History of California, Volume I, Part 18

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers
Number of Pages: 852

USA > California > History of California, Volume I > Part 18
USA > California > History of California, Volume I > Part 18

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35 Torquemada, i. 693. Venegas, Not. Cal., i. 181-3, seems to have been the first to state that Cabrillo discovered and named the cape. Lorenzana, in Cortés, Hist. N. España, 325-6, and Cavo, Tres Siglos, i. 135, make the same statement; and it is followed by most later writers. The early writers, how- ever, all imply that the cape was discovered before Cabrillo's death and not by Ferrelo, doubtless identifying it with the nameless cape in 40°, really Año Nuevo or Pigeon Point. Laet, Novus Orbis, 306-7, makes C. Fortunas the northern limit of the voyage; and Burney, Chron. Hist., i. 220-5, identifies Fortunas with Mendocino, and is followed by Greenhow, Or. and Cal., 62-3. A very absurd theory has been more or less current that Ferrelo gave his name to the Farallones of San Francisco.

SIR FRANCIS DRAKE.

prayers and promises they are saved. They arrive at Navidad April 14th, and the first voyage to Alta California is at an end.36

Francis Drake, made Sir Francis later, entered the Pacific by way of Cape Horn in 1578, having in view not only a raid on Spanish treasure, but a return by the long-sought strait of Anian, or, if that could not be found, at least a voyage round the world. His plundering cruise having been most successful, he sailed in April 1579 from Guatulco on the Oajaca coast to find the strait that was to afford him a passage through the continent. He kept well out to sea; but in June he became discouraged on account of the extreme cold, resolved to abandon the northern enter- prise, and having anchored in a bad bay, perhaps in latitude 43°, he came down the coast in the Golden Hind to refit, when a suitable place could be found, for a voyage round Cape Good Hope and home. The particulars of his operations both in the north and south are fully treated elsewhere; it is only with what he did and saw in California that we are now con- cerned.37

36 On Cabrillo's voyage, in addition to the works to which I have had occa- sion to refer, see the following, none of which, however, throws any addi- tional light on the subject, many being but brief allusions to the voyage: Forster's Ilist. Voy., 448-9; Fleurieu, in Marchand, Voy., i. viii .- ix .; Montanus, Nieuwe Weere'd, 210-11, 101; Id., Neue Welt, 237-8; Clavigero, Stor. Cal., 134-5; Ilist. Magazine, ix. 148; Hutchings' May., i. 111; iii. 146; iv. 116, 547; v. 263, 277; Cal. Farmer, May 4, 1860, April 18, 1862, Aug. 14, 21, 1863; Over- land Monthly, April 1871, 297; Forbes' Hist. Cal., 9; Findlay's Directory, i. 314; Browne's L. Cal., 18-19: Capron's Hist. Cal., 121-2; Domenech's Deserts, i. 226; Frignet, L. Cat., 9, 26; Gleeson's Hist. Cath. Ch., i. 70-2; Hines' Voy., 352; Muhlenpfordt, Versuch; Murray's N. Amer., ii. 79-80; Rouhaud, Reg., nouvelles, 26; St Amant, Voy., 393; Fédix, l'Oregon, 55; Tyler's Hist. View, 78-9; Tiriss' Oregon Quest., 22; Cronise's Nat. Wealth, 5; Marina Española, ii. 274-7; Barber's Ilist., 459; Mofras, Explor., i. 96-7, 328; Payno, in Soc. Mex. Geog., Boletin 2d Ep., ii. 199; Kerr's Col. Voy., ii. 112; and a large number of modern mentions in books and newspapers.

37 Sec Ilist. North Mex. States, and Hist. Northwest Coast, i., this series, not only for details of Drake's performances, but for bibliographical informa- tion touching the original authorities. Of the latter there are only three that narrate the doings in California; Drake's Famous Voyage, in Hakluyt's Voy., iii. 440-2; Drake's World Encompassed, London, 1628; and Discourse of Sir Francis Drake's lorney and Exploytes, MS. These are all republished in the Hakluyt Society edition of the World Encompassed, which is the edition referred to in my notes. Hardly a collection of voyages or any kind of work HIST. CAL., VOL. I. 6

THE DISCOVERY OF CALIFORNIA.

On the 17th of June Drake found a "convenient and fit harborough" for his purpose in latitude 38° 30'38 where he cast anchor and remained over a month, until July 23d. Down to this point the coast was "but low and reasonable plaine," every hill being cov- ered with snow; and during all their stay, though in the height of summer, the cold was nipping as farther north, the air for fourteen days being not clear enough by reason of 'stinking fogges' for an observation of the sun or stars, and the fur-clad natives shivering under a lee bank.39 After a few days the ship was brought near the shore and lightened of her cargo for the purpose of repairs, tents being erected on shore

relating to the early history of California has ever been published that has not contained a narrative or a mention of Drake's voyage; but, particularly so far as California is concerned, they have contained nothing not drawn from the sources named. To point out the many errors resulting from carelessness and other causes would require much space and serve no good purpose. I shall have occasion to name a few works in later notes of this chapter; I refer the reader to the list of authorities on Cabrillo's voyage given in note 36, which with few exceptions also describe Drake's visit; and I also name the following in addition: Aa, xviii. I1; Berenger, Col. Voy., i. 63, 117; Ilarris, Nav., i. 19; Circumnavigations of Globe, 85; Kerr's Col. Voy., x. 27; Laharpe, Abrégé, xv. 15; Pinkerton's Voy., xii. 169; Sammlung, xii. 5; Voyages, Col. Voy. and Trav .; Voyages, Col. (Churchill's), viii. 459; Voyages, Curious Col., v. 153; Voyages, Harleian Col., ii. 434; Voyages, New Col., iii. 15; Voyages, New Miscel. Col., i. 37; Voyages, New Univ. Col., i. 28; Voyages, Ilist. Voy. round World, i. 1, 45; Voyages, World Displayed, v. 150; Barrow's Life Drake, 75; Clarke's Life Drake, 30; Purchas his Pilgrimes, ii. 52; Gottfriedt, Newe Welt, 345; Boss, Leben, 341; Ens, West and Ost. Ind. Lustgart, 113; Humboldt, Essai Pol., 317, 330; Low, Meer oder Seehanen Buch, 44; Morelli, Fasti Nov. Orb., 27; Laet, Nov. Orbis, 307: Navarrete, Introd., xcviii .; Id., J'iages Apóc., 33; Burney's Chron. Ilist., i. 350; Le Maire, Spieghel, 77; Pauw, Recherches, i. 172; Edin. Review, No. elxii. 1879; Niles' Register, lxv. 174; Ilunt's Merch. Mag., xii. 523; Hayes' Scraps, Cal. Notes, iii. 10; Quigley's Irish Race, 146; N. Amer. Review, June 1839, 132; Greenhow's Or. and Cal., 70; Id. Memoir, 36; Nicolay's Or. Ter., 24; Cavo, Tres Siglos, i. 214; Gleeson's Hist. Cath. Ch., i. 73, ii. 35; Belcher's Voy., i. 316; Hazlitt's Great Gold Fields, 4; California, Past, Present, 53; Frost's Half hours, 161; Mcclellan's Golden State, 43; Tuthill's Hist. Cal., 17; Holmes' An. Amer., i. 90; Mayer's Mer. Aztec, 168; Meyer, Nach dem Sac., 197; Norman's Youth's Hist., 29; Page's Nouv. Toy., ii. 410; Poussin, Quest. de l'Orég., 23; Id. U. S., 237; Taylor, in Cal. Farmer, March 29, 1861; April 25, Aug. 15, 22, 29, 1862; Willard's Last Leaves, 113; Douglass' Summary, i. 35; Uring's Ilist., 376; Farnham's Ilist. Oregon, 11, 21; Goodrich's Man upon the Sea, 241; Delaporte, Reisen, 457; Evans' Puget Sd., 3; Falconer's Oreg. Quest., 12, 39; Forbes' IIist. Cal. 10, 79; Gazlay's Pac. Monthly, 227; Soule's An. S. F., 32; also most of the recently published county histories of California.

38 World Encompassed, 115. 'A faire and good hay' in 38°. Famous Voy. 'A harborow for his ship' in 44°. Discourse, 184.

39 The excessive cold here is mentioned only in the World Encompassed. The author's absurd statements and explanations are not worth reproducing in detail.

DRAKE ON THE COAST.

for the men, with a kind of fort for protection. Of the repairs the two chief authorities say nothing; but the third tells us that Drake's men "grounded his ship to trim her," and that they set sail after having "graved and watred theire ship."

When the ship first anchored a native ambassador approached in a canoe to make a long speech, bringing also a tuft of feathers and a basket of the herb called tabáh.41 When the Englishmen landed the Indians canie to the shore in great numbers, but showed no hostility, freely receiving and giving presents, and soon came to regard the strangers, so the latter be- lieved, as gods. The narratives are chiefly filled with details of the ceremonies and sacrifices by which they signified their submission, even crowning Drake as their hioh, or king. The men went for the most part naked, the women wearing a loose garment of bul- rushes with a deerskin over the shoulders. Their houses, some of them close to the water, were partly subterranean, the upper parts being conical, of wood, and covered with earth. In details respecting the people and their habits and ceremonies there is much exaggeration and inaccuracy; but the descriptions in a general way are applicable enough to the Central Californians. 42

Before his departure Drake made a journey up into the land, " to be the better acquainted with the nature and commodities of the country," visiting several vil- lages. "The inland we found to be farre different from the shoare, a goodly country, and fruitfull soyle, stored with many blessings fit for the vse of man: infinite was the company of very large and fat Deere which there we sawe by thousands, as we supposed, in a heard; besides a multitude of a strange kinde of Conies, by farre exceeding them in number: their heads and bodies, in which they resemble other Conies,

40 Discourse, 184.

41 Or tobah, called by the Famous Voyage, tabacco. They had also a root called petcih of which they made meal and bread.

42 See Native Races, i. 361 et seq.

THE DISCOVERY OF CALIFORNIA,

are but small; his tayle, like the tayle of a Rat, ex- ceeding long; and his feet like the pawes of a Want or moale; under his chinne, on either side, he hath a bagge, into which he gathereth his meate, when he hath filled his belly abroade ... the people eate their bodies, and make great account of their skinnes, for their kings holidaies coate was made of them."43

" This country our Generall named Albion," or Noua Albion according to the Famous Voyage, "and that for two causes; the one in respect of the white bancks and cliffes, which lie toward the sea; the other, that it might haue some affinity, euen in name also, with our own country, which was sometime so called." "There is no part of earth here to bee taken up, wherein there is not some speciall likelihood of gold or silver." 44 " Before we went from thence, our Generall caused to be set vp a monument of our being there, as also of her maiesties and successors right and title to that king- dome; namely, a plate of brasse, fast nailed to a great and firme post; whereon is engrauen her graces name, and the day and yeare of our arriual there, and of the free giuing vp of the prouince and kingdome, both by the king and people, into her maiesties hands: together with her highnesse picture and armes, in a piece of sixpence currant English monie, shewing itselfe by a hole made of purpose through the plate; vnderneath was likewise engrauen the name of our Generall, etc.45 The Spaniards neuer had any dealing, or so much as set a foote in this country, the utmost of their discoveries reaching onely to many degrees Southward of this place." They finally sailed on the 23d of July,46 on a south-south-west course accord-

43 World Encompassed, 131-2. 'We found the whole country to bee a war- ren of a strange kinde of Conies, their bodyes in bignes as be the Barbary Conies, their heads as the heads of ours, the feet of a Want, and the taile of a rat being of great length: under her chinne on either side a bagge,' etc. Famous Voyage.

# Famous Voyage, the rest being from World Encompassed.

45 In this place Drake set up 'a greate post and nayled thereon a vjd , wch the countrey people woorshipped as if it had bin God; also hee nayled vppon this post a plate of lead, and scratched therein the Queenes name.' Discourse. 46 ' In the latter ende of August.' Discourse, 184.

IDENTITY OF DRAKE'S ANCHORAGE.

ing to the Discourse, and "not farre without this har- borough did lye certain Ilands (we called them the Ilands of Saint James) hauing on them plentifull and great store of Seales and birds, with one of which we fell July 24, whereon we found such prouision as might competently serue our turne for a while. We departed againe the day next following, viz., July 25." No more land was seen till they had crossed the Pacific.

It should be noted that no regular diary or log of this voyage is extant or is known to have ever been extant. Of the three narratives which I have cited one was perhaps written from memory by a companion of Drake. The others are compilations from notes of the chaplain, Fletcher, written under circumstances of which we know but little, by a man not noted for his veracity, and from the reminiscences probably of others. Naturally they abound in discrepancies and inaccuracies, as is shown still more clearly in parts not relating to California. They are sufficiently accurate to leave no room for reasonable doubt that Drake really anchored on the coast in the region indicated, touching at one of the Farallones on his departure; but in respect of further details they inspire no confi- dence.

Yet the identity of Drake's anchorage is a most interesting point, and one that has caused much dis- cussion. There are three bays not far apart on the coast, those of Bodega, Drake, and San Francisco, any one of which to a certain extent may answer the requirements, and each of which has had its advocates. Their positions are shown on the annexed map. The central bay under Point Reyes, the old San Francisco, is almost exactly in latitude 38°, and it agrees better than the others with the south-south-west course to the Farallones as given by one of the narratives; Bodega agrees well enough with the 38° 30' of the Famous Voyage, and more properly than the other may be termed a 'faire and good bay;' while San Francisco, though some twenty minutes south of the

THE DISCOVERY OF CALIFORNIA.

lowest latitude mentioned, is a very much more 'con- uenient harborough' than either of the others.

For nearly two centuries after the voyage there was but slight occasion to identify Drake's anchorage; yet there can be no doubt that it was to a certain extent confounded with the old San Francisco men-

Estero. Amer.

Tomales Bay

Ser. Carquincy

S. Pro B.

B Redonda

Brak

8. Fran. R.

Old S. Francisco

Fages R

Wit. Diablo

Golden Gate

Ari Bosqu

FARALLONES

FRANCISCO BAY

PLS FULLT

alvados

taci

Ecar

Searsville

Ortega

LLANO

DEL PUERTO

WHERE DID DRAKE LAND?

tioned by Torquemada, and that the confusion was shown, or increased, by the occasional occurrence of " the name S. Francisco Drak for Sir Francis Drake on old maps. And later when the new San Francisco was found, few if any but Spaniards understood the difference between the two;47 and therefore, as well

47 Cabrera Bueno, Navegacion Especulativa, Manila, 1734, makes the dis- tinction perfectly clear; but of this work nothing was known to the world beyond its mere existence till 1874, when one of my assistants in the Over- land Monthly gave a translation of its contents so far as relating to this sub- ject. Doyle in his reprint of Palou, Noticias, i. ix .- x., gave the same in substance later, after consulting my copy.

Bon

Fages 1772

Air.Nuccet

Partola 1769

IDEAS OF THE SPANIARDS.

as on account of the excellence of the new harbor, Drake's anchorage was very naturally identified by most with the bay of San Francisco. The Spaniards, however, never accepted this theory, but were dis- posed from the first to claim for Portolá's expedi- tion the honor of discovering the new San Francisco, and to restrict Drake's discoveries to Bodega.48 It cannot be claimed, however, that the Spaniards had any special facilities for learning the truth of the matter; and indeed some of them seem to have de- clared in favor of the bay under Point Reyes,49 which has for many years borne Drake's name on the maps, though advocates of both the other bays have not been wanting. The general opinion in modern times

234 E.

23G E.

235 E.

237 E.

C.Mendocino

Ba. Mendocino

239 E.

40 N.

238 F.

la Costa

Denis

B.S. Michele!

Poto.di Nyouo Albion

C.del Porto

Costa di Nuoya

Albion

C.di San Pietro

G.di S.Pietro

MAP FROM ARCANO DEL MARE, 1647.

48 In Bodega y Cuadra, Viage de 1775, MS., it is clearly stated that Bodega was Drake's bay and that it was distinct from either San Francisco. Fleurieu, Introd. Marchand, Voy., i. lxxvi. et seq., by a blundering reference to Mau- relle's Journal, 45 et seq., identified Bodega and San Francisco, making some absurd charges against the Spaniards of having changed the name, which charges Navarrete, Introd. Sutil y Mex. l'iage, xcviii .- ix., refutes, at the same time implying his approval of the identity of Drake's bay and Bodega. Hum- boldt, Essai Pol., 327, takes the same view of the subject.

49 Vancouver, Voyages, i. 430, in 1792 understood the Spaniards to be of this opinion. Yet I find no evidence that this opinion was ever the prevail- ing one. The 'Spanish tradition' in California was very strong against new San Francisco; but was not very pronounced as between old San Francisco and Bodega, favoring, however, the latter. Padre Niel, Apuntaciones, 78, writing in about 1718 declared his opinion that Drake's bay was at the mouth of Carmelo River!

Nuqua Albio scoperta del Drago Inglese nel 1579

C. Neuada

Il.Neuada

C. della Ba.Baradi

C.al Denia

Co.di S. Michele

THE DISCOVERY OF CALIFORNIA.

has been that the great freebooter did not enter San Francisco Bay, and that he probably did anchor at Drake Bay.

Early maps, it would seem, should throw some light on this question, but they fail to do so. With the exception of Vizcaino's map, to be reproduced presently and having no bearing on Drake's voyage, I have not found a single map of the California coast of earlier date than 1769 bearing the slightest indication of having been founded on anything but the narratives still extant and the imagination of the map-maker. I reproduce two sections of maps from the Arcano del Mare to which Hale attaches some importance in this connection, with another by Hondius and sup- posed to represent Drake's port in New Albion.50

Ensa.Larga

Po.di Don Gosper

R.Salado

Po.dell nuovo Albin scoperto del Drago Inglese

ARCANO DEL MARE.

PORTUSTOVE

ALBIONIS-

HONDIUS' MAP.

50 Hale's Early Maps of America, and a note on Robert Dudley and the Arcano del Mare, Worcester, 1874, a paper read before the American Antiq. Soc. in 1873. The author is inclined to think that Dudley had some special authority unknown to us for his maps of this coast. 'Our California friends must permit me to say that Porto bonissimo (an inscription for Drake's port) is a very strong phrase for the open road-stead of "Sir Francis Drake's Bay" as it is now understood.' Of the peculiar 'bottle-shaped loop' of the bay, it is said, 'the bay of San Francisco after numerous reductions and copyings would assume mnuch this shape.' And the difficulty arising from the other bay of like shape just above San Francisco on both maps is thus ingeniously, if not very satisfactorily, explained away. 'I confess that it seems to me that more than one navigator of those times probably entered the Golden Gate into the bay of San Francisco. Each one recorded his own latitude-and these two bays, almost identical in appearance, are due to an effort of the map- maker to include two incorrect latitudes in one map'! Hale reproduces one of the Arcano maps and adds the Hondius map in Bryant's Ilist. U. S., ii. 570-7. Here he is non-committal about the identity of the bays, admitting that the maker of the Hondius map had no knowledge of San Francisco Bay, or indeed of any other bay on the coast. In one of the arguments against San Francisco that seems to have most weight with him he is however in error. 'It is quite certain that the Spaniards, who eagerly tried to rediscover the port, with this map in their possession, did not succeed until near two hun- dred years after. Long before they did discover it they were seeking for it,

THE EVIDENCE OF MAPS.

With due respect for Hale's views, as those of an able and conscientious investigator, I find in them nothing to change my own as just expressed. These maps like all others represent Drake's port from the current narratives as a good bay in about 38° of latitude; all the rest is purely imaginary. For like reasons I can- not agree with another able student of California history who finds proof in the maps given by Hale that Drake anchored in Bodega Bay. I do not object very strongly to the conclusion, but I find no proof, or even evidence in the maps.51

calling it the bay of San Francisco, that name probably having been taken from no less a saint than the heretic, Sir Francis Drake.' This is the old confusion already alluded to. Hale knew nothing of the distinction between the old aud new San Francisco. The Spaniards were familiar with the position of the former after its discovery and naming by Cermeñon in 1595; Vizcaino entered it without difficulty in 1603; Portolá was approaching it as a perfectly well known landmark when he stumbled on the new San Francisco in 1769. There is no evidence that the Spaniards ever sought San Francisco on any other occasion.

5l' I allude to the writer of a review of Bryant's Hist. U. S. in the S. F. Bulletin, Oct. 5, 1878, whom I suppose to have been John W. Dwinelle, and whose argument is worth quoting at some length. After some remarks on Hondius' facilities for knowing the truth, Dwinelle writes: 'This map does not accurately deseribe Bodega Bay. There is now a long spit of sand running from the east at the foot of the bay and nearly shutting it up. But that sand spit did not exist when Captain Bodega discovered the bay in 1775, although he reported his opinion that a bar was forming there. The long, narrow island represented on Hondius' map of the bay as lying on the outside of the coast and parallel to the bay, really lies at the foot of the bay, below the peninsula; but, viewed from the point where Drake's ship is represented as lying, the island appears to lie outside of the peninsula. Drake's ship passed this island only twice, namely, when he sailed in and when he sailed out. But it was in sight every day from the place where his ship lay during the five weeks that he was there, and from that point, we repeat, this island appears to be outside. The bay itself, there at its head, appears to be twice as wide as it is at its mouth some miles below, although the reverse is the fact. But it is just such a map as a good penman ignorant of linear and aerial perspective would have made on the spot, if he had a taste for pen and ink maps, such as Fletcher, Drake's chaplain, is known to have had. We have visited Bodega Bay with a photographic copy of Hondius' map of Drake's Bay, taken from that in the British museum, but enlarged to the dimension of 5 by 6 inches. All the indications called for by Drake's narrative exist there. Those we have mentioned; also the Indian villages; the shell-fish; the seals; the deciduous trees, the "conies" which honey-combed the soil; the eleva- tion of the coast, which commenced at about that latitude; the white sand- hills, which suggested the name of Albion. Also another indication which does not appear in the map as copied in the history, a line of rocks below the beach at the lower right-hand water-line, thus forming a double coast line. We have no doubt that Bodega Bay is Drake's Bay, and that Hondius' map was furnished to him by Fletcher, who made it on the spot. Drake's ship could go in there now and anchor at its head in 15 feet water, 100 feet from the shore, where there is a good sandy beach on which to careen and repair

THE DISCOVERY OF CALIFORNIA.

The main question is, did Drake enter San Fran- cisco Bay? It would serve no good purpose to cata- logue the modern writers who have espoused one theory or the other. Able men like Burney, David- son, Tuthill, and Stillman have maintained that Drake anchored within the Golden Gate, against the con- trary opinions of other able men like Humboldt, Soulé, Doyle, Dwinelle, and Hittell. Some have been very positive, others cautious and doubtful. Most

vessels, and where there was an Indian village "on the hill above," as demanded by Drake's narrative. The map from Arcano del Mar, edition of 1047, given at page 571 in the history, in our opinion greatly strengthens this view. Directly opposite the mouth of Bodega Bay to the south is the mouth of Tomales Bay. Between the two the Rio Estero Americano of the Spanish Californians debouches into the ocean; a stream whose bed is almost bare in the dry season, but which, during the rainy season and for some time after- wards, poured into the sea a shallow volume of turbulent waters, several hundred feet in width. When Drake was on this coast, the winter or rainy season was unusually protracted, so far that the deciduous trees, which usually resume their foliage in March and April, had not done so as late as July, and it still snowed on the coast. Snow on the coast means rain in the interior at a short distance from the sea. It may be safely assumed that the Rio Estero Americano was swelling full to its margin-probably unusually full. The "bottle-shaped" bay on the reduced scale of the map from Arcano del Mar might well represent the two bays, the neck standing for the river .. The latitude is precisely that required for Bodega Bay. Following down the map, the coast line corresponds with great exactness with that of the modern maps as given at page 576; C. (Cabo) di San Pietro, Cape St Peter, is Cape Punta de los Reyes, the western point of Jack's, or Drake's bay of modern times; and G. (golfo) di San Pietro, corresponds exactly to Jack's, or Drake's Bay, as it appears from the sea, and also exactly to its latitude. We are of opinion that this map must be regarded as authentic, and also the vignettes engraved upon the same sheet. Two of these represent Drake's ship, the Pelican, the first as she lay stranded on the rocks at the Windward Islands, and the other as lying at anchor. They both correspond in all their details. Probably the drawings from which the engraving was executed were made from the ship itself. Drake returned to England in 1580. He never sailed again. The engravings were made between 1590 and 1600. Hondius was in England all this time. If not made from the ship, the engraving may be safely assumed to represent the style of naval architecture of the period. The ship is repre- sented as broad in the beam and round in the bow. Her burden, Drake's narrative informs us, was 100 tons. She was therefore shallow and drew but little water. The ship-builders whom we have consulted inform us that with all her armament she could not have drawn more than from 5 to 6 feet of water. She could therefore have entered Bolinas Bay, Jack's, or Drake's (interior) Bay, Tomales Bay, Bodega Bay, Humboldt Bay, and any or all of the rivers which Drake encountered. Modern navigators and hydrographers who argue that Drake must have entered the Bay of San Francisco because no other bay was deep enough for the entry and repairing of a man-of-war, must have certainly had in their minds a modern 74-gun ship, and not a little caravel of 100 tons carrying six feet of draft.' It will be noticed that the writer attempts no explanation of the two bottle-shaped bays. It is moreover remarkable that he should accept Fletcher's statements about the climate and season as even remotely founded on truth.

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History of California, Volume I, Part 18

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe Publication date: 1885 Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers Number of Pages: 852

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers
Number of Pages: 852