celebrated the Triumph of the Holy Cross - the first mission of Upper
California was dedicated to San Diego de Alcalà, after whom the bay had
been named by Sebastian Viscaino, the explorer, many years before. The
ceremonies were a repetition of those which had been employed in the
founding of the Mission of San Fernando at Villicatà; the site was
blessed and sprinkled with holy water; a great cross reared, facing the
harbour; the mass celebrated; the Venite Creator Spiritus sung. And, as
before, where the proper accessories failed, Father Junipero and his
colleagues fell back undeterred upon the means which Heaven had actually
put at their disposal. The constant firing of the troops supplied the
lack of musical instruments, and the smoke of the powder was accepted as
a substitute for incense. Father Palou's brief and unadorned description
will not prove altogether wanting in impressiveness for those who in
imagination can conjure up a picture of the curious, yet dramatic scene.

The preliminary work of foundation thus accomplished, Father Junipero
gathered about him the few healthy men who could be spared from the
tending of their sick comrades and routine duties, and with their help
erected a few rude huts, one of which was immediately consecrated as a
temporary chapel. So far as his own people were concerned, the padre's
labours were for the most part of a grievous character, for, during the
first few months, the records tell us, disease made such fearful ravages
among the soldiers, sailors and servants, that ere long the number of
persons at this settlement had been reduced to twenty. But the tragedy
of these poor nameless fellows - (it was Junipero's pious hope that they
might all be named in Heaven) - after all hardly forms part of our
proper story. The father's real work was to lie among the native
Indians, and it is with his failures and successes in this direction
that the main interest of our California mission annals is connected.