Mission San Gabriel

November 28th 1826. My party arrived and I had my things put into the room which I occupied. The Corporal who was called Commandant came to me and after a few preparatory compliments observed that the best thing I could do with my guns would be to put them in his charge where they would be safe for said he strangers visiting you will be constantly handling them they being a kind with which they are unacquainted. I thanked him for his kindness and gave him the arms though I knew he was influenced by a motive verry different from the one assigned.

29th     Just at sunrise Mr Rogers and myself were sent for showed forward to the table and served with tea Bread and Cheese. The father was not present for at that time he was at his devotions. It may perhaps be well for me in this place to give a view of some facts that were in part learned after this time anticipating my story that my ideas may be the more readily understood. California was first settled by missionaries of the order of St. Francis about 60 years since. These missions are scattered over the country and include in their several jurisdictions nearly all the natives of the country. The number of indians attached to each mission varies from 400 to 2000. These establishments with their dependencies include about 3/4ths of the Inhabitants of California. The place at which I was for the time located was the mission of St Gabriel. The situation of St. Gabriel is pleasant the prospect to the North embracing a considerable range of Mts at the distance of 12 miles on the south low hills and on the East and west a smooth country covered with grass. The soil in the vicinity of the mission has the appearance of great fertility presenting a gentle slope to the south East. The hills produce Pine of different kinds and at their feet Groves of Low Oak and small walnuts. The Streams are skirted with Cotton wood Ash willow small Buck Eye and wild Grape vines. Two thousand acres of land fenced in the manner I have before described and so situated as to be easily watered by a small creek that runs through it producing an abundance of Wheat Beans Peas and some Corn. An extensive vineyard and orchards of Apples Peach Pear and Olive trees some figs and a Beautiful grove of about 400 Orange trees render the Mission of St Gabriel a scene on which the eye cannot fail to rest with pleasure. On the beautiful lands of the neighborhood are grazing immense herds of Cattle and large bands of Horses. The buildings of the mission form a Hollow square. The Church on the S E and the Guard House on the S W corner the several sides being occupied by the Fathers Rooms office dinning Room apartments for Strangers. Store Houses Granaries Soap Factory Distillery Black Smith Carpenters and Cooper Shops The Shops for the Manufacture of Blankets and Lodging rooms for the unmarried women. at a short distance from the square the intermediate space being unfenced there is a street lined with small buildings on both sides these are occupied by the Indians of the Mission who have families. At 11 O Clock the Father came and invited us to dinner. We accompanied him to the office adjoining the dining room and after taking a glass of Gin and some bread and cheese we seated ourselves at the table which was furnished with Mutton Beef Chickens Potatoes Beans and Peas cooked in different ways. Wine in abundance made our reverend fathers appeared to me quite merry. an express had been forwarded by the Commandant to the Governor at San Diego.* (*My two indian guides were put in prison immediately on my arrival charged with being runaways from the Mission. They were about 16 years of age and from what I saw of them I thought them fine honest and well disposed boys.)

30th November Sunday A wedding at church but I did not attend being a protestant. I thought it might not be agreeable to the Catholics. the new married couple dined with us the bride and her sister being the only females present two or three young men attended with the groom. Mr Rogers and myself in our unfashionable dress would have verry willingly absented ourselves but no excuses would be received. Our dinner consisted 0f more than the usual number of dishes. Dried Grapes were served as a desert a Dozen Indians were playing on violins and the soldiers were firing their Musquets at the door. After dinner I spoke to the Commandant for another room for my men which was readily provided. I also proposed that instead of furnishing my men with their provision ready cooked as had been the case heretofore they should receive the material and cook them to their own taste to this he assented but observed that they might as well as not have an Indian to assist them. Flour Meat Beans &c were provided in abundance.

From this time nothing material occurred for several days. Mr Chapman the american spoken of by the Father came from the village of the angels accompanied by Capt Anderson of the Brig Olive Branch and the supercargo Mr. Scott.  Mr Scott being a good translator I was enabled to make my situation fully known. I soon ascertained that nothing could be done until the arrival of an answer from the Governor at San Diego. Besides the above named Gentlemen there came to St Gabriel at different times two others who spoke good English John Baptiste Bonnifacio a Portuguese residing at St Francisco and on his way to St. Diego the other Senor Martinas a native of S America and formerly in good circumstances. But being a Royalist lost his property and sought a retreat among the Fathers in California who are geny. secret friends of Ferdinand. Senor Martinas had lately been called to Mexico and was then on his way he appeared to be a man of science and business "You will find (says he.) it verry difficult to make the Governor Comprehend your business. He has been raised without knowing the hand that fed him as a Gentlemen and those Mexican Gentlemen know verry little of business of any kind and much less of yours. He may perhaps detain you here a long time he will not consider the expense of the wages of your men nor your anxiety to join your partners.

Improving the opportunity offered by my presence I learned from Father Sanchez that at the different farms belonging to the Mission (St Gabriel) there were 40,000 head of Cattle 2,000 horses 3 or 400 head of Sheep and a great many hogs of these last the make little use.  There are but few white men at this place neither could it be expected there would be many in California for father Sanchez told me that no white woman had ever come there to live. There are attached to the Mission of St Gabriel about      Indian Inhabitants who are kept in the strictest order being punished severly for the most trifling offence or neglect.

They are whipped like slaves the whip being used by an indian a soldier standing by with a sword to see that it is faithfully done. Having passed the age of puberty the two sexes if unmarried are kept separate being at night shut up in different apartments            the work of the day having their tasks            the ringing of the Bells in the morning which is quite early all the indians go to church and after prayers the overseers of the various branches of work receive their orders from the Principal Overseer and move off immediately to their several employments. An old man from the Angel village being at the mission invited me to visit him at his house and two or three days after sent his son with horses. I went taking with me my interpreter and was verry kindly received by my friend Francisco Abela.  The Angel village in which my friend resided contained 70 or 80 Houses The walls of mud or unburnt Brick and the roofs of thatch or tile. They were general small and few of them cleaner than they should be. This village is about ten miles S W from St. Gabriel the inhabitants cultivate but little ground depending on their Cattle for subsistance. They are generally poor but a few families are rich in Cattle horses and Mules and among these Senor Francisco Abela and his Brother Don Ignatio are perhaps the richest. In California as in Spain the Siesta after dinner is fashionable. they generally sleep 2 or three hours. The Californians are excellent horsemen when on a swift horse they catch a wild steer or horse with the greatest ease. They are seldom seen on foot but mount a horse to go even 200 yards and always carry with them a strong rope made from pieces of Ox hide braided which is called a Larse. It is 7 or 8 fathoms in Length with a Loop at the end for the purpose of forming a noose. The Spaniard mounted on a swift horse with his Larse in hand holding it so as to form the noose about 4 feet in diameter and swinging it around his head to keep it connected pursues the wild Cattle and horses of that country and arriving at the proper distance while both pursued and pursuer are at utmost speed throws his noose with such precision as to generally succeed in fastening it to the animal in the intended place while at the same time with his left hand he takes a turn around the Pomel of the saddle which is made high for that purpose with the end of the rope remaining in his hand. If the animal pursued is a horse he is caught around the neck and is soon choaked down. If a steer he is caught by the horns and generally by two persons one riding before the animal and one behind holding him between them by their respective Larses with the power of resistance. If it is the object to throw the animal down they throw for the feet and having caught and fastened the rope to the saddle giving the horse a start the animals feet are taken from under him at once. In this manner they can take almost any animal in the country without excepting even the Elk but the principal use of this daring and active exercise is the catching of the wild horse and wild Cattle that range the country in great numbers. I am also informed that when a Bear can be found in the open country they are taken in this manner. But they do not attempt this adventure singly. Of the truth of this I have some doubts. The only Bear found in this country are the Grizly Bear smaller than those of the Mountains yet notwithstanding a formidable animal and possessing sufficient strength as I think to take hold of the Larse when noosed around the neck and tear it from the Saddle or break it in an instant.