Page:The Tourist's California by Wood, Ruth Kedzie.djvu/115

 CHRONOLOGY 89 tive to the spreading of Catholicism in the New World, Father Serra and his missionaries were sent with the military expedition under Portola. The company reached San Diego and established there on Sunday, July 16, 1769, the first of twenty-one missions, whose organisation consumed ^ty-four yearsj during which time Spanish rule in Upper California rose to its zenith, and declined. The last Mission was founded at Sonoma in IgffjL The monks were all of the Order of St. Francis of Assisi, that " Mirror of Perfection and Hus- band of Poverty " who in the 13th century banded his disciples under vows of unrelenting self-denial. The Indians were degraded and indolent. With difficulty they were gathered into the pueblos of which the Missions were the controlling agency, and taught cleanliness, agriculture and the crafts. Occasionally they rebelled at the lash, or with native savagery massacred and burned. But for the most part the oddly-assorted communities lived in peace and often on terms of deep affection. The military occupation of the country was cele- brated on JuneSaJLTZfU when, after a despairing search, Portola came at last to Monterey_Bay, of whose existence the Spaniards had long held record. The town of Monterey became the eccle- siastical and military capital. Second in impor- tance to it was the presidio and mission at San