ought that tore their hearts with anguish was: Who
would care for their Indian charges?

For these ignorant and benighted savages they had left their homes and
given up all that life ordinarily means and offers. Were they to be
allowed to drift back into their dark heathendom?

No! In spite of his cruelty to the Jesuits, the king had provided that
the Indians should not be neglected. He had appointed one in whom he had
especial confidence, Don Jose Galvez, as his _Visitador General_, and
had conferred upon him almost plenary authority. To his hands was
committed the carrying out of the order of banishment, the providing of
members of some other Catholic Order to care for the Indians of the
Missions, and later, to undertake the work of extending the chain of
Missions northward into Alta California, as far north as the Bay of
Monterey, and even beyond.

To aid him in his work Galvez appealed to the Superior of the Franciscan
Convent in the City of Mexico, and Padre Junipero Serra, by common
consent of the officers and his fellows, was denominated as the man of
all men for the important office of Padre Presidente of the Jesuit
Missions that were to be placed henceforth under the care of the
Franciscans.

This plan, however, was changed within a few months. It was decided to
call upon the priests of the Dominican Order to take charge of the
Jesuit Missions, while the Franciscans put all their strength and energy
into the founding of the new Missions in Alta California.

Thus it came to pass that the Franciscans took charge of the founding of
the California Missions, and that Junipero Serra became the first real
pioneer of what is now so proudly denominated "The Golden State."

The orders that Galvez had received were clear and positive:

"Occupy and fortify San Diego and Monterey for God and the King of
Spain." He was a devout son of the Church, full of enthusiasm, having
good sense, great executive ability, considerable foresight, untiring
energy, and decided contempt for all routine formalities. He began his
work with a truly Western vigor. Being invested with almost absolute
power, there were none above him to interpose vexatious formalities to
hinder the immediate execution of his plans.

[Illustration: JUNIPERO SERRA Founder and First Padre Presidente of the
Franciscan Missions of California From the Schumacker crayon]

[Illustration: MAP OF THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA, SHOWING THE FRANCISCAN
MISSION ESTABLISHMEN