San Diego to San Francisco.2C flummoxed at Monterey .281769.29 Portolá expedition

1 san diego san francisco, flummoxed @ monterey (1769)

1.1 earthquakes around future los angeles
1.2 monterey bay hidden in plain sight
1.3 rounding san francisco bay
1.4 return trip

san diego san francisco, flummoxed @ monterey (1769)

after 2 weeks of recuperation, portolá resumed northward march rediscover vizcaíno s port of monterey land, party of 74 men: lieutenant pedro fages catalan volunteers; leather-jacket soldiers; captain fernando rivera; sergeant josé francisco ortega leading scouts; engineer , cartographer miguel costansó; baja california christian indians; , friars juan crespí , francisco gómez; franciscan missionary college of san fernando had appointed crespí official diarist of expedition. on july 14, 1769, after friars held mass in honor of saint joseph — patron saint of portolá expedition — portolá party pulled out of san diego. serra stayed behind, did captain vicente vila , few sailors remained on san carlos. serra founded mission san diego in humble building 2 days after expedition’s departure. while portolá moved north, more men died in san diego: 8 soldiers, 4 sailors, 8 christian indians, , 1 servant perished time portolá party returned 6 months later.

earthquakes around future los angeles

on july 28, portolá party reached major southern california river, soldiers called santa ana river. afternoon felt strong earthquake, aftershocks jolting them on next few days. on august 2 traveled west out of san gabriel valley, through hills river crespí named el río de nuestra señora la reina de los Ángeles de porciúncula — site of future pueblo of los angeles. continued moving northwest along route become el camino real (royal path or road) in alta california.

monterey bay hidden in plain sight

on september 30, party camped river south of today s salinas, scouts ranged west coast. reached monterey bay failed recognize port described vizcaíno 167 years earlier. rest of party reached monterey bay on october 1 — still failed recognize destination, because did not seem match grand scale described vizcaíno. also, portolá , hungry men had hoped find supply ship san josé waiting them @ anchor in destination harbor of monterey. never saw san josé, apparently lost @ sea.

its morale waning, party resumed march on october 7, reaching area of espinosa lake east of today s castroville. then, @ least ten of party being carried on litters, due effects of scurvy.

rounding san francisco bay

portolá , men continued north along coast, hoping find great port had left behind. on october 30, reached headlands near today s moss beach. looking pacific ocean, see farallon islands due west — , drakes bay curving broadly point reyes across 40 miles (65 km) of open water northwest. mistook drakes bay bay named previous naval explorers port of san francisco. sight convinced some, not of them had indeed bypassed port of monterey.

sergeant ortega, contacting group of indians, thought trying notify him of ship anchored somewhere north; weeks, men of expedition had sought desperately harbor ship laden food supplies. heading party of scouts , on montara mountain, ortega reached area known devil s slide. found northward advance blocked mouth of vast bay not identify — known today san francisco bay. ortega , scouts turned south along west shore of bay, around southern end , east side. however, got far present-day hayward before turning — because allotted 3 days up. when scouts returned , described had seen, portolá led entire party hills, place entire san francisco bay visible. friar crespí seemed grasp importance of bay, describing in diary large , fine harbor, such not navy of our catholic majesty of europe take shelter in it.

return trip

on november 11, portolá convened officers council, agreed unanimously 1) must have passed monterey, 2) time turn around , retrace steps san diego, , 3) no 1 left behind hoping supply ship arrive. entire party headed south.

on november 28, party crossed monterey peninsula south carmel bay. week later, while waiting 2 baja christian indians got separated rivera s group, expedition leaders discussed next moves. still did not believe had found vizcaíno s port of monterey. on december 7, decided return san diego without waiting longer missing men, or supply ship. on december 10, portolá ordered men plant large wooden cross passing ships see it, letter describing expedition s travels buried @ foot. crespí quoted part of letter: cross planted on hill on edge of beach of little bay lies south of point pinos (pine-covered headland).

frustrated in hunting , fishing efforts, men of expedition had eat seagulls , pelicans. on november 30, dozen indians interior — apparently rumsen people — visited, bringing pinole , seeds. next day party slaughtered mule, not eat it. weather turned cold, , snow began cover hills.

the exhausted men reached san diego on january 24, 1770 smelling frightfully of mules, warmly welcomed fellow soldiers , friars. apart 5 men had apparently deserted, every member of party had survived six-month journey. told of large numbers of friendly indians lived along coast, waiting receive catholic gospel. in total had traveled around 1,200 miles (1,900 km) , become first europeans survey san francisco bay , many other important strategic locations. yet friar junípero serra, welcomed them san diego, felt dismayed , incredulous had not found monterey bay. come rome without having seen pope, serra told portolá.