1837.] SANTA CLARA. 117
lessness, a party of Delaware Indians, or American hunters, had a permit from the Governor to hunt for furs "in the back country." Their time being expired, the chief returned, but the remainder, having appointed a new head, are now carrying on land-piracy throughout the state. In open day they rode to the mission of St. Luis, and took from the "corral" all the horses belonging to the mission, (said to be a thousand!) desiring the administrador to keep clear of rifle range.
Having a special introduction to the Padre Presidente of the mission residing at Santa Clara, I set out, accompanied by Lieutenant Kellett and our surgeon, to visit him; hoping to obtain the necessary table supplies from the missions, instead of taking our chance at the beach. After much toil, and a night spent in the marshes by the fault of a bad pilot, we reached Santa Clara to breakfast, but were miserably disappointed, the padre being absent at San Josef. The mission is fast falling to decay, and scarcely common civility was shown to us.
Lately, all the missions have been transferred into the hands of administradores, who, under the new law, take about two-thirds to themselves, and account for the remaining third to government. The consequence is, that the Indians are robbed; they do nothing but rob when they can, run away to escape punishment, and then form themselves into gangs, and set their masters at defiance. The missions, the only respectable establishments in this
