1767.] EXPULSION OF THE JESUITS. 107 



apparent civilization, among these people ; but there is no reason 

 to believe that, by any means as yet employed for the purpose, a 

 single Californian Indian has been rendered a useful, or even an 

 innocuous, member of society. 



There was, however, no intention on the part of the Spanish 

 government to abandon California. On the contrary, the peninsula 

 immediately became a province of Mexico, and was provided with 

 military and civil officers dependent on the viceroy of that kingdom ; 

 and the missions were confided to the Dominicans, under whose 

 austere rule the majority of the converts relapsed into barbarism. 

 Establishments were also formed by the Spaniards on the western 

 side of California; and the coasts farther north, which had been 

 neglected for more than a hundred and sixty years, were explored 

 in voyages made for the purpose from Mexico, as will be shown in 

 the succeeding chapter. 



