The San Francisco call., 1896-07-05

oon as these were filled with pothooks
and hangers they were to be sent TO Borica
for inspection and afterward were econom-
ically used for cartridges.
SO life went on. New industries were
introduced. Wooden cloth was made and
coarse pottery. Hides were tanned and
leather made into shoes and saddles. OF
ters were trapped for their skins and trad
ing vessels, Yankee and otherwise, began
to creep in and, in spite OF obstacles inter-
posed by the Government and the padres,
to carry on brisk exchange of commodi-
ties. Tallow and hides were exported in
great quantities. Bright-colored caIicoes
and other finery were eagerly paid for with
valuable skins; the world could not be
kept out. The pines of Monterey were
also in demand for building purposes all
up and down the coast and in Mexico.
The friars came and went at San Carlos.
Chief among them after Sierra was Lasuen,
president of all the missions. At the
height of the mission period there were
thousand neophytes at San Carlos, and
the possessions of the mission IN grain,
cattle and land were almost incredible-so
good was the management and so fertile
the country.
of the country on the occasion of the adj
vent of little native son in his own fam
lily; "He is Californian. Oh, Califor-
miami 1t is the best country in the world
to live in long and WE'LL"
Among other good regulations of Borica's
was an approximately good temperance
law. A sergeant who kept brandy for sale
was only allowed to sell two drinks in the
~ AZ - ! 10
same person. There were 400 residents in
Monterey in Borica's day. His health at
last failed and he started for Mexico, but
died or the voyage in 1893.
The years were rather uneventful till
1918, when there was general uprising in
South America and piratical craft were
abundant on the Pacific, Much fear was
felt at Monterey lest some of these cruisers
should sweep down upon them and ravage
the little settlement. Much preparation was
made, but they knew they were literally
helpless before heavily armed privateers.
Vicente de Sola was Governor, and he was
in great alarm when news came that two
piratical vessels were fitting out in the
Sandwich Islands to attack the settlements.
Wild excitement prevailed. The COM
andante and Governor decided to send
women. children and movable goods to
the interior station of Salinas, and it was
we'll that this was done, for on the 20th of
November, 1878. two vessels commanded
by Bouchere, a Frenchman, long remem-
bered as 1.-The Pirate Boucher" sailed into
the bay and demanded the surrender of
the town. There is a Spanish report of a
clustering reply and gallant defense, but
it cannot be sustained. and the probability
is that Bouchere found spiked guns and a
deserted town. He proceeded to ransack
the buildings for booty and then set them
on fire. On the morning of the 9th the
marauders departed, leaving San Carlos
Mission undisturbed.
All the missions contributed to repair
ing the damage, and life soon went on as
usual at Monterey.
In 1922, when Mexico threw off the yoke
of Spain, the Californians were hardly dis
turbed. Mexico had really been their
ruler. Only the form of official oath was
changed.
In 1924, when Mexico became republic,
California became a territory with a
chief appointed by Mexico. And now
the Mexican Government, always poor
and in straits, began to look wistfully at
the great possessions of the California
missions. II they could only somehow be
transferred to the state. They must be
"secularized," and they were.
1t was the beginning of the end. A few
years confiscated all the mission property.
Colonists were sent by the shipload to set
tie upon the mission lands.
The ship Natalia was bought to be used
as transport. 1t was the ship, said ira
dition, which carried the great Napoleon
back to France from Elba, and one day it
anchored in Monterey Bay with load OF
unwelcome emigrants. A fierce gale drove
it upon the beach, where it soon went to
pieces. Only three lives were lost. but the
mission padres did not fail TO see in its
wreck direct visitation of God. It's dis
mantled hulk, with the bare black masts
reaching up through the waves, have
pointed many moral and adorned many
tale of Monterey.
The padres would not tolerate the as
sumptions of these poor colonists, and
proceeded to destroy the mission stock to
prevent its falling into their hands. Good
beef and mutton were never so cheap be-