130 CALIFORNIA. 



still left became a prey to the rapacity of the governor, the needy 

 officers, and the administrador, who have well-nigh consumed all. 

 Some of the missions, that had from forty to eighty thousand head 

 of cattle, are now left with less than two thousand, and are literally 

 going to ruin. They are no more what they once were, the pride of 

 the padres, and the seat of the wealth and prosperity of the country. 

 Moreover, this state of things has left the whole community destitute 

 of any moral guide whatever, and without any sort of religious obser- 

 vance, except by a few individuals past the middle age. Alvarado 

 and General Vallejo have the reputation of being foremost in pro- 

 ducing this state of things. 



After a short time, it was found that the customs did not produce 

 the required revenue; and the new government, fearing to tax the 

 people and missions too openly, resorted to a renewal of the double 

 duties, before more than two vessels had touched on the coast. 

 Every day produced some restrictions upon the foreigners, who had 

 now become estranged from the existing government that they had 

 assisted to establish. Alvarado, finding his acts disapproved of by 

 them, grew suspicious and jealous of their presence; for he well 

 knew, from the manner of his own elevation, what an effective body 

 they were. 



This state of things continued until the month of April, 1840, when 

 Alvarado, anticipating an insurrectionary movement, and knowing the 

 confidence that the aid of the foreigners would give the malcontent 

 Californians, determined to rid the territory of them. For the purpose 

 of obtaining some colour for the violence he intended, an English- 

 man, by the name of Gardner, was found, who deposed that all the 

 foreigners, from San Francisco to San Diego, or from one extreme 

 of California to the other, a distance of six or seven hundred miles, 

 had conspired to murder the governor and take possession of the 

 country ; that an American, by the name of Graham, a trapper from 

 the state of Kentucky, was their leader ; and that they were to 

 rendezvous for the purpose at Nativetes, the residence of Graham. 

 Colonel Castro was accordingly sent thither, with the prefect, two 

 inferior officers, and fifteen armed soldiers. They proceeded to 

 Nativetes, which is about twenty miles from Monterey ; but, as they 

 well knew that Graham was a resolute, strong, and brave man, it 

 was necessary to take great precautions. They therefore chose 

 midnight for their attack, at which hour they reached his farm. On 

 their arrival they forced open the door, and at once fired a volley into 



