San Miguel, little has been done to disturb the interior, so that it
is in practically the same condition as it was left by the padres
themselves. Fr. Zephyrin informs me that these decorations were done by
one Murros, a Spaniard, whose daughter, Mrs. McKee, at the age of over
eighty, is still alive at Monterey. She told him that the work was done
in 1820 or 1821. He copied the designs out of books, she says, and none
but Indians assisted him in the actual work, though the padres were
fully consulted as it progressed.

At Santa Barbara all that remains of the old decorations are found in
the reredos, the marbleizing of the engaged columns on each wall and the
entrance and side arches. This marble effect is exceedingly rude, and
does not represent the color of any known marble.

In the old building of San Francisco the rafters of the ceiling have
been allowed to retain their ancient decorations. These consist of
rhomboidal figures placed conventionally from end to end of
the building.

At Santa Clara, when the church was restored in 1861-1862, and again in
1885, the original decorations on walls and ceiling were necessarily
destroyed or injured. But where possible they were kept intact; where
injured, retouched; and where destroyed, replaced as near the original
as the artist could accomplish. In some cases the original work was on
canvas, and some on wood. Where this could be removed and replaced it
was done. The retouching was done by an Italian artist who came down
from San Francisco.

[Illustration: INTERIOR OF MISSION SAN MIGUEL FROM THE CHOIR GALLERY.]

[Illustration: ARCHES, SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILWAY DEPOT, SANTA BARBARA,
CALIF.]

[Illustration: FACHADA OF MISSION CHAPEL AT LOS ANGELES.]

On the walls, the wainscot line is set off with the sinuous body of the
serpent, which not only lends itself well to such a purpose of
ornamentation, but was a symbolic reminder to the Indians of that old
serpent, the devil, the father of lies and evil, who beguiled our first
parents in the Garden of Eden.

In the ruins of the San Fernando church faint traces of the decorations
oL the altar can still be seen in two simple rounded columns, with
cornices above.

At San Juan Capistrano, on the east side of the quadrangle, in the
northeast corner, is a small room; and in one corner of this is a niche
for a statue, the original decorations therein still remaining. It is
weather-stained, and the rain has washed the adobe in