresh voyage-supplies.15 Two American schooners

13 Some partial statistics of these contributions will be given in connection with the local annals of the four presidios.

1+ Prov. St. Pap., MS., xx. 48-54. This order was dated March 8, 1820,. transmitted by the viceroy Aug. 21, 1820, and published by Sola April 10, 1821. Feb. 19th, Sola to Guerra, only articles of great necessity to be ex- empt from duties(?) and not presents sent or received. The inhabitants are in the habit of denying under oath on the pretext that it would be mean to tell the truth. Prov. Rec., MS., xi. 61. May 30th, all goods imported to pay 6.25 per cent on value, full invoices to be furnished to comandantes. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xx. 297. Oct. Ist, Bandini may pay his duties in merchandise. Id., xx. 297. Oct. 16th, Sola complains of the difficulty of finding honest men, at the same time intelligent, who would properly attend to the collection. Even Bandini with his honeyed manner and apparent honesty has been known to smuggle. Prov. Rec., MS., xi. 68.

15 The Russian brig Golovnin, with cargo of goods from Sitka, at San: Fran- cisco in Feb .- March; duties, $529.

Señoriano, Spanish brig, Capt. Juan Malarin, from San Blas with dry goods, hardware, etc. Arrived at Monterey March 16th, and sailed for San

440

THE LAST YEAR OF SPANISH RULE.

are named as suspected of smuggling, and the opera- tions of one of them, or rather of certain Califor- nians in connection with its visits, created no little excitement at Santa Bárbara and Los Angeles. An- tonio Briones with a few companions, by the use of certain signals, induced the master to land some goods for trade on the Máligo coast. The goods were at once seized, and the two or three men in charge were arrested and held for a ransom of a thousand dollars. Briones nearly succeeded in getting the money; but a drunken guard allowed the prisoners to escape just at the critical moment. The goods were taken by the party and nothing was said to the authorities;

Blas April 17th. Came back to Monterey Sept. 25th, and in October was at San Francisco, where she paid $1,194 duties.

Nueva Reina de Los Angeles, Capt. Jose Bandini. At Monterey in May, July, and August; at San Francisco in August, paying $2,273 duties; left San Diego for San Blas in November. In the Gaceta de Guadalajara, 1821, 229- 30, is a correspondence of Bandini about raising the new flag of independence on his ship at San Blas in December.

Kutusof, Russian ship, from Callao, arrived at Montercy in July; paid $4,121 in duties at San Francisco in Sept .; and made a second visit to Mon- terey Sept. 10th.

Sigloe (?), Amer. schr. Capt. Grems, at Sta Bárbara in Sept. Warned as a smuggler to leave California waters.

Eagle, Amer. schr .; refused supplies at San Diego in Sept. on suspicion of being a smuggler.

Europa, Spanish brig. Paid $1,754 in duties at San Francisco in Sept .; was at Monterey Sept. Ist; and also off San Juan Capistrano.

San Francisco Javier or Alcion, Zertaje master or supercargo(?); from San Blas with goods for the missions; at Monterey in Dec.

Buldákof, Russian brig at San Francisco in Dec .; paid $3,464 in duties. Scattered records in St. Pap. Sac., MS., vi. 41-2; xi. 63; Prov. Rec., MS., xi. 63, 66-7; Prov. St. Pap., MS., xx. 292, 296: Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Cust. H., MS., i. 17-18, 139; Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., Iv. 9; S. Diego, Arch., MS., 1: Vallejo, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., i. 213; xvii. 9, 35-6, 52; Guerra, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iii. 45; v. 187-8, 254; Arch. Arzob., MS., iv. pt. i. 76.

A foreign vessel was seen approaching San Luis Obispo in Sept., but seeing the Reina in port hurried away. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xx. 295. May Ist, P. Tomás Esténega at San Francisco says there are 2 American vessels at Ross which will come for tallow. Arch. Sta B., MS., xii. 169. Alvarado, Hist. Cal., MS., i. 228-9, says that 3 Russian corvettes, the Minerva, Ceres, and Apollo, wintered at San Francisco, rescuing three English prisoners who had deserted from the Columbia River. It would appear to have been the winter of 1820-1; for Jan. 21, 1821, Lieut. Martinez writes of the Russian officers, 20 in number, of the two corvettes, the Apollo probably being an error of Alvarado, as very fine gentlemen, including famous men of science, who could speak no Spanish but spent their money very freely. They sailed Feb. 23d. Guerra, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., v. 251-3. In May the commandants were warned to extend no aid to two English vessels, the Osprey and Hipe- rion, which had been ordered away from San Blas. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xx. 296.

441

VESSELS OF THE YEAR.

but the affair soon leaked out, and Captain de la Guerra not only confiscated the goods, but made the conspirators pay a heavy fine in favor of the Los Angeles chapel, and condemned the two leaders, Briones and Alanis, to six months' work in chains.16 Of the Russian visits it is not necessary to say more here than to note the fact that the surgeon of the Kutúsof brought vaccine matter to Monterey, and the 28th of August vaccinated fifty-four persons, doubt- less the first time this operation was performed in California.17

Sola was still discontented and eager to get a better place elsewhere. The motives of his discontent varied somewhat from time to time; over-work, business enough for six men constantly employed, all to be done by himself alone, a cold and disagreeable climate unsuited to his advancing years, no officers to be intrusted with the cares of state while he might enjoy the fruits of the sunny south, troubles with the padres, neglect by the royal authorities, and disgust at the character of the Californians, whose condition he declares would long ago have become insufferable had it not been for his unappreciated efforts. His petitions to be relieved were frequent, and he was much pleased when he heard in May and July that Lieutenant Gonzalo Gomez de Ulloa, of the navy, was seeking and had even obtained the appointment of governor, a rumor that probably was not well founded.18

16 This affair took place apparently in October, whether with the Eagle or so-called Sigloé or some other schooner, it is impossible to say. Guerra, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., v. 156-8; Prov. St. Pap .. Ben. Mil., MS., lii. 9-10; Pror. Rec., MS., xi. 69. Lieut. Fabregat was also accused of surreptitious trade with an American schooner, perhaps the same. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xx. 294. Id., Ben. Mil., xlvi. 25. The reported quarrel between Padre Martinez and Sola arose also from dealings of the former with an American schooner. Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iv. 562-3.

17 Guerra, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., v. 188-9.

18 St. Pap. Sac., MS., vi. 33-40; Prov. Rec., MS., xi. 63; Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iv. 519; St. Pap., Ben., MS., i. 47-8; Arch. Arzob., MS., iv. pt. i. 90. In May Sola sent to Mexico a draft of $10,000 for over-due salary. In July the report was current that Ulloa was to have come as governor on the Reina, but had been delayed at Tepic and might be expected later.

442

THE LAST YEAR OF SPANISH RULE.

The gentile tribes made no trouble in 1821, and the only topic of Indian affairs that merits attention was a correspondence that took place respecting the tribes of the Colorado. Since 1819 rumors of danger from that quarter had been current. This spring the rumor of impending Amajava hostilities came from a captive woman, and caused Sola to think of sending out a new expedition under Moraga, posting a strong force at the entrance of the Tulares, and even fortify- ing the frontier missions of San Gabriel and San Fernando with walls; but nothing was done. A Cocomaricopa chieftain with a few companions who came to trade at San Gabriel and San Diego, although he bore a recommendation from the commandant of Tucson, was sent back as quickly as possible after being closely questioned about the Colorado tribes, and being made to understand that such visits were not desired in California.19 In the autumn Payeras and Sanchez, with a guard of six soldiers, made a trip of inspection between San Gabriel and San Diego. The only value of the diary for my purpose is in its local names and statistics, which I condense in a note. 20

19 Rumored danger, proposed expedition, and fortification of the missions. Sola to Ruiz, Guerra, and Payeras, March 8th. Prov. Rec., MS., xi. 61-2; Prov. St Pap., MS., xx. 290-1; Id., Ben. Mil., xlvi. 21; St. Pap. Sac., MS., xvii. 42-3. Treatment of the Cocomaricopa chief. Guerra, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iv. 72; St. Pap., Sac., MS., xviii. 42; Prov. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., xlvi. 22. Reports of Santiago Argüello and Estudillo on the statements of the chief that the Cocomaricopas, Pápagos, Jalchedumes, and Fagües on both banks of the Colorado were united against their constant foes, the Yumas, Apaches, and Amajavas, the last living farthest up the river; and that it was 7 days' journey from San Gabriel to the Colorado: Ist to San Antonio, 9 1 .; 2d to San Jose, 15 1 .; 3d to San Sebastian, 15 1 .; 4th to Jesus Maria, 26 1 .; 5th to Pozo de la Alegría, 12 1 .; 6th to the Meganos, 8 1 .; and 7th to the river near by. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xx. 287-9.

20 Sanchez, Diario de la Caminata que hizo el P. Prefecto Payeras en Union del P. Sanchez por la Sierra desde San Diego hasta S. Gabriel, 1821, MS. Begun Sept. 10th, ended Oct. Ist. The route was as follows: From San Diego Mission, E. to the mission rancheria of Sta Mónica or El Cajon, 5 l .; N. 1 1. to Cañada del Arrastradero; ranch. Michegua; up the windings of the cañada E. and N .; branch cañada with ranch. Queptahua; into plain of Pamó with ranch. Canapui; by the valley, N. E., and then E. to ranch. Balle- na, or Egepam; to Cañada of Sta Isabel, or Elcuanain, about 11 1. from Sta Mónica. Climbed the Sierra Madre E., past the mission's cattle range; could not see the Colorado with a good glass as was hoped; much description; back by the same road, into cañada of San Dieguito, where the mission had

443

WEATHER REPORTS.

The winter of 1820-1 was noted as cold through- out the province. There was hardly a mission where there were not complaints of frost or snow in excess of anything that could be remembered. Argüello walked on the ice in a ditch at San Francisco; deep snow lay on the plains about Soledad; the holy water was frozen at Monterey, as was the stream at San Luis Obispo; at Santa Inés many sheep perished, and as far south as San Luis Rey the cold was ex- cessive. All this from January to March. A comet, 'muy feo,' was visible at Santa Inés in March; there was a violent earthquake at San Luis Rey the 1st of January, and a succession of shocks at Santa Bárbara early in the same month; while at San Diego in September or October the valley was flooded on a clear day by a cloud-burst in the mountains, if we may credit the memory of Blas Aguilar, an old resi- dent. As a rule rain was light according to reports from all quarters; yet 1821 was by far the most pro- ductive year the missions ever knew, the total yield reaching 180,000 bushels.21

The annals of the year should not be closed without brief mention of a report which Tadeo Ortiz de Ayala placed "at the imperial feet of his Majesty Iturbide "

corn growing; ranch. Guichopa, Geonat, Tatayojai, and Elcuanam, or Sta Isabel; 450 Christians; cañada called Tamatia, or Jamatai. Other rancherías in region of Sta Isabel, Mucucuiz, Gelonopai, Egenal, Tegilque, Gecuar; about 200 gentiles; a cross was blessed with great ceremony at the chapel on Sept. 15th. Payeras went 4 1. N. to visit the hot spring of Jacopin, past Ajata or Las Llagas, and Buenavista Spring, all in or near San José Valley; N., partly by same route to Taqui, in a fine valley fitted for a mission, also called Guadalupe, 2.5 leagues from Sta Isabel; 6 or 7 1. E. of Sta Isabel are 10 rancherías with 450 souls. West down the Cañada to Potrero, or Caqui; to Pala, or San Antonio; about 3 1. N. and E. to Temécula; w. and N. to spring of San Isidro; Sta Gertrudis; San Jacinto, or Jaguara, a ranch. of San Luis Rey, some 11 1. from Temecula. About 9 1. to San Bernandino, or Guachinga; 200 Indians; Ranch. Jubuval; Arroyo de San Miguel in region of San Bernandino; some casas viejas mentioned; a good mission site at a marsh of Jesus María; Jubabal on Rio Sta Ana; Guapia; Ajuenga (?); San Gabriel. There is of course much descriptive matter; but my only object has been to preserve the names.

21 For weather reports, see Guerra, Doc. Hist. Cal .. MS., ii. 191; iv. 71, 495-501; v. 85, 185, 253; Arch. Arzob., MS., iv. pt. i. 89, 91-2; Hayes' Em. Notes, 501-2; Id., Memorabilia, 133; S. Diego Union, Jan. 28, 1876. Sce, also, the chapters on local annals for this decade.

444

THE LAST YEAR OF SPANISH RULE.

in October 1821.22 In this document several pages are devoted to the Californian regions, their value, and the imminent danger of their invasion or too close hemming-in by the Anglo-Americans from Missouri by way of the Columbia, or from Texas by way of the Colorado, or by the Russians already within the prov- ince, "perhaps under some secret agreement with the government of Spain." The remedy, or prevention, for threatened ills, as outlined by this author, consisted in the convict colonization of California, free trade, " giving another method to those missions," and the opening of communication with Sonora and New Mex- ico. This was doubtless the first proposition of inde- pendent Mexico in favor of California.

Of the foreign residents, John Gilroy was married about easter to María Clara de la Asuncion Ortega, and went with Captain Argüello on a trip to the far north in the autumn. John Rose was zealously per- fecting his religious education at Purísima and San Buenaventura, while José Chapman, at work on a mill near Santa Inés, received from the governor in December a document certifying that he was included in the king's amnesty to all Anglo-American pris- oners.23 John Michael Johnson, a Scotchman, was baptized at San Buenaventura on May 26th, but noth- ing more is known of him.24 According to statements in later lists and petitions there were at least three additions in 1821 to the foreign colony, Jeremiah Jones, a Protestant calker of Surrey, England, John Bones, an Irish carpenter twenty-three years of age, and Phillip Fellom, or Felon, a Danish hatter of twenty years. 25 These were probably deserters from

22 Ayala, Resumen de la Estadística del Imperio Mexicano. Mexico, 1822. MS. 16mo. p. 104. Dated Oct. 10, 1821, while Iturbide was yet president of the regency: pp. 96-100 on California.

23 Arch. Arzob., MS., iv. pt. i. 42; Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iv. 508; Pror. Rec., MS., xi. 67; Dept. St. Pap., MS., xix. (96-7).

24 S. Buenaventura, Lib. Mision, MS., 22-3.

25 Naturalization records in Dept. St. Pap., MS., xix. 10-28; xx. 15; Es- trada, Noticia de Estrangeros, 1829, MS. There are several others who are said

445

EXPEDITION TO THE NORTH.

different vessels, about the date of whose arrival there may be an error of a year or two, but who lived long in the country.

Late in the summer rumors were current that a party of English or Americans had established them- selves somewhere within forty or fifty leagues of San Francisco, and Sola determined to send out an explor- ing expedition to ascertain the truth, and if necessary drive out the intruders. 26 Thirty-five soldados de Cuera and twenty infantes, part of the force coming up from Monterey, were assembled at San Francisco. Horses and much of the supplies were sent from Santa Clara and San José up to the strait of the Carquines. The officers selected were Captain Luis Argüello, Alférez Francisco de Haro, Alférez José Antonio Sanchez, and Cadet Joaquin Estudillo, with Padre Blas Ordaz as chaplain and chronicler, and John Gil- roy, called the "English interpreter Juan Antonio." Some neophytes were also attached to the force, and all was ready for the start the 18th of October. The company sailed from San Francisco at 11 A. M. in the two lanchas of presidio and mission, landing at Ruyuta, near what is now Point San Pedro, to pass the night. Next day they continued the voyage to the Carquines, being joined by two other boats. Satur- day and Sunday were spent in ferrying the horses across the strait, together with a band of Ululatos and Canucaymos Indians en route to visit their gentile homes, and in religious exercises. Monday morning they started for the north.

to have come in 1821, but are at the same time accredited to vessels known to have arrived in 1822; and still others, as Buckle and McIntosh, whose ar- rival is referred in different documents to 1821, 1822, and 1823 respectively, and whom I have included in 1823.

26 Sept. 24th, an expedition of 50 men contemplated to go after 'the strange people said to be in the direction of San Jose towards the north.' Commander not yet chosen. Guerra, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., v. 254. Oct. 4th, Sola to padres of Sta Clara, San Jose, and San Francisco. Has resolved to send Arguello with 45 or 50 men, and asks the padres to furnish supplies. Document signed by the padres and sent back to be archivado. Arch. Arzob., MS., iv. pt. i. 79.

446

THE LAST YEAR OF SPANISH RULE.

The journey which followed was popularly known to the Spaniards at the time and since as "Argüello's expedition to the Columbia." The Columbia was the only northern region of which the Spaniards had any definite idea, or was rather to them a term nearly synonymous with "the northern interior." It was from the Columbia that the strange people sought were supposed to have come; and it is not singular, in the absence of any correct ideas of distance, that the only expedition to the far north was greatly exaggerated in respect of the distance traversed. The narratives in my possession, written by old Californians, some of whom accompanied Argüello, are unusually inaccurate in their versions of this affair, on which they would throw but very little light in the absence of the orig- inal diary of Father Ordaz-a document that is fortu- nately extant.27

Starting from the strait on the morning of October 22d, Argüello and his company marched for nine days, averaging little less than eight hours a day, north- ward up the valley of the Sacramento, which they called the Jesus María. The names of rancherías passed I give in a note.28 There is little else to be

27 Ordaz, Diario de la Expedicion de Don Luis Argüello al Norte, 1821, MS. Besides the usual faults of the padres' diaries, largely consisting in the undne prominence given to minor happenings supposed to bear on the pros- pective salvation of gentile souls, this one has the less common defect of omitting distances in each day's march. The statements made by men who claim to have accompanied the expedition are in Boronda, Notas, MS., 18-21; Amador, Memorias, MS., 19-24; Fernandez, Cosas de Cal., MS., 20-2; and Pico, Acontecimientos, MS., 18-19. Of these that of Boronda is by far the most accurate, and that of Fernandez, largely followed by Vallejo, Hist. Cal., MS., i. 144-6, 251-3, and Alvarado, Hist. Cal., MS., i. 191-3, is the least correct. It seems useless to note errors respecting dates, officers, forces, re- gions traversed, and battles with Indians in these manuscript authorities. Some of the writers admit that Argiiello did not go farther probably than the Willamette. Narrative also in Bojorges, Recuerdos, MS., 1-4. No ac- count of the expedition so far as I know has ever appeared in print, beyond a brief newspaper mention in a notice of the death of Capt. Fernandez. Dr. Marsh, however, Letter to Com. Jones, 1842, MS., p. 2, mentions the affair and says: 'I have ascertained that this famous expedition, which was out about 4 months, did not go beyond the valley of the Sacramento, a distance of not more than 200 miles from San Francisco.'

28 Pozo de San Blas, near Suisun. Ranch. of the Ululatos, near that of the Gualactos; ranch. of the Libaytos, 400 inhab., on a river 'bastante conside- rable' called Rio de San Pedro. Ehita on a river, near an oak grove, 900 in-

447

ARGÜELLO'S EXPEDITION.

said of the march, the obstacles to be overcome having been few and slight. The natives were either friendly, timid, or slightly hostile, having to be scattered once or twice by the noise of a cannon.23 The neophyte Rafael from San Francisco had but little difficulty in making himself understood. The most serious calam- ity was the loss of a mule that fell into the river with two thousand cartridges on its back. There were no indications of foreigners.

On the 30th, to use the words of the diary, "the place where we are is situated at the foot of the Sierra Madre, whence there have been seen by the English interpreter Juan Antonio two mountains called Los Cuates-the Twins-on the opposite side of which are the presidio and river of the Columbia. The rancherías before named are situated on the banks of the Rio de Jesus Maria, from which to-morrow a different direction will be taken." Accordingly the 31st they "marched west30 until they came to the foot of a mountain range about fifteen leagues from the Sierra Nevada, which runs from north to south, ter- ininating in the region of Bodega." Exactly at what point the travellers left the river and entered the mountain range, now bounding Trinity County on the east, I do not attempt to determine, though it was evidently not below Red Bluff. The distance made up the valley, allowing an average rate of three miles an hour for sixty-eight hours, the length of the return march of ninety-six hours through the mountains, at a rate of two miles an hour, and the possible identity of Capa, reached in forty-four hours from Carquines, with the Capay of modern maps opposite Chico, would

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History of California, Volume II, Part 45

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