192 Life in the Open 



more pretentious Moorish architecture which character- 

 ises some of the other Missions. Yet the padre tells us 

 that early in the nineteenth century this was one of the 

 wealthiest of this great chain, possessing vast flocks and 

 herds under Padre Francisco Dumetz and Vincente de 

 Santa Maria. 



From San Buenaventura the road pitches down into 

 a wide valley, and we ride by the sea, which has a long 

 fine beach from which can be seen the jagged points of 

 Anacapa Island. We pass through Hueneme, then turn 

 to the east, passing Camulos and so on to San Fernando. 



Up through a delightful country we roll along, stop- 

 ping for the night at Santa Paula, the following day 

 reaching San Fernando Valley, and the Mission of that 

 name, that has long been one of the attractive ruins of 

 the State. Here we see some of the tallest palms in 

 Southern California, the remains of the old Mission olive 

 grove, and a long line of splendid Moorish arches and 

 tiled roofs, preserved from utter destruction by the Land- 

 marks Club of Los Angeles. The padre tells us that 

 Lasuen dedicated the Mission in 1797, and that the 

 present ruin dates from 1806, being named after King 

 Fernando III. of Spain, who was canonised in 1671 by 

 the Pope. 



At this time of the year San Fernando is a garden. 

 The chaparral is rich in greens, and the songs of the 

 mocking-bird and the meadow-lark are heard on every 

 side. Rising to the south are the green slopes of the 

 Sierra Santa Monica Mountains that finally leap into 



