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- 



