TRAVELS IN THE CAL1F0RNIAS. 
281 
the north till it embraces the shores of the Bay of San Fran¬ 
cisco, were gathered into missions ; not less than seventy-five 
thousand of them were living, laboring and worshipping 
God with the Padres on those immense plantations ! Their 
granaries were filled with grain, their orchards were laden with 
oranges, plums, pears, citrons, lemons, apples and figs. Their 
vineyards covered the hill-sides, and their flocks and herds the 
plains ! If a stranger arrives in the Californias, and approaches 
a mission, the Indians and Padres go out to meet him ! He re¬ 
ceives the welcome of sincere hearts. The wine from the 
vineyards-—the bread and beef and frixoles are placed before 
him, and the Padre’s best bed given him. He is pressed to re¬ 
main, not a cold hour of freezing ceremony and suspicion, but 
months—during life if he will-—in their hospitable abode. But 
if he will travel on, he is furnished with horses and attendants to 
the next mission, where he is again welcomed and treated in a 
similar manner, and thus he journeys through the entire country 
:f he desires, and leaves it with regret. But the history of this 
Jelio htful realm shows a chan are in the features of this scene. 
G 3 
In 1821, New Spain had achieved an independent national 
existence, and adopted a partially republican form of govern¬ 
ment. The Californias, removed by their geographical situa¬ 
tion, as well as the feelings of their people, from the wars and 
victories of that eventful crisis, had retained their loyalty to 
old Spain until as late as the year 1825, when General 
Echuandra arrived in Monterey with full powers to receive 
the submission of California to the authorities of the Mexi¬ 
can Republic. 
The first act of this functionary was to require of the Pa¬ 
dres to take the oath of allegiance to the new Government. 
This they could not do according to the rules of their Order, 
without the consent of their Prefecto—the Padre President. 
This priest declared himself unwilling to give his consent 
until his King had abandoned the sovereignty of the Califor¬ 
nias ; whereupon General Echuandra arrested him, conveyed 
him to Monterey, and banished him to Manilla. 
40 
