their small possessions and were driven to beggary or plunder. The
Fathers were implored to take charge again of their helpless flock.
Meanwhile the Pious Fund of California had run dry, as its revenues had
been diverted into alien channels. The good friars resumed their
offices. Once more the missions were prosperous, but for a time only. It
was the beginning of the end. Year after year acts were passed in the
Mexican Congress so hampering the friars in their labors that they were
at last crippled and helpless. The year 1840 was specially disastrous;
and in 1845 the Franciscans the pioneer settlers and civilizers of
California, were completely denuded of both power and property.

In that year a number of the missions were sold by public auction. The
Indian converts, formerly attached to some of the missions, but now
demoralized and wandering idly and miserably over the country, were
ordered to return within a month to the few remaining missions, _or
those also would be sold_. The Indians, having had enough of legislation
and knowing the white man pretty well by this time, no doubt having had
enough of him, returned not, and their missions were disposed of. Then
the remaining missions were rented and the remnants divided into three
parts: one kindly bestowed upon the missionaries, who were the founders
and rightful owners of the missions; one upon the converted Indians, who
seem to have vanished into thin air; one, the last, was supposed to be
converted into a new Pious Fund of California for the further education
and evangelization of the masses--whoever they might be. The general
government had long been in financial distress, and had often
borrowed--to put it mildly--from the friars in their more prosperous
days. In 1831 the Mexican Congress owed the missions of California
$450,000 of borrowed money; and in 1845 it left those missionaries
absolutely penniless.