The Famous Missions of California | Page 9

though of a quite different sort, is recorded
of the dedication of San Gabriel. It was, of course, inevitable that here
and there in connection with such a record as this of Serra and his work,
there should spring up legends of miraculous doings and occurrences;
though on the whole, it is, perhaps, remarkable that the mythopoeic
tendency was not more powerful. The incident now referred to may be
taken as an illustration. While the missionary party were engaged in
exploring for a suitable site, a large force of natives, under two chiefs,
suddenly broke in upon them. Serious conflict seemed imminent; when
one of the fathers drew forth a piece of canvas bearing the picture of
the Virgin. Instantly the savages threw their weapons to the ground,
and, following their leaders, crowded with offerings about the

marvellous image. Thus the danger was averted. Further troubles
attended the settlement at San Gabriel; but in after years it became one
of the most successful of all the missions, and gained particular fame
from the industries maintained by its converts, and their skill in carving
wood, horn and leather.

VI.

Though, as we thus see, Father Junipero had ample reason to be
encouraged over the progress of his enterprise, he still had various
difficulties to contend with. The question of supplies often assumed
formidable proportions, and the labors of the missionaries were not
always as fruitful as had been hoped. Fortunately, however, the Indians
were, as a rule, friendly, notwithstanding the fact that the behaviour of
the Spanish soldiers, especially towards their women, occasionally
aroused their distrust and resentment. At one establishment only did
serious disturbances actually threaten for a time the continuance of the
mission and its work. Junipero had lately returned from Mexico, with
undiminished zeal and all sorts of fresh designs revolving in his brain,
when a courier reached him at San Carlos bringing news of a terrible
disaster at San Diego. Important affairs detained him for a time at
Monterey, but when at length he was able to get to the scene of the
trouble, it was to find that first reports had not been exaggerated. On
the night of the 4th of November, 1775, eight hundred Indians had
made a ferocious assault upon the mission, fired the buildings, and
brutally done to death Father Jayme, one of the two priests in charge.
"God be thanked," Junipero had exclaimed, when the letter containing
the dreadful news had been read to him, "now the soil is watered, and
the conquest of the Dieguinos will soon be complete!" In the faith that
the blood of the martyrs is veritably the seed of the church, he, on
reaching San Diego, with his customary energy, set about the task of
re-establishing the mission; and the buildings which presently arose
from the ruins were a great improvement upon those which had been
destroyed.

Before these alarming events at the mother-mission broke in upon his
regular work, the president had resolved upon yet another settlement
(not included in the still uncompleted plan), for which he had selected a
point on the coast some twenty-six leagues north of San Diego, and
which was to be dedicated to San Juan Capistrano. A beginning had
indeed been made there, not by Junipero in person, but by fathers
delegated by him for the purpose; but when news of the murder of
Father Jayme reached them, they had hastily buried bells, chasubles
and supplies, and hurried south. As soon as ever he felt it wise to leave
San Diego Junipero himself now repaired to the abandoned site; and
there, on the 1st of November, 1776, the bells were dug up and hung,
mass said, and the mission established. It is curious to remember that
while the padre-presidente was thus immersed in apostolic labors on
the far Pacific coast, on the other side of the North American continent
events of a very different character were shaking the whole civilized
world.
Though the establishment of San Juan Capistrano is naturally
mentioned in this place, partly because of the abortive start made there
a year before, and partly because its actual foundation constituted the
next noteworthy incident in Junipero's career, this mission is, in strict
chronological order, not the sixth, but the seventh on our list. For some
three weeks before its dedication, and without the knowledge of the
president himself, though in full accordance with his designs, the cross
had been planted at a point many leagues northward beyond San Carlos,
and destined presently to be the most important on the coast. It will be
remembered that when Portolà's party made their first futile search for
the harbour of Monterey, they had by accident found their way as far as
the Bay of San Francisco. The significance of their discovery was