32 EXPLORATIONS OF INDIAN GRAVES. 



REPORT ON THE OPERATIONS OP A SPECIAL PARTY FOR MAKING ETHNOLOGICAL 



RESEARCHES IN THE VICINITY OP SANTA BARRARA, CAL., 



WITH A SHORT HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OP 



THE REGION EXPLORED. 



By Dr. II. C. Yarrow, 

 Acting Assistant Surgeon, United States Army. 



The following statements regarding Cabrillo's exploration of the coast of Cali- 

 fornia are taken from a volume, the full title of which is subsequently given. Only 

 those portions bearing on the work performed and the occurrence of Indians on the 

 coast at different points are here noticed, more especially as the entire narrative is 

 inserted in another portion of this work. 



On the 27th day of June, 1542, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, a Portuguese navigator 

 in the service of Spain, left the port of Navidad, New Spain, with two small vessels, 

 the San Salvador and La Vittoria, to explore the coast of California, which he sighted 

 on the 2d of July. 



The first mention made of Indians is, that on the Isle of Zedros they saw signs 

 of them, but no individuals were seen. After sailing to the northward for a day, 

 they reached a good port, which was named Puerto de Santa Clara, and here they saw 

 four, who instantly tied. No mention is made of their villages. On Tuesday, August 

 22, they landed at a place which they named Puerto de la Posesion, and found some 

 Indian fishermen near a .lake, all of whom immediately fled ; but one they captured and 

 gave presents to. This port is stated to be in 31£ degrees, an assertion which must be 

 received with much allowance, as Cabrillo's reckonings of latitude are obviously 

 wrong. Near this place a few days afterward thirty fishermen were seen. They were 

 peaceable, and some went off to the ships and received presents. These people in- 

 formed the Spaniards by signs that they did not live near the sea-shore, but had their 

 habitations in the interior, and that there were many of them. They also informed 

 them that iu the interior they had seen white men with beards, cross-bows, and swords, 

 and that they could be reached in a five-days' journey. These Indians were curiously 

 marked on the body and thighs with slashes of some white pigment. They were 

 dressed in skins and carried bows and arrows, the latter flint-tipped. In then own 

 country they said " was much maize and many parrots." In 32i degrees Cabrillo's ves- 

 sel again anchored, the 8th of September, near a point which he called Cabo de San 

 Martin. Landing for water a small lagoon was discovered, and near it forty naked In- 

 dians, armed with bows and arrows, from whom were received fishes and roasted agaves. 

 Proceeding up the coast, near Cabo Santa Cruz some Indians were seen in very small 

 canoes. Prom this point northward the appearance of the land improved very much, 

 and Indians became quite numerous. At a place called by Cabrillo San Mateo, and 

 which may possibly now be known as San Diego Bay, many animals resembling sheep 



