262 
SCENES IN THE PACIFIC. 
pointed Missionary President of the Californias, and arrives at 
San Bias in the month of February of this year, accompanied 
by a staff of sixteen brothers of his own order, from the Con¬ 
vent of San Fernando. Here he meets sixteen of the ex¬ 
pelled Jesuits, in sorrow that their forsaken flocks must return 
to the misery of the savage state. These men have labored 
long to plant the tree of life in the rude soil of the savage 
heart ; it has begun to put forth its branches to the sun, and 
shed it's odors over the land; but while the fruits of their 
trials are being garnered, they have been compelled to retire 
from the harvest, and leave others to reap or despoil. 
On the twelfth of March, 1768, Padre Junipero and his 
associates sail for Loretto in the same vessel which has 
brought the Jesuits thence, and arrive there in safety about 
the middle of the following month. Padre Junipero is a 
worthy successor of those great and self-denying men who 
have preceded him in this field of martyrdom. His own pe¬ 
culiar faith in religious things is warm and far-reaching. He 
sees on the barren heights of the Californian peninsula, many 
a dwelling-place of righteousness for future generations ; and 
hears in the solemn midnight, the voices of angels en¬ 
couraging him to his work. The miracles wrought in the 
days of the primitive church, he believes may still be wrought 
by the saints militant; and that the mighty arm of faith will 
yet bring down Omnipotence, to mould anew the distorted 
world. He unites with his zeal various and extensive learning. 
The ancient and modern languages, with all their stores of 
philosophy and eloquence, are known to him. The life of 
courts—the sweets of the social ties—the vast and stirring 
acts of the world moving on to its civil and religious desti¬ 
nies, are familiar to him, for he has mingled with them, di¬ 
rected and enjoyed them. Yet Padre Junipero has landed in 
the wilderness of California, and begins the duties of a mis¬ 
sionary among its Indians! 
He dispatches his brethren to the several missions north 
and south, and remains at Loretto awaiting the arrival of 
