Francis Drake and the California Indians, 1579Heizer, Robert F. (Robert Fleming)
History
Francis Drake and the California Indians, 1579
Heizer, Robert F. (Robert Fleming)
Drake, Francis, approximately 1540-1596 -- Travel -- California; Indians of North America -- California
Henry R. Wagner is the chief proponent of the Trinidad Bay theory, and
bases his conclusion upon two lines of evidence, (1) cartographical and
(2) ethnographical.[25] The Jodocus Hondius map, with a small inset of
the _Portus Novae Albionis_, does resemble Trinidad Harbor, but since
all admit that the Hondius "Portus" is imperfectly drawn, and only
generally impressionistic, it can hardly be maintained that it resembles
less the outline of Bodega Bay or Drake's Bay. Wagner points out that
there was a Yurok village near the spot indicated on the Hondius map as
occupied by an Indian town.[26] But in Drake's Bay and Bodega Bay, the
outlines of which also resemble that of the _Portus Novae Albionis_,
there are also Indian shellmounds in about the same relative position as
the village shown on the Hondius map.
Fletcher's reference to a "canow" has led Wagner to identify this with
the Yurok dugout log canoe. If Fletcher's "canow" were described in any
detail, it would settle the problem of whether it meant a Yurok dugout
log canoe or a Coast Miwok tule _balsa_ such as was used in Drake's or
Bodega Bay. Kroeber has also commented upon this unenlightening word,
saying, "Either custom changed after Drake's day, or his canoe is a
loose term for the tule _balsa_ which was often boat-shaped, with raised
sides, especially when intended for navigation." Wagner says in answer,
"To this it may be objected that ... tule _balsas_ were in use in
Drake's Bay in 1595 and were so recognized without difficulty." They
were recognized indeed, _but by a Spanish sailor already familiar with
the type_. Fletcher in his offhand manner dismissed the native boat with
a word which _he_ was familiar with. Perhaps the strongest argument in
favor of identifying Fletcher's "canow" as a tule _balsa_ lies in the
fact that he states that a single person came out to the _Golden Hinde_.
If it had been a Yurok dugout, and particularly in the open bay of
Trinidad, one man could not have managed the canoe. For example, the
Bruno de Hezeta account of Trinidad Bay in 1775 states: "Before they
[the Spaniards] drew near the land to drop anchor four canoes carrying
twenty-four men came out to receive them. They drew near the ships and
were given food and beads, with which they went away without
fear...."[27] It might also be worth noting that Fletcher states that
the person in the canoe remained "at a reasonable distance staying
himself," and would accept only a hat, "refusing vtterly to meddle with
any other thing...." One other account may be cited to support the
identification of the "canow" with the _balsa_. Sebastián Cermeño, in
1595 at Drake's Bay, wrote, "... many Indians appeared on the beach and
soon _one of them_ got into a small craft which they employ, like a
çacate of the lake of Mexico."[28]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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