Columbus and Other Heroes of American DiscoveryD'Anvers, N.
History
Columbus and Other Heroes of American Discovery
D'Anvers, N.
America -- Discovery and exploration; North America -- Discovery and exploration
The next hero to attempt to penetrate to the North-west was Juan
Rodriguez Cabrillo, a Portuguese mariner, sent out in 1542 by the
indefatigable Mendoza. After rounding the modern Cape St. Lucas,
Cabrillo sailed along the coast of California as far as N. lat.
40° 30′, where he saw two lofty snow-clad mountains, between which
projected the now well-known modern headland to which he gave the name
of Cape Mendocino, in honor of his employer. Sailing on beyond Cape
Mendocino, Cabrillo was compelled, four degrees further north, to
turn back, on account of the extreme cold. He arrived in Mexico in the
spring of 1543, after ten months’ absence, his voyage justly entitling
him to be called the discoverer of Northern California, though that
honor is usually claimed for our fellow-countryman, Sir Francis Drake,
who, thirty-six years later, touched at Point de los Reyes, and, in
ignorance of his predecessor’s work, took possession of the country he
thought he had discovered in the name of Queen Elizabeth, christening
it New Albion.
In 1596, Mendoza’s successor, Conde de Monterey, sent an expedition
consisting of three vessels, under Sebastian Viscaino, to California,
with a view to opening friendly relations with the natives. Crossing
the lower portion of the Gulf of California, and rounding Cape St.
Lucas, as Cabrillo had done before him, Viscaino soon came to a good
harbor, which he named first St. Sebastian and then La Paz. After
taking possession of the country for the King of Spain, by firing
cannons and hoisting standards, the explorer allowed four Franciscan
friars to admit such of the natives as were willing to the Holy
Catholic Church, the simple people gazing with wondering admiration
at the unintelligible ceremonies performed on their behalf. This
double conquest made for the State and Church of his sovereign,
Viscaino continued his voyage up the north-eastern coast; but a
misunderstanding with the natives, and the failure of his provisions,
compelled him shortly to return to Mexico. In 1602, however, he
started again, this time at the head of a thoroughly well-organized
expedition; and after a flying visit to the converts at La Paz, he
sailed leisurely up the coast of California, discovering the harbor
of San Diego (N. lat. 32° 47′) on the 10th November, and the Bay of
Monterey (N. lat. 36° 33′), so named after the Viceroy, on the 16th
December.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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