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


says shat he has been TO the "Vicinit.
OF the bay Of San Francisco.
Nevertheless. Father Crespi, in q
letter of February s, d.
scribing this expedition, clearly r.
yards both the inner and outer bay
as San Francisco bay. lSee below.
ii will also be noted that Porto
claims that when he retreated fro
PUnta de Pinos he had hopes of findin
the San Jose somewhere on the Goa
and Of returning, with new supplies,
Monterey, or even to the bay of Sa
francisco. This would not indicate a
,hordinate desire on his part at tn;
time to abandon Alta California, as
is charged he had after he returnC
10 San Diego; nor would we infer sue
a desire from his assertion that he wi
hold san Diego. nor from his assuran'
that no serious obstacle need be e.
pected in another expedition. Thes
observations inevitably raise the quei
ton, on the one hand, of the honest
Of Portola's letter, and, on the othe
OF the basis and the gravity of II
charge against him.
February Il. L17l7o.
Most Excellent Sir.
Sir: From San Diego I notified
IA --AANAANAAAg - Ia 4 A--AN- ~ 1880
Notwithstanding the misfortune
which she suffered, like the San
Carlos, of being unable to continue
her voyage 10 Monterrey because
nearly all their Crew had died,
had determined TO continue with the
expedition by land. concluding that
there was no reason for idly con-
Stunning the Provisions in San Diego,
and calculating that the San Joseph.
which was due TO sail In the month
OF June, might arrive Al the same
destination even before 1 should,
and that il her voyage should be &C
complished with good fortune, the
expeditions success was assured
/ set out, then, on the l4th Of
last July going with great good
fortune as far as the latitude Of SO
degrees. AT this point, however,
the Expedition was attacked With
such force by the Scurvy or NAL de
Loanda, that in a few days p Of
the p CUirassiers, including my
self. Fell i'll. Six became Paralyzed
and received all the Holy Sacra-
ments las a preparation for DEATH.
The Expedition did not on this ac-
count, however fail TO continue its
Journey until il arrived al the lati-
tude Of 80 degrees and FOrty-siX
minutes. Here [ ordered a halt,
both because I considered ii TO be
the proper latitude, since 1 had
found the Port OF san Diego in
325z, as well as on account of hav-
ing crossed the Sierra of Santa
Lusia. which. because Of its impen-
etrability in all parts, compelled US
TO make a detour.
The Captain, Setting out to EX-
plore the part Iof the wayl which
We fell short, reported upon his re-
turn to have found neither the Port
OF Carmelo nor that OF Monterrei.
1t being agreed that they would
without fail be found by Cabrera's
Signs. and on account OF the multi
tude OF Sick that We had with US.
] decided not TO go further without
calling a Council TO determine upon
the best course Of action. 1t was
resolved unanimously that the
march should be continued and the
Port sought for in a higher lati-
tude. IL was done accordingly.
and there resulted the benefit that
as the climate changed the sick
improved, with the disadvantage,
, however, OF spending forty-odd days
n doing what was undone after
ward in IS.
This Expedition, then, arrived at
81 degrees and IS minutes, and
upon looking beyond 10 50 degrees
and somewhat further, and seeing
the farallOnes, which according to
the signs Of Cabrera mark (son)
the Port Of San Francisco, and find
ing ourselves in such an uncalled
for latitude, the Expedition halted,
and a second time l ordered a
Council. Fearing that the Port of
Monterrey must have been passed
on account of the continuous mist
which had been experienced, it was
resolved unanimously that the Ex-
petition should go back, and that
exploration should be made with
the greatest diligence and care,
and, in case the port should not be
found, that the Expedition should
be established at the Punta de
Pinos, which is at the end OF the
Sierra of Santa Lusia. In all this
time Ton the way back?l the days
were clear and serene. and not one
individual doubted that the Port
was in the country which we had
traversed.
The Expedition having been estab-
hshed in said Punta de Pinos, the
Captain OF the Preside, Don Fer
nando Rivera, as first explorer, as
to explore not only what he had
seen before, but also went in as far
as the roughness of the Sierra per-
United. and examined the rest as
best he could by sight. Upon his
return he reported that the Sierra
Of Santa Lusia without doubt
seemed TO be such THAT is, the
true Santa Lusial, with the signs
Of the headland and summit Cmorro
y picacho) given by Cabrera. and
so il seemed to all the soldiers
who had accompanied him-nor
have We found any other-but that
neither the Port OF Monterrey nor
that OF Carmelo was 10 be found.
From this we have inferred that
the many sand dunes which are in
this Point-and no other has been
encountered-have been capable OF
hiding said Port. confirming US in
the belief that this might be the
Port. since IL contained almost all
the signs Of Cabrera We even
found an iron clamp Of the main
mast OF a ship
Having lost hopes Of finding the
Port. not having seen a Vessel in
seven months, and the beach from
the Border Of the Canal to where
we had arrived not being inha bited
by even single Heathen-doubt-
less because they are unable TO
find subsistence, on account Of the
boidness OF the Coast-and the -four
being on the Point Of giving out.
] called a Council for the third
time. II was resolved unanimously
that the Expedition should retreat
TO the canal OF Santa Barbara.
I consented TO this, which was now