The Seri Indians. (1898 N 17 / 1895-1896 (pages 1-344*))McGee, W J
History
The Seri Indians. (1898 N 17 / 1895-1896 (pages 1-344*))
McGee, W J
Seri Indians; Seri language; Yuman languages
[59] L’Amerique Septentrionale Suivant les Nouvelles Observations,
etc., Leyden. (Ibid., 181.) This island is not named, but is
undoubtedly the Santa Inez of several other maps—the Angel de la Guarda
of the present.
Naturally, in view of the slow and imperfect diffusion of knowledge
characteristic of early times, cartographers were dilatory in
introducing the observations of Kino and Escalante. The map of America
by Herman Moll, about 1708,[60] represents the “Gulf of California or
Red Sea”, connecting the “South Sea” with the “Straits of Anian”, and
depicts Rio Colorado (“Tison R.”) and a composite river apparently
designed to represent Rio Gila (made up of “R. Sonaca”, “R. Azul”,
and “R. Colorado”, with two other long tributaries from the south)
embouching separately a little below midlength of the gulf. Somewhat
above these are three islands, one of which is designated “Gigate
Isle”, while “Pimeria” is located correctly with respect to Rio
Gila, though too close to the sea, and “R. Sonora” is located too
far southward, with a province of the same name just north of it.
There is no reference to the Seri, but a locality in Lower California
opposite Sonora is named “Gigante”.[61] Quite similar is the map of
North America drawn and engraved by R. W. Seale about 1722, though the
provinces of Pimeria and Sonora are brought closer together, while the
magnified Gila is named Colorado (“Tison R.” also being retained).[62]
The map of North America presented to the Duc de Bourgogne by H.
Iaillot about 1720 is much the same; the “Isle de Californie” is
separated from the continent by “Mar Vermejo ou Mer Rouge” with four
islands, of which the southernmost, “I. de Gigante”, lies somewhat
below the separate mouths of “R. de Tecon” and “R. de Coral”, while the
extravagantly magnified Gila of previous maps is partially replaced
by a still more extravagant “R. del Norte”, rising in a mythical
lake above the fortieth parallel and falling into the gulf under the
thirtieth.[63] The map of Mexico and Florida by Guillaume “De l’Isle”,
published in Amsterdam by Covens and Mortier, 1722, patently begs the
question as to the northern extension of “Mer de Californie” by cutting
off the cartography at the critical point. “R. del Tison” is retained
as a subordinate river, while the separate and greatly magnified Gila
corresponds with that of the Iaillot map, the upper tributary being “R.
Sonaca ou de Hila”; “R. di Sonora” is depicted in approximate position,
with the province of the same name extending northward and “Seris”
located a little above the mouth of the river. No islands are shown in
the vicinity, but the name “Gigante” appears on the western coast of
the gulf, about latitude 26°.[64] The map of North America by the same
author, supposed to date about 1740 though probably earlier, recalls
the Van der Aa map of 1690 (?); “Mer de Californie ou Mer Vermeille”
ends doubtfully about latitude 34°, where “R. de bona guia” and “R. de
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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