USA > California > History of California, Volume II > Part 6
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In the preceding chapter I have noticed certain expeditions in pursuit of natives from the region of Mission San José, one of which perhaps reached the San Joaquin at the Pescadero rancheria.1 In 1804 Father Martin made a visit to the valley of the tulares, reaching a rancheria of Bubal named La Salve, but accomplishing nothing; and in 1805 it is stated that an expedition reached and named the Rio de los San- tos Reyes, still called Kings River.2 At some recent
1 Chapter ii. of this volume.
2 Martin, Visita á los Gentiles Tulareños, 1804, MS. In a later report of 1815. Arch. Sta B., MS., iv. 27.
46
INLAND EXPLORATIONS.
time before the autumn of 1806 a party sent out to find a route to Bodega, reached a river which was named Rio de la Pasion, apparently identical with the Calaveras River, though that was certainly on a very remarkable route to Bodega.3 Langsdorff under- stood that though the Spaniards had followed the left bank of the San Joaquin for miles from its mouth on horseback they had never crossed it for want of boats. San Francisco seems to have been the only name he heard applied to that river. "Every year," says this author, " military expeditions are sent out to obtain a more exact knowledge of the interior of the country, with a view, if possible, of establishing by degrees a land communication between Santa Fé and the north-west coast of America. While I was at the mission of St Joseph April 1806 thirteen soldiers, with a sergeant and corporal, arrived there on their return from one of these expeditions. These people asserted that they had penetrated between eighty and ninety leagues into the country, and had arrived in the neighborhood of a high and widely extended chain of hills, covered with eternal snow; this chain is known to the Spaniards under the name of the Sierra Nevada." Soldiers supposed to have come from New Mexico were reported by the natives to have come to the country. Another expedition under Luis Ar- güello and Padre Uría was being prepared at San Francisco. It was to include Cadet Santiago Argu- ello, a corporal, and twenty-five men.4
The expedition of April alluded to by Langsdorff is also vaguely mentioned without details in the Spanish diary of another expedition as having made quite extensive explorations in what is now Tulare
3 Arch. Sta B., MS., iv. 18, to be explained in a later diary.
4 Langsdorff's Voyages and Travels, ii. 203-7. The author makes a some- what amusing though not unnatural error when he names the ensign Afferez as one of the members of the proposed expedition, alférez, as the reader knows, being the Spanish for 'ensign.' Beechey, Voyage, ii. 5, tells us that at the time of Langsdorff's visit Luis Arguello and Uría explored the Sacramento for 70-80 leagues, and prepared to found a settlement for the con- version of the natives; but it failed.
47
MAITORENA'S ENTRADA.
County, giving the names San Gabriel, San Miguel, and San Pedro to three rivers, the two former being branches of the same river. This party or another is said to have started from Mission San Miguel in April for a trip of seventeen days.5 As to the other proposed expedition of which Langsdorff speaks, there are some indications that it never started, though possibly it may have been the one which discovered and named Rio de la Pasion. Finally it is inci- dentally stated that the Rio San Joaquin had been discovered and named, at a date not given, before September 1806, by Alférez Gabriel Moraga." We know of course that the river had long ago been visited by Don Gabriel's father as well as by others; but there is no apparent reason to doubt that the son had given the name recently, as I know no instance in which it was used before 1806. So much for vague references; let us now glance at records which are slightly more definite.
On May 9, 1806, Arrillaga issued orders to the commandant of San Diego for an expedition to be sent out from that presidio. The instructions indi- cate that it was not expected perhaps to find mission sites in this southern region, but rather to obtain as much information as possible about the Indians and their rancherías, to form friendly compacts with the gentiles for the return of fugitives, and to arrest all the runaways that could be found in a search of twenty or thirty days.
On June 20th Alférez Maitorena, Father Sanchez, Sergeant Pico, twenty soldiers, and three interpret- ers started from San Diego, to begin their explo- ration at the sierra running from San Luis Rey towards San Miguel. Having visited all the ran- cherías for twenty-five or thirty leagues, and cap- tured only two fugitives, the party returned on the 14th of July. Sanchez doubtless kept a diary, as the
5 Arch. Sta B., MS., iv. 31-2; xii. S1-2.
6 Arch. Sta B., MS., iv. 5.
48
INLAND EXPLORATIONS.
sergeant was also ordered to do, but neither document is to be found.7
May 20th the governor issued instructions similar to the preceding, for an expedition to be under Alférez Luis Argüello. The territory to be explored, as vaguely indicated, seems to have been the same as that intrusted to Maitorena-that is the country from the sierra inland between San Luis and San Miguel; but Argüello was not to visit the Colorado ranchería of San Quirino.8 Nothing more is known of this expedition, and I think it was never carried out. An expedition was however despatched from Santa Bárbara on July 19th, in accordance with Arrillaga's orders of the 10th of July. Father Zal- videa was one of the party and his diary I reproduce substantially, so far as names, dates, distances, and courses are concerned, in a note.º The writer alludes
" June 18, 1806, commandant to governor, acknowledging receipt of instruc- tions of May 19th. June 20th, announcement of start. July 25th, announce- ment of return. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xix. 123-6, 183-7.
8 Prov. Rec., MS., xii. 37-40. Possibly this was the same expedition referred to by Langsdorff as in preparation a little earlier.
9 Zalvidea, Diario de una Expedicion, Tierra adentro, 1806, MS. July 19th, went from Sta Bárbara to Sta Ines. July 20th, north, 3 leagues to Jonatas rancheria; 31. to Saca; 5 1. to Olomosoug. July 21st, north, 4 1. to Gecp, through broken hills. July 22d, north over the sierra, 21. to Talihuilimit on the plain; north-east 6 1. to Lisahua near an arroyo on an arid nitrous soil without wood or pasture. July 23d, cast 4 1. to Cuia, near 3 small springs; 4 1. south to Siguecin; and back to Lisahua. July 24th, east 4 1. past a salina to Sgene; 7 1. east to Malapoa, or Napolea. July 25th, S 1. north to Buenavista on the shore of a lagoon which is & leagues long and 5 leagues wide (this seems too large for Buenavista or Kern lakes or both, and too small for Tulare Lake, but was probably the latter), 3 branches of a great river. Balsas were used on the lake by the Indians; 2 1. no course given. July 26th, till noon, east along shore of lake; afternoon, north over a broad ¡lain, no distance given, plenty of tules; to Sisupistu at the point of the lake. July 27th, 4 1. east across arid plains; 2 1. into a cañada, to a site called Tupai. July 28th, 30th, spent in exploring the region of the camp, which is very minutely but confusedly described, as affording several streams, some tolerably good land, oak-covered hills, swamps, and broad plains with some grass with a yellow flower; low hills form a semicircle about 7 1. from the Punta de la Laguna; and near by is a pine-covered mountain range. Tacui is the only rancheria mentioned. July 31st, 41. north over the plain. Aug. Ist, 5 1. north to Ranchería de los Rios, or Yaguelame. Here were 2 of the 3 branches into which a great river from the sierra divides itself, and which 31. distant through a forest of poplars reunite to form the Laguna Grande de los Tulares already described. Nothing but bare hills to be seen in the north, in which direction 2 days' journey distant live the Pelones in 13 rancherias. Aug. 2d, 3 1. south; report that the Colorado River Indians from the rancheria called Majagua come here often in a 10 days' journey over a country without
49
VALLEY OF THE TULARES.
120
Il. de los Reyes
Moragu
R. Kuwiah
1806
Laguna Grande delos
R. S. Miguel
(R.Tulares)
S. Pedro
1776
Garces
180G
Zalvidea
(Kern
Buenavista
R.
L.
Arr.S Emigdio
R .- S. Felipe
Zalvidea
Moraga
1800
1806
Garees
rces
1776
Ğa
Santa Clara
MAP OF THE TULARE VALLEY.
HIST. CAL., VOL. II. 4
(Visalia)
Tutares
R.S. Gabriel
50
INLAND EXPLORATIONS.
several times to the lieutenant in command, who was probably Francisco Ruiz. The route followed was first north from Santa Inés, and then eastwardly into the great plain. The name Buenavista was applied to a ranchería on the banks of the Laguna Grande de los Tulares. I am unable by the aid of maps to follow the exact route and identify the different streams mentioned; but in what seems to have been the Visalia region Zalvidea found an excellent site for a mission, most of the country traversed being arid,
alkaline, and unfit for mission purposes. They seen not to have gone further north than the southern boundary of Fresno County; and then proceeding southward, they passed through Tejon or Tehachipi pass out of the valley; followed the eastern foothills of the San Gabriel range until they turned west and crossed the mountains to San Gabriel on the 14th of August. The natives had been uniformly friendly and willing to receive missionaries, several submitting to baptism at the hands of Zalvidea.
September 4th Arrillaga notified Commandant de la Guerra of Monterey that instead of two expeditions- cne from Monterey and the other from San Francisco as had apparently been the intention-one only need be despatched under Alférez Moraga, with Marcelino Ciprés as chaplain.10 Moraga's party of twenty-five
water. Aug. 3d, south to Punta de la Laguna, and one league more. Aug. 4th, 4 1. south into the cajon where two soldiers were killed some years ago. It is 5 1. from Punta de la Laguna; 5 1. from Buenavista; and 7 1. from Ranchería de los Rios. A ranehería of Taslupi mentioned. The stream of the cajon contained some saltpetre. Aug. 5th, fruitless search over the mountains for a watering-place the lieutenant had seen before, and return to camp. Aug. 6th, east through the eajon. Aug. 7th, visit to rancheria of Castegue. Aug. Sth, 41. east to a spring; 71. into a broad valley. Ang. 9th, 9 1. east through the valley, no water; 2 1. to a spring. Aug. 10th, all day over hills adjoining the sierra of San Gabriel; 6 1. in afternoon. Aug. 11th, 7 1. east to Atongai; 1.5 1. to a ciénega; 2.5 l. to Guapiabit. Aug. 12th, resting. Aug. 13th, 41. west to Moscopiabit; 4 1. to an abandoned ranehería; 2 1. to a stream said to flow into the Rio Santa Ana. Aug. 14th, 6 1. west to Guapiana; and to San Gabriel.
10 Prov. St. Pap., MS., xix. 117-18. The com. of San Francisco was to have a sergeant, corporal, and eight men ready to march whenever Guerra should call for them. As Ruiz had marched from the Laguna de San Buena- ventura to San Gabriel without noting anything of importance, Moraga must keep to the eastward, or to the other side of the river which the other party
VALLEY OF THE TULARES.
51
Ppò
Suisunes
o .Helvetia
"San Francisco
Carquines
· Sacramento
121
Cosumnes
R. S.Lorenzo
Alameda S.Jos& Mision
Moquelumnes
1
Pescadero
(Stockton )
Sta. Clara
Cholbones
Rio S. Joaquin
Pasion
Calaveras
( R. Estanislao)
1806.
Viader
( Tuolumne
R. Guadalupe
R. Dolores
1810
R. Merced
Gonzaga
L
Moraga
Mariposas
1806
( R. Mariposa8)
(Fresno R.)
Moraga
R. S .. Joaquin
MAP OF THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY.
Or Jesus Maria
Mt.Diablo
Viader
(T .. Calaveras)
E
oS.Jos
1810
Orestimac
( Bear Cr. )
Viader-
52
INLAND EXPLORATIONS.
men finally started from San Juan Bautista the 21st of September. Instead of Ciprés, Pedro Muñoz served as chaplain, and kept a full diary of the trip.11 I re- produce the diary in substance as I have that of Zalvidea, although there are parts of it which I can not follow accurately, and although my condensation of such parts will very likely prevent their interpre- tation by others better acquainted with the regions explored, about which in a general way there is no un- certainty.
had not been able to cross. This I find well nigh unintelligible. Oct. 2d, Guerra notified the governor that Moraga had started for S. Juan Bautista with 15 men to join the 10 from San Francisco. Id., xix. 118-19.
11 Muñoz, Diario de la Expedicion hecha por Don Gabriel Moraga, Alférez de la Compañía de San Francisco, ú los Nuevos Descubrimientos del Tular, 1806, MS. Started from S. Juan Bautista Sept. 2Ist, and went 1.5 leagues some- what easterly, across a 'famous plain ' to the Arroyo de los Huzaymas. Sept. 22d, 8 1. over a bad way to the edge of the Tular plain, to a place named be- fore by an expedition from S. Francisco, San Luis Gonzaga, where there is a good spring (still called San Luis Cr .? ). Sept. 23d, 6 or 8 1. east to a place before discovered and called Santa Rita on an arroyo, with 'many tules in all this continent' and much black willow on the stream. Sept. 24th, sought for a large ranchería in the south and then went 2 1. east to explore the great river already discovered by Moraga and by him named San Joaquin; returned to Sta Rita. Sept. 25th, moved the camp to the banks of the S. Joaquin; much good land toward the south, but some alkali; plenty of beaver and salmon. Sept. 26th, visited the rancheria of Nupchenche, chief Choley, across the river; 250 souls. Sept. 27th, crossed the river; one league north through thick tules; 2 1. over alkali lands to an arroyo with some oaks and willows, place called Mariposas (Bear Cr., name Mariposa still retained in this region) from the multitude of butterflies, one of which gave a soldier much trouble by getting in his ear. Sept. 28th, Sunday, one division stayed in camp; the alférez went north and the sergeant N. E., and both discovered a 'famous river' with many timid gentiles. Sept. 29th, 3 1. N. to the river which was named Nuestra Señora de la Merced (still called Merced River, though it was possibly Bear Cr., in order to locate Tahualamne on what is now Tuolumne River); a very favorable place for a mission; 2 rancherías, but abandoned. Sept. 30th, a party went N. w. and discovered a river similar to the Merced, but with steep banks. Another party went up the Merced and found many Indians. Oct. Ist, marched N. w. 7 or S 1. to the river named Dolores from the time of discovery (the Tuolumne River). Oct. 2d, I l. to dry bed of a stream; 2 1. to a very large oak grove or forest; 1.5 1. to another river ' like the former in magnitude and Christian waters,' with immense quantities of wild grape vines, named Nra Sra de Guadalupe (the Stanislaus River). Oct. 31, 6 1. E. up the river to a rancheria of Taulamne or Tahualamne (Tuolumne ?) situated on inaccessible rocks. Oct. 4th, 6 1. N. w. to the dry bed of a stream, with much ash and grape-vine, called San Francisco; 9 1. to a large river already discovered by an expedition seeking a route to Bodega and named Rio de la Pasion (it would seem that this must have been the Calaveras River in the vicinity of Stockton); back to Rio Guadalupe. Oct. 5th, Hostile demonstrations of the Indians, whose fears could not be removed. Oct. 6th, back to Rio Dolores, one party keeping along the foothills. Oct. 7th, back to Rio Merced; Indians somewhat less timid. Oct. Sth, visit to rancheria of Latelate of 200 souls; another called Lachno near it. Oct. 9th, S 1. E. to a
53
MORAGA'S EXPEDITION.
Moraga took a course somewhat north of east from San Juan, crossed the San Joaquin near the present boundary between Merced and Fresno, and turned northward. The name Mariposas was applied to the creek or slough still so called or to another near by ; and the first large stream crossed, deemed the best place in all the northern region for a mission, was
dry creek over a rough and rocky way. Oct. 10th, 2 1. E. to a dry creek with oaks and willows, called Santo Domingo; 5 1. E. to a river-bed, place named Tecolote. Oct. 11th, 4 l. E. to dry creek named Santa Ana; 4 l. E. over a better country to the Rio de S. Joaquin (their course for several days had probably been considerably south of east, and they were now perhaps in the vicinity of Millerton). October 12th, rest. Oct. 13th, explorations on the S. Joaquin. One party went down the river, and found nothing but bad land; the other went up stream into the mountains, finding plenty of pine and redwood, and having an interesting interview with the old chief Sujoyu- comu at the ranchería of Pizcache. He said that a band of soldiers like these came from across the sierra (from New Mexico) 20 years ago and killed many of the Indians. Across the sierra northward was the sea, 10 days' journey distant, and he himself had been there! He said that a great river rose in the middle of the mountains, one branch of which flowed down the opposite side of the range, and the other was the S. Joaquin. Oct. 14th, 5 1. E. to the Rio de los Santos Reyes, discovered in 1805, an excellent place for a mission (apparently Kings River, the translation of the name being still retained). Oct. 15th, detained by rain. Oct. 16th to 18th, explorations up and down the river. Up the stream was found a rancheria under Achagua called Ayquiche, where they heard of 6 other rancherias and received confirmation of the story about the soldiers from New Mexico. Down the river were 3 rancherias of 400 souls, all anxious for a mission. Oct. 19th, moved 3 or 4 1. to a watering- place and ranchería under Gucayte, with 600 souls. Oct. 20th, 2.5 1. east- wardly to Cohochs ranchería; then to a fine river discovered by another expedition in April of this year and called San Gabriel, with another branch called San Miguel. This region covered with oaks, has 3,000 souls cager for conversion, and is the best place seen for a mission. (It must be the Visalia region though details are very confusing.) Oct. 21st, explored 7 1. castward to the Rio San Pedro, discovered by the other expedition and now dry; back to the ranchería of 600 souls, called Telame. Oct. 22d to 24th, all the sites of the Roblar having been explored, waited for supplies from Mission S. Miguel. Oct. 25th, 2 1. E .; 21. w. to Rio S. Gabriel (unintelligible). Oct. 26th, 4 1. along the roblar where flows the Rio S. Pedro; and 4 1. up the roblar eastward, apparently on the river. Oct 27th, 1 1. up the river to Coyehete; 1 1. E. to arroyo of San Cayetano; 4 1. E. to another large arroyo; through a cañada to a dry creek, in search of a large river discovered by an expedition from Sta Bárbara this year (that of Zalvidea). Oct. 28th, 31. to the river sought, and down the river; found traces of the other expedition; a very bad country. Oct. 29th, 3 1. down the river. Oct. 30th, rest. Oct. 31st, south to a pass in the sierra. Nov. Ist, through the pass. Nov. 2d, over a hard mountain way to the rancho of Mission S. Fernando. The num- ber baptized on the trip was 141. There follows a list of rancherías visited by this expedition and that made in April. The names are: Nupchenche, 250; Chineguis, 250; Yunate, 250; Chamuasi, 250; Latelate, 200; Lachuo, 200; Pizcache, 200; Aycayche, 60; Ecsaa, 100; Chiaja, 100; Xayuase, 100; Capatan, 12; Hualo Vual, 400; Tunctache, 250; Notonto (Ist), 300; Notonto (2d), 100; Telame (Ist), 600; Telame (2d), 200; Uholasí, 100; Eagnea, 300; Cohochs, 100; Choynoque, 300; Cutucho, 400; Tahualamne, 200; Coyeliete, 400.
54
INLAND EXPLORATIONS.
named Merced. Subsequently the explorers on a generally north-western course in a distance of twenty- five or thirty leagues crossed successively the rivers named Dolores, Guadalupe, and San Francisco, a dry bed, until they reached the large river called by a previous expedition Rio de la Pasion. If the first river was, as I suppose, the one still called Merced, the distance might possibly have brought the travellers to the Sacramento at Richland or Freeport; but this · would require some of the intermediate streams to be disposed of as dry river-beds, and there is nothing in the narrative to indicate that the Pasion was so very large a river as the Sacramento. On the other hand, if we take the rivers in their order we may naturally identify the Dolores and Guadalupe with the Tuolumne and Stanislaus and suppose that Moraga reached the Calaveras.12 A ranchería of Tahualamne, doubtless the origin of Tuolumne, was found on the second river above the Merced. The natives in the north were uniformly timid, in one instance even hostile, and though on most of the rivers they were followed far up into the hills it was only in a few instances that friendly intercourse could be established; yet such natives as were consulted professed a willingness to become Christians. Above the Rio de la Pasion there was a total change in language which prevented all intercourse.
The explorers turned about on the 4th of October and returned to the Merced, one party generally keep- ing to the hills and another in the plain. Thence keeping to the cast, or more probably to the south- east, they reached the San Joaquin in a march of
12 Diego Olivera, a soldier who claimed to have accompanied this expedition, said they explored the whole country from the head of the San Joaquin up north along the Sacramento and Sierra Nevada. From their camp on the Sacramento many trips were made up into the snow mountains. Moraga made a long report to the viceroy. This was the most extensive exploration of this region, though Olivera went with several others. He says that Moraga had 60 men. Olivera in Taylor's Discov. and Founders. No. 26, ii. The same or a similar narrative was published as the King's Old Soldiers in California- Their Expeditions in the Interior, in the S. F. Bulletin, May 28, 1864. These narratives always exhibit, and very naturally, a degree of exaggeration.
55
GENERAL RESULTS.
twenty leagues or more, camping perhaps in the vicin- ity of Millerton. The river was explored for some distance up and down; rumors were heard of visits of soldiers from New Mexico twenty years ago; and then a march of five leagues brought them to the Rio de los Santos Reyes, Kings River, discovered in 1805. The rivers San Gabriel and San Miguel explored on the 20th were apparently branches of Kawiah Creek near Visalia, the region being pronounced by this as by preceding parties excellently adapted to mission
purposes. The Rio de San Pedro was perhaps the Tulare River; and the next large stream, not named, Kern River. The 1st of November Moraga and his party went through what was probably the Tejon Pass; and next day crossed the southern mountains to San Fernando Mission.
Finally in his mission report President Tapis states that four presidial expeditions accompanied by friars have been made within the year. The gentiles have everywhere manifested a desire to become Christians and receive missionaries. Twenty-four rancherías have been found with 5,300 inhabitants, of whom 192 have been baptized by the exploring friars. Only four or five good sites for missions have been found, all of them lying between the parallels of San Miguel and San Francisco. These prospective establishments will require a new presidio for their protection, because of their remoteness and of the numerous gentiles who dwell beyond the regions lately explored.13
The rest of this decade, so far as the topic of this chapter is concerned, may be briefly disposed of. An old soldier reports an expedition of Moraga with twenty-five men to the San Joaquin and the Sierra beyond in 1807. No cimarrones were captured, many horses were lost, and the party returned by way of Yerba Buena.14 In October 1809 a sergeant and fif- teen men spent twenty days in a tour of inspection
13 T'apis, Informe Bienal de Misiones, 1805-6, MS., 81-2.
14 García, in Taylor's Discov. and Founders, No. 25, ii.
56
INLAND EXPLORATIONS.
among the rancherías, no particulars being preserved of the trip.15 While it may be deemed very probable that several of these minor expeditions to the edge of the great valleys were made in these years without having left any definite record, it is by no means likely that explorations were pushed into any new territory. In. 1810 Alférez Moraga with Father Viader made two expeditions to the San Joaquin, with a view among other things to find mission sites; and though they did not even reach the limits of previous explora- tions, Viader's diaries merit preservation by reason of the Indian names of rancherías and tribes.16
The first trip was made in August. Cadet Estrada was one of the party of eleven, and the route was northward from San José Mission to the mouth of the San Joaquin, up that river as near as the mire would permit for eighty or ninety miles, and thence across the mountains to San Juan Bautista. They killed many bears and deer, caught plenty of salmon and trout, and had some petty diplomatic intercourse with the gentiles; but they found in all the region traversed no spot deemed suitable in every respect for a mission. The second tour was made in October.17
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