course of Indians, the witnesses of the solemn ceremonial.

On the fourth of October Olivera reported the guard-house and storehouse
finished, two houses begun, and preparations already being made for
the church.

From the baptismal register it is seen that ten children were baptized
the first day, and thirteen adults were received early in October. By
the end of 1797 there were fifty-five neophytes.

Three years after its founding 310 Indians were gathered in, and its
year's crop was 1000 bushels of grain. The Missions of San Juan
Capistrano, San Gabriel, San Buenaventura, and Santa Barbara had
contributed live-stock, and now its herds had grown to 526 horses,
mules, and cattle, and 600 sheep.

In December, 1806, an adobe church, with a tile roof, was consecrated,
which on the 21st of December, 1812, was severely injured by the
earthquake that did damage to almost all the Missions of the chain.
Thirty new beams were needed to support the injured walls. A new chapel
was built, which was completed in 1818.

In 1834 Lieutenant Antonio del Valle was the comisionado appointed to
secularize the Mission, and the next year he became majordomo and served
until 1837.

It was on his journey north, in 1842, to take hold of the governorship,
that Micheltorena learned at San Fernando of Commodore Jones's raising
of the American flag at Monterey. By his decree, also, in 1843, San
Fernando was ordered returned to the control of the padres, which was
done, though the next year Duran reported that there were but few cattle
left, and two vineyards.

Micheltorena was destined again to appear at San Fernando, for when the
Californians under Pio Pico and Castro rose to drive out the Mexicans,
the governor finally capitulated at the same place, as he had heard the
bad news of the Americans' capture of Monterey. February 21, 1845, after
a bloodless "battle" at Cahuenga, he "abdicated," and finally left the
country and returned to Mexico.

In 1845 Juan Manso and Andres Pico leased the Mission at a rental of
$1120, the affairs having been fairly well administered by Padre Orday
after its return to the control of the friars. A year later it was sold
by Pio Pico, under the order of the assembly, for $14,000, to Eulogio
Celis, whose title was afterwards confirmed by the courts. Orday
remained as pastor until May, 1847, and was San Fernando's last minister
under the Franciscans.

In 1847 San Fernando again heard the alarm of war. Fremont