VIII.



After Junipero's death the supervision of the missions devolved for a
time upon Palou, under whose management, owing to difficulties with the
civil powers, no new foundations were undertaken, though satisfactory
progress was made in those already existing. In 1786, Palou was
appointed head of the College of San Fernando, and his place as mission
president was filled by Father Firmin Francisco de Lasuen, by whom the
mission of Santa Barbara was dedicated, on the festival day of that
virgin-martyr, before the close of the year[6]. Just twelve months
later, the third channel settlement was started, with the performance of
the usual rites, on the spot fixed for the Mission of La Purisima
Concepcion, at the western extremity of the bay; though some months
passed before real work there was begun. Thus the proposed scheme,
elaborated before Junipero's death, for the occupation of that portion
of the coast, was at length successfully carried out.

Hardly had this been accomplished before the viceroy and governor,
having resolved upon a further extension of the mission system, sent
orders to Father Lasuen to proceed with two fresh settlements, one of
which was to be dedicated to the Holy Cross, the other to Our Lady of
Solitude. Time was, as usual, consumed in making the necessary
preparations, and the two missions were finally founded within a few
weeks of each other - on the 28th of August and the 9th of October,
1791, respectively. The site selected for the Mission of Santa Cruz was
in the neighborhood already known by that name, and near the San Lorenzo