church built
at that time.

Troubles began here early, as at San Gabriel, owing to the immorality of
the guards with the Indian women, and in one disturbance three Indians
were killed and several wounded. In 1781 the padre feared another
uprising, owing to incitements of the Colorado River Indians, who came
here across the desert and sought to arouse the local Indians to revolt.

[Illustration: FACHADA OF MISSION SAN FRANCISCO.]

[Illustration: RUINS OF MISSION SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO.]

[Illustration: ARCHED CLOISTERS AT SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO.]

[Illustration: ARCHED CORRIDORS AT SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO.]

In 1787 Governor Fages reported that San Juan was in a thoroughly
prosperous condition; lands were fertile, ministers faithful and
zealous, and natives well disposed. In 1800 the number of neophytes was
1046, horses and cattle 8500, while it had the vast number of 17,000
sheep. Crops were 6300 bushels, and in 1797 the presidios of Santa
Barbara and San Diego owed San Juan Mission over $6000 for supplies
furnished. In 1794 two large adobe granaries with tile roofs, and forty
houses for neophytes were built. In February, 1797, work was begun on
the church, the remains of which are now to be seen. It is in the form
of a Roman cross, ninety feet wide and a hundred and eighty feet long,
and was planned by Fray Gorgonio. It was probably the finest of all the
California Mission structures. Built of quarried stone, with arched roof
of the same material and a lofty tower adorning its _fachada_, it
justifies the remark that "it could not be duplicated to-day under
$100,000."

The consecration of the beautiful new church took place, September 7,
1806. President Tapis was aided by padres from many Missions, and the
scene was made gorgeous and brilliant by the presence of Governor
Arrillaga and his staff, with many soldiers from San Diego and
Santa Barbara.

The following day another mass was said and sermon preached, and on the
9th the bones of Padre Vicente Fuster were transferred to their final
resting-place within the altar of the new church. A solemn requiem mass
was chanted, thus adding to the solemnity of the occasion.

The church itself originally had seven domes. Only two now remain. In
the earthquake of 1812, when the tower fell, one of the domes was
crushed, but the others remained fairly solid and intact until the
sixties of the last century, when, with a zeal that outran all
discretion, and that the fool-killer sho