Monterey in 1786: Life in a California Mission

The Journals of Jean François de La Pérouse

with an Introduction and Commentary by Malcolm Margolin 

 

This book offers a firsthand account of life at a California mission, drawn from the journals of Jean François Galaup de La Pérouse. He led a goodwill expedition from France in the late 1700s, commissioned by the French king to explore new lands and assess European activities abroad. His visit to Monterey, California, marked the first time non-Spanish vessels visited Spanish California. 

 

The allure of the California missions has often been romanticized in tales depicting a serene world where benevolent monks lived in harmony with the indigenous population. In reality, as La Pérouse's 1786 observations reveal, the mission at Carmel was primarily built of mud and thatch, predating the architectural grandeur associated with later mission structures. Malcolm Margolin, in his insightful introduction, sheds light on the motivations and lives of the monks who ran these missions.

 

He discusses how the Franciscan monks’ roles and the evolving mission system significantly impacted the native populations. Separated from their traditions and homelands, baptized mission Indians were compelled to adopt new lifestyles under strict oversight. Unlike in Europe, the monks demanded significantly more from the indigenous people, aiming to replace their religious beliefs and cultural practices. Despite the monks' intentions, these policies often led to severe hardships, including overwork, illness, and loss of familial structures, culminating in high mortality rates and profound distress among the mission communities.