Daily Los Angeles herald., 1881-07-29
Papers on the Early History Of
California.

We Ere indebted to the Hon. An-
tonic +. Coronel for a collection of
pape,s upon the early history of
California. Don Antonio has care
fully culled from many and gener-
ally unknown sources points and
facts touching the history OF our
State during the Spanish and Mex
lean regime. In view of the GEN.
tennial celebration of the founding
of the city of Los Angeles, these
papers will have an absorbing in.
terest to our people.
We publish to-day the first paper
OF this valuable collection, and
shall from time to time give our
readers all of the information gath
cred.
PAPER NO. l.
To those acquainted with the
discovery of America, and the dar-
ing exploits Of the Spaniards of the
sixteenth century, the conquest of
Mexico and Peru, it would seem
strange that these very men should
delay 1854 years from their frat ef-
forts to occupy Lower California,
and 237 years to settle Upper CAL
ifornia. II is astonishing that our
California, with its good harboIs,
fertile plains and splendid climate,
should not have evoked their best
efforts. Enormous expenses, new
ertheless, were incurred in their
attempt to colonize Lower Califor-
mia and in expeditions to South
America. 1t is related that Cortez
himself, of his own private pocket,
spent over 5000, 900. Some are of
opinion that the Spaniards, seeing
the uninteresting, sterile, frowning
coast of Lower California, were de-
tered or discouraged from coming
further north, deeming that it
might be worse and would not COM
pensate their trouble
Cortez landed for the first time
on the coast of Mexico in 1919, and
four years after that he had vessels
constructed at ZAcatula and Te-
huantepec. His extraordinary
achievement in the conquest of
Mexico reused the fears Ut the jeal-
Gus Spanish monarch, and Charles
w., desirous Of removing Cortez
from the theatre of his brilliant
exploits, in 1928 wrote to COrtez
from ValIadolid urging him to
search on the east and west coasts
of New Spain for a passage or straits
that would shorten navigation
from Cadiz to the East Iudies.
Cortez, in his answer to the EN-.
peror, speaks with enthusiasm of
the practicability of this project
and the new discoveries that would
result from 1t, aud adds with char.
scteristic adulatiOn "and these dis.
coveries will make your Majesty
the owner of so many kingdoms,
that your majesty can consider
yourself the monarch of all the
world"
Tmpelled by the most ardent
ambition of making new discov-
cries and more wealth Cortez (now
with the noble title of Marquee del
Valle) in 1852, equipped and pro-
visioned four vessels to plough the
immense Pacific, in search of new
laurels and more gold. Two of
these vessels started from Aca-
pulco, and two from Tehuantepec.
The expedition was fruitless; one
of the vessels was lost, In one
mutiny occurred and the captain
was killed, and the vessel finally
captured by Nuf1o &c Guzman,
near the coast OF Spain. The other
two vessels, In charge of Diego
Hurtard, after having vainly
searched for new lands for q long
while. returned safe to Mexico. In
1884, Cortez with four vessels, and
at his own expense again sailed
from the coast of Mexico. In this
expedition Hernando de Grijalva
discovered our California In the
month of February 1884. Grijalva
had the misfortune to lose his first
mate Forum Guzman, who was
killed by the California Indians at
the port Of Santa Cruz This port
was subsequently called by the
Puerto de Ia Paz, or del Marques
del Vale. While Cortez was on
the Lower California coast, the
false rumor of his death created
great excitement In Mexico, and
the Vioeroy sent two vessels in
search of Cortez. They found him
still exploring the Gulf of Califor-
mia. Cortez then set sail for Aca-
pulco, leaving Francisco Ulloa to
prosecute the explorations. This
daring Lieusenant for two years
followed the work Of search, and
finally discovered the mouth Of
the Coloraso river as it enters the
Gulf Of Cortez.