TRAVELS IN THE CALIFORNIAS. 
267 
western shore of the southern great arm of this bay, and hav¬ 
ing taken possession of the country in the name of their sove¬ 
reign, celebrate the Mass, commence their return to San 
Diego, and arrive there on the twenty-fourth of January, 
1770. 
During the half year occupied by this expedition, the Pa¬ 
dre President Junipero is not idle at San Diego. On the six¬ 
teenth day of July, 1769, he consecrates the foundation of a 
mission. This is the day of the year, when in 1212, the 
Spaniards, under the banner of the cross, prostrated the power 
of the Mahomedans in the south of Spain; and the good 
Padre Junipero hopes that the same banner shall yet wave 
over the Gentiles of Upper California. He chants the Mass, 
celebrates the triumph of the Holy Cross, sprinkles the ground • 
with the baptismal water of the Church, and calls it San 
Diego, or Saint James. Afterwards he dedicates one of their 
huts to the use of a temporary church, and invites the Indians 
to attend service; presents them food which they reject; 
gives them small pieces of cloth with which they are greatly 
delighted; yet they cannot be persuaded to bow before the 
cross, and gladden the Padre’s heart by embracing the Catho¬ 
lic faith ; but on the contrary, they allow their desire for cloth 
to induce them in the night time to go on large rafts built of 
bulrushes to the ship San Carlos, and purloin a part of her 
sails. This act is followed by precautions to prevent its repe¬ 
tition ; yet as no punishment is inflicted on the thieves, they 
arm themselves with bows and arrows, wooden swords of keen 
edge, and formidable clubs, and begin to steal so boldly that 
the Spaniards find it necessary to oppose them by force; and as 
soon as their determination to do so is manifested, the Indians 
resolve to accomplish their designs by war. On the thirteenth 
and fourteenth days of August, therefore, they force their way 
into the quarters of the people and carry off several garments 
and other valuables; but are driven away without an attempt 
to kill any of them. On the fifteenth, it becomes necessary for 
Padre Fernando to go on board the San Carlos to celebrate 
