climatic conditions he encountered in this
missionary field.

The average person would think Junipero Serra and his companions had
surely satiated their thirst for missionary labors during the nine long
toilsome years they spent in Mexico, far, far away from loving home,
affectionate kindred and the Old World culture to which they bade
farewell when the last glistening silhouette of the Spanish Coast
vanished from their view in 1759, but not so! Their pilgrimage was
but begun! The pilgrimage which was to blossom heavenly and earthly
blessings as beautiful and countless as the flowers which jeweled the
slopes and valleys they traversed. The monstrous undertaking begun so
gloriously, blessed with the benison of prayers, sacrifices, tears;
blessed later with superhuman success and crowned with an immortal halo
for endless days!

Here we will make a slight digression for the sake of our story. In
1548, just twenty-seven years after Cortes discovered the land of
Mexico, Cabrillo's expedition had sailed up the Coast of California, and
in 1602 Sebastian Vizcaino had made further discoveries accompanied by
two Carmelite priests, and landed on the shores of Monterey. Both of
these expeditions, however, were abandoned and California remained the
"mysterious vineyard," as it was called. But Vizcaino drew a map of
California placing upon it the harbor of Monterey, and wrote glowing
accounts of the beauty of the spot. On Point Lobos he planted a Cross,
and the Carmelite Fathers named that beautiful Valley, four miles from
Monterey, Carmelo, in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, venerated under
the title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Of these facts we will have
occasion to speak of more fully later on in this work.

Years after these expeditions the good Jesuit Fathers established
several missions in Lower California, but were recalled to Spain by King
Carlos III and by this sovereign's request the Franciscan Fathers of
the College of San Fernando were commissioned to take the newly vacated
missions and accompany as missionaries the great and glorious enterprise
of Don Gaspar de Portola, with Vizcaino's map as guide, to further
explore California and add it to the Crown of Castile and Leon.

The Father Guardian of the College of San Fernando, on receiving the
letter from King Carlos, immediately appointed Junipero Serra, whose
zeal and sanctity were so well known, as the Father President of the
band of missionaries to set out for