On the national corvette-of-war Morelos, Captain Lúcas Manso, were Padrés, Judge Castillo Negrete, the new asesor, Cosme Peña, and Sub-comisario Herrera. A day or two out of port the vessels were separated. The Natalia, the faster sailer of the two, was struck by a squall off Cape San Lúcas and had a somewhat narrow escape. There was also much sickness, resulting in several deaths.[1] The brig was bound for Monterey, but in view of the sickness on board the commander was induced by Bandini, and by Híjar who was himself very sea-sick, to put in at San Diego, where she anchored the 1st of September.[2] The new-comers were hospitably received at San Diego, the officers and prominent individuals being the guests of Bandini and his friends, while the rest were distributed at various private houses or lodged in tents and warehouses. In a few days a vessel in port took about half the number up to San Pedro, whence they went inland to San Gabriel. Most of the rest soon went up to San Luis Rey. At these two missions they remained for a month and more, and then — except those who established themselves permanently in different parts of the south —started toward the northern frontier, passing in small detachments from mission to mission, and receiving nothing but kind treatment from padres, administrators, settlers, and neophytes.[3] The Natalia, after having perhaps been
- ↑ Híjar, nephew of José María, California en 1836, MS., p. 110-12, speaks of troubles between Gomez and Araujo on the voyage, in connection with which the latter at one time forcibly assumed the command. Janssens gives some details of the gale.
- ↑ Dept. St. Pap., MS., iii. 172-3; iv. 72-5. One record makes the number of passengers 129 and another 140. Martin Cabello came on the Natalia, to be receptor of customs at S. Diego. Híjar speaks of a banquet at the house of Bandini. Serrano says that for two days the families were sheltered in the hide-houses on the beach and fed by the foreign owners of those houses. Machado thinks that they were detained in quarantine for fear of the measles, at a spot called Huisache, for a time. Several died and were buried at the mission. Janssens notes the kindness the San Diegans, who would take no pay from the colonists for entertainment.
- ↑ Janssens is the only one who mentions the sea-trip to S. Pedro. Híjar notes a long stay at Sta Bárbara; a division at S. Luis Obispo, one party being bound for Monterey and the other to Sonoma, and the fact that many remained at the different missions, including himself and seven companions at
