USA > California > San Diego County > San Diego county, California; a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 6
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A month or two subsequently, Jose de Galvez, the visitador-general, in accord- ance with the plans previously agreed upon, embarked at San Blas with a large force intended for the proposed settlement of Alta California. On July 6 he pitched his camp at a place called Santa Ana near La Paz. From that place he wrote to Junipero at Loreto, who immediately answered, and Galvez rejoined, inviting Junipero to his camp. Though a hundred leagues distant, Junipero forthwith made the journey. The two then and there discussed the plans of the king and the means at their disposal for carrying them out. The result of their conference was an agreement that two different expeditions should be dispatched for San Diego, which was to be the initial point of the proposed new settlements. One of these expeditions was to proceed by sea and the other by land, and whichever first arrived at San Diego was to wait there twenty days for the other and in the event it did not arrive within that time, to proceed to Monterey. The expedition by sea was to employ three ships, two of which were to sail at one time and the third at a subsequent time. The land expedition was likewise to be divided into two parts, one to march at one time and the other at another time. The ships were to carry a portion of the troops, the camp equipage, church orna- ments, agricultural implements, provisions and in fact everything that could be
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conveniently conveyed in that way. The land parties were to be made up of the remainder of the troops and people and they were to take with them from Loreto the herds and flocks from which the new country was to be stocked. It was also arranged that four missionaries were to accompany the vessels, a fifth was to march with the first land party, and with the second land party Father Junipero himself was to follow and also Gaspar de Portola, the governor.
These preliminaries being settled and one of the ships intended for the expe- dition being then at La Paz, Galvez ordered it to be immediately careened, over- hauled and repaired. Upon examination it was found that a coating of pitch would be necessary to put the bottom in good condition. But there was no pitch on hand and none to be procured. Under the circumstances Galvez conceived the idea of extracting a substitute for it from certain plants that were found in the neighborhood, and to the astonishment of everybody he succeeded in doing so. Nor did he disdain to labor with his own hands at the work. When this was done and the repairs finished, he directed the packing of the stores, and, as he had taken part in the repairs, so he also took part in the lading. Among other things he packed the sacred vessels and ornaments intended for the contemplated mission of San Buenaventura, which, on account of the special interest he felt in it, he was accustomed to call his own, and as he did his packing with more speed than Junipero exhibited in packing the vessels and ornaments intended for Monte- rey, Galvez facetiously boasted that he was a better sacristan than Junipero him- self. At length, on January 9, 1769, all the packing and lading being completed, the vessel was ready for sea. Galvez. called the adventurers together and made them a stirring oration. Junipero then came forward, administered the sacra- ment, blessed the ship and the banners it carried, and recommended all to the guidance and protection of St. Joseph, who had been named patron of the expe- dition. The adventurers therefore settled themselves for their voyage and set sail for San Diego.
CHAPTER VI
THE PIONEERS OF 1769
The name of the ship thus dispatched by Galvez for Alta California and the first that spread its canvas in the conveyance of permanent settlers was the San Carlos. It was a small vessel, called in Spanish a paquebot or barco, of not more than two hundred tons burden. Its commander was Vicente Vila. Besides him and its crew, it carried Fernando Parron, a Franciscan father, as missionary, Pedro Fages, a lieutenant of the army, and a company of five and twenty Cata- lonian soldiers ; also Miguel Costanso, an engineer, Pedro Prat, a surgeon of the royal navy, and a number of others, including two blacksmiths, a baker, a cook and two tortilla makers. There were sixty-two persons in all. Its cargo in addi- tion to camp equipage, church ornaments, agricultural implements and tools, consisted of a full supply of provisions and, last but not least, many kinds of seeds of the New as well as of the Old World, not forgetting flax, garden vege- tables and flowers.
As the San Carlos sailed out of the harbor of La Paz, Galvez embarked in another small vessel, which he had at hand, and bore it company to Cape San Lucas. There on January 11, 1769, after having the satisfaction of seeing the San Carlos double the Cape and head for the northwest with a fair wind astern, he disembarked and forthwith set to work preparing his second vessel intended for San Diego. This second vessel was the San Antonio, otherwise known as El Principe. In the passage from San Blas it had been prevented by contrary winds from reaching La Paz, and had run into Cape San Lucas, where Galvez directed it to remain until he could arrive and give the further proper orders. He now made a thorough examination and repair of the vessel, as he had done at La Paz with the San Carlos, and then, after substantially the same ceremonies, dispatched it on the same way. It sailed from the Cape on February 15, 1769, under the command of Juan Perez, a Majorcan, well known as an expert pilot in the Philippine trade. It carried, besides officers, crew and cargo, all the re- mainder of the people then with Galvez intended for Alta California, and among others two Franciscan fathers, Juan Viscaino and Francisco Gomez.
Two of the ships having thus been dispatched, Galvez next turned his atten- tion to the third, the San Jose, which had also arrived from San Blas and was lying at Cape San Lucas. As soon as it was overhauled and repaired, as the others had been, it was ordered to proceed to La Paz and thence to Loreto, where it was to load for San Diego. Galvez followed to the same places and superin- tended the shipment of the cargo and other preparations for sea. He had intended that a missionary should accompany this vessel also, but Jose Murguia, the father assigned, being ill at the time of its departure, none at all went. It sailed from
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Loreto on June 16, 1769, and according to one account, was never afterwards heard of. According to another account, it returned in several months badly crippled, was sent for repairs to San Blas, from which place it sailed to Cape San Lucas and left there for San Diego in May, 1770, and from that time was never afterwards heard of. Whichever account be correct, it is certain that it never reached its destination. It was lost, but when, in what manner or in what seas, no one can tell.
In the meantime the first land expedition for San Diego had also started and was on its way. It was under the command of Fernando Rivera y Moncada, who had been captain of the presidio at Loreto. He had been directed by Galvez, in the autumn of 1768, to select such soldiers and muleteers as he might deem neces- sary and, taking along his baggage and camp equipage, proceed to the north- western frontier. On his way he was to call at the various missions and collect all the horses and mules they could spare, also two hundred head of cattle and all the dried meat, grain, flour, maize and biscuit he could carry with him. In pursuance of these instructions he had chosen twenty-five soldiers, three mule- teers, a gang of Indian neophytes for pioneers and a number of servants, and, after gathering up all the domestic animals and provisions as directed, he marched to the frontier northwestward of the mission of San Francisco Borja and pitched his camp there at a place called Vellicata. From this place he reported to Galvez, who was then at La Paz, and asked further instructions. Galvez, instead of answering directly, referred the matter to Father Junipero, who hav- ing just pronounced his blessing upon the San Carlos, as has been seen, was about setting out on his return overland to Loreto. Junipero made the journey as rapidly as possible and upon his arrival at Loreto sent off word to Father Juan Crespi, then at Purisima Concepcion, to join Rivera y Moncada and proceed as soon as practicable to San Diego. Crespi, upon receiving the summons, left his mission and on March 22, 1769, joined the camp at Vellicata, and the second day afterwards, Rivera y Moncada, leaving a portion of his soldiers, muleteers, domestic animals and baggage to be brought on subsequently, gathered up the remainder and resumed his march.
The second land expedition which was under command of Governor Gaspar de Portola, marched from Loreto on March 9, 1769. It had been intended that Junipero should accompany it, but on account of the soreness of his leg, which had become very greatly aggravated by his recent journey to La Paz and back, he delayed starting for several weeks. It was not until March 28, after due devotions and affecting leavetakings, that he finally mounted his mule and in company with two soldiers and a servant, set out upon the march. His way led him first over the rugged trail from Loreto to San Xavier, where his old friend Francisco Palou, into whose hands he was to turn over the presidency of the Lower California missions, was stationed. Upon his arrival there the swelling of his leg was found to have become so severe that it was doubtful whether he could go on. Palou, seeing his condition, proposed that for the time being they should exchange places, that is to say, that Junipero should remain at ease in Lower California, while he, Palou, should accompany the soldiers and settlers into the northwestern wilderness. But Junipero could not for a moment think of remaining back from the grand conquest he contemplated. "Let us speak no more upon the subject," he said. "I have placed my faith in God and trust in
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His goodness to plant the standard of the holy cross not only at San Diego but even as far as Monterey." Upon this Palou desisted, but he confesses that he still feared that Junipero's ability to make the journey was not as strong as his faith. Three days afterwards, all business between the two having in the mean- while been arranged, Junipero, though in great pain yet, with the help of his soldiers and servant, remounted his mule and wishing Palou farewell until they should meet to labor together again in the vineyard of the Lord, proceeded on his journey. Passing from mission to mission on his way northwestward and resting a short while at each, he finally reached the frontier. There he joined Governor Portola, who with his troops and Father Miguel de la Campa Coz, who had joined the expedition at the mission of San Ignacio, was waiting his arrival, and the entire party then proceeded to the camp left by Rivera y Mon- cada at Vellicata, which they reached on May 13.
This place, Vellicata, was distant about sixty leagues northwest of San Fran- cisco Borja, hitherto the most northerly establishment in the peninsula, and, as it promised well for an intermediate stopping place between that point and San Diego, it was determined before proceeding further to found a mission there. A proper spot for a church having accordingly been selected and cleared by the soldiers, bells were hung and a great cross put together. The next morning, May 14, Junipero having clothed himself in his sacerdotal robes, consecrated water and with it blessed the site and its surroundings. The cross was then reared and having been adored by all, was permanently fixed. San Fernando, the sainted king of Castile and Leon, was named the patron of the new mission, which was thenceforth known as San Fernando de Vellicata, and Father Miguel de la Campa Coz was appointed missionary. In the celebration of the mass and the rendition of the "Veni Creator Spiritus," which closed the ceremonies, there being no wax on hand for tapers, candle ends were used. A continual fusillade by the soldiers supplied the place of organ tones and the smoke of gunpowder that of incense. The next day, one-fifth of the cattle were segregated, marked and turned over, a due proportion of the provisions were also set apart, and a company of soldiers, under command of a corporal, assigned to the new mission. All this having been accomplished, on the evening of the same day, Governor Portola, Junipero and all the soldiers not assigned to San Fernando, taking with them the muleteers, servants and remaining supplies, resumed their journey and marched three leagues.
During the three days he remained at Vellicata, Junipero did not think about his ulcerated leg. His mind was too much absorbed with his religious occupation to feel it. But when he came to resume his journey he found it worse than ever. It had become dreadfully inflamed and the pain increased to such a degree that he could neither stand, sit, nor sleep. Governor Portola under the circumstances proposed that he should return to San Fernando and remain there at ease until restored to health. But Junipero replied, in much the same terms he had before used to Palou, that he had put his faith in God, who had enabled him to come thus far and would enable him, he trusted, to reach San Diego, and that at any rate he would go on and, if it was the will of God that he should succumb and leave his bones among the Gentiles, he was content. Portola, seeing his fixed resolution and also considering that he could neither walk nor any longer sit upon his mule, ordered the construction of a litter upon which he might be
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carried, in a lying posture, by the Indians who accompanied the expedition. But Junipero, upon hearing of this order, being unwilling to become such a burden to the poor wretches who already had quite enough to bear, was greatly grieved and prayed to God that he might be spared causing them any further hardships. Then calling one of the muleteers, he asked him if he knew no remedy for his ulcerated leg. The muleteer answered, "Father, what remedy should I know?' I am no surgeon. I am only a muleteer and can only cure the sores on the backs of beasts." "Well, son," replied Junipero, "consider this ulcer, which has caused all this pain and deprived me of sleep, as such a sore and treat me the same as one of your beasts." The muleteer smiled at such a request, as did likewise all the bystanders. But he answered, "Father, to please you, I will do so"; and taking a little tallow, mashing it between stones, mixing with it certain herbs which he found near by and. heating the whole together, he applied the com- pound to the ulcerated leg and bound it on. Its soothing effect was such that Juni- pero slept soundly through the ensuing night and the next morning rose and went about his affairs as if he had never been affected. The relief was almost im- mediate, and everybody looked upon the cure with wonder and astonishment.
Junipero being thus unexpectedly enabled to pursue his journey, the expedi- tion without much loss of time got under way again. It followed the track of Rivera y Moncada. This was for a short distance a trail that had in 1766 been traveled by Wenceslao Linc, one of the Jesuit fathers, on an exploring trip to the Colorado river, and it then struck off more to the northwestward, keeping to the west of the main chain of the Sierra. The journey was slow; there was consid- erable suffering; a few of the Indians died; some had to be carried on litters ; others deserted. But still the expedition kept on. At length, on July 1, 1769, forty-six days after leaving San Fernando de Vellicata, the wayfarers came in sight of San Diego. As they looked down upon the bay they saw the San Carlos and San Antonio riding at their anchors and on the shore the tents and camp of Rivera y Moncada. The sight filled their hearts with joy and their breasts swelled with enthusiasm which could not be repressed. As they hastened onward they fired volley after volley, the salvos were caught up and returned by the troops of Rivera y Moncada, and then the ships at their anchors, as if suddenly awakened into life, joined in the glad acclaim. The unaccustomed echoes thus set flying had scarcely died away, when the new-comers rushed into the arms of those who had arrived before them, and all congratulated themselves that the expeditions were thus happily joined and at their wished-for destination.
It appeared, upon comparing notes, that the San Antonio, though it had sailed a month and a half after the San Carlos, was the first to reach San Diego and had arrived there April II. It had then waited for the San Carlos twenty days and was preparing, in accordance with the instructions of Galvez, to sail for Monte- rey, when the San Carlos came into port. The latter vessel had arrived in a very shorthanded condition. On account of leakage of its casks, it had been compelled to stop at Cerros Island to replenish and had filled with water of such bad quality as to cause severe sickness. This, combining with scurvy, had produced a malig- nant disorder which became contagious and in many cases fatal. All the crew, with the exception of one sailor and a cook, had died, and many of the soldiers were very low. The disease, as well as the stoppage, had occasioned delay, and the voyage had been still further prolonged by sailing a degree and a half of lati-
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tude too far north, which had to be retraced. The two vessels thus come together had then waited two weeks, that is, until May 14, when the land expedition led by Rivera y Moncada arrived, so that when Governor Portola came up, none remained behind. All being now united, a council of commanders was called to determine what was next to be done, and the first thing settled upon was to forth- with send the San Antonio back to San Blas for supplies and sailors to take the places of those who had died. This vessel accordingly on July 9, as soon as everything could be prepared, again put to sea, and twenty days afterwards it reached San Blas. Unfortunately it carried the seeds of contagion with it, and very few of its people remained alive, nine having died on the passage.
Meanwhile, on the third day after his arrival, Junipero sat down and wrote to his friend Palou in Lower California. He dated his letter from what he called "the truly magnificent and with-reason-famous port of San Diego." After giv- ing an account of the coming together of the various expeditions and what they had done, he spoke of the Indians he had seen on the way, their great numbers, how they generally lived upon seeds, how those along the coast fished upon rafts of rushes or tules made in the form of canoes, with which they ventured far out to sea, how all were pleasant and courteous, how, while the men and boys were naked, the women and girls were decently covered, and how, in their traffic with the Spaniards, what they most desired and most willingly bartered for was not food to eat but clothing to wear. He also spoke of the landscape about San Diego, its valleys studded with trees, its wild vines covered with grapes, and its native roses as sweet and fair as those of Castile. The entire new country he pronounced different in every respect from that of the peninsula and very beautiful.
CHAPTER VII
SETTLEMENT OF SAN DIEGO
The first day of July, 1769, the day on which the original pioneers by land and sea came together at San Diego and the day which they themselves cele- brated with salvos and salutes, is, as appropriately perhaps as any other, to be considered the natal day of Alta California. It is true the first settlers arrived on April II, and those who first sailed on May I, but the expedition taken as a whole can hardly be said to have arrived until July 1, nor was it till then that Portola, the governor and general-in-chief, and Junipero Serra, the master spirit of the conquest, came up. There were then present at San Diego in all about one hundred and thirty of the adventurers, though a number of thein were lying under the hands of Pedro Prat, the surgeon, grievously ill. Of those remaining in health some fifteen or twenty sailed in the San Antonio, a guard of five or six was detailed to watch the San Carlos, another to take care of the sick, and upon the others devolved the duty of commencing the missions and making a begin- ning of the settlements of San Diego and Monterey in accordance with the mandates of King Charles III and the instructions of Jose de Galvez, the visita- dor-general.
It had been intended that those of the adventurers who were to proceed to Monterey should do so by sea, but as the San Carlos was laid up for want of sailors, and there was no other ship at hand, nothing remained for them, if the project were not to be abandoned, but to wait or to march overland. The latter being determined on, arrangements were immediately made for setting out, and on July 14, the expedition, consisting of Governor Portola, Fathers Crespi and Gomez, Captain Rivera y Moncada, Lieutenant Fages, Engineer Costanso, Ser- geant Jose Francisco de Ortega and a number of soldiers, muleteers and Indian servants, in all sixty-four persons, with their transport animals, baggage and provisions, got under way and marching northwestward along the ocean was soon out of sight. No sooner was it gone than Junipero turned his attention to the principal object of his presence at San Diego, which was the foundation of a mission, and he chose the second day thereafter, July 16, as the day on which the ceremonies should take place. It was the day of the triumph of the holy cross as celebrated by the Spanish church, being the anniversary of a great vic- tory won in 1212 by the Christians over the Moors, and for this reason it was supposed to be peculiarly appropriate for the occasion of planting the standard of the faith among a barbarous and infidel people.
On the day thus chosen Father Junipero, assisted by Fathers Viscaino and Parron, fixed upon the spot which he deemed most suitable not only for the mis-
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sion but also for the town which it was supposed would in time surround the mission. The place thus selected was on the north side of the bay, in front of what appeared the best anchorage. There, after blessing the site and erecting a great cross, the mass was celebrated and the "Veni Creator Spiritus" chanted, with an accompaniment of firearms, much in the same manner as Vellicata. The fathers then, with the aid of such soldiers and others as were present and could be spared from other duties, proceeded to erect a few huts, and, having dedi- cated one of them as a chapel, they next attempted to attract the attention and gain the good will of the natives who had stood around and looked upon every- thing they saw with wonder. These, though they seemed willing to receive almost any gifts that were offered, were yet apparently very suspicious of the Spaniards and would on no account eat or taste anything. Even the children, if sugar were placed in their mouths, would spit it out. They seem to have believed that the sickness in camp was caused by what the Spaniards ate, and on this account nothing could induce them to partake of any food that was offered them. And this in the end proved very fortunate for the adventurers, as their pro- visions were limited and before long began to run low.
But there was one thing that the Indians coveted with all the strength of their savage natures. This was cloth or in fact any kind of manufactured fabric. When they had obtained all of it that the Spaniards felt like sparing, they began to steal whenever they could find an opportunity. On one occasion they went out at night in their tule-canoes to the San Carlos and cut a piece out of one of its sails, and on another occasion stole one of its cables. On account of these depredations, several of the soldiers were withdrawn from the camp, or what was then the mission, for the purpose of strengthening the guard on the vessel. The effect of this was to reduce the soldiers who were able to do duty at the camp, to six, and the Indians, observing the change, began to become very troub- lesome. They made several open attempts to rob and plunder, and being each time driven off, they at last conceived the idea of making a general attack and, if necessary for their purposes, of killing off all the Spaniards. Accordingly on August 15, taking advantage of the absence of Father Parron and two of the soldiers who had gone off to the ship in the harbor, they broke into the mission in great numbers, being armed with bows, arrows, wooden scimitars and war clubs, and commenced plundering on all sides and even robbing the bedclothes from the couches of the sick. The corporal of the guard immediately called to arms. As the soldiers hastily put on their defensive armor and seized their fire- arms, the Indians separated and commenced shooting their arrows. On the side of the assailants the numbers were great. On that of the assailed there were present and available to make defense only four soldiers, a carpenter and a black- smith. They were, however, all men of vigor and courage and the blacksmith especially so. Palou attributes the unexpected valor which he displayed to the fact that he had but a short time previously received the sacrament, as if that extraordinary ailment had inspired him with fighting qualities. Be this as it may, the blacksmith, though he wore no leather jacket or other defensive armor as the soldiers did, seized a musket, ran out boldly into the open space between the huts and kept up a vigorous firing, at the same time crying out with a loud voice, "Long live the faith of Jesus Christ; and death to the dogs, its enemies!"
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