Three Spanish soldiers had married native women.
A little later, as the mud roofs were not successful in keeping out the winter rains, a new church was built, partly of rough and partly of worked lumber, and roofed with tules.

The lumber used was the pine and cypress for which the region is still noted.
There was little agriculture, only five fanegas of wheat being harvested in 1772.

Each Mission received eighteen head of horned cattle at its founding, and San Carlos reported a healthy increase.
In 1772 Serra left for Mexico, to lay matters from the missionary standpoint before the new viceroy, Bucareli.

He arrived in the city of Mexico in February, 1773.

With resistless energy and eloquence he pleaded for the preservation of the shipyard of San Blas, the removal of Fages, the correction of certain abuses that had arisen as the result of Fages's actions, and for further funds, soldiers, etc., to prosecute the work of founding more Missions.