Fresno-Tulare-Kern County CA Archives History - Books .....Further Discoveries 1892
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Book Title: Memorial And Biographical History Of The Counties Of Fresno, Tulare, And Kern, California

FURTHER DISCOVERIES.

  The honor of first sighting New, or Upper, California was reserved to Juan
Rodriguez Cabrillo, one of the pilots of Cortez, who in 1542, under instructions
from the viceroy of Spain, Antonio de Mendoza, sailed from the port of Navidad
in Mexico, on an expedition of discovery of the coast toward the north. He
anchored in San Diego bay, to which he gave the name of San Miguel, and in
October, 1542, visited the Santa Catalina Island. After touching at the Indian
town of Xuca, in the vicinity of what is now known as San Buenaventura, Cabrillo
made his way northward until he reached Monterey bay, where the brave navigator
a short time after died.

  He was succeeded by Bartolome Ferrello, a Levantine pilot, who continued
northward until be arrived at the region between Humboldt and Trinidad bays,
after which he turned south again. No further efforts were made to discover the
mysteries of the upper coast for thirty-five years following.

  In 1577, Captain Drake, the famous navigator, started on his great
buccaneering expedition along the Spanish coast, and in 1579 he determined to
make for England by way of the Cape of Good Hope. Contrary winds drove his ship
northward, but finding himself in the arctic latitudes he headed south again
until he reached the latitude of thirty-eight degrees, where he discovered a
country which from its white cliffs he called New Albion. Here he found a bay in
which he anchored, and formally took possession of the country in the name of
Queen Elizabeth. Some diversity of opinion exists as to the identity of Drake's
anchorage, some assuming that he reefed sails in Bodega bay, others that he
stopped in the waters now bearing his name, and others still that he had reached
the bay of San Francisco. The general inference, however, is, that Drake
anchored in the bay that now bears his name and did not discover San Francisco.
Several years later, voyages were made by Francisco Gali, Carmenon and Sebastian
Viscaino.

  Neither of these voyagers accomplished much more than their predecessors, and
between the years 1615 and 1668, eight separate and fruitless efforts to make
further discoveries were advanced. The glaring accounts of these explorers
excited the public mind for many years, There were visions of a magnificent
country, golden sands and pearls of great price, but gradually the adventurous
spirits of the conquering Spaniards waned, and for more than 100 years there is
a blank in the annals of California.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Memorial and Biographical History
OF THE COUNTIES OF
Fresno, Tulare, and Kern, California

Illustrated
Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the
Earliest Period of its Occupancy to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of
its Prospective Future: with Profuse Illustrations of its Beautiful Scenery,
Full-page Portraits of Some of its most Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of
Many of its Pioneers, and also of Prominent Citizens of to-day.

"A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendants." -Macaulay.

CHICAGO:
The Lewis Publishing Company.
Undated, but OCLC lists a publication date of 1892

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