offerings of acorns and pine-nuts. In a few days so many of them
crowded into camp that Padre Somero went to San Diego for an addition to
the guard, and returned with two extra men. It was not long before the
soldiers got into trouble, owing to their treatment of the Indian women,
and an Indian attack, as before related, took place. A few days later,
Fages appeared on the scene from San Diego with sixteen soldiers and two
missionaries, who were destined as guard and priests for the new Mission
of San Buenaventura. But the difficulty with the Indians led Fages to
postpone the founding of the new Mission. The offending soldier was
hurried off to Monterey to get him out of the way of further trouble.
The padres did their best to correct the evil impression the soldiers
had created, and, strange to say, the first child brought for baptism
was the son of the chief who had been killed in the dispute with
the soldiers.

But the San Gabriel soldiers were not to be controlled. They were
insolent to the aged priests, who were in ill-health; they abused the
Indians so far as to pursue them to their rancherias "for the fun of the
thing;" and there they had additional "sport" by lassoing the women and
killing such men as interfered with their lusts. No wonder Serra's heart
was heavy when he heard the news, and that he attributed the small
number of baptisms--only seventy-three in two years--to the wickedness
of the men who should have aided instead of hindering the work.

In his first report to Mexico, Serra tells of the Indian population
around San Gabriel. He says it is larger than at any other Mission,
though, unfortunately, of several different tribes who are at war with
one another; and the tribes nearest to the sea will not allow others to
fish, so that they are often in great want of food. Of the prospects for
agriculture he is most enthusiastic. The location is a well-watered
plain, with plenty of water and natural facilities for irrigation; and
though the first year's crop was drowned out, the second produced one
hundred and thirty fanegas of maize and seven fanegas of beans. The
buildings erected are of the same general character as those already
described at San Carlos, though somewhat smaller.

[Illustration: INTERIOR OF MISSION SAN ANTONIO DE PADUA.]

[Illustration: REAR OF CHURCH, MISSION SAN ANTONIO DE PADUA.]

[Illustration: RUINS OF THE ARCHES, MISSION SAN ANTONIO DE PADUA.]

[Illustration: MISSION SAN GABRIEL