78 RETURN FROM SAN FRANCISCO 
it higher mountains arise, completely shutting in the 
river on the Hast. 
This Mission was for some time the residence of the 
Fathers Juniper Serra, and Francisco Palou, two ofthe 
most distinguished of the early Catholic missionaries in 
California. When Father P. Font arrived in Monterey, 
in 1777, from Sonora, in Mexico, with a body of men to 
strengthen the Colony at that place, he says the “ Fa- 
ther President, I’. Junipero Serra, with four other priests, 
came from the mission of San Carlos to welcome us, 
and we chanted mass in thanksgiving for our safe 
arrival ;” and it ‘“‘ was determined that we should go to 
the mission of Carmel, as there were no lodgings for us 
here.”*. . He states that there were seven priests 
at the mission, that it was ‘“‘an excellent spot, and the 
land very fertile.” 
April 17th. Set sail from Monterey in the U.S. 
revenue cutter Frolic, Captain Ottinger. The wind 
was ahead and hight; so that by dark we were scarcely 
beyond Point Pinos, so named from the pines which 
srow upon it, and which distinguish it from the barren 
head-lands on the Californian coast. 
April 18th. At sea. With a fresh breeze from the 
north-west, we scudded along finely. It is necessary 
to keep.at a distance from the land, as there are no 
hight-houses on the coast. 
April 19th. Hailed the Pacific mail-steamer North- 
erner as she passed us, and put letters on board for the 
United States, as we should be too late for the mail at 
San Diego. Towards evening the winds died away, 
* Manuscript Relation, in the possession of the author. 
