The Jesuits, 1534-1921: A History of the Society of Jesus from Its Foundation to the Present TimeCampbell, Thomas J. (Thomas Joseph)
History
The Jesuits, 1534-1921: A History of the Society of Jesus from Its Foundation to the Present Time
Campbell, Thomas J. (Thomas Joseph)
Jesuits -- History
While the "Santa Barbara" was being loaded, the "Triumph" was nearly
stranded at the mouth of the river, so it was decided to cross to the
other side, which they reached only after a hard three days' sail. There
the "Santa Barbara" met them and both ships pointed north, crossing and
recrossing the gulf until finally they anchored at the mouth of the
river on the Pimería side. There was some talk of going up the stream,
but the ship's position in the strong current was dangerous, the
weather was threatening, and besides, Ugarte had achieved his purpose;
he had seen the river from the Gulf and had added a convincing proof to
Kino's assertion that California was a peninsula. On July 16 they
started south; the storm they had feared broke over them and the sloop
nearly went to the bottom. The sailors, who were nearly all sick of the
scurvy, got confused in the Salsipuedes channel, and it was only on
August 18 that they cleared that passage so aptly called "Get out if you
can." But a triple rainbow in the sky that day comforted them, just as
they had been cheered when the St. Elmo's fire played around the mast
head during the gale. But they were not free yet. Another storm overtook
them and they had great difficulty in dodging a waterspout, but they
finally reached Loretto in the month of September.
Besides its original purpose, this voyage resulted in furnishing much
valuable information about the shores, ports, islands and currents of
the Upper Gulf. The original account of the journey with maps and a
journal kept by Stafford was sent to the viceroy for the king, but
Bancroft says they have not been traced. Ugarte lived only eight years
after this eventful journey. Picolo, Salvatierra's first companion had
preceded him to the grave, dying on February 22, 1729, at the age of 79,
whereas Ugarte's life-work did not cease till the following December 29.
Perhaps Lower California owes more to him than to the great Salvatierra.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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