t
last till somewhat beyond the middle of March, he gave out that unless
the San Antonio should arrive by the 20th of that month, he should
on that day abandon San Diego, and start south. But if the governor
imagined for a moment that he could persuade the padre presidente to
fall in with this arrangement, he did not know his man. Junipero firmly
believed, despite the failure of Portola's expedition, that the harbour
of Monterey still existed, and might be found; he even interested
Vicente Vila in a plan of his own for reaching it by sea; and he
furthermore made up his mind that, come what might, nothing should
ever induce him to turn his back upon his work. Then a wonderful thing
happened. On the 19th of March--the very day before that fixed by the
governor for his departure, and when everything was in readiness for
to-morrow's march--the sail of a ship appeared far out at sea; and
though the vessel presently disappeared towards the northwest, it
returned four days later and proved to be none other than the San
Antonio, bearing the much needed succour. She had passed up towards
Monterey in the expectation of finding the larger body of settlers
there, and had only put back to San Diego when unexpectedly, (and as it
seemed, providentially), she had run short of water. It was inevitable
that Father Junipero should see in this series of happenings the very
hand of God--the more so as the day of relief chanced to be the festival
of St. Joseph, who, as we have noted, was the patron of the mission
enterprise.

The arrival of the San Antonio put an entirely new complexion upon
affairs; and, relieved of immediate anxiety, Portola now resolved upon a
second expedition in quest of Monterey. Two divisions, one for sea, the
other for land, were accordingly made ready; the former, which included
Junipero, started in the San Antonio, on the 16th of April; the latter,
under the leadership of Portola, a day later. Strong adverse winds
interfered with the vessel, which did not make Monterey for a month and
a half. The land-party, following the coast, reached the more southern
of the great wooden crosses on the 24th of May, and after some
difficulty succeeded at last in identifying the harbour. Seven days
later, steering by the fires lighted for her guidance along the shore,
the San Antonio came safely into port; and formal possession of the bay
and surrounding country was presently taken in the name of church and
King. This was on the