Spanish Exploration in the Southwest 1542-1706

512 Pages·1916·33.63 MB·English

by  Herbert Eugene Bolton

ORIGINAL NARRATIVES
OF EARLY AMERICAN HISTORY
REPRODUCED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE
AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
General Editor, FRANKLIN JAMESON, Ph.D., LL.D., Litt.D.
J.
DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH IN THE
CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON
SPANISH EXPLORATION IN THE SOUTHWEST
—
1542 1706

rur{^
ORIGINAL NARRATIVES
EARLY AMERICAN
OF HIS TOR Y
SPANISH EXPLORATION
THE SOUTHWEST
IN
1542—1706
EDITED BY
HERBERT EUGENE BOLTON,
Ph.D.
PROFESSOR OF AMERICAN HISTORY, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
THREE MAPS
IVITJI
CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS
NEW YORK
1916
COPYRIGHT, I916, BY
CHARLES SCRIBNER's SONS
Published February, 1916
1/./7
PREFACE
This volume is logically the successor in the series of Original
Narratives to the one edited by Hodge and Lewis under the title
of Spanish Explorers in the Southern United States, 1528-1543. In
one important respect the present volume differs from the series in
general. The other volumes consist mainly of reproductions of
documents which have hitherto appeared in English; but of this
volume approximately only one-third of the documents have hitherto
been published in English; about one-third have been published in
Spanish only; while nearly one-third have never been published
hitherto in any language. Of the five documents in the collection
which formerly have been published in English, three have been
retranslated for this work.
In the selection of the documents it was decided to illustrate
with some fullness the cardinal episodes in the history of the region
and period covered, rather than to treat more lightly a larger num-
ber of topics. This procedure has left the history of seventeenth-
century New Mexico almost a blank after its founding by Ofiate.
The brief historical introductions are designed to increase the in-
terest and intelligibility of the documents by giving a connected
view of the development of the whole northern frontier of New Spain
during the period covered, as well as to furnish the necessary bio-
graphical and bibliographical data.
Of the translations here reprinted, that of Massanet's Carta is
by Professor Lilia M. Casis, of the University of Texas; and that
of De Leon's Itinerary of 1689 is by Miss Elizabeth Howard West,
formerly state archivist of Texas. The remaining documents were
translated for this work by the editor, assisted by Mrs. Beatrice
Quijada Cornish, Mrs. Edith C. Galbraith, Mrs. Anne Hughes Kean,
and Miss Elizabeth Howard West. For the final form of the trans-
lations the editor is in each case responsible. Thanks are due to
Reverend Father Thomas Lantry O'Neill, C. S. P., of Newman Hall,
Berkeley, California, and to Reverend Father Zephyrin Engelhardt,
PREFACE
vi
O. F. M., of Santa Barbara, California, for assistance in the render-
ing of expressions relating to matters of Catholic doctrine and Church
practices.
Of the maps, that which serves as th6 frontispiece to the volume,
a map of explorations on the northern frontier of New Spain during
the whole period from 1535 to 1706, has been compiled by me for
the present work largely from original data. The second is a repro-
duction of the official map of Onate's route to New Mexico in 1598
and of his journey to the Arkansas River in 1601, taken from the
original in the Archives of the Indies (Archivo General de Indias)
at Seville. This original, never before published, was made by the
royal cosmographer (in Mexico), Enrico Martinez. It measures 30
centimetres by 42. The third map is a reproduction of the official
map of De Leon's route in 1690 from Monclova to the Neches River.
The original, evidently made by Sigiienza, is in the Archives of the
Indies and has never before been published. It measures 58 centi-
metres by 5S,
H. E. Bolton.
CONTENTS
SPANISH EXPLORATION IN THE SOUTHWEST
Edited by Herbert Eugene Bolton
PAGE
I. Exploration and Plans for the Settlement of Californla . . 1
1. The Cabrillo-Ferrelo Expedition 1
Introduction 3
Relation of the Voyage of Juan RodrIguez Cabrillo 13
. .
Cabrillo sets Sail; reaches Lower California 13
Sails northward along the Coast 14
At Cedros and San Estevan Islands 16
Takes Possession; Puerto de la Posesion 18
Sails northward; San Agustin 20
San Martin; Cabo de Cruz 21
San Miguel (San Diego) Bay 23
San Salvador; La Vitoria; Los Fumos 24
Indians and their Pueblos 26
....
Cape Galera and Shelter near it 27
From Cape Galera to Northwest Cape; Storms 30
Bay of Los Pinos; Drake's Bay ... 32
....
Winter at Isla de la Posesion; Death of Cabrillo 33
Further Storms; Beating among the Islands 34
Ferrelo sails north to 44° 36
....
His Vessels separate on the Return 38
Reunite at Isla de Cedros; return to New Spain 39
2. The Vizcaino Expedition 41
Introduction 43
....
Diary of Sebastian Vizcaino 52
Departure of Vizcaino from the City of Mexico 52
Departure from Acapulco 53
From Navidad 54
From the Islands of Mazatlan 55
In Magdalena Bay 59
In San Hipolito Bay 63
In Port San Bartolome 64
Admiral's Ship rejoins Captain's Ship 66
Exploration into the Interior 67
vii
vm CONTENTS
PAGE
Cerros Island; Council decides to proceed 68
.70
Heavy Storms
.
Island of San Geronimo; Port San Quentm 72
.76
Port San Quentm to San Diego Ba.y; I.ndia.ns .. .. ..
Feast of San Diego; Council 80
San Diego to Santa Catalina 82
Northward Voyaging; Indians 84
Through the Santa Barbara Channel 87
Discovery of the Harbor of Monterey 90
Council; the Admiral's Ship .to re.turn...... 92
Flagship and Frigate sail northward 94
Cape Mendocino reached 95
Return Voyage; Severe Sufferings 97
Arrival at Mazatlan 99
At Acapulco and at Mexico 100
Adventures of the Frigate 101
A Brief Report of the Discovery of the South Sea (Father
Ascension) 104
Memorial of Francisco de Arellano 104
Vizcaino's Expedition 106
Sails from Acapulco; Headwinds 107
The Voyage and Attendant Sufferings 108
Geography of California 109
Of Lower California Ill
Its Natural Products 112
Methods for developing it 114
Magdalena Bay and its Region 115
San Diego Bay and its Region 116
Bay of Monterey; Products of Country 119
Arrival at Cape Mendocino 120
Return Voyage 121
Methods for Settling of.Calif.ornia.; So.ldier.s .. .. .... 122
Clergy and their Conduct 124
Buildings and Trade 126
Advice as to Music and Education 128
Various Places for Settlement 129
Advancement of the Missionary Cause 131
Exhortation to the King 133
II. Exploration and Settlement in New Mexico and in Adjacent
Regions 135
The RodrIguez Expedition 135
1.
Introduction 137
Declaration of Pedro de Bustamante 142
.
License from the Viceroy Mendoza 142
Bustamante on the Purposes and Plans 143