VOYAGE OF CABBILLO. 297 



the expeditions. Hence the remarkable duplication of names observable on all the 

 early charts resulting from Spanish exploration. 



The difficulties met by the Spaniards after leaving Cape Concepcion to the south, 

 which they did late in October, very faithfully reflect the experience of the mariner 

 of to-day on this coast. A succession of foul winds with cloudy weather and heavy 

 fogs are to be expected in the natural order of events, while, iu addition, as is 

 evidenced by the account of snow-covered mountains thus early in the winter, the 

 Spanish explorers had to contend against the serious disadvantages of an unusually, 

 early winter. Under such untoward circumstances, with their small and unwieldy 

 vessels, one being without a deck, upon a strange coast, with a crew worn and 

 disheartened by the privations and sufferings they had already undergone, and, added 

 to all, the loss of their captain, it is simply a matter for wonder that they carried 

 perseverance so far and achieved such remarkable results ; for remarkable they must 

 be esteemed when are considered the means by which they were attained and the 

 circumstances which attended them. With reference to the latter, as remarked by 

 Burney, it seems singular that a voyage having for an object the examination of such 

 high latitudes should have been begun so late in the season, when, even with the 

 imperfect knowledge of the seasons on this coast possessed by the Spaniards, its 

 partial failure on account of winter's storms might readily have been predicted. 



It is in the account of the latter portion of the voyage around the Santa Barbara 

 Islands, and particularly after passing Point Concepcion, that the narrative becomes 

 more or less confused and difficult to follow, and that several conflicting statements 

 occur. Several of the Santa Barbara Islands were intentionally renamed, San Miguel, 

 for instance, receiving no fewer than three distinct appellations. Furthermore, the 

 Spaniards, in beating about, appear to have been misled by approaching the same 

 islands from different quarters, and thus to have been induced to rename as fresh 

 discoveries several of the group — facts which will sufficiently account for the some- 

 what confused statements that occur iu the relation, and occasionally render it almost 

 impossible to fix with certainty the particular island mentioned. 



Passing to that portion of the narrative which applies to the coast north of Point 

 Concepcion, it is easy to understand how the narrow Golden Gate, which permits 

 access to San Francisco harbor, may have been passed un perceived in a storm or fog. 

 But how it was possible for the Spaniards to overlook such a marked indentation as 

 the Bay of Monterey, to say nothing of the several minor harbors and anchorages of 

 this part of the coast, is beyond comprehension, especially when, as the narrative 

 states, they ran along all the coast, point by point, from Cabo de Pinos (Point Arenas) 

 to them (i. e., the San Lucas Islands, Santa Barbara group), and they found no harbor, 

 so that of necessity they had to return to the said island (San Miguel). To run along, 

 " point by point," in careful search of an anchorage without finding one or more of 

 those indenting this coast, which, contrary to Ferrel's statement, was well populated 

 by Indians, as indicated by recent archaeological discoveries, seems so highly improb- 

 able as to demand some other explanation than the one of mere ordinary oversight. 

 It appears probable that, relying to some extent upon the fact that nothing like a bay 

 was observed on the upward trip, which, it will be remembered, was made with foul 

 winds, which compelled them to keep to sea much of the time, the downward passage 

 was really made hastily, and under the natural desire to speedily reach a known and 



