Francisco at once and offer the hospitality of Cali-
fornia to the illustrious representative of the Em-
peror of all the Russias.

Rezanov was not only annoyed at the Governor's
evident determination that he should see as little
as possible of the insignificant military equipment of
California, but at the delay to his own plans for ex-
ploration. He knew that Luis would dare take him
upon no expedition into the heart of the country
without the consent of the Governor, and he began
to doubt this consent would be given. But he was
determined to see the bay, at least, and he no sooner
read the diplomatic epistle from Monterey than he
decided to accomplish this part of his purpose before
the arrival of the Governor or Don Jose. He knew
the material he had to deal with at the moment,
but nothing of that already, no doubt, on its way to
the north.

Early in the morning after the return of the
courier he wrote an informal note to Dona Ignacia,
asking her to give him the honor of entertaining
her for a day on the Juno, and to bring all the young
people she would. As the weather was so fine, he
hoped to see them in time for chocolate at nine
o'clock. He knew that Luis, who was pressingly
included in the invitation, had left at daybreak for
his father's rancho, some thirty miles to the south.