USA > California > San Francisco County > San Francisco > The beginnings of San Francisco : from the expedition of Anza, 1774, to the city charter of April 15, 1850 : with biographical and other notes, Vol. I > Part 7
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The incessant rains of a very wet season had made travel slow and difficult for the laden mules, and
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THE BEGINNINGS OF SAN FRANCISCO
marching in a westerly direction, Anza passed through what is now the city of Los Angeles, crossed the Rio Porciúncula (Los Angeles river), and came through the Cahuenga pass into the San Fernando valley. He camped for the night in the mouth of the pass, which he calls Puertezuelo (Little Gate). Resuming the march the next morning the expedition traveled along the southern border of the San Fer- nando valley and halted in the cañon of the Rio de las Virgenes at a spring called by Anza Agua Escon- dida, now known as Agua Amarga (Bitter Water). The next day's march was a long and difficult one of nine leagues, over the Susanna mountains, the descent of which (Liberty hill) was so steep that the women were obliged to dismount and accomplish it on foot. Passing into the Santa Clara valley they camped on the river of that name, near the present village of Saticoy. A march of two leagues in a dense fog the next morning brought them to La Asuncion, the first ranchería of the channel Indians, and the site of Anza's camp of April II, 1775. Portolá reached this ranchería, August 14, 1769, the vespers of the feast of La Asuncion de Nuestro Senora, and gave it that name. It was then decided to establish on this site the mission of San Buenaventura, and Anza on his return march camped again on the site April 26, 1776. He then calls the river Rio de San Buenaventura. Continu- ing his march along the Santa Barbara channel, Anza camped for the night at the Ranchería del
123
ON THE SITE OF SANTA BARBARA
Rincon, on the Arroyo del Rincon, the boundary line between Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. The Indians brought them an abundant supply of good fish, and among them Anza named sardines, obadas, and tangres, more than a third of a vara long, not counting the tail.
A march of seven leagues the next day brought the expedition to the Rancherías de Mescaltitan, four large Indian villages around the shore of an estero or lake, while on an island in the midst was one larger still, consisting of more than one hundred houses. On the march this day they passed through three large rancherías, one situated on a lake of fresh water, named by Portolá, La Laguna de la Concepcion, is the site of the city of Santa Barbara. When Governor Neve was about to establish the presidio and mission of Santa Barbara in 1782, he hesitated between the site of Mescaltitan and that of La Laguna, but decided in favor of the latter because the water was of better quality.17 The rancherías of Mescaltitan have all disappeared, but the island still preserves the name.18
The following day they passed through five ran- cherías, all abounding with fish, and finished the day's journey at Ranchería Nueva. Four more rancherías were passed the next day, February 27th, and camp made at the Ranchería del Cojo, just east of Point Concepcion. When Portolá reached this village August 26, 1769, he was graciously received by the chief who, being lame, was called by the
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THE BEGINNINGS OF SAN FRANCISCO
soldiers "El Cojo" (The lame one) thus giving a name for the chief and his ranchería. Crespi, priest and diarist for the expedition, "baptized" the village with the name of Santa Teresa, but El Cojo was the name that stuck and it may be seen to-day on the county maps. The next morning the expedi- tion finished the Santa Barbara channel and turning Point Concepcion, proceeded to the mouth of the Rio de Santa Rosa (now Santa Inez) where they camped for the night.
Anza remained in camp on the Rio de Santa Rosa until the falling tide enabled him to cross, and in the afternoon of February 29th, continued the northerly march along Burton Mesa, in sight of the ocean, and came in three leagues of travel to a little lake named La Laguna Graciosa where they camped for the night. The map of the Geological survey does not show any lake in this vicinity and it has possibly disappeared. It may have been formed by the San Antonio creek which here flows into the sea. The name is perpetuated by the Cañada de la Gra- ciosa through which the Pacific Coast railroad runs and by Graciosa station at the mouth of the cañon. Three leagues of travel the next morning brought them into a wide and beautiful valley containing a large lake, named by Portolá La Laguna Larga de los Santos Mártires, San Daniel y sus Compañeros- The Great Lake of the sainted Martyrs, St. Daniel and his Companions-now known as Lake Guada- lupe, situated in the northwestern corner of Santa
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SAN LUIS OBISPO
Barbara county. Anza did not halt at Lake Guada- lupe but pushed on to the mouth of the San Luis cañon, a long jornada of nine leagues, to the Ran- chería del Buchon.
A march of three and a half leagues the next morning brought the expedition to the mission of San Luis Obispo, founded in 1772, and now a flour- ishing town of 3500 inhabitants. In anticipation of their arrival at the mission the colonists had smartened themselves up but disaster overtook them. Just before they reached the mission they fell into a marsh so miry that all had to dismount and make their way across it as best they could. The men had to relieve the pack animals and carry the baggage on their shoulders, while those who endeavored to preserve their finery by forcing their horses through the mire fared worse than the rest, being obliged to dismount and extricate their horses. The marsh which caused such distress was located in what is now the southern part of the town of San Luis Obispo, and one of the finest residence streets of the town to-day is Marsh street. It was the same marsh that entrapped the Portolá expedition on the Fiesta de los Santos Inocentes.
There was great joy in the mission of San Luis Obispo over the arrival of the expedition. Not only was it a delight to the priests and the soldiers of the escolta to see so many Spanish faces and hear the news from home, but they had been badly frightened by the affair at San Diego, and had been
I26
THE BEGINNINGS OF SAN FRANCISCO
informed by the Indians that they were to be next attacked, and that Anza had been killed and his expedition totally destroyed by the tribes of the Colorado.
Sunday, March 3rd, was given to rest, and on Monday morning the march was resumed. Travel- ing up the cañon of San Luis Obispo creek for seven miles, they crossed the summit of the Santa Lucía mountains by the Cuesta pass at an elevation of about 1500 feet, thence a descent of four miles brought them to Santa Margarita where now a little town marks the site and preserves the name of the ancient ranchería. Two and a half miles down the Rio de Santa Margarita they came to the Rio de Monterey (Salinas river), down which they traveled five and a half miles and camped at the ranchería of La Asumpcion (Asuncion), still so called, a good day's march of seven leagues. This is one of the sites selected by the United States government for the camp and summer manœuvers of the army. The next morning they traveled down the beautiful plain for three leagues, then left the river at a point where El Paso de Robles now stands and passed into the hills to the west, traveling in a west-northwest direction. Four leagues more brought them to the Rio del Nacimiento which they crossed and proceeded another mile to El Primo Vado of the Rio de San Antonio where they camped for the night. Re- suming the march the next morning they reached the mission of San Antonio de Padua at four o'clock
I27
SAN ANTONIO DE PADUA
in the afternoon after a march of eight leagues. Their reception here was equal to that of San Gabriel and of San Luis, and the padres regaled the troops with two very fat hogs and some hog lard. This present, Anza says, considering the condition of the country and of the priests' necessities, they highly appreciated. The following day was given to rest and at one in the afternoon, Lieutenant Moraga arrived and reported to the commander that he had captured the deserters in the desert of the Colorado and had left them prisoners at San Gabriel to be dealt with by Captain Rivera. He also reported that the Serranos of the Sierra Madre had made hostile demonstrations against him, but when he charged them they dispersed. He said that the Indians had secretly killed three of the stolen horses to prevent their recapture, and that he had noted in their possession articles indicating that they had taken part in the sacking of San Diego.
Leaving the mission the next morning, the Span- iards passed up Mission creek and descended Re- leuse cañon to Arroyo Seco, down which they traveled to the valley of the Rio de Monterey and halted for the night at the site of Anza's camp of April 17, 1774, which he now calls Los Ositos (the Little Bears). The next day they traveled eight leagues through a spacious and delightful valley and camped at a place called by them Los Correos. The following day, Sunday, March 10, 1776, they marched three leagues down the river, then leaving
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THE BEGINNINGS OF SAN FRANCISCO
it, turned westward for four leagues more, all in a heavy rain, and at half past four in the afternoon , reached the Royal Presidio of Monterey and the end of their journey. Anza gives the distance traveled from Tubac as three hundred and sixteen and a half leagues, made in sixty-two jornados- somewhat fewer than he had calculated before starting.
The next morning the very beloved father-presi- dent of the missions, Fray Junipero Serra,19 accom- panied by three other religious, came from the mission of San Carlos del Cármelo to congratulate the travelers and bid them welcome, the priests sang a mass as an act of thanks for the happy arrival of the expedition, after which Padre Font preached a sermon. In the evening the señor comandante and his chaplain accompanied the priests to the mission, one league distant, as there were no proper accommodations for them at the presidio. Anza notes that the number of Christian converts has been increased to more than three hundred souls, and he says that here, as in the other missions he has passed through, they do not, with all they raise, produce enough to maintain themselves, because, while the land is very fertile, there has been no means of planting it, although this year the amount of land under cultivation is much greater than before; "and in proportion as this abounds will be the spirit- ual conquest, since the Indians are many, and if,
129
VIOLENT SICKNESS OF ANZA
as we say of the greater part of these, conversion and faith enter by the mouth, so much greater will be our success."
The viceroy had ordered Anza to deliver his expedition to Rivera, the comandante of California, at Monterey, and proceed to make a survey of the port and river of San Francisco before returning to his presidio of Tubac. Two days after his arrival at the mission, while preparing for his survey, Anza was suddenly taken with most violent pains in the left leg and groin. So great was the pain that he could scarcely breathe and believed that he would suffocate and die. After six hours of torment, during which the doctor of the presidio administered such remedies as he had without giving him relief, Anza had them make a poultice of a root among his own stores, which somewhat alleviated the pain, but not enough to enable him to sleep. For over a week he was unable to move, but on the ninth day he got out of bed, and on the day following, in spite of the remonstrance of the doctor, he mounted his horse and began his journey to the San Francisco peninsula, going as far as the presidio of Monterey. There he rested, being able to walk but a few steps. The next day, March 23rd, he set out, accompanied by Padre Font, Lieutenant Moraga, and an escort of eleven soldiers. While sick at the mission he had sent to Rivera to say that the soldiers of the expedi- tion were anxious to reach their destination and get settled in their new home and he begged Rivera
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THE BEGINNINGS OF SAN FRANCISCO
to join him in establishing the fort and mission of San Francisco as ordered by the viceroy; and notified him that he should himself proceed at once to the survey and examination of the port. The travelers made seven leagues across the valley of Santa Del- fina, as Font calls it, and camped at the mouth of a cañon at a place called La Natividad, probably an Indian ranchería. The village of Natividad now marks the site and preserves the name. The place was the scene of a sharp little engagement November 16, 1846, between a detachment of sixty Americans under Captain Burrows and a force of about eighty Californians under Don Manuel de Jesus Castro. The valley, which is the lower Monterey or Salinas, was given the name of Santa Delfina, virgen y esposa* de San Elcearo, by Portolá.
Leaving the Salinas valley, the explorers passed into the Gavilan mountains, traveling up the beautiful cañon of Gavilan creek, over the summit, and descended to the San Benito river. They crossed the San Benito just north of where the mission of San Juan Bautista now stands and entered upon the Llano de San Pascual, now called the San Benito valley, passed the Rio del Pájaro, entered the San Bernardino valley and camped for the night on the Arroyo de las Llagas. The following morning the explorers passed between the low hills where the valley narrows to the Coyote river and entered upon
* Esposa, as used here, does not mean spouse-wife, but a young woman who devotes herself to the service of the holy man.
THE PALO ALTO ON SAN FRANCISQUITO CREEK
LAX FRANCISCO
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The name of Santa ASAD OTIJOZIOVATI KAZ KO OTIZ. OJAY HHT 070, by Tortola. alorers passed busco zwing up the the summit, odol to the San Benito river. They 16 % Benni Til nant fullere the mission Thar BayLu Dow male and entered upon I the San Benito ho teved the San
We nicht of the my morning the Mille where the 18 entered upon
+ Pping woman who
I3I
PALO ALTO
the great Llano de los Robles del Puerto de San Francisco-The Plain of the Oaks of the Port of San Francisco-now better known as the Santa Clara valley-and keeping well to the western part, they traveled along the base of the foot hills and camped on the Arroyo de San José Cupertino, where from an elevation of about three hundred feet, they saw the bay of San Francisco some seven miles to the north. A march of four leagues the next morning brought the exploradores to the Arroyo de San Francisco, now known as the San Francisquito creek, the site of Stanford University and of Portola's camp of November 6th to 11th, 1769. A little rancheria of about twenty huts on the bank of the stream received the name of Palo Alto in honor of a giant redwood tree growing on the bank, whose size, height, and appearance is recorded by both Anza and Font as it had been by Father Crespi six years before. The name has been retained and the people of the pretty university town are fond of their name and proud of their tree.
Anza found on the bank of the creek a cross which had been planted by Rivera in 1774, to mark the spot for a mission, but the plan had been abandoned, he says, because the creek was dry in summer. Passing on the explorers crossed the Arroyo de San Mateo and halted for the night on a little stream about a league beyond. Anza comments upon the abundance of oaks and other trees they have been passing through during the last two days and
I32
THE BEGINNINGS OF SAN FRANCISCO
particularly notes the many tall and thick laurels of extraordinary and very fragrant scent. He has been traveling through the most beautiful section of California. After breaking camp early the next morning a march of three and a half leagues brought the Spaniards to the mouth of the port of San Francisco, and they camped at Mountain Lake, known afterwards as Laguna del Presidio. Anza does not give any name to the lake but the creek running from it to the sea he calls the Arroyo del Puerto and says its flow is considerable and sufficient for a mill; while Font says that boats can come into it for water. Its present name is Lobos creek and it is but a little brooklet *.
Pitching his camp at the laguna, Anza went at once to inspect the entrance to the bay for the pur- pose of selecting a site for a fort. Font grows enthusiastic over the wonderful bay. He says the port of San Francisco is a marvel of nature and may be called the port of ports. He gives at length an excellent description of it; its shores; its islands; the great river which disembogues into the Bahia Redondo (San Pablo bay), which has been called the Rio de San Francisco, and which, he says, he will henceforth call La Boca del Puerto Dulce- The Mouth of the Fresh Water Port. At eight
* The government is taking measures to fortify the mouth of Lobos creek, which forms the southern boundary of the Presidio reservation, not to prevent the boats of a hostile fleet from entering the creek, but as a part of the system a dopted for fortifying the harbor of San Francisco.
57:49
FONT'S MAP OF THE ENTRANCE TO SAN FRANCISCO BAY Facsimile of drawing accompanying his diary in John Carter Brown Library, Providence, R. I. By permission of GEORGE PARKER WINSHIP, Librarian.
MAR
3.SUR
138
Por
And thick laurels wcent. He has Bomtitul section rly the next Thal fragues brought port of San Mountain Lake, Laguna lel Presidio. Anza is the lake but the creek ko calle the Arroyo del Aconsiderable and sufficient ubie boats can come into IMATE is Lobos creek and
ОТ ДОМАЯТИЯ АНТ ПО ЧАМ ИТИОЯ inza went at ула обЦІЮИЛЯЯ ИАЗ
the bar f the pur-
Font grows
Day marvel of nature and may He gives at length an wir. lis shores; its islands; wbogues into the Bahia to buyk which has been called Two so, wie which, he says, he Boca del Puerto Dulce- W Wate) Port. At eight
my Til of Lobos creek, Turiu not to prevent part of the system
Plan de la Boca del Puerto de San Francisco, situado en 37. 49.'
MAR DEL SUR.
una Punta de Almejas.
------
2
1/4. 1/2
Escala de dos leguas Mexicanas.
-
8
I33
PUNTA DEL CANTIL BLANCO
o'clock the next morning Anza resumed his survey, and going to the place where the entrance to the bay was narrowest, which he called Punta del Cantil Blanco-Point of the Steep White Rock, now called Fort Point-and where, he says, no one had hitherto been, he planted a cross to mark the spot where the fort should be built, and at its foot, underground, he placed a notice of what he had seen. Between the Laguna del Presidio and the Punto del Cantil Blanco is a mesa-table-land-having an elevation of some three hundred and fifty feet, about a mile in breadth and a trifle more in length, narrowing to the north until it ends in the Cantil Blanco. Font says: "This mesa presents a most delicious view. From it may be seen a great part of the port and its islands, the mouth of the port, and of the sea, the view reaching beyond the Farallones .* The Señor Comandante designated this mesa for the site of a new town. "t
The comandante, taking with him his lieutenant, now turned to explore the inner coast of the penin- sula. He encountered some streams and trees,
* The Farallon Islands; about twenty-five miles off the coast.
t Captain Benjamin Morrell, who visited the port in May, 1825, says: "The town of San Francisco stands on a table-land, about three hundred and fifty feet above the sea, on a peninsula five miles in width, on the south side of the entrance to the bay, about two miles to the east of the outer entrance, and one-fourth of a mile from the shore" (Morrell's Narrative p. 211). The settle- ment at the presidio was abandoned after 1835-6, when the Americans and other foreigners began to build their trading-houses and residences at Yerba Buena. It was not on the mesa but on the lower and more sheltered ground of the pre- sidio.
I34
THE BEGINNINGS OF SAN FRANCISCO
mostly of oak, of good thickness, but twisted against the ground by the prevailing northwest winds.20 About three-quarters of a league from camp he came upon a little lake of good water, known to the Span- iards as Laguna Pequeña and to the San Francisco pioneers as Fresh Pond, or Washerwomen's Lagoon, from which he thought water for irrigation might be drawn. Continuing along the eastern shore of the bay he came to a large lake into which flowed a good stream or spring-ojo de agua *- , and which appeared as if it might be permanent in the dryest season, while the land about it was fertile and promised abundant reward for cultivation. He returned to camp about five o'clock much pleased with the result of his examination.
The next morning, Friday, March 29th, Anza packed the baggage and sent it by the road of his coming with orders to await him at the Arroyo de San Mateo; then taking his padre capellan, Pedro Font, and an escort of five soldiers, he went to com- plete his examination of the southeastern part of the peninsula and of the lake he had seen the day before, to which he gave the name of Laguna de Manantial. He also examined the stream-ojo de agua-which Font calls a beautiful little rivulet, and because the day was the Friday of Sorrows-Viernes de Dolorest-Anza named it Arroyo de los Dolores."
* Ojo de agua, means a spring of water or a spring from which flows a stream of water. Anza frequently used the expression to denote a small stream. t The Friday of Sorrows is the Friday before Palm Sunday.
135
SITES OF FORT AND MISSION CHOSEN
Thus originated a name that became the official designation of a very large and thickly settled section of the city of San Francisco-the Mission Dolores-shortened in the vernacular to the "Mis- sion." Anza found here all the requirements for a mission: fertile land for cultivation, unequalled in goodness and abundance, with fuel and water, timber and stone suitable for building; nothing was wanting. Anza speaks with enthusiasm of the new town and mission. The fort, he said, shall be built where the entrance to the port is narrowest and where he set up the cross, the town on the mesa behind it, and the mission in this quiet beautiful valley, sufficiently near the fort to be under its protection, but far enough away to insure its peaceful serenity.
Having settled these details Anza proceeded across the peninsula to examine the Laguna de la Merced, which is situated near the ocean shore in the south- western part of the city, thence he turned into the Cañada de San Andres,* through which he traveled its entire length of some six and a half leagues; and he gives an account of the abundance of suitable timber for building, speaking particularly of the red-wood-palo colorado, the oak, poplar, willow,
* It extends from a little north of Point San Pedro southerly to the San Francisquito creek. It was from the heights as he crossed into it that Portolá first saw the bay of San Francisco. It formed part of the Buri Buri and Las Pulgas grants and now belongs to the Spring Valley Water Company and con- tains their principal reservoirs.
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THE BEGINNINGS OF SAN FRANCISCO
and other trees, of its proximity to the bay and of the facility with which the lumber could be gotten out. He also suggests that the second bay mission could be established in this cañada, and would serve as a stopping-place-escala-between Monterey and San Francisco. In the cañada an enormous bear came out against them and they succeeded in killing it. At 6.15, after dark, they reached the camp on the Arroyo de San Mateo.
The following morning, March 31st, they pro- ceeded to the survey of the Rio de San Francisco, keeping to the road of their coming until they reached the San Francisquito, then leaving the road they passed around the head of the bay and came to a large arroyo which they crossed and camped for the night. Anza gave the name of Rio de Guadalupe to the stream, a name it still bears, and said it had abundant and good timber, and lands that would support a large population.22 The next morning the march was resumed and crossing with some diffi- culty the Coyote river, they traveled northward for seven leagues and camped on the San Leandro creek, named by Fages in 1772 Arroyo de San Sal- vador. They passed six rancherías, the people of which, being unaccustomed to seeing white men, fled in terror. Anza endeavored to pacify them and gave presents of food and trinkets to all who would approach him. The Indians of the San Francisco bay were of darker color than those of the Colorado and the Santa Barbara channel, many wore beards
I37
EXPLORATION OF CONTRA COSTA
and all wore hair long and tied up on top of the head. Three leagues of travel the next morning brought the exploradores to the site of the University of California at Berkeley, "a point opposite the dis- emboguement of the estero commonly called San Francisco," and they gazed out through the Golden Gate to the broad Pacific beyond. Anza noted his opinion that the estero was not five leagues broad, as had been stated, but scarcely four .* Proceeding on their journey they climbed over the treeless hills and crossed the deep arroyos of Contra Costa and camped for the night very close to the "disembogue- ment of the Rio de San Francisco into the port of that name." Font gives a very good description of San Pablo bay (Bahia Redonda) and speculates whether the large cove and stretch of water which from a high hill he could see away to the west, one- quarter northwest, communicated with the port of Bodega, discovered six months before by Lieutenant Juan Francisco de Bodega y Cuadra. What Font saw was Napa slough. The camp that night was on Rodeo creek about two and a half miles from Carquines strait. On the following day, April 2d, the command proceeded a short distance up the strait and halted to take the latitude of the place, to observe the condition of the "river," and to measure its breadth and depth. Both Anza and Font doubted if it were a river at all as there appeared
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