Assisi.

On February 3, 1777, the new governor of Alta California, Felipe de
Neve, arrived at Monterey and superseded Rivera. He quickly established
the pueblo of San Jose, and, a year or two later, Los Angeles, the
latter under the long title of the pueblo of "Nuestra Senora, Reina de
los Angeles,"--Our Lady, Queen of the Angels.

In the meantime, contrary to the advice and experience of the padres,
the new Viceroy, Croix, determined to establish two Missions on the
Colorado River, near the site of the present city of Yuma, and conduct
them not as Missions with the Fathers exercising control over the
Indians, but as towns in which the Indians would be under no temporal
restraint. The attempt was unfortunate. The Indians fell upon the
Spaniards and priests, settlers, soldiers, and Governor Rivera himself
perished in the terrific attack. Forty-six men met an awful fate, and
the women were left to a slavery more frightful than death. This was the
last attempt made by the Spaniards to missionize the Yumas.

With these sad events in mind the Fathers founded San Buenaventura on
March 31, 1782. Serra himself preached the dedicatory sermon. The
Indians came from their picturesque conical huts of tule and straw, to
watch the raising of the cross, and the gathering at this dedication was
larger than at any previous ceremony in California; more than seventy
Spaniards with their families, together with large numbers of Indians,
being there assembled.

The next month, the _presidio_ of Santa Barbara was established.

In the end of 1783, Serra visited all the southern Missions to
administer confirmation to the neophytes, and in January, 1784, he
returned to San Carlos at Monterey.

For some time his health had been failing, asthma and a running sore on
his breast both causing him much trouble. Everywhere uneasiness was felt
at his physical condition, but though he undoubtedly suffered keenly, he
refused to take medicine. The padres were prepared at any time to hear
of his death. But Serra calmly went on with his work. He confirmed the
neophytes at San Luis Obispo and San Antonio, and went to help dedicate
the new church recently built at Santa Clara, and also to San Francisco.
Called back to Santa Clara by the sickness of Padre Murguia, he was
saddened by the death of that noble and good man, and felt he ought to
prepare himself for death. But he found strength to return to San Carlos
at Monterey, and there, on Saturday, Augus