VISIT OF CAPTAIN VANCOUVER
BY and by Docas grew to be a man, and had children of his own.
One day, as he was going home to dinner, he saw some white men ride up to the Father’s house. He said to them, “Welcome. I will go and speak to the Father.” He called Father Pena, who came out at once and asked the men to come into the house. He told Docas to take the horses to the stable.
The strangers told the Father that they had come to California to see what new lands they could find and to trade a little. They were the officers of a ship that was anchored in the bay near the Mission at San Francisco.
The common sailors were getting more wood and water for their ship, so the officers had been given horses by the Fathers of the Mission at San Francisco and had come down to visit the Santa Clara Mission. The name of the leader was Captain Vancouver.
Father Pena and Father Diego, who had taken the place of Father Joseph, said they were glad to see them and that the next day would be a holiday at the Mission. The Fathers told the Indians that they might have a feast then.
Docas lived in a ’dobe houseDocas lived in a ’dobe house.
Docas lived in a ’dobe house.
Docas lived in a ’dobe house.
Docas’s little boy, who was called Oshda, alwayswent to Father Pena’s house at meal time to help wait at table. Several other Indian boys went also.
Next morning, when Father Pena was eating breakfast with Captain Vancouver, Father Pena said, “Now we’ll have some fun.”
He called Oshda to him and told him to bring in a plate of pancakes. Oshda smiled, for he knew what was coming. He almost ran as he went to get the cakes.
Oshda brought the plate of cakes and put it down by Father Pena. Father Pena then said, “Get into line.”
Quickly all the Indian boys placed themselves in a row on the other side of the room.
Father Pena took up a cake in his hand. He said something funny to Captain Vancouver. Oshda laughed, and the moment Father Pena saw Oshda open his mouth to laugh, he threw the cake into Oshda’s mouth. Oshda had to stop laughing, for his mouth was full of hot pancake.
He ate it as fast as he could, and then he was ready for another one. Father Pena kept throwing the cakes to the different boys, until no more cakes were left.
Docas went to the Father’s house just before breakfast. He said to Captain Vancouver, “Some of the soldiers are going to catch and kill somecattle for the feast. Would you not like to go out and watch?”
Captain Vancouver said he would, so Docas went to the stable and saddled some of the Mission horses for them, and one for himself also. They all rode together a few miles out from the Mission, where the cattle were feeding. The soldiers rode along with them.
The cattle were very large and would not let anybody come near them. Each of the soldiers had a long rope made of horsehair, with a noose at the end. He twisted one end of the line around the pommel of his saddle. The other end with the noose he swung round and round his head. This they called a lasso.
The soldiers decided which one of the cattle they would catch first, and then several of them galloped toward the animal. When they got close enough, they all threw their lassos at the same time. One of the men caught his line around the horns of the animal, another caught its hind leg, and another its fore leg.
The horses on which the soldiers were riding stopped short, and the animal was thrown to the ground, for the ropes held him tight so that he could not move. Then another man went up to him and killed him. Twenty-two of the cattle were caught and killed in this way before Docas said it was time to go home.
“We shall have a great feast to-day,” said Docas.
After the feast was over, the Indians danced and played games. The visitors again came out to watch them have a play fight.
They made Massea their chief and pretended that a large bundle of straw was the enemy. Oshda and the other boys and men got their bows and arrows. They jumped and danced around the bundle of straw, swinging their arms and yelling. Massea at last gave them a sign, and the Indians all shot their arrows at the straw bundle. Then they yelled louder than ever, for they were pretending that they had beaten the enemy.
Some of them put Massea on their shoulders, and others danced around him. They carried him up in front of the Fathers and the visitors who were watching; then they carried him back to the Indian village.
When it was time for evening service they stopped their games until after service and supper were over. In the evening they had a dance. After the visitors had stayed a day or two longer, they rode back to San Francisco.