LA PURISIMA CONCEPCION Although the date of the founding of this Mission is given as December 8, 1787,--for that was the day on which Presidente Lasuen raised the cross, blessed the site, celebrated mass, and preached a dedicatory sermon,--there was no work done for several months, owing to the coming of the rainy season.

In the middle of March, 1788, Sergeant Cota of Santa Barbara, with a band of laborers and an escort, went up to prepare the necessary buildings; and early in April Lasuen, accompanied by Padres Vicente Fuster and Jose Arroita, followed.

As _early_ as August the roll showed an acquisition of seventy-nine neophytes.

During the first decade nearly a thousand baptisms were recorded, and the Mission flourished in all departments.

Large crops of wheat and grain were raised, and live-stock increased rapidly.