The Old Franciscan Missions of California | Page 8

meantime, others sent out
by Galvez gathered in church furniture, ornaments, and vestments for
the Missions, and later Serra made a tour for the same purpose. San
José was named the patron saint of the expedition, and in December the
"San Carlos" arrived at La Paz partially laden with supplies.
The vessel was in bad condition, so it had to be unloaded, careened,
cleaned, and repaired, and then reloaded, and in this latter work both
Galvez and Serra helped, the former packing the supplies for the
Mission of San Buenaventura, in which he was particularly interested,
and Serra attending to those for San Carlos. They joked each other as
they worked, and when Galvez completed his task ahead of Serra he
had considerable fun at the Padre Presidente's expense. In addition to
the two Missions named, one other, dedicated to San Diego, was first to
be established. By the ninth of January, 1769, the "San Carlos" was
ready. Confessions were heard, masses said, the communion
administered, and Galvez made a rousing speech. Then Serra formally
blessed the undertaking, cordially embraced Fray Parron, to whom the
spiritual care of the vessel was intrusted, the sails were lowered, and off
started the first division of the party that meant so much to the future
California. In another vessel Galvez went along until the "San Carlos"
doubled the point and started northward, when, with gladness in his
heart and songs on his lips, he returned to still further prosecute his
work.
The fifteenth of February the "San Antonio," under the command of
Perez, was ready and started. Now the land expeditions must be moved.
Rivera had gathered his stock, etc., at Santa Maria, the most northern of

the Missions, but finding scant pasturage there, he had moved eight or
ten leagues farther north to a place called by the Indians Velicatá. Fray
Juan Crespí was sent to join Rivera, and Fray Lasuen met him at Santa
Maria in order to bestow the apostolic blessing ere the journey began,
and on March 24 Lasuen stood at Velicatá and saw the little band of
pilgrims start northward for the land of the gentiles, driving their herds
before them. What a procession it must have been! The animals, driven
by Indians under the direction of soldiers and priests, straggling along
or dashing wildly forward as such creatures are wont to do! Here, as
well as in the starting of the "San Carlos" and "San Antonio," is a great
scene for an artist, and some day canvases worthy the subjects should
be placed in the California State Capitol at Sacramento.
Governor Portolá was already on his way north, but Serra was delayed
by an ulcerated foot and leg, and, besides, he had not yet gathered
together all the Mission supplies he needed, so it was May 15 before
this division finally left Velicatá. The day before leaving, Serra
established the Mission of San Fernando at the place of their departure,
and left Padre Campa in charge.
Padre Serra's diary, kept in his own handwriting during this trip from
Loreto to San Diego, is now in the Edward E. Ayer Library in Chicago.
Some of his expressions are most striking. In one place, speaking of
Captain Rivera's going from Mission to Mission to take from them
"whatever he might choose of what was in them for the founding of the
new Missions," he says: "Thus he did; and altho it was with a
somewhat heavy hand, it was undergone for God and the king."
The work of Galvez for Alta California was by no means yet
accomplished. Another vessel, the "San José," built at his new shipyard,
appeared two days before the "San Antonio" set sail, and soon
afterwards Galvez went across the gulf in it to secure a load of fresh
supplies. The sixteenth of June the "San José" sailed for San Diego as a
relief boat to the "San Carlos" and "San Antonio," but evidently met
with misfortune, for three months later it returned to the Loreto harbor
with a broken mast and in general bad condition. It was unloaded and
repaired at San Blas, and in the following June again started out, laden

with supplies, but never reached its destination, disappearing forever
without leaving a trace behind.
[Illustration: SERRA MEMORIAL CROSS, MONTEREY, CALIF]
[Illustration: SERRA CROSS ON MT. RUBIDOUX, RIVERSIDE,
CALIF. Under which sunrise services are held at Easter and
Christmastide.]
[Illustration: SERRA STATUE. Erected by Mrs. Leland Stanford, at
Monterey]
[Illustration: STATUE TO JUNIPERO SERRA. The gift of James D.
Phelan, in Golden Gate Park San Francisco.]
The "San Antonio" first arrived at San Diego. About April 11, 1769, it
anchored in the bay, and awakened in the minds of the natives strange
feelings of astonishment and awe. Its presence recalled to them the
"stories of