68 THE SERI INDIANS [etii. an.nIT 



structed in Calilbriiia, the bilander (two-master) IJl Triimfo dc la 

 Cruz — a fit prototype of the Oregon of nearly two centuries later — 

 wliicli jiroved to be the fliiost craft ever seen ou the coast, and played 

 an important role in later history.' 



On May 15, 1721, Ugarte embarked at Loreto (Lower California) and 

 skirted the coast northward to the Islas de Salsipnedes, whence he 

 crossed the gulf to "Puerto de Santa Sabina, 6 Bahia de Sun Juan 

 BauUsta" near the islands "en la Costa de los Tepoquis, y Seris".^ The 

 Indians soon appeared and, in excess of amity (ascribed to the display 

 of the cross), threw themselves into the sea and swam to the ship, and 

 afterward aided in taking water; for "early next day the Indians 

 appeared in troops, and all with water-vessels; the men each with two 

 in nets hanging from a pole across their shoulders, and the women 

 with one.'' ^ After watering, the Ugarte party, accompanied by two 

 of the Indians, set sail in the bilander with a pinnace and ai canoe, and 

 in the early morning found themselves in a narrow channel apparently 

 separating the island from tlie mainland ; tlie pinnace and the canoe were 

 dispatched to courier the larger craft; but '• the channel, besides being 

 narrow and crooked, was so full of shoals that . . . the bilander 

 stuck and was in danger of being lost", wiiile the canoe and the pinnace 

 were caught by the <-urrents and carried " to such a distance as not to 

 be seen". Finding it impossible to return, the party pushed on, and 

 "after three days of continual danger, they reached the mouth of the 

 channel, wheie they found the boat and i)innace"; when they were 

 surprised to tind the strait opening, not into the gulf, but into a great 

 and spacious bay. Approaching a landing, they were met by Indian 

 archers wearing feather headdresses and comporting themselves in a 

 threatening manner; but these were pacified by the two Indians 

 lironght from tlie watering-place. Here Ugarte was taken ill, and the 

 islanders made thirteen "balsillas" on which fifty Indians passed to 

 the bilander and urged him to land on the island, where they had pre- 

 pared a house for his reception; this he did, despite severe suffering, 

 and was received with great ceremony. After a short stay, the party 

 explored the coast northward, stopping off Caborca to, lay in supplies, 

 and discovered (anew and independently) the mouth of the Colorado; 

 then, despite repeated risk and much suffering from the exceeding 

 tides, severe storms, and the terrible tiderips oft" Islas Salsipnedes, 

 they finally made return to Loreto. 



The itinerary of this voyage recounts the first recorded navigation 

 through El Infiernillo; and, while it is too meager to permit retracing 

 the tri]) in detail, it seems practically certain that the vessels entered 

 Bahia Tej)oi)a, watered at Pozo Hardy, passed around Punta Perla 

 and thence southward through tlie strait, g,nd emerged through Boca 

 Infierno into Bahia Kunkaak, afterward proceeding westward and 



■ Hittell, op. cit., vol. I, pp. 191-193, 219-221 . 



^ Veuogas, Noticia de l:i California, tonio II, p. 343. 



• Venegas, A Nittural aDd Civil History of California, vol. ii, p. \i. 



