TS. Map originally made for Palou's Life of Padre
Junipero Serra, published in Mexico in 1787.]

In order that the spiritual part of the work might be as carefully
planned as the political, Galvez summoned Serra. What a fine
combination! Desire and power hand in hand! What nights were spent by
the two in planning! What arguments, what discussions, what final
agreements the old adobe rooms occupied by them must have heard! But it
is by just such men that great enterprises are successfully begun and
executed. For fervor and enthusiasm, power and sense, when combined,
produce results. Plans were formulated with a completeness and rapidity
that equalled the best days of the _Conquistadores_. Four expeditions
were to go: two by land and two by sea. So would the risk of failure be
lessened, and practical knowledge of both routes be gained. Galvez had
two available vessels: the "San Carlos" and the "San Antonio."

For money the visitor-general called upon the Pious Fund, which, on the
expulsion of the Jesuits, he had placed in the hands of a governmental
administrator. He had also determined that the Missions of the peninsula
should do their share to help in the founding of the new Missions, and
Serra approved and helped in the work.

When Galvez arrived, he found Gaspar de Portola acting as civil and
military governor, and Fernando Javier Rivera y Moncada, the former
governor, commanding the garrison at Loreto. Both were captains, Rivera
having been long in the country. He determined to avail himself of the
services of these two men, each of them to command one of the land
expeditions. Consequently with great rapidity, for those days,
operations were set in motion. Rivera in August or September, 1768, was
sent on a commission to visit in succession all the Missions, and gather
from each one all the provisions, live-stock, and implements that could
be spared. He was also to prevail upon all the available families he
could find to go along as colonists. In the meantime, others sent out by
Galvez gathered in church furniture, ornaments, and vestments for the
Missions, and later Serra made a tour for the same purpose. San Jose was
named the patron saint of the expedition, and in December the "San
Carlos" arrived at La Paz partially laden with supplies.

The vessel was in bad condition, so it had to be unloaded, careened,
cleaned, and repaired, and then reloaded, and in this latter work both
Galvez and Serra helped, the former