The San Francisco call., 1896-07-05

known and comparatively modern record.
We will begin with finished con-
tinent and Lo the poor Indian in full
possession. The waves of the Pacific are
rolling into the quiet haven which they
have worn for themselves between the
lateral spurs of the coast range. The great
sequoias on the mountains have breasted
the storms of centuries.
Our time is the sixteenth century, won
derful for adventure and discovery. The
world opened by Columbus was the ultima
thule of every idealist, the coveted pos
session of kings and popes.
At first America was thought to be only
chain of islands bordering the coast OF
Cathay, and every explorer sought eagerly
for channel through them, the rumored
passage being already named the "Straits
of Anian,"
Twenty-Five years elapsed after America
was discovered before Balboa stood "silent
upon peak in Darien" and saw the hori-
zonless Western sea. Seven years later
Magellan sailed through the straits which
bear his name, and after great perils
found himself upon the vast calm ocean
which he named the Pacific. Fourteen
years later great Cortez, after his conquest
of Mexico, sent out explorers to ind the
western boundaries OF his New Spain.
One of the ships was commanded by an
old pirate named Ximenes, who sailed
into the Gulf of California and landed on
the coast of the lower peninsula, where
he vas murdered by Indians. He was
probably the first white discoverer OF
Lower California. Later Cortez himself
visited and tried in vain to establish a
colony on the same point. In 1887 he sent
an expedition, headed by Francisco de
Ulloa, which sailed around the peninsula,
but did not quite reach our present boun-
dary line. 1t is in this captain record
that the name California first appears
taken from popular romance of the day.
In 1912, when Mendoza had taken the
place of CorteZ as Viceroy of Mexico, Juan
Rodriguez Cabrillo, Portuguese captain
was sent to cruise still further along this
unknown coast. He had but two little
vessels and as they sailed northward
Cabrillo kept careful record of his discov
cries and experiences.
On the 2Sth of September, 1912, they
sailed into harbor which he described as
''famous" and named "San Miguel" II
was our San Diego. wild storm was
blowing but the little vessels found safe
anchorage, and Cabrillo carefully describe:
the timid and gentle natives who cam,
out in their boats to greet the stranger
and bid them welcome.
All through the month of October CabrillC
crept northward, anchoring at Santa Bar
bara and carefully exploring and naming
the outlying islands. Here he met witt
an accident by which he broke his arm
and as it was tightly bandaged after the
cruel fashion of that day. it became &
source of infinite pain and trouble, but be
pushed bravely on with his voyage. On
November IA. buffeted by a fierce gale
they we're driven along a coast which Ca.
brillo describes as covered with pine trees
At dawn on the morning of the 18th o.
November, 1912, they drifted in to a large
open bay which they named Bahia de 10;
Pinos," while the point of land to the
south they called "Cabo de Pinos." 1t wa:
Monterey Bay.
The weather continued rough and they
returned to their old port at an island
near Santa Barbara, where poor CabrillC
died on January 8, 1543. With his dying
breath he urged upon his successor to con.
time the exploration as soon as the
weather would permit. fine, sturdy
type of the sailor he must have been in
deed. His comrades named the island
Juan Rodriguez, as a memorial, an6
buried his body in its shifting sands. But
the island soon lost his name and of his
grave there is no trace. When Cali
fornians are casting about for fit subject
for monumental honors they may well re-
member Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo.
Fifty years went by and not vessel:
keel stirred the waters of the bay. The
pines looked down upon the dusky deni.
zens of the forest in their childlike joys