Page:History of California, Volume 3 (Bancroft).djvu/640

622 Padre José Antonio Ánzar, a new-comer, served in 1832, being accused of some irregularities; Buenaventura Fortuni was the minister in 1833-6; in 1837-9 there is no record except of Oliva and Abella as visiting friars; and in 1840 Father Francisco Gonzalez de Ibarra took charge. San Luis was the only mission to show a gain in population for 1831-4, and at the end of that period, with a register of 2,844 neophytes, it stood at the head of the list, not only in respect of population but in the number of its live-stock. Additional statistics are appended. In 1840  refused to land the suspicious cargo. Leandro Serrano, sometime majordomo of S. Luis, talks of 10 kegs of silver dollars passed of as brandy. ''Hayes' Em. Notes, 205; Id. Miscell.,'' 92. I suppose all this to be unfounded. Forbes, Cal., 22, saw Peyri on his way to Mex., publishes his portrait as a frontispiece of his book – said by old Californians to be a good likeness – and describes him as the beau ideal of the old-time fraile with his jolly figure, bald head, and white locks. Nearly all speak well of him. Fray Antonio left Mex. in Feb. 1834, and by way of New York and France reached Barcelona in June. Instead of the tranquillity he had expected for his old age, he found only turmoil and strife. It was not even safe to visit his native town. He bitterly regretted having left Cal., and confessed his great error; but the doctors told him that his age and infirmities made a return voyage dangerous, even if his funds had not been exhausted. He had brought from Cal. two young neophytes, Pablo and Agapito, whom he had placed in the Propaganda college at Rome, where they were contented and the objects of much interest. All this I learn from the friar's original letter written at an inn at Barcelona, and mailed at Marseilles in April 1836, to Stephen Anderson in Edinburgh. Vallejo, Doc., MS., iii. 1. Taylor, ''Discov. & Found.,'' no. 35, p. 201, says he died at Rome in 1837, drawing on his imagination for the fact. The tradition in Cal. is that one of the neophytes completed his education as a priest, but nothing definite is known of his career. See also, on the life and character of Peyri, Vischer's Missions of Cal., p. vii.-viii.; Duhaut-Cilly, Viaggio, ii. 36; Hughes' Cal. of the Padres, 32; Hayes' Memorab., 73; ''St. Pap. Miss., MS., v. 15; Dept. St. Pap.,'' MS., ii. 53-4; Id., xix. 18; Lancey's Cruise, 168; S. Diego Union, June 19, 1873; Perez, Recuerdos, MS., 23-7; Ord, Ocurrencias, MS., 75; Vallejo, Remin., MS., 31-2; Mofras, Explor., i. 343.