Page:History of California, Volume 3 (Bancroft).djvu/291

Rh, was shown by Figueroa the order forbidding a transfer of the civil authority. Though bitterly disappointed, Híjar could make no objection, and fell back on his commission as director of colonization, which Figueroa consented to recognize. At an interview on the 15th Híjar presented the instructions addressed to him in his double capacity as gefe político and director, instructions to which Figueroa assented, and which I append in a note. Next morning the latter received a demand from the director to be put in possession of the mission property according to article 1 of the instructions, the governor being asked to issue the necessary orders to administrators and comandantes. Figueroa, rather strangely as it would seem, promised compliance, but proposed to consult the diputacion. The reply on the 17th was simply a plea for haste on account of disorders at the missions, the approach of planting-time, the neglect of the friars, the sufferings of the neophytes, and the needs of the colony. The comandante general was to be held responsible for damages caused by delay. Accordingly the diputacion was convened the same day, and before that body was laid a full statement. Figueroa had, he said, no desire to retain the gefatura. He would