On the sixth of December, in the same year, the arrival of Bouchard, “the pirate,” gave them a new shock of terror.  The padres had already been warned to send all their valuables to Santa Ines, and the women and children were to proceed thither on the first warning of an expected attack.  But Bouchard made no attack.  He merely wanted to exchange “prisoners.”  He played a pretty trick on the Santa Barbara comandante in negotiating for such exchange, and then, when the hour of delivery came, it was found he had but one prisoner,—­a poor drunken wretch whom the authorities would have been glad to get rid of at any price.

In 1824 the Indian revolt, which is fully treated in the chapters on Santa Ines and Purisima, reached Santa Barbara.  While Padre Ripoll was absent at the presidio, the neophytes armed themselves and worked themselves into a frenzy.  They claimed that they were in danger from the Santa Ines rebels unless they joined the revolt, though they promised to do no harm if only the soldiers were sent and kept away.  Accordingly Ripoll gave an order for the guard to withdraw, but the Indians insisted that the soldiers leave their weapons.  Two refused, whereupon they we’re savagely attacked and wounded.  This so incensed Guerra that he marched up from the presidio in full force, and a fight of several hours ensued, the Indians shooting with guns and arrows from behind the pillars of the corridors.  Two Indians were killed and three wounded, and four of the soldiers were wounded.  When Guerra retired to the presidio, the Indians stole all the clothing and other portable property they could carry (carefully respecting everything, however, belonging to the church), and fled to the hills.  That same afternoon the troops returned and, despite the padre’s protest, sacked the Indians’ houses and killed all the stragglers they found, regardless of their guilt or innocence.  The Indians refused to return, and retreated further over the mountains to the recesses of the Tulares.  Here they were joined by escaped neophytes from San Fernando and other Missions.  The alarm spread to San Buenaventura and San Gabriel, but few, if any, Indians ran away.  In the meantime the revolt was quelled at Santa Ines and Purisima, as elsewhere recorded.

On the strength of reports that he heard, Governor Argueello recalled the Monterey troops; but this appeared to be a mistake, for, immediately, Guerra of Santa Barbara sent eighty men over to San Emigdio, where, on April 9 and 11, severe conflicts took place, with four Indians killed, and wounded on both sides.  A wind and dust storm arising, the troops returned to Santa Barbara.

In May the governor again took action, sending Captain Portilla with a force of 130 men.  The prefect Sarria and Padre Ripoll went along to make as peaceable terms as possible, and a message which Sarria sent on ahead doubtless led the insurgents to sue for peace.  They said they were heartily sorry for their actions and were anxious to return to Mission life, but hesitated about laying down their arms for fear of summary punishment.  The gentiles still fomented trouble by working on the fears of the neophytes, but owing to Argueello’s granting a general pardon, they were finally, in June, induced to return, and the revolt was at an end.