News of the establishment of the missions and military posts at San
Diego and Monterey was in due course carried to the City of Mexico,
where it so delighted the Marques de Croix, Viceroy of New Spain, and
Jose de Galvez, that they not only set the church bells ringing, but
forthwith began to make arrangements for the founding of more missions
in the upper province. Additional priests were provided by the College
of San Fernando; funds liberally subscribed; and the San Antonio made
ready to sail from San Blas with the friars and supplies. On the 21st
of May, 1771, the good ship dropped anchor at Monterey, where, in
the meantime, Junipero, though busy enough among the natives of the
neighborhood, was suffering grievous disappointment because, from lack
of priests and soldiers, he was unable to proceed at once with the
proposed establishment of San Buenaventura. The safe arrival of ten
assistants now brought him assurance of a rapid extension of work in
"the vineyard of the Lord." He was not the man to let time slip by him
unimproved. Plans were immediately laid for carrying the cross still
further into the wilderness, and six new missions--those of San
Buenaventura, San Gabriel, San Louis Obispo, San Antonio, Santa Clara
and San Francisco--were presently agreed upon. It was discovered later
on, however, that these plans outran the resources at the president's
disposal, and much to his regret, the design for settlements at Santa
Clara and San Francisco had to be temporarily given up.
There was, none the less, plenty to engage the energies of even so
tireless a worker as Junipero, for three of the new missions were
successfully established between July, 1771, and the autumn of the
following year. The first of these was the Mission of San Antonio
de Padua, in a beautiful spot among the Santa Lucia mountains, some
twenty-five leagues southeast of Monterey; the second, that of San
Gabriel Arcangel, near what is now known as the San Gabriel river;
and the third, the Mission of San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, for which a
location was chosen near the coast, about twenty-five leagues southeast
of San Antonio. In his account of the founding of the first named of
these, Palou throws in a characteristic touch. After the bells had been
hung on trees and loudly tolled, he says, the excited padre-presidente
began to shout like one transported:--"Ho, gentiles! Come to the Holy
Church; Come! Come! and receive the faith of Jesus Christ!" His comrade,
Father Pieras, standing by astonished, interrupted his fervent eloquence
with the eminently practical remark that as there were no gentiles
within hearing, it was idle to ring the bells. But the enthusiast's
ardour was not to be damped by such considerations, and he continued to
ring and shout. I, for one, am grateful for such a detail as this.
An even more significant story, 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.