exploration to the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys. They were gone
fifteen days, found the Indians very timid, and thought the shores of
the Sacramento offered a favorable site for a new Mission.

In 1817 Sergeant Soto, with one hundred San Jose neophytes, met twelve
soldiers from San Francisco, and proceeded, by boat, to pursue some
fugitives. They went up a river, possibly the San Joaquin, to a marshy
island where, according to Soto's report, a thousand hostiles were
assembled, who immediately fell upon their pursuers and fought them for
three hours. So desperately did they fight, relying upon their superior
numbers, that Soto was doubtful as to the result; but eventually they
broke and fled, swimming to places of safety, leaving many dead and
wounded but no captives. Only one neophyte warrior was killed.

In 1820 San Jose reported a population of 1754, with 6859 large stock,
859 horses, etc., and 12,000 sheep.

For twenty-seven years Padre Duran, who from 1825 to 1827 was also the
padre presidente, served Mission San Jose. In 1824 it reached its
maximum of population in 1806 souls. In everything it was prosperous,
standing fourth on the list both as to crops and herds.

Owing to its situation, being the first Mission reached by trappers,
etc., from the east, and also being the nearest to the valleys of the
Sacramento and San Joaquin, which afforded good retreats for fugitives,
San Jose had an exciting history. In 1826 there was an expedition
against the Cosumnes, in which forty Indians were killed, a rancheria
destroyed, and forty captives taken. In 1829 the famous campaign against
Estanislas, who has given his name to both a river and county, took
place. This Indian was a neophyte of San Jose, and being of more than
usual ability and smartness, was made alcalde. In 1827 or early in 1828
he ran away, and with a companion, Cipriano, and a large following, soon
made himself the terror of the rancheros of the neighborhood. One
expedition sent against him resulted disastrously, owing to insufficient
equipment, so a determined effort under M.G. Vallejo, who was now the
commander-in-chief of the whole California army, was made. May 29 he and
his forces crossed the San Joaquin River on rafts, and arrived the next
day at the scene of the former battle. With taunts, yells of defiance,
and a shower of arrows, Estanislas met the coming army, he and his
forces hidden in the fancied security of an impenetrable forest.
Vall