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priests who were to go, some by sea and some by land, to engage in the founding of
the new missions. There was much to be done in securing furniture, ornaments, and
vestments for the churches which were to be established. It was arranged that these
things, together with implements, live stock, grain, and other food, should be taken from
the old Jesuit establishments, now fallen into the hands of the Franciscans, and that
with the
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exception of the few articles to be accepted as gifts, they should be religiously repaid in
kind. Thus the old missions were called upon to support the new, after the Jesuit custom.
On January 9, 1769, the San Carlos sailed from La Paz, after the performance of
impressive religious ceremonies at which Father Serra presided. The San Antonio sailed
from San José del Cabo on February 15th, and the third vessel, the San José, followed
many months later, but went to "the Port of Missing Ships." It was never heard of again.
The land parties went forward from points where they had been assembled on
the Peninsula in the month of March, one proceeding under the leadership of Governor
Portolá, and the other under Captain Rivera. Father Serra had expected to go with Portolá,
but when the time came it found him suffering keenly from an ulcerous sore on his
foot, contracted during a long journey in Mexico the previous year. He was thus compelled
to see the party start without him, but he followed soon after and overtook Portolá
on May 5th. The effort cost him much pain and lends a touch of real heroism to a journey
which was otherwise unmarked by any special hardship. The sore was healed in a
single night by an ointment of tallow and herbs such as was commonly applied to
beasts, but the ointment was supplemented by his own prayers and his touching faith in
their efficacy. The cure was only partial; he suffered from the infirmity to the day of his
death.
Very good accounts of the progress of the expedition, on both land and water,
were kept by several of the participants, including Father Serra himself. These have
been preserved and made accessible to students, some of the most important of the
translation having been accomplished by Charles F. Lummis, the most competent and
tireless student of early California history. But though the accounts are remarkably complete,
it is not until the story reaches San Diego that they are of special interest to us.
Although the San Antonio had sailed over a month later than the San Carlos, it
was the first to arrive at its destination. Misled by Cabrillo's error in placing the port two
degrees farther north than its true latitude, both ships went as far as Santa Barbara
Channel and then turned south on discovering the mistake. The San Antonio sailed
through the Silver Gate and dropped anchor in the harbor, April 11th. Two of her crew
had died, and many were ill, from scurvy. But the condition of the San Carlos, which followed
on April 29th, was very much worse. Only four sailors were able to stand at their
post and half the troops were also down with the wretched disease. The men were just
able to reach port and had no energy left to lower a boat and go ashore. Their plight
was soon discovered by the
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