274 CHANNEL ISLANDS OF CALIFORNIA 



cioso'' climate bears that euphonious name. What 

 particularly inspired Charles the Third of Spain to 

 gain possession of California was the report in 1767 

 that the Russians purposed to take it. Lower Cali- 

 fornia had already been invested by the Jesuits; and 

 now the one Superior General of the Franciscans, Fra 

 Junipero Serra, — a faithful son of the Church, an inde- 

 fatigable worker, — was authorized to begin the work 

 of conversion. The splendid pile opposite Santa Cruz, 

 known as the Mission of Santa Barbara, is but one of 

 his monuments in these parts. 



On very clear days one may see the Santa Ynez 

 Mountains of Santa Barbara — a beautiful vision. 

 Santa Cruz enjoys all the delights of the climate of 

 Santa Barbara with some additional favors of less 

 change between day and night. The highest temper- 

 ature ever recorded is not over ninety-two degrees, 

 and the lowest thirty-seven degrees. The difference 

 between the monthly mean of July and that of Janu- 

 ary in Santa Cruz is ten degrees; Cairo, twenty-seven 

 degrees; Naples, thirty degrees. The air is clear, pure, 

 "delicioso.'^ Surely this is the land of dolce far niente. 

 But I have said this of Santa Catalina, and I shall 

 probably say it of Santa Rosa, to the west, toward 

 which we are heading with sheets trimmed and the 

 strong "trade" on the quarter. 



