Page:History of California, Volume 3 (Bancroft).djvu/642

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624
LOCAL ANNALS OF SAN DIEGO DISTRICT.

ulation was more rapid than that in wealth, the Indians succeeding in retaining partial control of the rich mission ranchos of Santa Margarita, Pala, Santa Isa-


    the Ind. running away in appreciation of their new liberty, Portilla seems to have had some difficulty with the padre. Dec. 30th, Figueroa advises him to 'contemporizar' with the friars, who have the right to select their own residence. Arch. arcob., MS., v. pt ii. 7.

    1835: Pio Pico in charge as majordomo, or administrator. This vol., p. 353. Ind. plot, or rather protest against the loss of the mission rancho of Temécula. Id., 361. Oct., the admin. is forbidden to disturb Portilla in the possession of his rancho S. José del Valle. S. D. Arch., MS., 62. Nov., Ind. go to S. Diego to complain before the alcalde that they are not given the promised liberty, but are severely treated by Pico. The alcalde reports to gov. that the danger is serious. Hayes' Miss. B., 229; S. Diego Index, MS., 131.

    1836: Pico still majordomo and encargado de justicia. His troubles with the Ind. still continued. In June he imprisoned Pablo Apis, a leader among the neophyte petitioners, for redress of wrongs; but they forced him to release the prisoner, and both parties went to S. Diego to make charges before the alcalde. The latter sent a small guard to S. Luis, retained Apis and 4 others under arrest, urged Pico to use great care so as not to lose the crop, and reported to the gov. The corresp. is complicated, but no definite results are indicated. Evidently Don Pio was not as popular a manager as had been P. Peyri. S. D. Arch., MS., 112; Id. Index, 133; Dept. St. Pap., Pref. y Juzg., MS., iii. 32-3; Savage, Doc., MS., iii. 64-3; Hayes' Miss. B., 297-9, 303-4, 293. Sept., alcalde ordered to aid Pico in retaking fugitive neophytes from the gentiles in the interests of religion. Id., 308. Soldiers 'strike' for pay and rations. This vol., p. 483-4. 1837: Arrest of Andrés Pico. Castillero joins the southern army here in June. This vol., p. 518, 521. 1838: This year, like the preceding, sectional strife so fully occupied the minds of all that the records bear but slight trace of anything else. Campaign of Las Flores April. Id., 558 et seq. Ex-gov. Carrillo at S. Luis in Sept. Id., 573.

    1839: March, the mission must support the fam. of soldiers absent on service. S. D. Index, MS., 134. May, an Ind. widow asks prefect to be released from the mission to support herself and daughters. She is overworked and gets no clothing. Los Ang. Arch., MS., i. 160-1. June 5th, Pico complains to Visitador Hartnell that the Ind. are constantly running away and taking refuge at Los Angeles. Vallejo, Doc., vii. 179. June 14th, prefect instructed by Hartnell to aid Pico in his efforts to recover all fugitives. Dept. St. Pap., Ang., MS., v. 26-7. June 24th, H. says the vines are much injured by worms. Mission debts and credits about $15,000. Weaving in progress. St. Pap. Miss., MS., xi. 25. July, in Pico's absence P. Ibarra was put in charge of the mission. Vallejo, Doc., MS., vii. 324; viii. 12. P. claimed that during an earlier absence much property had disappeared. Andrés Pico declines to take command. This vol., p. 591. Oct.-Nov., trouble between Pico and admin. at S. Juan about some cattle at a rancho claimed by both. Hartnell after investigation decided that P. should have 4,000 and the other 2,000. Pico at once sent a man to kill his 4,000, and there were none left! Vallejo, Hist. Cal., MS., iii. 363-8. Nov. 7th, com. of S. Luis to be tried for the crime of freeing a known criminal, Morillo. Dept. St. Pap., Ang., MS., xii. 20.

    1840: Andrés Pico in temporary charge, Pio being absent in the early months. In July Hartnell appointed José A. Estudillo as majordomo under Alvarado's new regulations. Pio Pico made much trouble about transferring the office; but it appears that the difficulty was chiefly on matters of etiquette. Don Pio felt sore at the loss of his place, and deemed himself aggrieved by some informality in the manner of demanding a transfer. Moreover he had become personally responsible for mission debts to the amount of $2,000, and