The March of Portola and the Discovery of the Bay of San Francisco — John Shaqi
The March of Portola and the Discovery of the Bay of San FranciscoEldredge, Zoeth Skinner
History
The March of Portola and the Discovery of the Bay of San Francisco
Eldredge, Zoeth Skinner
California -- History; California -- History -- To 1846; Portolá's Expedition, Calif., 1769-1770; San Francisco Bay (Calif.)
From this day to the 6th of September, the explorations of the Bay
of San Francisco continued, and first pilot Don Jose de Canizares was
instructed to make his report and the map of the bay.
On September 7th an attempt was made to go to sea for the return voyage,
but the rudder was injured by a submerged rock on which the current had
carried the vessel.
From this day to September 18th, the time was passed in repairing the
rudder and making preparations for the return voyage, which took place
on that day, going to Monterey, where they arrived the following day.
In order to make the necessary repairs to the ship and pass the equinox
in good shelter, the San Carlos remained in the harbor of Monterey till
October 13, 1775, when she started for San Blas, where she arrived on
November 6th of the same year.
Report of Don Juan Manuel de Ayala Commander of the Packet Boat San
Carlos to Don Antonio Maria Bucareli Viceroy of New Spain On the
Examination of the Port of San Francisco
Your Excellency:--I have finished the orders under which I took command
of the San Carlos, returning to this port of San Blas today, November
6th, after having visited the ports of Monterey and San Francisco.
Although Your Excellency will see in the account of my examination,
together with the pilot, Don Jose Canizares' report of his examination
and the map he made of this port, the nature of the work done. I will,
notwithstanding in this, give a brief account, that shows the port of
San Francisco to be one of the best that I have seen on this coast from
Cape Horn.
After one hundred and one days of navigation, I arrived at the harbor
of Monterey, where I had to remain till July 27th, discharging the cargo
and making some repairs necessary for the safety of my vessel. On July
27th, I started in search of the Port of San Francisco, where I arrived
on the night of August 5th. I remained there forty-four days, inspecting
by myself, or by my pilot, with all possible accuracy, everything that
pertains to this matter.
It is true that this port is good, not only for the beautiful harmony
that offers to the view, but because it does not lack very good fresh
water, wood, and ballast in abundance. Its climate though cold, is
healthful and free from those troublesome fogs which we had daily in
Monterey, because the fogs here hardly reach the entrance of the port,
and once inside the harbor, the weather is very clear. To these many
advantages is to be added the best: and this is that the heathen Indians
around this port are so constant in their good friendship and so gentle
in their manners, that I received them with pleasure on board several
times, and I had the sailors frequently visit with them on land; so
that from the first to the last day, they remained the same in their
behavior. This made me present them with trinkets, beads, and biscuit;
the last they learned to ask for clearly in our language.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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