CALIFORNIA. 
205 
of Padre Mercador, who received us with much courtesy. He is of 
the Franciscan order, good-looking, portly, and possesses a cheerful 
and intelligent countenance. Having Don Miguel to interpret in 
Spanish, and the padre speaking a little French, we made out to 
converse very well. His study is small, but contains many works of 
the old fathers, with several French authors, and comprises some six 
or seven hundred volumes. He showed us the different returns from 
the missions prior to 1828 , but no attention had been paid since that 
date to the preservation of statistics. In Appendix VII., I have in¬ 
serted one, in which the state of all the missions throughout Upper 
California is given, and which embraces not only their population but 
also the quantity of produce raised. This table will give an idea also 
of the management of the directors of the missions before the revolu¬ 
tion. Since 1828 , as already stated, the missions have been on 
the decline, and no returns have been given in, as was formerly 
required. 
The padre spoke with resignation in relation to the manner in 
which the missions had been despoiled, and did not express any sur¬ 
prise that such things should have happened under their present 
rulers. 
Padre Mercador served us with wine and fruit; of the latter, the 
pears were delicious. Don Miguel having notified me that it was 
expected our party should ask to see the church, I made the request ; 
and the padre having supplied himself with a large bunch of keys, 
ushered us through several narrow passages, to the door of the vestry- 
room in the rear, into which we entered. Several pairs of massive 
candlesticks of silver were standing about on tables, and around the 
room were large trunks, which he opened, and showed us the rich 
altar-pieces, costly robes, and fine laces, which they contained. Many 
of the former were most magnificently embroidered in gold and silver, 
and composed of substantial silks and satins of divers colours. The 
splendour of the wardrobe was out of character with the smallness of 
the church; and on my remarking it, he said these things were for 
processions, to have effect upon “ los gentiles.” One or two small pic¬ 
tures that hung in this room were worthy of notice. Don Miguel 
asserted that he thought if I desired them, there would be no great 
difficulty in procuring any article that could be spared. I had no dis¬ 
position to authorize him to make the attempt; but this suggestion 
tends to show in how little regard the obliging padre was held by the 
community. We next passed into the church, the whole length of 
which was thrown into one, without any columns. At one end is the 
altar, and at the other the choir, which the padre informed me con- 
