A rocky Landmark. 245 



point where it projects into the ocean, which forms a cape, and 

 the point is covered with trees, and it is in forty degrees." He 

 afterwards adds that these grand sierras were covered with 

 snow and many trees. 



I have given this long extract because this landfall is the 

 farthest land they reached in this first attempt to trace the coast 

 northward. In his description he does not refer to any jutting 

 point of cliffs on the immediate shore line; it is the bold, high, 

 transverse, wooded spur of the Coast mountains, nearly over- 

 hanging Fort Ross cove, in latitude 38° 31', and gives a correction 

 to Cabrillo and Ferrelo's determination of — 1° 29'. Cabrillo 

 says, " they called it Cabo de Pinos, and observing the sun they 

 found themselves in forty degrees, and more, to the northwest, 

 from whence they recognized more than fifteen leagues of coast, 

 all the land high, and the coast running from northwest to south- 

 east." The vessels were evidently not near enough to this rocky, 

 dark, and forbidding coast (in winter storms) to see the details 

 of the high, jagged cliffs forming the shore line, which is fringed 

 with outstanding rocks and hidden dangers marked by breakers. 

 This bold shoulder, covered with the great forests of fir, was 

 subsequently the distinguishing mark for the Russian otter- 

 hunting ships when seeking the small northwest anchorage of 

 Fort Ross cove. Tlie massive character of the orography is 

 well exhibited in the latest edition of the chart of the United 

 States Coast and Geodetic Survey. 



On the 15th of November the two ships had sight of each 

 other, and their experience through the last storm compelled 

 them to return to the southward. 



On the 16th, " at daybreak, they were arrived at a great gulf 

 that looked like a harbor and which was formed by a change of 

 the direction of the shore, which appeared to have a port and a 

 river, and they went beating about this day and the night and 

 the Friday following, until they saw that there was no river 

 nor any shelter, and to take possession they cast anchor in 

 forty-five fathoms. They did not dare to land on account of 

 the high sea. This gulf is in thirty-nine degrees and more, and 

 it is all covered with pines to the sea. They gave it the name 

 of la Bahia de los Pinos. The following night they lay-to until 

 daybreak." (Ferrelo.) 



The change of direction of the shore here mentioned is the 

 projection of the great head of point Reyes more than twelve 



