The Council
Ordered That Vizcaino Be Supplied From The Royal Treasury With All
Necessary Funds; It Granted The Boon Of Encomienda For Three Lives, And
That The Discoverers Should Have All The Privileges Of Gentlemen
Throughout The Indies.
It also granted other minor privileges and boons
asked for.
Vizcaino was made captain-general of the expedition, and
sailed from Acapulco May 5, 1602, with orders to explore the coasts of
the Californias from Cape San Lucas to Cape Mendocino, or as far north
as latitude forty-two. His ships were the San Diego, flagship, the Santo
Tomas, under Toribio Gomez de Corvan, the Tres Reyes, a small fragata or
tender, under Alferez Martin Aguilar, and a barcolongo for exploring
rivers and bays[4]. The chief pilot of the expedition was Francisco
Bolanos who had been one of the pilots with Cermenon on the lost San
Agustin. Three barefooted Carmelites looked after the spiritual needs of
the adventurers. The story of this second voyage of Vizcaino is well
known. On the 10th of November, they were in the Bay of San Diego, which
Vizcaino named for San Diego de Alcala, whose day, November 14th, they
spent in the bay, ignoring the name, San Miguel, given it by Cabrillo
sixty years before. Later in the month he entered and named San Pedro
bay, for Saint Peter, bishop of Alexandria, whose day, November 26th, it
was. He also named the islands still known as Santa Catalina and San
Clemente. He next sailed through and named the Canal de Santa Barbara,
which saint's day, December 4th, was observed while in the channel, and
also named Isla de Santa Barbara and Isla de San Nicolas.
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