The March of Portola and the Discovery of the Bay of San Francisco | Page 6

the Islands of San Juan de Mazatlan.
From Mazatlan he bore west-northwest across the Gulf of California
and landed in a large bay which he named San Felipe, afterwards
known as the Bay of Cerralbo. From here he went to La Paz bay, which
he so named because of the peaceful character of the Indians, who
received him hospitably with presents of fish, game, and fruits. This
was, it is supposed, the place where Jimenez, the discoverer of
California, lost his life in 1533, and where Córtez planted his ill-fated
colony two years later. In entering the bay, the flagship ran on a shoal,
and they were obliged to cut away her masts and lighten her of her
cargo of provisions, a great part of which was wet and lost. Here
Vizcaino landed and built a stockade fort, and leaving the dismantled
flagship and the married men of his company under command of his
lieutenant, Figueroa, he sailed on October 3rd, with the San José and
the lancha and eighty men to explore the gulf. He encountered severe
storms which separated his vessels, and not having proper discipline
among his men, had trouble with the Indians of the coast, during which
nineteen men were lost by the overturning of the ship's long boat. He
turned back to La Paz, where his men, disheartened by the storms and
the loss of their comrades, demanded to be returned to New Spain. His
stock of provisions was running low, and putting the disaffected on the
flagship and the lancha, he sent them back, and with the San José and
forty of the more adventurous of the men, again sailed, on October 28th,
for the headwaters of the gulf. For sixty-six days he battled against
strong north winds, and only succeeded in reaching latitude
twenty-nine; then yielding to the demands of his men, he sailed for the
port of the Isles of Mazatlan.
The results of the expedition did not add to Vizcaino's reputation, but
he made a most glowing report of his discoveries. He told of a land
double the extent of New Spain and in situation much preferable; its
seas abounding in pearls of excellent quality and in fish of all kinds, in
quantity greater than was contained in any other discovered sea; while

in the interior of the land, some twenty days' journey to the northwest,
were people who lived in towns, wore clothes, had gold and silver
ornaments, cloaks of cotton, maize and provisions, fowls of the country
(turkeys), and of Castile (chickens); thus the Indians told him - not only
in one place but in many. He desired permission to make another
voyage, and as the late expedition had exhausted his own resources,
asked that he be granted thirty-five thousand dollars from the royal
treasury and outfitting for his ships. These advances he agreed to repay
from the first gain received by him during the voyage. He also asked,
on behalf of those who accompanied him, that the countries brought by
him into subjection to the crown be given to them encomienda for five
lives[3]; that they be made gentlemen and granted all the favors,
exemptions, and liberties that other gentlemen enjoy, not only in the
provinces of the Indies but also in Spain. For these and for other favors
asked, Vizcaino agreed to sail with five ships, equipped with proper
artillery, one hundred and fifty men, arms and ammunition, provisions,
etc. - all things necessary for the voyage. He would pay the king
one-fifth part of all gold, precious stones and valuable mineral
substances obtained, one-tenth part of the fish taken, and one-twentieth
part of the salt obtained. He also agreed to make discovery of the whole
ensenada and gulf of the Californias, take possession of the land in the
name of his majesty, make settlements, build forts, and explore the
country inland for a distance of one hundred leagues.
Vizcaino's rose-colored report did not deceive the authorities, but as he
had the necessary outfit and had had some experience, the Council
decided that he was the best man to head the expedition, though Zúñiga
favored Don Gabriel Maldonado, of Saville, for commander. The
Council ordered that Vizcaino be supplied from the royal treasury with
all necessary funds; it granted the boon of encomienda for three lives,
and that the discoverers should have all the privileges of gentlemen
throughout the Indies. It also granted other minor privileges and boons
asked for. Vizcaino was made captain-general of the expedition, and
sailed from Acapulco May 5, 1602, with orders to explore the coasts of
the Californias from Cape San Lucas to Cape Mendocino, or as far
north as latitude forty-two. His ships were the San Diego, flagship, the
Santo Tomas, under Toríbio Gomez de Corvan, the Tres Reyes, a small
fragata