The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-10-17

from San Diego. On March "a the first
land division set out Under Rivera y
Moncada, accompanied by Fathers
Crespi and Lasuen. Portola, as leader
of the second division and commander
in chief of the whole expedition, start
ed from Santa Maria, where his diary
begins, on May II, accompanied by
Father Sierra.
OF the vessels, the San Antonio. last
to set out, was first to reach San Diego,
arriving there on April IL. On the 29th
the flagship San Carlos put in, after
terrible experiences at sea. Rivera $
party came up on May IA.
Portolas account of his SO days
march. what he found at San Diego and
his plan, not provided for in his in
structions, of proceeding to Monterey
without the vessels, is told in familiar
style in his letter of July 4 to the
viceroy. which is here published for the
first time. 1t and the other letters
printed are given with the capitaIiza-
ton and the spelling of proper names
as they were in the original Spanish.
but in some cases the paragraphing has
been changed
The San Joseph, mentioned below.
was the vessel that was to be sent
later to San Diego with supplies
July 4, So
Most Excellent Sir-Sir: On the
21st of May / set out from the
Place called San Juan de Dios.
which is twenty-four leagues
from the Mission of Santa Maria,
the northernmost one in the Pen
fnsula, accompanied by ten Sol
diers of my Preside, and with one
hundred and seventy mules loaded
with provisions sufficient for my
expedition. / pursued my march
along the same trail and through
the same places as Captain Don
fernando Rivera. who preceded
me, and after thirty-nine days I
arrived without mishap at this
Port of San Diego, the day being
June %,
In this Camp l found the Men
of my first detachment as healthy
and strong as those whom I
brought in my Company: the mar
thine expedition, however, 1 found
little less than out of commission.
and IN such an unhappy and de-
plorable state that 1 was moved to
the greatest pity. All. without ex-
ceptlon, Soldiers. Sailors and Off
GERS, are afflicted with scurvy;
some completely Frustrated, some
half paralyzed. and others still on
their feet, but without strength.
OF their number this terrible dis
ease has already carried away
thirty-one men.
They had decided to send the
Packetboat Ell Principe to San
Bias with this gloomy news, and
with letters for your Excellency and
for the Most Illustrious Senior Wis
itor General. have approved this
plan. considering its Importance,
and since all the sailors whom that
Packetboat carries, although sick,
gladly go to San Bias, in hopes of
recovery. Besides, 1 consider them
unit for service and useless for
continuing to Monterrey.
lPerez set out in the Principe
with the sick on July 81
On the very day of my arrival 1
proposed to the Commandant of Sea,
Don Vicente Villa. that he should
continue his expedition to Mon
terrey. 1 to furnish him, to this end.
all the means at my disposal I
also offered him as many as six
teen of my men, including Soldiers,
mule drivers and friendly Indians
My proposition to Villa fell in
with his desire, but, as he was
destitute of searnen, he replied
that If only half of the sixteen
men that offered him were Sail
ors. he would accept the proposal
and would do all in his power to
continue his Expedition to our
common destination.
But as / have no Sailors in my
Company. 1 could not satisfy his
condition.; and, in view of his re-
ply, 1 have formed a resolution
that has seemed to me to promise
the greatest success. which !
desire. together with the approval