loaded and ready for sea. The venerable Father Junipero Serra sang mass
aboard her, and with other devotional exercises blessed the ship and the
standards. The visitador named the Senor San Jose patron of the
expedition, and in a fervent exhortation, kindled the spirits of those
about to sail. These were Don Pedro Fages, with his twenty-five Catalans
of the 1st batallion 2d regiment, Voluntarios de Cataluna, Alferez
Miguel Costanso, Surgeon Don Pedro Prat, and Padre Fernando Parron. The
ship was commanded by Don Vicente Vila, lieutenant of the royal navy;
the mate was Don Jorge Estorace, and twenty-three sailors, two boys,
four cooks, and two blacksmiths made up the rest of the ship's company -
sixty-two in all. They embarked on the night of January 9th and sailed
on the 10th. Galvez appointed Fages gefe de las armas - chief of the
military expedition at sea, and instructed him to retain command of the
soldiers on land until the arrival of the governor at Monterey[9]. On
the 15th of February, Father Junipero performed like offices for the San
Antonio, and she sailed the same day under command of Don Juan Perez,
"of the navigation of the Philippines," carrying Frays Vizcaino and
Gomez, some carpenters, blacksmiths, and cooks, that, with the sailors,
made some ninety persons, all told, on both ships. The rendezvous was
San Diego bay, where all were to meet.

The land expedition was divided into two parts. The first division,
under Rivera, started from Velicata March 24th, and the second, under
command of the governor, started May 15th. With Rivera were Padre
Crespi, Pilotin (Mate) Jose Canizares. Twenty-five soldados de
cuera[10], three muleteers, and eleven Christian Indians - forty-two
men. With the governor marched Junipero Serra, fifteen soldados de
cuera, under Sergeant Jose Francisco de Ortega, two servants, muleteers
and Indians - forty-four in all. The previous day, May 14, 1769, being
Easter Sunday, Junipero established the Mission of San Fernando with