114 STRENGTH OF THE GARRISON 



had brought our saddles with us, and a delight- 

 ful gallop across the plain carried us to St. 

 Gabriel, where we were received in a very hos- 

 pitable manner by the only monk in residence. 



The locality of this mission, founded in 1816, 

 is still better chosen than that of the celebrated 

 Santa Clara. A mountain shelters it from the 

 injurious north- wind ; but the same mountain 

 serves also as a hiding-place and bulwark for 

 the Indianos bravos^ who have already once 

 succeeded in burning the buildings of the mis- 

 sion, and still keep the monks continually on the 

 watch against similar depredations. In fact, 

 St. Gabriel has quite the appearance of an out- 

 post for the defence of the other missions. 



The garrison, six men strong, is always ready 

 for service on the slightest alarm. Having been 

 driven from my bed at night by the vermin, 

 I saw two sentinels, fully armed, keeping guard 

 towards the mountain, each of them beside a 

 large fire ; every two minutes they rang a bell 

 which was hung between two pillars, and were 

 regularly answered by the howling of the little 

 wolf I have before spoken of, as often lurking 

 in the vicinity of the missions. That there is 



