DIVISION ONE — PRE-PASADENIAN. 59 



ciuncula [they thought so at the time but learned better afterward — Ed.], and 

 went on to a valley which they called San Miguel, where San Gabriel Mis- 

 sion afterward stood." 



After this rest and refreshment he marched on eastward along the north 

 side of the Mission hills till he came to the Rio San Miguel [the present San 

 Gabriel river], at the point now called Mission Vieja or "Old Mission," 

 where then stood the Indian village of Isanthcog-na, and where the San 

 Gabriel Mission was at first established, about a year and a half later. Here 

 the San Gabriel river makes passage from its upper valley through between 

 the monticle ranges called "Mission hills" westward and " Puente hills" 

 eastward ; and from this point he followed down the river to the place where 

 he had crossed it on his outward march, some distance south of the Mission 

 hills, and so found his lost "old trail " again. Thence southeastward to El 

 Rio Jesus de los Temblores [the Santa Ana river], and so on to San Diego, 

 where the famous Father Junipero Serra was then engaged in starting the 

 San Diego Mission, the first one of the " old Missions " in our California. 



In April, 1770, Portola again marched up the coast in search of Mon- 

 terey bay, which he had failed to find [or rather failed to recognize] the year 

 before, but had discovered San Francisco bay instead. This time he went 

 partly over his return route of January, by the line which afterward became 

 the Spanish governmet road from San Diego via San Juan Capistrano, San 

 Gabriel, San Fernando (old Mission), San Buenaventura, Santa Barbara and 

 San Euis Obispo to Monterey, and crossing the Arroyo Seco at Lincoln Park 

 or the old Garvanza ford. The poppy fields of Altadena were now all 

 aflame with their redolence of rich golden color spread over thousands of 

 acres ; Easter Sunday was fresh in mind [April], and the pious soldiers 

 called this wonderful poppy field La Sabanilla de San Pascual — the great 

 altar cloth of Holy Easter.* 



The original or ' ' Old Mission ' ' San Gabriel was formally commenced 

 Sept. 8th, 1771. This was at the place still known as "Old Mission," or 

 Mission Vieja, near where the San Gabriel river passes through the line of 

 Mission Hills that form the southern boundry of what is called in general 

 terms the ' ' San Gabriel Valley. ' ' There was already an Indian village at 

 this place, called in their language hanthcog-na. The river had before 

 been called Rio San Miguel by the Spaniards, but from this time it was 

 called Rio San Gabriel, and the Indians of the region began to be called the 

 San Gabriel Indians. In 1775 the Mission was removed to the Indian vil- 

 lage of Sibag-na,t where the famous old church still stands, surrounded by 

 the fnodern village of San Gabriel. The church building erected at the 



* " La Sabanilla de San Pascual was the name given by Spanish sailors to the vast fields of poppies 

 seen from far out at sea, the same glorious altar cloth, or bridal veil, which adorns the foot-hills of North 

 Pasadena with the return of every spring." — Mrs.Jeantie C. Carr, in Hist. Los Aug-. Co. 



t " The village of Sisit Canog-na was only a mile and a half further north, where the Misiion pear 

 orchard afterward stood, and now known as the Cooper place, occupied by Isaac and Thomas Cooper. 

 Two of these old Mission pear trees are bearing yet. I saw them loaded vvith blossoms April 7th, 1895. 



