PACIFIC AND BEERING’S STRAIT. 
583 
masters, indulged freely in all those excesses which it had been the CHAP, 
endeavour of their tutors to repress, and that many having gambled 
away their clothes, implements, and even their land, were compelled to Nov. 
beg or to plunder in order to support life. They at length became so 
obnoxious to the peaceable inhabitants, that the padres were requested 
to take some of them back to the missions, while others who had been 
guilty of misdemeanors were loaded with shackles and put to hard work, 
and when we arrived were employed transporting enormous stones to 
the beach to improve the landing-place. 
The padres, conscious that the government were now sensible of the 
importance of the missions, made better terms for themselves than they 
had been offered by the Kepublican government. They were allowed 
to retain their places, and had their former salary of four hundred 
dollars a year restored to them, besides a promise of payment of 
arrears. In return for this a pledge was exacted from the padres, bind- 
ing them to conform to the existing laws of the country, and in every 
way to consider themselves amenable to them. Thus stood the mis- 
sionary cause in California when we quitted that country. 
We remained in Monterey until the 17th, and then sailed for St. 
Francisco to complete our water, which at the former place, besides 
being so scarce that we could hardly procure sufficient for our daily 
consumption, was very unwholesome, being brackish and mingled with 
the soapsuds of all the washerwomen in the place, and with streams 
from the bathing places of the Indians, into which they plunge imme- 
diately on coming out of the Temeschal. 
San Francisco had undergone no visible change since 1826, except 
that the presidio had suffered from the shock of an earthquake on the 
22d of April, which had greatly alarmed its inhabitants. 
We had here the misfortune to lose James Bailey, one of our 
marines, who had long been an invalid. 
The third of December we left the harbour St. Francisco, the 
shores of which, being newly clothed with snow, had a very wintry 
appearance ; and on the 13th we saw Cape St. Lucas. The next day we 
Were off theTres Marias, three high islands, situated seventy-five miles 
to the westward of San Bias, and well known by the frequent mention of 
