[17] Diario Historico de los viages de Mar y de tierra hichos al norte
de la California. Ms. Original in Sutro Library.
[18] The league is the Spanish league of 5,000 varas. 2.63 miles.
[19] They also gave it the name of Santa Ana, whose day, July 26th,
they had just observed.
[20] Sometimes called the Grand Pardon of Assisi - the great indulgence
of the Franciscans. Originally granted to St. Francis for the Church of
Our Lady of the Angeles of Porciuncula, it was, by apostolic indult,
expanded to accompany the child of St. Francis wherever he may be. It is
enough for him to erect an altar and that altar will be to him St. Mary
of the Angels, and he will there find the Porciuncula of the
revelations. Whoso confesses and receives the sacrament in the church of
Porciuncula is granted plenary remission of his sins in this world and
the next. This indulgence is only for August 2nd - that is, from the
afternoon of August 1st until sunset of August 2nd.
[21] It is to this incident that the city of Los Angeles owes its name.
The full baptismal name of the city is Nuestra Senora La Reina de los
Angeles - Our Lady the Queen of the Angels. It was founded in 1781, by
royal order, the second pueblo established in California.
[22] Rancheria is the name given to an Indian village or town.
[23] The Valley of the Bears.
[24] The diarists applied the word canada to either a canon or an open
valley.
[25] The word ensenada, much used by the Spanish explorers, means a
bight or open roadstead, not an enclosed and protected bay.
[26] "Transportar en Xamus al Modo que cominan las mujeres en
Andalucia," Crespi: Palou's Noticias de la Nueva California, ii. 181.
[27] The names given on this portion of the route have all disappeared,
but are here given as a suggestion to the Ocean Shore Railroad.
[28] The Fleas.
[29] It must be borne in mind that what they called the Bay or Port of
San Francisco was that stretch of water reaching from Point Reyes to
Point San Pedro and later known as the Gulf of the Farallones.
[30] Professor George Davidson says that what was seen by Portola from
the Montara mountains was the break in the Ballenos cliffs, a deep
narrow valley which runs straight from Ballenos bay to Tomales bay,
fourteen miles.
[31] The Golden Gate and Bay of San Francisco.
[32] The Bay of San Francisco continued to be called the "Estero," until
some time after Colonel Anza established the presidio and mission of San
Francisco in 1776.
[33] The present name, Canada de San Andres, was given by Rivera, Nov.
30, 1714.
[34] On November, 1774, Rivera came up the peninsula on an exploring
expedition and on the spot where he had camped with the first expedition
in 1769, he planted a cross to mark the place for a mission. In March,
1776, Col. Juan Bautista de Anza, coming to select sites for the
Presidio and Mission of San Francisco, notes this cross on the bank of
the Arroyo de San Francisco (now San Francisquito creek), about one
hundred paces above the great redwood tree, and says the plan for a
mission there was abandoned because the creek was dry in summer. I note
this explanation because an excellent authority has located Portola's
camp on Redwood creek.
[35] I give to Ortega the credit of discovering the Golden Gate and the
Straits of Carquinez. The testimony seems sufficient to me.
[36] Vizcaino to the King, May 23, 1603. Pub. Hist. Socy. of Southern
California, Vol. ii, Part 1.
[37] On the day of the Holy Innocents it was not possible to say mass.
We are sorry for it, because it is the only feast day in all the journey
up to the present that we have been without mass. We are stuck in a mud
hole and are unable to move from the place where we are all wet through,
and it is not possible to make a journada to a plain that is dry for
this is bubbling up water - Crespi, Diario.
[38] Crespi: Diario.
[39] Palou: Noticias de la Nueva California.
Data Regarding Don Gaspar de Portola After He Left California
by
E. J. Molera
Portola and Costanso sailed, on July 9, 1770, for Mexico, to give to the
viceroy an account of their discoveries. Costanso remained in the
capital and took part in several engineering works, among others, the
map of the Valley of Mexico and its drainage. Diligent search instituted
by the writer in Mexico and Spain regarding Portola's further history,
has so far discovered little beyond the fact that the commander's return
to the capital was followed by promotion from Captain to
Lieutenant-Colonel in the Royal Spanish Army, and his appointment as
Governor of Puebla, February 23, 1777.
In the municipal archives of the city of Puebla, on page 33 of the folio
covering the years 1776-1783, is the following description of Portola's
taking possession of the office as Governor of that city and state:
"Possession of Governor Portola."
"In the session (meeting of February 23d, 1777), the council saw a royal
title of Political and Military Governor of this city granted by his
Majesty to Senor Don Gaspar de Portola, Lieutenant-Colonel of the Royal
Army, and also a superior order of his Excellency the Viceroy, Governor,
and Captain General of this New Spain, in which is stated that said
title has been forwarded."
"The President of the Council, standing and uncovered, took the title in
his hand and kissed it and put it over his head, being a letter from the
king, our master, and said that he would obey and he did obey its
contents and in its provisions it was ordered that Lieutenant-Colonel
Don Gaspar de Portola be given possession of said office, and for that
purpose, said noble corporation went out with the heralds to bring him
to this hail of sessions, and when he was in, a notary-public having
certified to his identity, he swore to use faithfully and well the
office of Governor, doing justice, punishing, and not burdening the poor
with excessive taxes; to keep and cause to be kept, the rights,
privileges, royal decrees and ordinances, etc."
"Having signed the oath, the president gave him the cane of Royal
justice, by which the act of possession was completed."
In the same volume many decrees and ordinances are signed by Portola as
Governor of Puebla.