rs, no new foundations were undertaken, though satisfactory
progress was made in those already existing. In 1786, Palou was
appointed head of the College of San Fernando, and his place as mission
president was filled by Father Firmin Francisco de Lasuen, by whom the
mission of Santa Barbara was dedicated, on the festival day of that
virgin-martyr, before the close of the year [6]. Just twelve months
later, the third channel settlement was started, with the performance
of the usual rites, on the spot fixed for the Mission of La Purisima
Concepcion, at the western extremity of the bay; though some months
passed before real work there was begun. Thus the proposed scheme,
elaborated before Junipero's death, for the occupation of that portion
of the coast, was at length successfully carried out.

Hardly had this been accomplished before the viceroy and governor,
having resolved upon a further extension of the mission system, sent
orders to Father Lasuen to proceed with two fresh settlements, one of
which was to be dedicated to the Holy Cross, the other to Our Lady
of Solitude. Time was, as usual, consumed in making the necessary
preparations, and the two missions were finally founded within a few
weeks of each other--on the 28th of August and the 9th of October, 1791,
respectively. The site selected for the Mission of Santa Cruz was in the
neighborhood already known by that name, and near the San Lorenzo River;
that of Nuestra Senora de la Soledad, on the west side of the Salinas
River, in the vicinity of the present town of Soledad, and about thirty
miles from Monterey.

A glance at the map of California will help us to understand the policy
which had dictated the creation of the four missions founded since
Junipero's death. The enormous stretch of country between San Francisco
and San Diego, the northern and southern extremes of evangelical
enterprise, was as yet quite insufficiently occupied, and these new
settlements had been started with the object of to some extent filling
up the vast vacant spaces still left among those already existing. For
the efficient performance of missionary work something more was needed
than a number of separate establishments, no matter how well managed
and successful these in themselves might be. Systematic organization was
essential; for this it was requisite that the various missions should
be brought, by proximity, into vital relations with one another, that
communication might be kept u