The San Antonio Was Selected For This
Purpose, And Was Prepared For Sea, But As She Was About To Sail, The
Camp Was Thrown Into An Ecstasy Of Joy By The Arrival Of Portola And The
Second Division, Sound In Body, And With 163 Mules Laden With
Provisions.
The governor promptly informed himself of the condition of
affairs, and desirous that the senor visitador's orders concerning the
sea expedition should be carried out, offered to Captain Vila of the San
Carlos sixteen men of his command to work the ship, that he might pursue
the voyage to Monterey.
As Vila had lost all his ship's officers,
boatswain, storekeeper, coxswain of the launch, and there was not a
sailor among the men offered by Portola, he declined to go to sea under
such conditions. All the available sailors were therefore placed on
board the San Antonio, and she sailed for San Blas, June 8th, with eight
men only for a crew.
The governor now proceeded to organize his force for the march to
Monterey. He determined to move at once, lest the advancing season
should expose them to the danger of having the passes of the sierra
closed by snow, as even at San Diego those who came by sea reported the
sierras covered with snow on their arrival in April.
On the 14th of July, Portola began his march to Monterey, distant one
hundred and fifty-nine leagues. His force consisted of Sergeant Ortega,
with twenty-seven soldados de cuera under Rivera, Fages with six Catalan
volunteers - all that could travel, Ensign Costanso, the priests, Crespi
and Gomez, seven muleteers, fifteen Christian Indians from the missions
of Lower California, and two servants - sixty-four in all.
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