San Gabriel was the fourth mission founded on the southern coast by the Franciscans. It was established in 1771, near San Pedro Bay, where had been recorded a miracle upon the unfurling of a banner bearing a painting of the Virgin. Somewhat later the mission was removed to the foothills, and being on the road from Monterey to San Diego, attained considerable wealth and importance. In 1832 the Spanish government secured from this mission a forced loan of $120,000 in gold. The existing church of the mission is much visited, being but nine miles east of Los Angeles.
San Pedro was the port both of Los Angeles and the San Gabriel mission. The bay was named by Viscaino (1602), and next to the four presidial ports it was the most important on the coast, and the spot where much smuggling took place. In 1846, during the American conquest of the province, a battle was fought not far from San Pedro, between Californians and Americans; the latter under Captain William Mervine, were defeated.—Ed.
[108] Los Angeles was the second pueblo (municipality) founded by the Spaniards in Upper California. A colony of forty-six persons came overland from Mexico in 1781, and established itself at this point (September 4). By Pattie's time the town had about eighty houses and seven hundred inhabitants. The ancient Spanish church, facing the plaza in this city, dates from 1822, eleven years being occupied in its building.—Ed.
[109] The Franciscans proposed to establish a chain of missions some distance inland from the coast. As part of this plan, was founded (1797) the mission of San Fernando, twenty miles north of Los Angeles, named in honor of King Ferdinand III of Spain (1217-1251). During the years 1820-30, it was in a flourishing condition, the warehouse containing merchandise to the value of $50,000. The mission was sold (1846) to Eulogio Celis to help defray the expenses of the war with the United States, but the title was not sustained by the American courts. San Fernando has suffered little from the hands of the restorer, the buildings belonging still to a ranch, and affording a good picture of the general aspect of a Franciscan mission.—Ed.
[110] Soon after the founding of San Diego, Serra had wished to erect a mission in honor of San Buenaventura. But various reasons hindered his purpose, which was not accomplished until 1782; it was the last mission erected during his lifetime. The church, the only building now standing, was begun in 1797; it was much damaged by the earthquake of 1812, but later being repaired, now stands in the midst of the busy American city of Ventura. The two friars who fled from this mission in January, 1828, were Ripoll and Altmira, who went on board the "Harbinger" at Santa Barbara, and never returned. It is believed they ultimately reached Spain.—Ed.
[111] The presidio of Santa Barbara, one of the four forts by which the Spaniards held California, was founded in 1782. The mission itself was not begun until four years later. It became one of the most important of all the missions, and by 1800 was wealthy. The church was so much damaged by the earthquake of 1812 that a new structure was erected, which to-day is in a perfect state of preservation, and one thoroughly typical of mission architecture. After secularization (1834), the mission was neglected for twenty years; but the Franciscans again took possession of the property, and established a religious community therein, which is still maintained for the education of novitiates.—Ed.
[112] By "St. Enos," Pattie refers to the mission of Santa Inez, the nineteenth to be established (1804), it being at first an offshoot of Santa Barbara. Its first church was destroyed in the earthquake of 1812; the present building is plain and uninteresting. At Santa Inez was started the great Indian revolt of 1824. At the time of secularization it was one of the smaller missions, valued at only $56,000. Because of its inaccessibility within the Santa Inez mountains, forty miles from Santa Barbara, it is now little visited.—Ed.
[113] Pattie here makes a mistake in his itinerary. Either he is referring to La Purissima mission, established in 1787 (re-established 1812), on Santa Inez River, eighteen miles from the mission of that name, or he has misplaced his visit to Santa Cruz mission (founded 1791), north of Monterey.—Ed.
[114] San Luis Obispo was one of the early missions, being founded by Serra in 1772, about midway between Monterey and Santa Barbara. Its buildings were several times destroyed by fire, and its prosperity was of slower growth than that of the more southern missions. The present buildings, in the flourishing modern town of its name, retain but little of the early mission architecture, having been completely changed by frequent restorations.—Ed.
[115] San Miguel mission (in honor of Michael the archangel) was founded in 1797, in the valley of Salinas River. The present church was begun in 1800, and is chiefly interesting for its interior decoration, designed and executed by Indians. Pattie has here exaggerated the number of neophytes (or else this is a misprint), the largest enrollment in 1814 being 1,076.—Ed.