n to proceed, however, found the San
Buenaventura Mission, and there await his arrival. Serra accordingly
went forward, and on the twenty-ninth arrived at "Assumpta." Here, the
next day, on the feast of Easter, they pitched their tents, "erected a
large cross, and prepared an altar under a shade of evergreens," where
the venerable Serra, now soon to close his life-work, blessed the cross
and the place, solemnized mass, preached a sermon to the soldiers on the
Resurrection of Christ, and formally dedicated the Mission to God, and
placed it under the patronage of St. Joseph.

In the earlier part of the last century the Mission began to grow
rapidly. Padres Francisco Dumetz and Vicente de Santa Maria, who had
been placed in charge of the Mission from the first, were gladdened by
many accessions, and the Mission flocks and herds also increased
rapidly. Indeed, we are told that "in 1802 San Buenaventura possessed
finer herds of cattle and richer fields of grain than any of her
contemporaries, and her gardens and orchards were visions of wealth
and beauty."

On his second visit to the California coast, Vancouver, when anchored
off Santa Barbara, traded with Padre Santa Maria of San Buenaventura for
a flock of sheep and as many vegetables as twenty mules could carry.

It is to Vancouver, on this voyage, that we owe the names of a number of
points on the California coast, as, for instance, Points Sal, Argueello
Felipe, Vicente, Dumetz, Fermin, and Lasuen.

In 1795 there was a fight between the neophyte and gentile Indians, the
former killing two chiefs and taking captive several of the latter. The
leaders on both sides were punished, the neophyte Domingo even being
sentenced to work in chains.

In 1806 the venerable Santa Maria, one of the Mission founders, died.
His remains were ultimately placed in the new church.

In 1800 the largest population in its history was reached, with 1297
souls. Cattle and horses prospered, and the crops were reported as among
the best in California.

The earthquake of 1812-1813 did considerable damage at San Buenaventura.
Afraid lest the sea would swallow them up, the people fled to San
Joaquin y Santa Ana for three months, where a temporary _jacal_ church
was erected. The tower and a part of the _fachada_ had to be torn down
and rebuilt, and this was done by 1818, with a new chapel dedicated to
San Miguel in addition.

That San Buenaventura was prosperous is shown by the fact that in Jun