History of California

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sels had been wallowing in the choppy seas, driven about by contrary winds. At last the prow of the leading ship was turned toward shore, where there seemed to be an opening that might lead to a good har

n boy, brought from Mexico as interpreter, was also eagerly looking landward. "Yo

; "and Pepe, whose eyes, you know, are keener tha

es a storm, and a safe harbor would be a gift of God to

found in Cabrillo's cabin. Instead, there were maps of this South Sea which pictured terrible dangers for mariners-great whirlpools which could suck down whole fleets of vessels, and immense waterfalls, where it was thought the whole ocean poured off the end of the land into

ched land the crew became silent, every eye being turned anxiously to the opening of the passage which appeared before them. The vessel, driven by the stiff breeze, rushed on, almost touching

sheet of quiet water. "We will name it for our good San Miguel, to whom our prayers for a safe anchorage wer

behind the bushes yonder," said he. As the Spaniards

o. "If we are to learn anything of the country

ere are three of them hi

sign language meant peace and friendship. As he drew near to them an old man and two younger ones, dressed in scanty shirts of rabbit-skins, came from their hiding places and began to talk to Pepe, but, though they a

ds back in the country a fe

is impossible," r

ar clothes like yours, and have whi

," said the master. "At another time we will question them further.

ws, wounding three. The boy Juan had the most serious injury, an arrow being so deeply embedded in his shoulder that it could not be removed until they re

the ships to be made ready for the tempest, which soon became violent. Meantime, Juan lay suffering in his hammock, which sw

which is seldom found. This storm is a severe one. I can hear the surf booming on the farther shore, yet our ship shows no strain on the anchor. Good harbor though it is, I am sorely disappointed,

e strait? I hear of it often, yet no one

, rising. "I am needed on deck, but I will s

ny a man to a gallant death. Always, since as a lad I first went to sea, the merchants of many lands have been seeking a saf

r heavy tribute, with such loss that the merchants have been forced to turn to the sea in hopes that a better way might be found. It was while searching for this route that Columbus discovered the new world, and when the news of his success was brought back to Europe there was great rejoicing, because it was thought that he h

a wide, deep sea passage from the North Sea [Atlantic] to the South Sea [Pacific],

lore this coast: most of them at his own cost. In the second one his pilot, Jiminez, led a mutiny, murdered his captain, and afterward discovered, accidentally, the southern point of

t an island which he named San Salvador, but which we know as Santa Catalina. Here, by his kind and generous treatment, he won the friendship of th

an see our way. We may well call this the Bay of Smokes." The fires, they found, had been sta

n and the viceroy of Mexico. Here, and along the channel, the people were better-looking, more comfortably lodged and clothed, than those farther south. They also had good canoes, which the natives of the lower coast did not possess.

ionally the waves swept over the smaller ship, which was without a deck. Here occurred a most unhappy accident. Something about the ship, a spar probably, loosened by the storm, fell and struck the br

in spite of discouragements never forgot his search for the strait, pushed close inshore and kept much of the time on deck looking

would be a welcome harbor. We will name it from those majestic trees La Bahia de Pinos, and yonder long projection we will

ierra Nevada, and, sailing on, went as far north as about 40?. But this winter voyage was made at a great sacrifice. The exposure and hardships, following the wound he had received, were too much for even the hardy sailor Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo. A

ht. I seem to hear them now. They drive out all other sounds. Call Ferrelo and let no one else come but the padre

nd you to push the expedition northward at all hazards, and to keep such records as are necessary in

o, simply. "To the best of my ab

ng for the st

ys, s

iguel Island. His men called the island Juan Rodriguez. This name was afterwards dropped, but Califo

sible, he failed to discover the great bay whose waters, spreading like a sheet of silver over sixty miles of country, lay hidden just behind

r

t an anchor, his right hand grasping a map of America, his left, a cluster of bulbous roots. On the pedestal

da; the first Englishman to sail around the world; the most daring explorer, clever naval commander, expert seaman, brave soldier, loyal friend, and gallant enemy of his time?" A Spaniard, on the contrary, might well exclaim,

ish princess. In addition he had drawn the English people away from the Church of Rome. These things were most displeasing to Spain, but there was sti

tradesmen, other than her own, had any rights on her waters or in her ports. English seamen denied much of this claim, and so frequent were the disputes arising upon the s

s of gold and silver from the rich mines of the new world. With the far richer ships of the Philippine

manner. Drake's brother and many of his comrades were killed, and their goods taken. After the battle he solemnly vowed to be revenged, and so thoroughly did he carry out hi

a, where he captured rich stores of gold and silver and precious stones. He gained suc

goodlie tree" on a mountain side, the great Pacific, and was immediately filled with a desire to sail on its waters and explore its shores. He therefore determined to cross the Atlantic, pass through the Strait of Magellan, up the Pacific, and to plunder the Spanish towns along the coast of South and Central America, until he should reach the region traversed by the richly laden Spanish ships coming from I

one ship beating his way up the coast of Lower California. This was his flagship Pelican, which he had rechristened the Golden Hind. It was then so lade

near as large as a man's finger." From one vessel Drake had taken one hundred-weight of silver; from a messenger of the mines, who was sleeping beside a spring on the Peruvian coast, thirteen bars of solid silver; off the backs of a train of l

ommander, St. John de Anton, who had been wounded in the attack, received every possible attention on the English vessel, and in the report which he afterwards made to the viceroy of

y might fall into the hands of his fleet (having no suspicion that the other captains had returned home), he gave the Span

the Masters of the Ot

ng that is in the ship, I pray you pay him double value for it, which I will satisfy again. And command your men not to do any harm and what agreement we have made, at my r

ld, to have us all in his keeping, to w

ptain, whose heart

cis D

way he had come. He well knew that the news of his departure had reached Spain, and that her war ships would be wai

if he could not find that illusive body of water, then there was left to him but the Pacific for a highway. Howe

latitude 42? or possibly 43?, and perhaps he even landed at one point, but he failed to find the strait. According to Fletcher, the priest of the Church of England who kept a journal of the expedition, they were finally forced by the extreme cold to

terside showed themselves unto us and sent presents to our general. He, in return, courteou

oined closely together at the top like the spire of a steeple, which by reason of this closeness are very warm. The men go nake

n together, held divine services, "To which, especially the prayers and music," says Fletcher, "they were most attentive and see

s. Drake sent him presents, then marched his force into a kind of fort he had had made in which to place such parts of the

scepter whereon was hung two crowns with chains of marvelous length. The crowns were made o

ces painted, each bearing some presents. After ceremonies consisting of speeches and dances, they offered

or more, all large and fat, were feeding on the rich grasses. They also saw great numbers of what they called connies, which, from their description, must have been ground squirrels, or else some variety of animal now extinct.

to the land: namely a plate nailed upon a fair great post, whereon was engraved her majesty's name, the day and year of our arrival, with the giving up of the province

for many degrees to the south; while in fact Ferrelo with Cabrillo's ships had sailed as far north as latitude 42?, alt

en they went on board the ship, accompanied to the shore by the grieving Indians, who would not be comforted when they saw their new

tember, a year later. Crowds flocked to see

ever he went, and as a crowning honor, in the luxurious cabin of his good ship Golden Hind, he was visited by the great Elizabeth herself. When the banquet was over, at the queen's command, he

and Ca

latitude 37? 30'. He saw, as he reported, "a high and fair land with no snow and many trees, and in the sea, drifts of roots,

ino, which would seem to imply that the point had been discovered an

, probably to find a suitable harbor for Manila vessels. In doing so he was so unfortunate as to run his vessel ashore behind Point Reyes, and to lighten her was obl

zc

al order from the king of Spain to the viceroy of Mexico wh

in my Manila galleons may anchor safe and protected, and where may be founded a town that my scurvy-

ish seamen who followed his example, had caused great anxie

time to fit out such an expedition, and it was not until an afternoon in May, 1602, that Don Sebastian Vizcaino, on his flagship, the San D

ommunion; and now their wives and children stood on the island at the entrance of the harbor, watching t

in those days few came back who sailed out on the great South Sea. Storm

utiful and very grand, and all parts of it very convenient shelter from the winds." After leaving San Diego, the next anchoring p

ings, many towns, and fine canoes. What struck Padre Ascension most strongly was their temple, of which he says: "There was in the temple a large level court, and about this a circle surrounded by feather work of different colors ta

arrived, they flew away to some rocks that were near by, and the soldiers seeing how large they were, raised their arquebuses and killed them both. Then did the Ind

h the Spanish called "papas pequenos" (little potatoes). These, the padre said, the Indians took in their canoes over to

he bay formed by its projection. From here the San Tomas was sent to Mexico to carry the sick, of whom there were many, and to bring back fresh supplies. The men who remained were at once set to work. Some supplied the two ships with wood and water; others built a chapel of brush near the beach, under a large oak at t

he Philippines, sailing whence they make a landfall on this coast. It is sheltered from all winds and in the immediate vicinity are pines from which masts of any desired size could be obtained, as well as live oak, white oak, and other woods. There is a variet

was familiar with the port of San Diego, caused much trouble lat

lorations of Drake. Although Vizcaino was looking for harbors, he yet passed twice outside the Bay of San Francisco, the finest on the coast, without discovering it. After his return to Mexico, Vizcaino endeavored to raise an expedition to found a se

of explorations along this coast, either by vessels from Mexico or by

sent out by the viceroy Mendoza, who hoped to gain fame and riches by the discovery of the Strait of Anian, and by finding wea

e plunder which he hoped to obtain from the Spanish towns and vessels along the Paci

good harbor and place for settlement on the California coast. This was intended in a great mea