On the occasion of Kern County’s centennial in 1966, The Californian printed a series of history pieces, including the diaries of Father Francisco Garces, a Franciscan missionary whose travels brought him to the valley in 1776. What follows are excerpts from his experiences in the area, as translated by John Galvin, reprinted from the April 2, 1966, edition of The Californian.
In the last entry, Garces met friendly Indians after passing through the Tehachapi Mountains on April 26. The next day, Garces and his two Indian guides set out west-northwest and came to another rancheria of hospitable Indians. However, when Garces attempted to persuade his companions to venture on, they refused to go because their hosts said the neighboring Noche Indians were hostile. Garces decided to go on when an Indian born among the Noches volunteered to be his guide.
April 30th, 83rd day