the San Jacinto Range on the south and the Coast Range on the southwest. The San Bernardino basin, in the upper end of the valley, is open only to the west, and in that direction is still overlooked by the somewhat abrupt rising edge of the Cucamonga Plains. It is hemmed in to the north by the most precipitous portion of the very abrupt Sierra Madre, overshadowed on the east by the towering peaks of San Bernardino and Greyback, and closed in on the south by a high range of hills, extending southwesterly from the foot of the San Bernardino Mountains to the Coast Range. The valley is filled with a great alluvial deposit of a comparatively recent geological placing. The valley is entered at the extreme northwest end by the Cajon Pass; at the southeast corner, from San Gorgonio Pass, by the San Timoteo Canon, and at its extreme end on the east by the Santa Ana River, which crosses it and emerges at the southwest corner. About twenty square miles of its area of about 100 square miles are within the known limits of an artesian water-producing basin, which occupies its lowest lands, just above the outlet on the course of the Santa Ana River.

In San Bernardino County there are to be found geological indications of numerous periods and ages, of glacial and volcanic action, with the attendant submergences and upliftings, and of various other movements demonstrating the working out of nature's plans. Through the county are also to be found indications that there existed a somewhat superior race of people in this section prior to the coming of the Indians, but the known history of man in this region begins with the coming of the Spanish priests and soldiers, in 1774, who found the territory occupied by Indians, who were still far below the pueblo dwellers of Arizona and New Mexico, although not so degraded physically, mentally or morally as many of their neighboring tribes. Since the coming of Anza and his expedition, in 1774, marvelous changes have occurred and much history has been written. The most material advancement has come within the past half century or three-quarters, and what the future will bring, while a matter of conjecture, will undoubtedly be a continuance of the progress that has brought San Bernardino to a position which has fully justified its appellation of the "Imperial County."

Who is to be the gifted writer that will give to the world a word picture of our beautiful valley as it now is revealed to us? Who will be the historian that will cause to be preserved the marvelous chronicles of the past? And where is the prophet who will unfold its magnificent future? Take our valley as it now is familiar to us so like, they say, to "Palestine in general contour"-and compare it to the valley as it was fifty years, or more correctly speaking, seventy-two years ago, when civilization, on the wings of faith came bounding over those northern slopes with hope in its arms, and note what capital and labor-a combination. of forces hard to excel-have done.

To the north, to the south, to the east, to the west, the same old, majestic mountains with their everlasting pinnacles pointing heavenward -presenting a certain rugged, defiant beauty all their own, with the broad Pacific just over to the west.

The same poppy fields as of old, that make the earth smile as a mother; the same lofty pine and hardy oak, and delicately tinted rose petals.

Above and over all, the same old, blue sky, the same sunbeams, the same old stars shining subimely as they have been doing since the Divine command set forth their purpose,-"Let there be light."

Yet, at every bend in the road, we read a new story: every touch of the hand a new revelation-new wealth, new glories; every sweep of the vision a new inspiration.

i

The possibilities of our unmatched valley have given birth to a new picture a picture from the brush in the hand of the intelligent toiler. In this new picture we see the great irrigating system, various in its devices, that has made possible broad acres of grain, orchards, groves of citrus fruit, vineyards, gardens and flowers-a new picture in an old setting a setting the pioneers discovered.

Dotted here and there are schoolhouses-modern in appointments, churches telling the "old, old story," and industrial agencies by the hundreds-yea, by the thousands.

We see opportunities for the man of small means; greater ventures for those of larger fortunes; we see sites for the little homes, and those for the palace; and we see both homes and palace.

Paved streets and highways have taken the place of ruts, shrubs and the boulders.

Paralleling the beautiful, smooth roadways, are threads of steel rails, over the same ground once travelled by the ox-team, the burro, and pioneer with his little load of earthly possessions and additional burdens of fears and hardships.

We see business opportunities asking for bids on investments; we see labor turning capital into increased comforts and joys; we see laughing children, free to roam in healing sunshine-amid surroundings, that, but a few short years ago, sheltered the child of another race. We see remnants of a band of men, who were masters of all they surveyed,watching the inroads of civilized ways of life-they, themselves slipping farther and farther back into the shadows.

We see over on yonder lonely hilltop a spot where in 1810 a little band of brown robed holy men halted long enough to set up a cross, and give to the valley, at their feet, the name of "San Bernardino," and to hallow the occasion with a prayer and a baptismal.

"The prophetic soul of the wide world, dreaming on things to come." Forty-one years later we see the first caravan of pioneers stopping by a stream in Cajon Pass, thirty miles to the north of the hallowed place of the cross and kneel on the greensward and utter words of praise and rejoicing.

We see a great, broad, productive valley, 200 miles across, where intelligence has directed the toil of man to an accomplished purpose.

We turn from valley towards the mountain chain, that lovingly hems the valley round about.

In the days when civilization was making its first advance, progressive man, bent on conquest of the wilds, to the music of the tread of the ox and the horse hewed narrow paths, that broadened into safe highways. to the tune of the auto, leading on to still quicker methods the plane and the wireless.

The mystery of the secrets of the hilltops was revealed, and their recesses have become the great playground of the southland.

The years have rolled on, bringing the fulfillment of things prayed for, hoped for and worked for.

This wonderful valley has been consecrated with prayers and lofty aspirations, there have been tears and heartbreaks-then came the gladsome things.

On history's pages we will spread the chronicles of the past, as against the time of the coming of the genius of the morrow, who will weave the tissues into a story to match those two masterpieces of historical fiction, "Ramona," and the "Mission Play." JOHN BROWN, JR.

History of San Bernardino County

CHAPTER I

THE ERA OF THE SPANIARDS

EARLY EXPLORERS AND MISSIONARIES. Like numerous other regions of the United States, San Bernardino County must go directly back to the days of the Spanish explorers and missionaries for its earliest known history. The church and the state were practically indissolubly united, and the history of the missions and missionaries is the history of that period when California was occupied by the Spaniards. Many years. before the vessel of the first hardy explorer touched the western coast of North America, wonderful tales had reached the ears of the Spaniards regarding an island lying afar off in unknown seas, called California. These stories, highly colored and greatly exaggerated as to facts, aroused the cupidity of the early explorers, and the colonization of Baja-California was begun as early as 1530. The bishoprics of New Spain were established and organized in Mexico as early as 1534, and from that time forward the church was ceaseless in its efforts to convert the natives. The first man to tread the deserts of Arizona and enter what is now New Mexico was Fray Marco, "the lying priest," as he is called by Coronado, after being induced through the priest's glowing accounts of the country to make the same expedition.

Passing over the history of the Spanish conquest and settlements in North America, that of California begins with the expedition under command of Admiral Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, who, June 27, 1542, sailed from Navidad, his object being to discover "a shorter route, in a westerly direction, from New Spain, or Mexico, between the North and the South Sea."

The admiral's two vessels, the Victoria and the San Salvador, entered the unexplored waters of the then called Mar del Sur, and September 28 reached a harbor which the explorer named San Miguel, now San Diego Bay. About October 10, this venturesome party anchored in a small bay, now believed to be San Pedro, and November 17 discovered the Bay of Monterey. The voyage was continued until 44 degrees latitude had been reached, when the commander decided to return to the Santa Barbara Islands for the winter, because of the inclement weather and the unsafe condition of his vessels. He was not given the opportunity of continuing his voyages, as he died on the island of San Miguel, January 3, 1543, as the result of injuries and exposure.

Sixty years elapsed before Spain made any attempt to proceed with the work so ably commenced by Cabrillo, but May 1, 1603, under the command of Admiral Don Sebastien Viscaino, a fleet of three vessels, the San Diego, Santo Tomas and Los Tres Reyes, sailed from Acapulco, and November 10 anchored in the bay where Cabrillo first landed, and which Viscaino named San Diego de Alcala. "Accompanying this expedition," says Father Juan Caballeria, in his "History of San Bernardino Valley," "was a party of learned scientists sent purposely from Madrid to take part in the explorations. They were the first to make maps of the coast and of the islands lying off the coast of California A knowledge

1 History of San Bernardino Valley, by Father Juan Caballeria.

of the progress of this expedition may be gained by following the Roman Calendar of Saints. These pious fathers not only made the maps, but named each place visited by the expedition with the name of the saint whose anniversary occurred on the day of their arrival at the place. California owes a debt of gratitude to these devout padres for the beautiful names bestowed upon many of her now popular pleasure resorts and islands, these names having been retained to this day."

While the maps, records and descriptions of the coast, climate and general condition of California were accepted as authority, this expedition, which reached 42 degrees latitude, did nothing further of value. Viscaino solicited the opportunity of returning to California, desiring to make a permanent settlement in the country, but no provision was made for that. purpose.

Father Kino, a Jesuit monk, had the distinction of being the first to decide that lower California was a peninsula and not an island as had formerly been the belief. After establishing a number of missions along the Sonora coast and making many explorations of the gulf coast, he conceived the idea of carrying a chain of missions around the gulf and along the Pacific Coast. Although he labored without cessation to carry out this project, for many years he could gain no aid either from the government or from his own brotherhood. All attempts to colonize lower California had been unsuccessful on account of the savage character of the inhabitants, and finally the government decided to turn the peninsula over to the Jesuits. So.unattractive a labor did not appeal to the Superior of the order in Mexico, but Father Kino and a colleague, Father Salvatierra, determined that the gospel should be carried here, established, almost entirely unaided, missions among the savages.

It was in 1767 that the government of Spain finally came to the conclusion that a determined effort must be made in the way of colonizing upper California. Alarmed by the possibility of Russia securing domination, Carlos III, then king of Spain, issued a royal mandate commanding Jose de Galvez, viceroy of New Spain, to make preparation for the immediate occupation of the country. They were to establish military stations at San Diego and Monterey, and the object of the expedition was two-fold: the occupation and colonization of the country by Spain, and the conversion to Christianity of the native inhabitants. This latter undertaking was placed in the hands of the Brotherhood of the Order of Franciscans, and Fray Junipero Serra, a Franciscan monk of brilliant gifts and high rank, was made president of the missions to be established. It was largely through his zeal and energy that the task of colonizing this large territory and of civilizing, to an extent at least, a great number of savages, was accomplished.

The expedition was first planned to consist of four divisions, two to go by land and two by sea, and January 9, 1769, the San Carlos sailed from La Paz. The San Jose was subsequently fitted out and set sail June 16, but was probably lost at sea, as it was never again heard from. The first land division, under command of Rivera y Moncada, captain of "soldados de cuera," was composed of soldiers, muleteers and neophytes of the Lower California Missions, who took with them cattle, horses, mules and sheep, as well as a supply of garden seeds. The second land division was commanded by Gaspar de Portala, a captain of dragoons, who had been appointed governor of Alta, California, and who, at Vellicata, was joined by Fray Junipero Serra. Many unexpected difficulties arose. In addition to the ship that was lost, many of the sailors on the other vessels died. The Indians, who were first curious, later became indifferent and finally hostile and attacked the Spanish before the completion of the