San Gabriel Arcángel was a welcomed pause in the long journey from Mexico to Monterey; it was the first stop after crossing the desert and mountains. It is distinctively Moorish in its architecture. Its high buttressed walls are stone to the windows and brick above and have an outside stairway to the choir loft and campanile. In the courtyard is one of the largest and oldest grape vines in California. [Illustration: _Doorway_] [Illustration: _Altar, Santa Barbara_] [Illustration: _Detail of Cloister_] At one time Mission San Fernando Rey de España had an Indian population of eleven hundred. Today nothing remains of the Mission but one large building. In it one can see the wine cellar and the large copper brandy still. Across the street is a large star-shaped fountain copied from one in Cordova, Spain, a monument to the artistic work of the Indians. [Illustration: _Detail of Façade, Santa Barbara_] Half-way between San Diego and Monterey, Father Serra founded the Mission Buenaventura. It was the last founded by him. On a hill above the mission he planted a cross that could be seen from both land and sea. Today, a replica of the cross stands in the same place. Ventura was noted for its beautiful gardens but of these nothing remains except two tall palms. The chapel has been restored and is used daily as a place of worship. [Illustration: _Side Door Detail_] [Illustration: _Cloister, Santa Inez_] [Illustration: _Detail of Façade_] [Illustration: _Detail of Cloister_] [Illustration: _Chapel, Santa Inez_] Mission Santa Bárbara has never fallen into a state of decay like its less fortunate sister missions, as it has always been in the hands of its founders, the Franciscans. Although damaged by numerous earthquakes, the last in 1925, it has always been faithfully restored. The light above the altar has never gone out, the old bells have faithfully rung the call to Mass. Its walls, six feet thick and mellowed by time, impart a lasting beauty. The bodies of over four thousand Indians lie in its tree-shadowed cemetery. In front of the Mission the trickling water from an old fountain gives one the restful feeling of the old Spanish siesta. It was at this mission that the great historian, Father Engelhardt, wrote his great book, “Missions and Missionaries of California.” [Illustration: _La Purisima_] Mission Santa Inéz was founded to convert the Indians who lived east of the Coast Range. The Mission not only suffered from earthquakes but also from an Indian uprising. Today it has been restored to its former grandeur. Its campanile with its three bells reminds one of Mission San Gabriel. In its museum is a collection of old vestments and books.