nstantly the savages threw their weapons to the
ground, and, following their leaders, crowded with offerings about the
marvellous image. Thus the danger was averted. Further troubles attended
the settlement at San Gabriel; but in after years it became one of the
most successful of all the missions, and gained particular fame from the
industries maintained by its converts, and their skill in carving wood,
horn and leather.

VI.

Though, as we thus see, Father Junipero had ample reason to be
encouraged over the progress of his enterprise, he still had various
difficulties to contend with. The question of supplies often assumed
formidable proportions, and the labors of the missionaries were not
always as fruitful as had been hoped. Fortunately, however, the Indians
were, as a rule, friendly, notwithstanding the fact that the behaviour
of the Spanish soldiers, especially towards their women, occasionally
aroused their distrust and resentment. At one establishment only did
serious disturbances actually threaten for a time the continuance of
the mission and its work. Junipero had lately returned from Mexico, with
undiminished zeal and all sorts of fresh designs revolving in his brain,
when a courier reached him at San Carlos bringing news of a terrible
disaster at San Diego. Important affairs detained him for a time at
Monterey, but when at length he was able to get to the scene of the
trouble, it was to find that first reports had not been exaggerated. On
the night of the 4th of November, 1775, eight hundred Indians had made
a ferocious assault upon the mission, fired the buildings, and brutally
done to death Father Jayme, one of the two priests in charge. "God
be thanked," Junipero had exclaimed, when the letter containing the
dreadful news had been read to him, "now the soil is watered, and the
conquest of the Dieguinos will soon be complete!" In the faith that
the blood of the martyrs is veritably the seed of the church, he, on
reaching San Diego, with his customary energy, set about the task of
re-establishing the mission; and the buildings which presently arose
from the ruins were a great improvement upon those which had been
destroyed.

Before these alarming events at the mother-mission broke in upon his
regular work, the president had resolved upon yet another settlement
(not included in the still uncompleted plan), for which he had selected
a point on the coast some twenty-six leagues north of San Diego, a