USA > California > History of the State of California and biographical record of Coast Counties, California. An historical story of the state's marvelous growth from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 2
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CHAPTER XXXI.
TRADE, TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION.
21I
Spanish Trade-Fixed Prices-No Cornering the Market-Mexico's Methods of Trade- The Hide Droghers-Trade-Ocean Commerce and Travel-Overland Routes-Overland Stage Routes-Inland Commerce-The Pony Express-Stage Lines-Pack Trains-Camel Caravans-The Telegraph and the Railroad-Express Companies.
RAILROADS . CHAPTER XXXII. 218
Early Agitation of the Pacific Railroad Scheme-The Pacific Railroad in Politics-Northern Routes and Southern Routes First Railroad in California-Pacific Railroad Bills in Con- gress A Decade of Agitation and No Road-The Central and Union Pacific Railroads- Act of 1862-Subsidies- The Southern Pacific Railroad System-Its Incorporation and Charter -Its Growth and Development-The Santa Fe System-Other Railroads.
27
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
PAGE
THE INDIAN QUESTION 223
Treatment of the Indians by Spain and Mexico-A Conquista-Unsanitary Condition of the Mission Villages-The Mission Neophyte and What Became of Him-Wanton Outrages on the Savages-Some So-Called Indian Wars-Extermination of the Aborigines-Indian Island Massacre-The Mountaineer Battalion-The Two Years' War-The Modoc War.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
SOME POLITICAL HISTORY
. 229
Advent of the Chinese-Kindly Received at First-Given a Public Reception-The "China Boys" Become Too Many-Agitation and Legislation Against Them-Dennis Kearney and the Sand Lot Agitation-Kearney's Slogan, "The Chinese Must Go"-How Kearney Went-The New Constitution-A Mixed Convention-Opposition to the Constitution- The Constitution Adopted-Defeat of the Workingmen's Party-A New Treaty with China- Governors of California, Spanish, Mexican and American.
CHAPTER XXXV.
EDUCATION AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION
Public Schools in the Spanish Era-Schools of the Mexican Period-No Schools for the Neophytes-Early American Schools-First School House in San Francisco-The First American Teacher-The First School Law-A Grand School System-University of the Pacific-College of California-University of California-Stanford University-Normal Schools.
235
CHAPTER XXXVI.
CITIES OF CALIFORNIA-THEIR ORIGIN AND GROWTH.
242
The Spaniards and Mexicans Not Town Builders-Francisca, on the Straits of Carquinez, the First American City-Its Brilliant Prospects and Dismal Failure-San Francisco-Its Population and Expansion-Los Angeles, the Only City in California Before the Conquest -Population and Development-Oakland, an American City-Population-Sacramento, the Metropolis of the Mines-San Jose, the Garden City-Stockton, the Entrepot of the Southern Mines-San Diego, the Oldest City-Fresno-Vallejo-Nevada City-Grass Val- ley-Eureka-Marysville-Redding-Pasadena-Pomona-San Bernardino-Riverside.
INDEX.
A.
PAGE
PAGE
Cooper, William B
5.30
Corey, Hiram.
465
Corey, Josiah P 282
Costello, Abraham.
564
Cowles, Horace
682
Cowles, Timothy
355
Cox, Abraham P
455
Cox, Peter.
685
D.
Daugherty, G. A
709
Davis, Mrs. E.
456
Davis, George L. 459
Davis, Hiram L.
621
DeHart, William.
282
Demartini, Paul B. 456
Dodge, William R
433
Donati, Samuel.
726
Dool, William H. 721
Dooling, Hon. M. T. 569
Doud, Francis.
461
Driscoll, Bartholomew L.
646
E
Eardley, B.
593
Eaton, E. A.
462
Eaton, Robert W 568
Edgar, Joseph.
467
Egan, Judge Martin.
467
Ehnert, August.
721
Elberg, Mark.
315
Elliott, William T.
700
Ellis, Ozro M.
490
Ely, William H 188
Enright, Joseph D. 490
Estabrook, C. R. 720
Estudillo, Jose V.
466
Esty, J. D.
488
Evans, W. H.
161
F.
Fagen, Mrs. Mary E .. 509
Feliz, Hon. F. P. 275
Felts, J. M
468
Fiedler, John F
468
Field, Thomas J
361
PAGE
Abbott, C. S. 573
Adcock, J. A. G. 670
Bloom, Irvin T 734
Albright, Joseph
546
Booth, A. R. 306
Alexander, Elmer P.
589
Bosse, Henry 556
Alexander, Hon. J. K.
381
Boston, Joseph 497
Boysen, John J 558
Bradbury, Frank R
554
Anderson, Capt. Gilbert L 508
Bray, John H.
563
Anderson, J. L
595
Breen, John.
596
Andresen, J.
319
Brendlin, August
654
Andrews, Perry M
548
Andrews, Truman
299
Angell, F. A. 502
Anthony, Hon. Elihu
667
Arentz, Rev. Theodore. 646
Arguello, Luis L.
727
Atteridge, Arthur
633
Austin, F. Sands.
547
B.
Baker, William A. 564
Baldwin, Alfred. 271
Baldwin, Levi K
679
Barbree, J. M.
288
Barbree, W. R ..
288
Bardin, Charles. 642
Bardin, Henry. 647
Barneberg, J. W
648
Barnhardt, J. P. 727
Barrett, Thomas.
586
Bartholomew, Lewis L 557
Bedell, Alexander. 498
Beebee, William D 347
Beebee, William L.
347
Beilby, Joseph W.
652
Bennett, W. C ..
558
Bentley, William H.
653
Besse, John N
648
Besse, Milton.
674
Bias, William H.
512
Bierer, Benjamin B
597
Bixby, A. William, M. D 556
Black, W. W.
670
Blackburn, Jacob A ..
297
Blackburn, Judge William
639
C.
Call, Silas I 298
Callihan, William 568
Carr, E. M. 534
Carr, Hon. Jesse D. 265
Casey, William
561
Cass, James.
321
Chamberlain, Charles G 277
Chaney, William. 726
Chappell, Dr. J. A. 530
Chappell, Thomas.
605
Chope, Mrs. Nellie M
526
Clark, David C. 681
Clark, George D .. 531
Clark, H. H., M. D 675
Clark, William W
491
Clough, David M.
533
Cochran, J. D. 532
Congdon, Willis R., M. D. 661
Cook, William
532
Cooley, William I
545
553
Briggs, Hon. H. W 283
Brooks, Benjamin
554
Brooks, M. . H. 562
Brooks, Truman. 369
Brown, James A. 492
Buffington, J. Q 562
Burke, Mrs. Mary.
653
Burnett, J. K.
654
Burnett, M. D.
401
Butler, George.
492
Butler, George R.
552
Allen, Thomas F
728
Alzina, Enoch. 673
Anderson, C. L., M. D. 502
Brassell, Hans P.
552
Brewer, Lyman. 548
Bridgewater, Cyrus
W
Blessing Brothers. 722
Bliss, Moses B. 698
29
30
INDEX.
PAGE
Filipponi, Dennis. 359
Fletcher, H. S. . . 278
Flint, R. G .. 356
Flint, Thomas, Jr .. 719
Foreman, Solomon W . 337
Foster, Jacob. 720
Foster, Stephen T. 440
Fowler, James D 363
Fredson, A. H. 598
Freeman, Frank W. 361
Fuller, James H. 676
G.
Gagnon, Michael. 529
Galbraith, Archibald M., M. D. 274
Galligan, Peter 730
Garcia, A. C. 716
Gardner, W. M. 378
Gause, Frank E. 377
Geil, Samuel : 551
Iverson, E. P.
331
Iverson, John.
580
Gilkey, William T.
376
Gingg, G. C. 371
Gonzales, Miss B. 370
Gonzales, M. E., M. D
370
Gordon, S. B., M. D. 366
Grant, Miss E. May
600
Graves, Thomas. 365
Graves, Hon. William. 718
Greene, Harry A. 272
Greene, William E. 717
Gregg, Joseph W 364
Griswold, William. 309
Guthrie, Samuel. 362
H.
Haight, N. H., M. D 393
Hall, Hon. James A 276
Hall, Richard F
275
Hamilton, Robert 508
Handley, J. J. 393
Hanson, S. H. 655
Hardie, Angus M. 384
Harloe, Capt. Marcus 289
Hartman, Isaiah 645
Hassett, Rev. 318
Hatton, William. 603
Kelly, Edward. 513
Kennaugh, John 513
Kent, John T. 300
Kerns, Mrs. Mary 511
King. James I. 485
King, Thomas A 685
Kirk, Edward W 402
Knight, Benjamin K. 514
Moretti, Louis. 600
Morgan, John W 606
Kunitz, Johan E. 651 Morcy, James. 610
L.
PAGE
Lacy, C. F 702
Lambert, Capt. T. G .. 402
Lamborn, Josiah W .. 403
Landrum, Mark L .. . . 404
Lathrop, R. P .. 656
Lee, Hon. Julius. 405
Lee, Tom .. 406
Houghton, F. K.
392
Hoyt, Hazen. 388
Hudner, John L. 576
Hudson, Mark A.
386
Hudson, Hon. W. G.
387
Lewis, J. J.
. 400
Lincoln, Orlando J. . 517
Lindsay, Carl E ..
707
Linscott, John W. 687
Littlefield, Edward E .. 407
Loeber, Henry F.
536
Long, Samuel B. 445
Lorenzen, Lawrence. 519
Lucas, Frederick W 686
Lull, George W. 417
Lynch, Sedgwick J 708
Lynskey, Walter
688
M.
McCarthy, Charles P. 706
McCollum, Joseph 689
McCurry, Dr. J. M. 353
McDougall, James H. 28.4
McFadden, Charles.
615
Jessen & Petersen.
396
McGowan, William J. 447
McGuire, John A., M. D 688
McKinnon, Duncan. 539
McLean, Allan 587
McManus, L. M. 448
Mann, Christopher 454
Mann, Ezekiel J.
710
Judd. A. N 578
Mann, Jackson.
701
Mansfield, C. H. 453
Manuel, A. A. 583
Kaetzel, Philip.
398
Margetts, Charles U.
447
Kalar, J. D
401
Martin, Charles M. 449
Martin, Hon. Edward. 604
Martinelli, Louis. 450
Mason, S. J., Sr 610
Mattison, Frank .. 524
Meadowcroft, William H
450
Hawkins, Thomas S 577
Hazard, Robert J
411
Hebert, Cheri
523
Hebert, Zephrin.
523
Helgesen, S., M. D
382
Hersom, John A 383
Higby, Hon. William 717
Hihn, Frederick A. 259
Hildebrant, Noah .. 378
Hill, Prof. Charles C .. 277
PAGE
Hill, Hon. W. J. . 736
.
Hitchcock, Benjamin.
294
Hoffmann, Christian 669
Hollingsworth, Thompson L 268
Hollister, Hon. John H. 317
Hollister, J. Hubbard. 3II
Holohan, Richard. 384
Leese, David. 507
Leese, Jacob P. 503
Leonard, J. J. C. . . 518
Hughes, Alfred. 570
Hughes, M. 386
Hunter, John
385
Hushbeck, Lewis 570
Hutson, N. 711
I.
J.
Jack, R. E. 304
James, William 397
Jeffery, James 735
Jenkins, Miss Isabelle M. 396
Johnson, Hon. Charles H 295
Johnson, R. F.
712
Johnson, W. G.
395
Jordan, John. 394
Jordan, Patrick 394
Joy, John G. 267
Kane, John. 510
Karner, Zadock 705
Keif, M. R. 710
Kellogg, Frank F:
316
Kellogg, Giles P 316
Meder, Moses A. 698
Menke, J. H. 354
Merritt, Hon. Josiah 289
Merritt, Manuel R. 310
Miller, Capt. Charles F 599
Monteith, A. 160
Moreland, Samuel 391
Kuhlitz, Charles 733
33I
Gibson, Alexander 372
Iverson, J. B.
Ivins, E. C .. 673
K.
31
INDEX.
PAGE
Muma, B. Frank. 455
Murphy, John D
702
Muscio, Abram 662
N.
Nelson, Albert. 728
Nelson, Herbert. 412
Nelson, Henry. 408
Newsom, Davis F.
443
Nichols, Urial S. 611
Norris, B. F.
407
O.
O'Brien, William 414
Oliver, Joseph K.
413
Orcutt, Jacob H.
342
Ord, George M. 611
P.
Palmer, Charles A 734
Palmer, George F. 570
Palmtag, Christian. 430
Palmtag, William. 58.4
Pardee, Hon. George. 343
Parker, W. E. 429
Parsons, George W 428
Parsons, Henry F 616
Parsons, Worthington 627
Paterson, Alexander
428
Patten, J. A. 414
Patterson, Benjamin F. 731
Patton, John W. 418
Payne, Ernest M. 419
Peery, Joseph W. 690
Pell, James 427
Pence, Wallace M 567
Perry, Elliott D 617
Peterson, Peter. 691
Pfister, Albert. 312
Phillips, Thomas 426
Phillips, W. C. 426
Pickles, Shelley
424
680
Pinho, A. G. 425
Pope, Horace W 615
Porter, B. F. 612
Porter, Robert. 423
Porter, Warren R 696
Potter, David W. 424
Prinz, Herman J. O. 420
Putnam, R. W. 419
Q.
Quick, M. W 618
Quirk, Michael
535
R
PAGE
Radcliff, Hon. George G.
349
Rambo, Samuel H. 658
Rankin, J. E., M. D. 706
Redman, James. 622
Redman, K. F. 309
Reed, Charles C. 354
Reed, Charles H. 430
Renison, Hon. Thomas 344
Rianda, Stephen 618
Ring, Joseph H. 735
Riordan, Thomas
J.
732
Rist, Henry M.
732
Robertson, Robert.
658
Rodgers, James 487
Rodrick, David. 542
Rogers, Robert J. 536
Rogge, Henry T. 579
Romie, Charles T 689
Roselip, Alber 305
Ross, Hugh, M. D. 545
Rowe, George W 586
Rowe, James H. 525
Rowe, Marion T 520
Ryan, John M.
583
S.
Sally, Abraham 739
Sanborn, Lucian.
334
Sanborn, L. W. 334
Sanborn, William A 340
Sargent, Bradley V.
725
Sargent, J. P. 595
Sawyer, E. A. 697
Scaroni, Pio. 624
Scott, J. B. 590
Scott, William T 589
Sebastian, R. M. 697
Shackelford, R. M. 588
Shelby, Granville C. 622
Shipsey, William.
334
Short, Cyrus. 662
Simmler, Hon. J. J
281
Smith, A. W.
663
Smith, Leonard 628
Smyth, Rev. B. 736
Spence, Rudolph B 664
Spencer, W. H.
34I
Spurrier, George F. 668
Steele, Edgar W. 729
Steele, Hon. George 338
Stewart, Neil 585
Stocking, Joseph C.
486
359
Watkins, E. 435
Watters, P. K., M. D. 434
Webster, David.
446
Weeks, Thomas J ..
695
PAGE
Stoters, Rev. Peter. 485
Sullivan, William. 482
Swanton, A. P. 623
Swanton, Fred W 741
Swenson, Christian S
482
T.
Tarleton, Thomas S .. 629
Telleen, Charles A 481
Tennant, John 739
Therwachter, Fred. . 479
Thompson, Christopher. 730
Thompson, Edward D 629
Thompson, Joseph A. 738
Thompson, John H. 480
Thompson, Richard. 627
Thompson, Uriah W 633
Tidball, Capt. Thomas T 375
Titamore, Herbert E
479
Tognazzini, A. 477
Tognazzini, Peter 478
Tollett, Henry C.
517
Tompkins, Heman 475
Trafton, John E. 423
Trafton, William A 287
Trescony, Julius A 501
Tuttle, Daniel. 472
Tuttle, Iowa H. 476
Tuttle, Morris B. 628
Tuttle, Owen. 593
Tuttle, Owen S
472
Tynan, Michael.
471
U.
Underwood, A. R.
471
Underwood, Charles.
470
V.
Vanderhurst, William. 293
Van Gordon, Gilbert. 319
Van Gordon, Ira. 318
Venable, McDowell R. 332
Villegas, Y. P.
469
Vorbeck, Fritz.
469
W.
Wagner, John.
641
Wahrlich, William. . 333
Waite, H. H. 436
Warden, Horatio M. 325
Warden, William H. 690
Waters, James. 495
Stoesser, Otto.
Stoffers, Henry. 624
Storm, Christian F.
738
Storm, Peter
475
Pierce, B.
32
INDEX.
PAGE
PAGE
PAGE
Weferling, Frederick E.
440
Wiley, Henry.
305
Work, T. A.
609
Welch, Richard R.
439
Wilkins, Peter
634
Werner, Charles.
439
Willey, R. H
322
Wessel, H.
438
Williams, E. L.
640
Whicher, John.
350
Willits, L. V.
437
White, Almon.
635
Wilson, Singleton W.
320
White, Edward.
326
Winkle, Henry
635
White, William A
641
Wood, Hiram J.
437
Wideman, Alfred.
740
Wood, William F 636
Wilder, Deloss D
630
Woods, Victor H. 740
Zabala, Pedro 303
.
Wright, S. V. 435
Y.
York, Andrew. 328
Younger, Charles B. 715
Younglove, C. A. 446
Z.
of M.Quinn
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
CHAPTER I.
SPANISH EXPLORATIONS AND DISCOVERIES.
F OR centuries there had been a vague tra- dition of a land lying somewhere in the seemingly limitless expanse of ocean stretching westward from the shores of Europe. The poetical fancy of the Greeks had located in it the Garden of Hesperides, where grew the Golden Apples. The myths and superstitions of the middle ages had peopled it with gorgons and demons and made it the abode of lost souls.
When Columbus proved the existence of a new world beyond the Atlantic, his discovery did not altogether dispel the mysteries and su- perstitions that for ages had enshrouded the fabled Atlantis, the lost continent of the Hesperi- des. Romance and credulity had much to do with hastening the exploration of the newly dis- covered western world. Its interior might hold wonderful possibilities for wealth, fame and con- quest to the adventurers who should penetrate its dark unknown. The dimly told traditions of the natives were translated to fit the cupidity or the credulity of adventurers, and sometimes served to promote enterprises that produced re- sults far different from those originally intended.
The fabled fountain of youth lured Ponce de Leon over many a league in the wilds of Florida; and although he found no spring spout- ing forth the elixir of life, he explored a rich and fertile country, in which the Spaniards planted the first settlement ever made within the territory now held by the United States. The legend of El Dorado, the gilded man of the golden lake, stimulated adventurers to brave the horrors of the miasmatic forests of the Amazon and the Orinoco; and the search for that gold-
covered hombre hastened, perhaps, by a hun- dred years, the exploration of the tropical re- gions of South America. Although the myth of Quivira that sent Coronado wandering over des- ert, mountain and plain, far into the interior of North America, and his quest for the seven citics of Cibola, that a romancing monk, Marcos de Niza, "led by the Holy Ghost," imagined he saw in the wilds of Pimeria, brought neither wealth nor pride of conquest to that adventur- ous explorer, yet these myths were the indirect cause of giving to the world an early knowledge of the vast regions to the north of Mexico.
When Cortés' lieutenant, Gonzalo de Sando- val, gave his superior officer an account of a wonderful island ten days westward from the Pacific coast of Mexico, inhabited by women enly, and exceedingly rich in pearls and gold, although he no doubt derived his story from Montalvo's romance, "The Sergias of Esplan- dian," a popular novel of that day, yet Cortés seems to have given credence to his subordi- nate's tale, and kept in view the conquest of the island.
To the energy, the enterprise and the genius of Hernan Cortes is due the early exploration of the northwest coast of North America. In 1522, eighty-five years before the English planted their first colony in America, and nearly a century before the landing of the Pilgrims on Plymouth rock, Cortés had ,established a ship- yard at Zacatula, the most northern port on the Pacific coast of the country that he had just conquered. Here he intended to build ships to explore the upper coast of the South Sea (as
3
34
HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
the Pacific Ocean was then called), but his good fortune, that had hitherto given success to his undertakings, seemed to have deserted him, and disaster followed disaster. His warehouse, filled with material for shipbuilding, that with great labor and expense had been packed on muleback from Vera Cruz, took fire and all was destroyed. It required years to accumulate an- cther supply. He finally, in 1527, succeeded in launching four ships. Three of these were taken possession of by the king's orders for service in the East Indies. The fourth and the smallest made a short voyage up the coast. The com- mander, Maldonado, returned with glowing re- ports of a rich country he had discovered. He imagined he had seen evidence of the existence of gold and silver, but he brought none with him.
In 1528 Cortés was unjustly deprived of the government of the country he had conquered. His successor, Nuno de Guzman, president of the royal audiencia, as the new form of gov- ernment for New Spain (Mexico) was called, had pursued him for years with the malignity of a demon. Cortés returned to Spain to defend himself against the rancorons and malignant charges of his enemies. He was received at court with a show of high honors, but which in reality were hollow professions of friendship and insincere expressions of esteem. He was rewarded by the bestowal of an empty title. He was empowered to conquer and colonize coun- tries at his own expense, for which he was to receive the twelfth part of the revenue. Cortés returned to Mexico and in 1532 he had two ships fitted out, which sailed from Acapulco, in June . of that year, up the coast of Jalisco. Portions of the crews of each vessel mutinied. The mu- tineers were put aboard of the vessel com- manded by Mazuela and the other vessels, com- manded by Hurtardo, continued the voyage as far as the Yaqui country. Here, having landed in search of provisions, the natives massacred the commander and all the crew. The crew of the other vessel shared the same fate lower down the coast. The stranded vessel was after- wards plundered and dismantled by Nuno de Guzman, who was about as much of a savage as the predatory and murderous natives.
In 1533 Cortés, undismayed by his disasters, fitted out two more ships for the exploration of the northern coast of Mexico. On board one of these ships, commanded by Bercerra de Men- doza, the crew, headed by the chief pilot, Jim- inez, mutinied. Mendoza was killed and all who would not join the mutineers were forced to go ashore on the coast of Jalisco. The muti- neers, to escape punishment by the authorities, under the command of the pilot, Fortuno Jim- inez, sailed westerly away from the coast of the main land. After several days' sailing ont of sight of land, they discovered what they sup- posed to be an island. They landed at a place now known as La Paz, Lower California. Here Jiminez and twenty of his confederates were killed by the Indians, or their fellow mutineers, it is uncertain which. The survivors of the ill- fated expedition managed to navigate the vessel back to Jalisco, where they reported the dis- covery of an island rich in gold and pearls. This fabrication doubtlessly saved their necks. There is no record of their punishment for mutiny. Cortés' other ship accomplished even less than the one captured by the mutineers. Grixalvo, the commander of this vessel, discovered a des- olate island, forty leagues south of Cape San Lucas, which he named Santo Tomas. But the discovery that should immortalize Grixalvo, and place him in the category with the romancing Monk, de Niza and Sandoval of the Amazonian isle, was the seeing of a merman. It swam about about the ship for a long time, playing antics like a monkey for the amusement of the sailors, washing its face with its hands, combing its hair with its fingers: at last, frightened by a sea bird, it disappeared.
Cortés, having heard of Jiminez's discovery, and possibly believing it to be Sandoval's isle of the Amazons, rich with gold and pearls, set about building more ships for exploration and for the colonization of the island. He ordered the building of three ships at Tehauntepec. The royal andencia having failed to give him any redress or protection against his enemy, Nuno de Guzman, he determined to punish him him- self. Collecting a considerable force of cava- liers and soldiers, he marched to Chiametla. There he found his vessel, La Concepcion, lying
35
1142742 HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
on her beam ends, a wreck, and plundered of everything of value. He failed to find Guzman, that worthy having taken a hasty departure be- fore his arrival. His ships having come up from Tehauntepec, he embarked as many sol- diers and settlers as his vessels would carry, and sailed away for Jiminez's island. May 3, 1535, he landed at the port where Jiminez and his fel- low mutineers were killed, which he named Santa Cruz. The colonists were landed on the supposed island and the ships were sent back to Chiametla for the remainder of the settlers. His usual ill luck followed him. The vessels became separated on the gulf in a storm and the smaller of the three returned to Santa Cruz. Embarking in it, Cortés set sail to find his miss- ing ships. He found them at the port of Guaya- bal, one loaded with provisions, the other dis- mantled and run ashore. Its sailors had de- serted and those of the other ship were about to follow. Cortés stopped this, took command of the vessels and had them repaired. When the repairs were completed he set sail for his colony. But misfortune followed him. His chief pilot was killed by the falling of a spar when scarce out of sight of land. Cortés took command of the vessels himself. Then the ships encountered a terrific storm that threatened their destruc- tion. Finally they reached their destination, · Santa Cruz. There again misfortune awaited him. The colonists could obtain no sustenance from the barren soil of the desolate island. Their provisions exhausted, some of them died of starvation and the others killed themselves by over-eating when relief came.
Cortés, finding the interior of the supposed island as desolate and forbidding as the coast, and the native inhabitants degraded and brutal savages, without houses or clothing, living on vermin, insects and the scant products of the sterile land, determined to abandon his coloniza- tion scheme. Gathering together the wretched survivors of his colony, he embarked them on his ships and in the carly part of 1537 landed them in the port of Acapulco.
At some time between 1535 and 1537 the name California was applied to the supposed island, but whether applied by Cortés to en- courage his disappointed colonists, or whether
given by them in derision, is an unsettled ques- tion. The name itself is derived from a Spanish romance, the "Sergas de Esplandian," written by Ordonez de Montalvo and published in Se- ville, Spain, about the year 1510. The passage in which the name California occurs is as fol- lows: "Know that on the right hand of the In- dies there is an island called California, very near the terrestrial paradise, which was peopled with black women, without any men among them, because they were accustomed to live after the fashion of Amazons. They were of strong and hardened bodies, of ardent courage and great force. The island was the strongest in the world from its steep rocks and great cliffs. Their arms were all of gold and so were the caparison of the wild beasts which they rode, after having trained them, for in all the island there is no other metal." The "steep rocks and great cliffs" of Jiminez's island may have sig- gested to Cortés or to his colonists some fan- cied resemblance to the California of Montalvo's romance, but there was no other similarity.
For years Cortés had been fitting out ex- peditions by land and sea to explore the un- known regions northward of that portion of Mexico which he had conquered, but disaster after disaster had wrecked his hopes and im- poverished his purse. The last expedition sent out by him was one commanded by Francisco Ulloa, who, in 1539, with two ships, sailed up the Gulf of California, or Sca of Cortés, on the Sonora side, to its head. Thence he proceeded down the inner coast of Lower California to the cape at its southern extremity, which he doubled, and then sailed up the outer coast to Cabo del Engano, the "Cape of Deceit." Fail- ing to make any progress against the head winds, April 5, 1540, the two ships parted com- pany in a storm. The smaller one. the Santa Agueda, returned safely to Santiago. The larger, La Trinidad, after vainly endeavoring to continue the voyage, turned back. The fate of U'lloa and of the vessel too, is uncertain. One authority says he was assassinated after reach- ing the coast of Jalisco by one of his soldiers, who, for some trivial cause. stabbed him to death; another account says that nothing is known of his fate, nor is it certainly known
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
whether his vessel ever returned. The only thing accomplished by this voyage was to dem- onstrate that Lower California was a peninsula. Even this fact, although proved by Ulloa's voy- age, was not fully admitted by geographers until two centuries later.
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