0 0 ▁by ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 8 4 0 s , ▁due ▁in ▁no ▁small ▁part ▁to ▁the ▁n atives ' ▁expos ure ▁to ▁European ▁dise ases , ▁and ▁from ▁the ▁Francis can ▁practice ▁of ▁clo ister ing ▁women ▁in ▁the ▁convent o ▁and ▁cont rolling ▁sexual ity ▁during ▁the ▁child - b ear ing ▁age . ▁( B aja ▁California ▁Territ ory ▁experienced ▁a ▁similar ▁reduction ▁in ▁native ▁population ▁resulting ▁from ▁Spanish ▁colon ization ▁efforts ▁there ). ▁ ▁P ío ▁de ▁Jes ús ▁P ico , ▁the ▁last ▁Mexican ▁Governor ▁of ▁Al ta ▁California , ▁found ▁upon ▁taking ▁office ▁that ▁there ▁were ▁few ▁funds ▁available ▁to ▁carry ▁on ▁the ▁affairs ▁of ▁the ▁province . ▁He ▁pre va iled ▁upon ▁the ▁assembly ▁to ▁pass ▁a ▁dec ree ▁author izing ▁the ▁rent ing ▁or ▁the ▁sale ▁of ▁all ▁mission ▁property , ▁res erving ▁only ▁the ▁church , ▁a ▁cur ate ' s ▁house , ▁and ▁a ▁building ▁for ▁a ▁cour th ouse . ▁The ▁exp enses ▁of ▁conduct ing ▁the ▁services ▁of ▁the ▁church ▁were ▁to ▁be ▁provided ▁from ▁the ▁proceed s , ▁but ▁there ▁was ▁no ▁disposition ▁made ▁as ▁to ▁what ▁should ▁be ▁done ▁to ▁secure ▁the ▁funds ▁for ▁that ▁purpose . ▁After ▁sec ular ization , ▁Father - Pres idente ▁Nar cis o ▁Dur án ▁transferred ▁the ▁miss ions ' ▁headquarters ▁to ▁Santa ▁B ár bara , ▁thereby ▁making ▁Mission ▁Santa ▁B ár bara ▁the ▁repository ▁of ▁some ▁ 3 , 0 0 0 ▁original ▁documents ▁that ▁had ▁been ▁scattered ▁through