years after she had been hoisted amid the blessing of Junipero Serra, the salutes of her proud ships and the loyal acclamations of Portola and her other gallant sons. Now Spanish rule was virtually ended in California, but we repeat, not dishonorably. Spain's, work was well done, her chief purpose gained, namely, the exploration and christianizing of California. As it took sometime for Mexico to mobilize her troops and settle her rule in California, the Royal Presidio of Monterey was not immediately emptied of its officers or of the Spanish families, whose positions entitled them to a residence there, and who continued to live there close on to 1824. Thus although the old familiar standard gave place to Mexico's new red, white and green, the imprint of Spanish rule remained. Indeed it was several years before Mexico could change the face of California, and the Spanish element continued to rule social life at least to a great extent through virtually all the Mexican period. The Mexican society of the time certainly contained some excellent exceptions, but as a general rule it was a sad contrast to that of the preceding period, nor had the ten governors of this era the energy or standing of the ever remembered Portola, Borica, de Neve, Arrillaga or Sola. At times, the Mexican authorities treated Spaniards shabbily for it is important to note that contrary to what many histories state, Spaniards unanimously refused to take the Constitutional Oath of Allegiance to Mexico, and withdrew as a consequence from all public affairs, only inasmuch as their family interests or the good of the community demanded their intervention. Thus we find no Spaniard as Governor, General, or the like during this period. But here a curious thing occurred. In later years when writers and historians of California became numerous many Mexicans declared themselves Spaniards or classed themselves as of purely Spanish descent, passing as such into some histories, while at the same time they did not hesitate to "sting" the Spanish name; and there are many California families who are referred to as "Spanish" whose ancestors in the baptismal and marriage records of the various mission archives are recorded as "neofita de la mission" ("neophyte of the mission") for the Spanish missionaries were most accurate of details, and their records of marriages, baptisms and funerals are like sketches of the persons concerned; parentage, birth all are given in detail. Thus a child born of Spanish parents is referred to as "de calidad Espanola" ("of Spanish quality") or if of some other purely foreign extraction the same is mentioned. And fortunate indeed, that this care of detail was had in the new country, else how would much valuable knowledge be obtained?