The Shasta courier., 1866-12-08
SHASTA COURIER.
From Tuthill's History of California;
FIRST SETTLEMENT OF CALIFOR-
MA BY WHITE MEN.

Before the Franciscans had consented to
give up Lower California, Jose de Galvez
the new visitor general, aud afterw lrds min
lister general for all the Indies, had arrived
bearing an order from the King of Spain tc
rediscoyer by sea, and make settlement al
San Diego. Galvez, who seems to have beer
man OF marked ability and enterprise, al
once undertook the execution of the kings
design, and he found in Father JuniperC
Sierra faithful.and enthusiastic co-operator
Studying the spirit rather than the letter o.
his instructions, Galvez with all haste pre-
pared two expeditions. one to 90 by land, the
other by water and, to make success more
sure, he divided each of these in two, tt
start separately, but all to meet at Sar
Diego. His feet consisted of two vessels
the San Carlos, of not more than two hun
dred TONS and the San Antonio, both o
which were brought over from San Bias fol
the purpose.
The San Carlos was the flag ship. Sht
sailed from La Pax, January 9th, 1869
Father Junipero having first blessed tht
flags, and Galvez delivering a cheering ad
dress to the embarking adventurers, who
numbered in all sixty-two persons. Hel
commander was Don Vicente Villa Among
those on board were Friar Fernando Par
ron, father missionary Lieutenant Pedro
FACES and twenty five soldiers, a baker, two
blacksmiths, cook, and two tortilla- makers
Her manifest, which is still to be found in
the State archives of California includes
Indian corn and flour. crackers, home made
sugar, peas, beans, rice, hams, fish, choco
late but no coffee or teal. little brandy
and wine, plenty of dried meat. one thous
and dollars in small coin, candles for the
churches. fish-oil and lamp wicks for light
and supplies of other sorts sufficient to afford
very comfortable living. for both cabin and
forecastle, during long voyage or a tedious
delay on n desolate shore. Galvez accom-
panied the San Carlos in little vessel as
far as Cape St. Lucas, and saw her fairly to
sea, with the wind in the right quarter be
fore he turned back.
The next off was the San Antonio, which
started from Cape St. Lucas on the 18th OF
February, commended as her consort had
been, to the patronage of St. Joseph. Her
commander was Juan Perez who was born
on the Island of Majorca, and had ALREADY y
won fame as pilot in the Philippine trade.
Among her passengers were two priests
The San antonio had been thoroughly over.
hauled at St. Lucas, Galvez himself seeing
that not a barnacle was left on hor, and that
her kneel was as sound as on the day it was
laid. She carried ornaments for the church ;
all sorts of utensils for tent, house, or field
flower, vegetable and fruit seeds for the gar
den and orchard, and grain for the valleys.
Indt ed, all that was thought necessary for
the foundation of at least three missions was
dispatched in one or the other of these ves-
sells, or overland.
The land expedition was placed in COM
mand OF Gaspar de Portala, who at the
time was Governor of Lower California, and
a captain of dragons. The next officer in
rank was Don Fernando Rivera Mon.
cada, who was captain of a company of
foot soldiers. Rivera had made the tour of
the northern missions in the preceding fall.
and collected men, provisions, horses, mules,
and two hundred head of CATTLE with which
to stock the unknown country they were to
settle. On the 24th Of March be left the
frontier mission for the northern wilderness
In his company were Father Juan Crespi,
a pilot who undertook to keep an itinerary.
twenty five foot soldiers who wore leathern
bucklers, three muleteers, and an unnumber-
ed host of Christian Indians, from the pe-
ninsular missions.
Last of all started Governor Portala's
company. in May, Father Junipero. though
in wretched health for journey into the
desert, being punctually at the rendezvous.
These four detachments reached San
Diego but not precisely in the order Of their
starting. The first vessel in was the San
Antonio. The San Carlos arrived twenty
DAYS behind her, having lost, by scurvv, all
of her crew but one sailor and the cook, and
several of the soldiers Rivera's company
was in by the 18th of May. and Portala's.
after a pleasant .iaunt of forty six DAYS, at
a time of year when the landscape is most
charming and the weather most delicious.
came in sight on the first of July There
was great time in San Diego on that dav,
when all who were alive of the two hundred
and fifty that made up the total of the four
expeditions met again. The vessels fired
salutes. the soldiers discharged round after
round for JOY. The lst of July. 1869, is
marked in the almanacs as the birthday of
both Wellington and Napoleon, but it is
memorable in our history. as Randolph. in
his admirable Outline Of the History of Cal
ifornia, wei! remarks. for greater event
than either-it was the first day that white
men entered Upper California with the pur
pose to live and die there.
Just as soon as the mutual congratulations
were ended. the work of founding mission
commenced. For this the process was to Sc
ect suitable spot. and take formal posses
sion of it in the name of Spain. A tent was
erected. or an arbor, or booth. or rude log
house constructed for a temporary church,
and into it the sacred ornaments were car
ried. A cross was planted before its en-
trance a patron saint was named, clergy
man for the post designated. Then all the
premises were sprinkled with holy water
the candles were lighted. mass was said
and sung fthe soldiers with their firearms
doing duty for the organ, and the smoke OF
exploding gunpowder answering for incense
and a sermon was preached. The next task
was to draw in the Indians. Presents OF
cloth and food served to catch the adults. and
bits of domesticated sugar captivated the
children. The natives were to be convinced
that the strangers came as friends. to protect
them from their enemies and to do them good
As their confidence was gained. they were to
be alured away from their idle wandering
habits. persuaded to settle in villages neal
the mission, instructed in farming and tht