HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 



19 



was visited by Sir Francis Drake, the English naviga 

 tor, who landed on the shores of a bay supposed to be 

 that of San Francisco. He formally took possession 

 of the country in the name of Queen Elizabeth, and 

 called it New Albion. He left California on the 22d 

 of July, 1579. In the spring of 1596, Sebastian 

 Viscaino, under orders from the viceroy of Mexico, 

 attempted to plant colonies on the peninsula of Cali 

 fornia, but the country was soon abandoned on account 

 of the barrenness of the soil and the ferocity of the 

 natives, Viscaino visited the coast of Upper Califor 

 nia in 1602, and discovered and named some of the 

 places Cabrillo had discovered and named long before. 

 The Port San Miguel of Cabrillo was named Port San 

 Diego ; Cape Galera was named Cape Conception, 

 the name now borne by it ; the Port of Pines was 

 named Port Monterey. This was the last expedition 

 made by the Spaniards along the coast of California 

 for more than a hundred and sixty years. 



Various attempts were made to establish colonies, 

 garrisons, and fishing or trading ports, on the eastern 

 side of the peninsula of California, during the seven 

 teenth century, but all failed, either from the want of 

 funds, the sterility of the country, or the hostility of 

 the natives. The pearl fishery in the gulf was the 

 principal bait that attracted the Spaniards, and they 

 succeeded in obtaining a considerable quantity, some 

 of which were very valuable. 



