,18 niGTORY OF CALIFORXIA. ^ 



the command of Juan Rodcriguez Cabrillo, a Portn- 

 guese navigator of great reputation. The two vessels 

 sailed from jS'avidad, a small port in Xalisco, in June, 

 1542. Thej rounded Cape San Lucas, and proceeded 

 north-west, along the coast, as far as the 88th degree 

 of latitude, when he was driven back, and took refuge 

 in a harbor of one of the San Barbara islands. There 

 Cabrillo died and the command devalved on Barto- 

 lome Ferrelo. Ferrelo was a zealous and determined 

 man, and he resolved to proceed with the expedition. 

 He sailed towards the north, and on the 26th of 

 February, reached a promontory near the 41st parallel 

 of latitude, which he named Stormy Capo. On the 

 1st of March, the ships reached the 44th parallel, but 

 they were again driven south ; and the men being 

 almost worn out, Ferrelo resolved to go back to Mexico. 

 He arrived at Navidad on the 14th of Aj^ril, 1548. 

 The promontory called Stormy Cape by Ferrelo, was 

 the most northern portion of California visited by that 

 navigator, and it is probably the same which is now 

 called Cape Mendocino. 



From all accounts that they had been able to collect, 

 the Spaniards concluded that neither rich and popu- 

 lous countries existed beneath the 40th parallel of 

 latitude, nor was there any navigable passage between 

 the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to be found in the 

 same region. They, therefore, ceased to explore the 

 north-western territory for some time after the return 

 of Ferrelo in 1543. 



Having thus given a somewhat detailed account of 

 the discovery and explorations of the territory now 

 called California, it will be sufficient to merely mention 

 the various expeditions that visited it prior to the first 

 regular settlement. In the spring of 1579, California 



