USA > California > San Francisco County > San Francisco > San Francisco, a history of the Pacific coast metropolis, Volume I > Part 8
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Establish- ment of Doiores
In addition to this small settlement there was the establishment at Dolores and the garrison at the presidio. Although the site selected by the padres for their operations does not suggest extensive tilling of the soil, a century ago it presented an entirely different aspect and as the records attest it was capable of producing on a liberal scale. At no time after its foundation was the importance of the mission inferior to that of the military or the commercial part of the com- munity, and throughout the somewhat tense periods when the spiritual and tem- poral powers were in conflict the padres retained their hold upon the respect and affections of the little society.
Dedication of Mission St. Francis
It is not in the doings of so small a community as Yerba Buena was in the years immediately following the establishment of the mission that we can find the materials for a picture of the social life of the people who first displaced the native Indians of California. There were other and large establishments which outranked that of St. Francis in wealth, but the latter from the day that it was dedicated with firing of muskets, which greatly scared the poor Indians who were drawn to the scene by the ceremony, and by a display of such banners, vestments and other articles of ceremonial display as the padres could provide, always occu- pied a position of importance in the minds of the authorities, and perhaps that of the people generally because it was the northern outpost of the mission estab- lishments and in a way the only barrier that had been set up to guard against Russian encroachment.
Monterey the Social Center
Monterey down to the time of the American occupation was the social center of Northern California, as it was also of the political activities of the region. But while the foundation on Monterey bay outshone that of St. Francis the latter appears to have had attractions at an early date for foreigners, especially the Russians, who exhibited a decided inclination for the locality and in one way and another proved a source of uneasiness to Spain and the people planted by that country in Northern California.
Mention has already been made of a Russian named Rezanoff who in 1806 visited the harbor of San Francisco in quest of supplies for the hunter's station established by Russia in Alaska, the occupants of which were in a condition border- ing on starvation. The adventure of Rezanoff is interesting as it discloses the desires of Russia, but more particularly because it affords us a glimpse of the mode of life in the little community made up of the garrison of the presidio and their families, and the fathers and the servants and workers of the mission.
Rezanoff's Designs
Rezanoff was chamberlain of the czar in 1803 and conceived the design of securing trade concessions for Russia from the Japanese, but proving unsuccessful in his effort he crossed over to the Aleutian islands bearing with him credentials as inspector of the Northwestern establishments of the Russian crown. He found
Yerba Buena in 1841
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the condition of the station at Unalaska deplorable when he reached there in 1805, the employes of the Russian-American Company being in a state bordering on starvation.
Rezanoff at once resolved to relieve their distress by obtaining supplies from California. His expedition for that purpose was attended with many hazards. It started at a season of the year when terrific gales were likely to be encountered, and he realized that in the event of weathering the storms which menaced his voyage that he might meet a hostile reception at the hands of the Californians. But he stated in a communication to the home office that it was merely a question of taking the risks or of remaining in Alaska and starving.
In this same correspondence traces of other objects than the obtaining of relief are found. In it he discussed the unenterprising character of the Spaniards who made scarcely any use of their fertile lands, and he also animadverted upon the Bostonians who were trading to a limited extent with the Californians, and pro- posed supplanting them if possible, remarking that there was no reason why fac- tories in Siberia should not supply to the Spaniards cloth, ironware, linen and such things in exchange for breadstuffs and other produce.
If Rezanoff had any expectation of the strict regulations made by the Spaniards for the port of San Francisco being enforced he must have been surprised when he sailed into the harbor on the 5th of April. There was a reasonable prospect of his being fired upon by the battery of San Joaquin as he ran by without asking permis- sion to enter, but he met with no such reception probably because advices had been received from Madrid, not long before that date, to the effect that a better under- standing between Spain and Russia had been reached, and that a Russian vessel would shortly visit the coast.
Instead of the expected rebuff which Rezanoff was prepared to encounter, trusting to his ability to smooth things over after effecting an entrance, a con- fidence which was by no means misplaced, he was received with pleasure, and he and those on board his ship the "Juno," were overwhelmed with civilities by the son of the commandante of the port Luis Arguello, whose father Jose happened to be absent at the time at Monterey, where he was visiting the governor.
Rezanoff took advantage of the situation created by the misapprehension. He at once wrote to the governor, Arrillaga, proposing to visit him at Monterey, but that official, who was not altogether satisfied as to the regularity of the proceeding, answered that he would do himself the honor of receiving his guest at San Fran- cisco which he did, and there met the Russian. On the day following the official meeting Rezanoff and the governor were invited to dine with the commandante and there the Russian encountered his fate in the shape of the daughter of Jose Arguello whose accomplishments, lovely disposition and beauty were celebrated throughout the Californias.
Concepcion was only 14 years old and was romantic and highly impressionable and longed for adventure. Rezanoff promptly surrendered to her charms and the youthful senorita reciprocated his advances. It does not appear that this first San Franciscan romance suffered interruption in its earliest stages, but later on when it had fully developed, and the Russian formally offered his hand, the padres and the whole community protested against the match, regarding the difference of religion of the lovers as an insuperable obstacle to their union.
Russians Seek Supplies
Regulations Disregarded
Rezanoff Welcomed
An Early San Francisco Romance
Rezanoff Falls in Love
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Objections to Rezanoff
Rezanoff and his sweetheart looked upon the matter differently, probably feeling that verbal distinctions made by disputing religionists should not be permitted to interfere with their happiness, and vowed eternal constancy to each other. The Russian, however, did not allow the love affair to interfere with the accomplish- ment of his main purpose. If it were not for information derived from the archives of Russia years after the affair had become merely a memory it might even be sup- posed that he made use of Cupid to forward his objects.
Supplies Secured by Rezanoff
At any rate he continued his negotiations for supplies and eventually succeeded in breaking down the scruples of the governor whose instructions on the subject were rather precise, and did not contemplate trading with Russians under circum- stances suggestive of lending aid and comfort to a power whose intentions were suspected by the Spanish. But the padres were quite willing to trade and the commandante offered no opposition and the hold of the "Juno" was well filled with flour, maize, beans and peas when the Russian sailed away for Alaska. As she passed down the harbor the battery on San Joaquin thundered out a parting salute; the people on shore waved good-bys and many of them hoped for a speedy return of the engaging Russian and his agreeable entourage.
Rezanoff's efforts were by no means confined to securing a cargo of needed supplies for the Alaskan station. He discussed with the padres his scheme of trade relations between Siberia and California, and convinced them of its desir- ability. He even tried to persuade Arrillaga to make representations to the court of Spain which would pave the way to the consummation of a commercial treaty, but the governor was indisposed to meddle with the project.
When Rezanoff sailed away from San Francisco he was filled with the idea of closer trade relations and his correspondence recently unearthed by Richman shows that he meant to push it with vigor, and it also discloses that the pledge he made to Dona Concepcion was sincere, and that when he had succeeded in his purpose of effecting a treaty between Russia and Spain he meant to return to California by way of Mexico and marry her.
But fate willed otherwise and perhaps his inability to carry out his plan changed the destiny of California. Rezanoff reached Sitka in safety and relieved the suffering employes of the fur company and in September, 1806, he crossed over to Kamtchatka and from thence he started overland to St. Petersburg. He was ill when he began the long and arduous journey and had the misfortune of falling from his horse while in that condition. A fever took hold of him and be- came so bad that he died at Krasnoyarsk on the 1st of March, 1807, and was buried there and a monument was erected to his memory.
But those who accompanied him failed to take the trouble to apprise the little Californian heanty of his death and she remained in ignorance of the fact for many years, but always maintained an abiding faith in the constancy of her lover. It may help to a realization of the isolation of California to know that Concepcion did not learn of the circumstances attending the demise of Rezanoff until they were related to her in 1842 by Sir George Simpson at Santa Barbara. She had assumed the duties of the Third Order of Franciscans some years before, and in 1851 as Sister Maria Dominica she entered the Dominican Convent of St. Catarina at Monterey, and in 1854 she followed the institution to Benicia where she died December 23, 1857, at the age of 63.
Death of Rezanoff in Siberia
Plans for Future Trade Reiations
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The romance was not completely rounded out until three or four years ago when an indefatigable searcher found in certain records the correspondence of Rezanoff which indisputably settled the honesty of his professions of devotion, respecting which there was for a time some doubt in California although it was never shared by the faithful Concepcion.
The story deserves a place in the history of San Francisco because it reveals facts which explain the methods by which the Russians subsequently gained a foothold in California. The visit of Rezanoff paved the way for the planting of the establishment at Ross which continued down almost to the time of the American occupation, and it has its value also because it throws some sidelights on the methods of the padres in dealing with their charges, and to some extent reveals the extent of their domination over those who lived outside of the immediate pre- cincts of the mission.
The case of Rezanoff makes it perfectly plain that whenever religion was con- cerned, and especially if the matter touched women, the priests had no difficulty in controlling the people. It is true that Concepcion's mother was antagonistic to the union of her daughter with the Russian, because she believed that it meant separation, but she realized that the ardent attachment of the two would not yield to her wishes so she invoked the assistance of the church which was promptly ren- dered, and would have prevailed unless Rezanoff had abjured the Greek church.
That he had any intention of doing so seems improbable. He undoubtedly designed returning to California but the tenor of his correspondence indicates that his mind was too thoroughly saturated with ambitious projects for the ad- vancement of the fortunes of Russia to permit him to easily renounce the estab- lished church of that country. He was a resourceful man, and the padres would have had trouble with him had he come back to claim his bride; but their threats of ex-communication had sufficient power to postpone the union of the two until death finally separated them.
There are not many recorded instances of recalcitrancy of a gravity sufficient to call for the use of this formidable weapon of the church, but those of which we have knowledge suggest that, except in the case of exceptional men, there was no disposition on the part of the native Californians to question the right of the padres to regulate their lives so far as spiritual affairs were concerned; and that they continued to keep the boundary line between the temporal and spiritual so indeterminate that it was always easy to make the latter overlap the former.
In the matter of education the padres were especially jealous and unremitting in their effort to preserve the people from the contamination of bad books. There was a great scarcity of literature of any sort in California when the padres were in control, and the supply was not augmented until the Americans began to make their appearance. The extent of the mission library in San Francisco was a geographical dictionary, the laws of the Indies and a copy of Chateaubriand. At San Juan the monks regaled themselves with "Gil Blas." San Luis Obispo boasted twenty volumes of Buffon's "Natural History," and at San Gabriel a "Life of Cicero" was treasured together with an edition of the lives of celebrated Spaniards, "Goldsmith's Greece," "Venega's California," "Exposures of the Private Life of Napoleon" and Rousseau's "Julie."
In 1834 Dr. Alva brought from Mexico several boxes of miscellaneous and scientific books, but they were promptly seized and burned by the missionaries,
Faithful to the Last
Prelude to Russian Foothold
The Padres and the People
Weapon of Excommuni- cation
Few Books in California
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and while Alvarado was governor they attempted to control his taste in the matter of reading, which had inquisitive features not agreeable to the fathers. His dis- position, however, was not of the yielding sort, and he disregarded threats which would easily have scared a less independent character. There may be some con- nection between the fact that Arguello read what he pleased and the reputation for efficiency which was freely accorded him by the people but not always by his superiors who sometimes found him troublesome.
Padre Inter- diets Dancing
It is almost unthinkable considering the later reputation of the Californians that there should have been a time in their history when the pastime of dancing was interdicted, or perhaps it would be more precise to say when an effort was made to taboo the waltz. That form of terpsichorean art had been introduced by foreign- ers during the administration of Governor Arguello and at once became very popular. Father Sarria regarded the innovation with much displeasure and procured from the bishop of Sonora an edict forbidding the waltz. It was posted on all the church doors and created great consternation, but the governor who had taken kindly to the new fangled dance when appealed to encouraged the ungodly to per- sist in their whirling practice by remarking that he was neither a bishop nor an archbishop, but if he felt an inclination to dance he would do so, whereupon Father Sarria prudently withdrew his objections.
Arbitrary Exercise of Authority
It may be unwise, however, to attach too much importance to these interferences, or to assume that they were dictated by religious intolerance or sacerdotal arro- gance. There are stories of the existence of a domineering spirit which make it reasonable to suppose that much of the effort to restrain may have been due to the propensity of the period to exert authority in an arbitrary and overbearing manner. Thus it is related of Sola, the first governor of California under Mexican rule, that having ordered Luis Antonio Arguello to Monterey to explain the building of a vessel without his order the latter entered his presence with a sword which he carried at his side, using it in lieu of a cane, having injured his leg on the ride from San Francisco to Monterey. As soon as Sola perceived the weapon he began upbraiding Arguello and was about to use his cane upon him when the latter straightened up and prepared to answer in kind. This brought Sola to his senses and he apologized to Arguello by saying that his cane was reserved for the pusillanimous.
Rule of Head of the Family
This well authenticated case of the attempted exercise of arbitrary power fits in with the knowledge we have of the almost despotic rule of the head of the family whose authority, especially among what might be called the better classes, was little less than that accorded to the father in Ancient Rome. When the Cali- fornian father entered the room where the family were assembled for meals or any other purpose all arose and respectfully greeted him, and the ceremony was repeated when he departed. The custom may present a refreshing contrast to the almost absence of respect paid by children to their parents in these days, but it undeniably points to a condition of dependence unfavorable to initiative; and the results it produced were somewhat like those witnessed in China where the dead hand stretched from the grave to clutch the skirts of progress holding her back for centuries.
Parents and Children
The deference of children to their parents was more than matched by that shown by the dependents of the household. It was exhibited in a manner which had many peculiarities distinguishing it from the elaborated exactions of the
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grandees of Spain, and observance of these misled many observers who failed to get back of the veil of familiarity which had its rigid requirements. The Southerner hailing from the slave states could understand the Californian, but the New Eng- lander and Americans from other parts of the Union where involuntary servitude was unknown, rarely perceived the striking resemblance to the mode of life so common south of Mason and Dixon's line before the war, and attributed the short- comings of the people to the interference of the priests, when in fact it was due to the survival of the feudal spirit, under whose thraldom the church was as se- curely held as the other members of the community.
CHAPTER VIII
LIFE OF NATIVE CALIFORNIANS ON THEIR RANCHES
HOSPITALITY OF THE NATIVE CALIFORNIANS-NATIVE CALIFORNIANS AND THEIR HORSES THE FEASTING AND MERRYMAKING OF THE PEOPLE-DANCING AND MUSIC AT FIESTAS-LOVE OF FINERY-SOCIAL DISTINCTIONS-INDOLENCE A BE- SETTING SIN-AN EASILY CONTENTED PEOPLE-A GREAT LACK OF CREATURE COM- FORTS-SOAP SPARINGLY USED-SIMPLE DIET OF THE NATIVE CALIFORNIAN-HE DID NOT EXERT HIMSELF TO PROVIDE FOR THE TABLE.
IR WALTER SCOTT and other writers of romances who C OF have dealt with the lives of the people who lived under the S fendal institution have given us pictures of a state of society the reverse of unpleasant. If we divest ourselves SEAL of the feeling that has had possession of the world since O SA the Renaissance, and ignore what amounts to a passion for material progress it is by no means difficult to find much to admire in the manners and entire mode of life of the people of the middle ages. California during the period 1776-1846, if considered in the same spirit, creates the frame of mind obtained by the impressionable reader of "Ivanhoe," and is very apt to produce a judgment which easily passes over the defects and only sees the virtues of the actors and the system.
Foremost among the amiable qualities of the Californians, those who occupied the land before the gringo came, was that of hospitality. It was dispensed in a fashion calculated to suggest that the phrases framed by the Spanish in which the courteous host turned over all of his possessions to the visitor or guest were not wholly insincere. The native who made a person at home by saying my house and all within it is yours, came near meaning what he said, and it might be added with- out greatly departing from the truth that the one to whom the tender was made usually accepted it very literally.
It was said in another connection that the lack of intercourse between the dif- ferent sections of California in the days before the American occupation was a barrier to progress. The facilities for communication were so utterly inadequate that the development of domestic trade was impossible. A people whose ingenu- ity and industry were unable to produce anything better than the caretta with its clumsy wheels made of discs of wood, and who were outclassed as boat builders and navigators by the Indians they found fishing in the Santa Barbara channel, could hardly be expected to promote that sort of intercourse prompted by desire for gain.
Vol. I-4
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Amiable Qualities of Native Californians
Hospitality Freely Exercised
Communica- tlon Difficult
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But while the facilities for moving articles were wretched, being confined on the land to the slow moving cart drawn by a yoke of oxen, and to practically no means of getting about on the water, the natives found no obstacles to free inter- course when hospitality, or the desire for the amusements which its exercise brought about, were in question. Then they rose equal to the occasion. The horse, which for some inexplicable reason never served conspicuously as a draught animal, was then brought into requisition and surprising results in the way of traveling were achieved.
Mention has been made of the great number of horses bred at the missions, and on the ranches. No especial care was taken to keep up the strains which might have been fine in the beginning, but had greatly deteriorated through neg- lect. Quantity and not quality characterized the stock; still the result was not entirely bad, for out of the great herds choice specimens could be picked, and as the number to be drawn upon was practically illimitable there were plenty of fairly good animals at the command of all classes.
As a result of this abundance everybody rode, and riding became the chief accomplishment of the ranchowner, his wife and daughters and his sons and de- pendents. It was the custom in the morning to catch a horse and to saddle and bridle it ready for the use of the person who had selected the animal, which, on occasion might stand for hours waiting to be used. The supply of horses was so great that they were practically valueless, and it never occurred to the owner to bother about the return of an animal borrowed from him provided the borrower sent back the saddle and bridle.
Thus it happened that distance formed no obstacle to the assemblage of a large number of guests at the various feasts and merry makings in which the people in- dulged themselves. If the means of the ranchers permitted weddings were always made great affairs, and it was not unusual, if the contracting couple belonged to a well known family, for the celebration of their union to draw friends hundreds of miles. The San Francisco beaus and belles made little of riding to Monterey or Santa Barbara; and if the actors were sufficiently distinguished or particularly well liked Los Angeles was not too distant to draw them.
Naturally feasts thus attended were not the ephemeral affairs moderns indulge in, which are usually limited to a few hours, The Californian when he went forth to enjoy himself meant to protract the enjoyment as long as possible; and as he found others were of his way of thinking, and had like desires, days were spent in merrymaking. There were ill natured critics who declared that the gatherings never dispersed until all things eatable and drinkable were consumed, but be that as it may the testimony is uniform that while supplies held out the guests were welcome.
The attendants at Californian merrymakings were not always formally invited. Relatives to the remotest degree considered themselves as on the expected list, and unfailingly availed themselves of the opportunity to feast at the expense of their more fortunate connections. A rich rancher usually had an astonishingly large number ready to assert their relationship on the slightest pretext, and they rarely shrunk from the obligation imposed by custom of sharing their good fortune with those who had claims upon them. The claims were sometimes more imaginary than real, but the spirit of the times and their peculiar environment
Horseman- ship of Californians
Everybody Rode Horse- Back
Long Dis- tances Traveled
Fiestas
No Invita- tlons Sent Ont
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made the owners of broad lands and cattle on many hills welcome the implied dependence.
The favorite recreation at festal gatherings was dancing. Before the advent of the waltz, and even after its general introduction into the province, individual exhibitions of the terpsichorean art were common. If the dancers borrowed their steps from Spain the loan must have been effected long before the styles made familiar during recent years by professionals were in vogue. It is possible that some of the Californian belles may have displayed the same vigor and poetry of motion of the highly accomplished modern Spanish danseuse, but most of them comported themselves with modesty and without any suggestion of abandonment.
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