The poor Indians, who were often half starved upon the plains, found here light employment, shelter and abundant food.

The statistics to which we refer, state that the Mission had seventy thousand head of cattle, four thousand two hundred horses, four hundred mules, and two hundred and fifty sheep.
These Missions, several of which were established in a line, within about fifty miles of the Pacific coast, belonged to the Spanish government, and were supported by the revenues of the crown.

Animals multiplied with great rapidity upon those luxuriant and almost boundless prairies.

They ranged sometimes, it was said, spreading out over a hundred thousand acres of wonderfully fertile pastures.

There must of course, have been much guess-work in estimating the numbers of these vast herds, generally wandering unattended at their pleasure.