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He was going back home, and as the "San Antonio" with its promised supplies had not yet arrived, and the camp was almost entirely out of food, he announced the abandonment of the expedition and an immediate return to Lower California. Now came Serra's faith to the fore, and that resolute determination and courage that so marked his life. The decision of Portolá had gone to his heart like an arrow.
We all dined together in a shady place on the beach; the whole ceremony being accompanied by many volleys and salutes by the troops and vessels." When the San Antonio returned to Mexico, it left at Monterey Padre Junipero Serra and five other priests, Lieutenant Pedro Fages and thirty soldiers. The settlement was at once made capital of Alta California, and Portola appointed the first governor.
The Very Reverend Angelo Casanova selected the writer of this sketch and her brother, then little children to unveil this monument. California Under Spanish Rule With the landing of Serra and Portola at San Diego in 1769, began the Spanish period of California.
The San Antonio sailed on the 9th of July, 1769, and five days later Governor Portola and two thirds of the well portion of the company started overland to Monterey. Meantime Padre Junipero had been impatiently awaiting an opportunity to begin his great work the conversion of the heathen.
On this occasion the people of San Francisco and their guests gave themselves up to a time of merrymaking a three days' historical carnival called, in honor of the commander of the expedition during which the great bay was discovered, the "Portola Festival." In 1915 the Panama-Pacific International Exposition was held in San Francisco.
This was exactly what was done, and on November 2, 1769, one of Portolá's men, ascending ahead of the others to the crest of a hill, caught sight of this hitherto unknown and hidden body of water. How he would have shouted had he understood! How thankful and joyous it would have made Portolá and Crespí and the others.
Governor Portola returned to San Diego with sad gaps made into his ranks by sickness and hardship, but hopeful with the expectation that the relief ship promised by Don Jose Galvez had arrived, and that the San Diego Mission well established would be able to give his forces a well deserved chance to recuperate. But what was his dismay?
Immediately a permanent camp was sought and found at what is now known as Old San Diego, where the two old palms still remain, with the ruins of the presidio on the hill behind. Six weeks were busily occupied in caring for the sick and in unloading the "San Antonio." Then the fourth and last party of the explorers arrived, Governor Portolá on June 29, and Serra on July 1.
Portolá offered to return, but Crespi said: "Let us continue our journey until we find the harbor of Monterey; if it be God's will, we will die fulfilling our duty to God and our country." So they crossed the Salinas again, and went northward along the shore of the very bay they had sought so long.
Keener still was his grief when Portola, after looking over the supply of food, announced that unless the ship San Antonio or the sloop San Jose arrived by a certain date with provisions, they would have to abandon Upper California and return to the peninsula.
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