CALIFORNIA. 179 



It was soon determined that the Mexicans ought to be removed at 

 once out of the country, notwithstanding the stipulations of the sur- 

 render to the contrary. Accordingly, the British brig Clementine 

 was chartered, in which Gutierez and all his officers, with a large 

 number of his men, were embai-ked, and ordered to be landed at 

 Cape San Lucas, the southern point of Lower California. 



Thus in a few days were the authorities changed, without a single 

 gun being fired but the one above spoken of, and without any blood- 

 shed whatever. At the time of despatching the Clementine, Alvarado, 

 with the advice of Cosme and Ramierez, purchased a small schooner, 

 and sent her at once to a port in Mexico to inform the supreme go- 

 vernment of every thing that had taken place, adding that they were 

 willing to remain in allegiance, if they were allowed to choose their 

 own officers. In the mean time they sent commissioners to demand 

 that the other presidios should be given up, and that the inhabitants 

 should acknowledge the authority of those who had overturned the 

 government. This the officers and inhabitants refused to do, upon 

 which Alvarado marched against Santa Barbara with his Rancheros, 

 for the hunters had, for the most part, left him. He was met by a 

 superior force, commanded by a former deputy, named Castillo ; but 

 the schooner returned previous to hostilities being commenced, bring- 

 ing not only a confirmation of the appointment of Alvarado and the 

 others, but with a supply of arms, ammunition, and clothing for the 

 troops, to the amount of ten thousand dollars. When this became 

 known, Castillo and Alvarado became friends, the former acknowledg- 

 ing the authority of the latter, while Alvarado, it is said, took the 

 oath of allegiance to the central government. 



Alvarado now returned to Monterey, where, feeling himself more 

 firmly established in his new office, and having been by this caprice 

 of fortune raised above his deserts, he became arrogant to his country- 

 men, and alienated the foreigners by whom he had been assisted. 



It will scarcely be necessary to say, that by this time the missions 

 had lost all their control over the community. The government had 

 seized upon their lands, and appointed an administrador to take charge 

 of the property (which had been decided under an old Spanish law 

 to belong to the government), as well as to rule over the Indians. 

 From the priest were thus removed all further responsibilities and 

 duties, except those strictly clerical. This act brought about the 

 ruin of the missions. The moral and religious usefulness of the 

 priests had been destroyed before, and now the property that was 



