124 IMPORTANCE OF THESE DISCOVERIES. [1775. 



lished beyond all cavil. Thus, without reference to the voyage of 

 Perez, it is conclusively proved that the Spaniards, in 1775, exam- 

 ined with minuteness the whole western shore of the American 

 continent, from Monterey, near the 37th degree of latitude, north- 

 ward, to and beyond the 48th degree, and determined the general 

 direction of the west coasts of the westernmost islands, bordering 

 the continent between the 48th parallel and the 58th. Of these 

 coasts, the portion south of the 43d degree of latitude had been 

 seen by Ferrelo, in 1543, and possibly by Drake, in 1578; Juan de 

 Fuca had probably sailed along them to the 53d parallel, in 1592; 

 and the Russians, as will be hereafter shown, had discovered the part 

 near the 56th parallel, in 1741 : but no definite information had been 

 obtained, respecting any point, on the Pacific side of America, 

 between Cape Mendocino and Mount San Jacinto, previous to the 

 expedition of Perez. The geographical positions of the places 

 visited by the Spanish navigators in 1774 and 1775, were, indeed, 

 left very uncertain as regards their longitudes, though the latitudes 

 have been found nearly correct ; yet the great question as to the 

 extension of North America towards the west was approximately 

 answered, and useful hints were afforded for the organization and 

 conduct of future voyages. 



The results of this expedition were considered, by the Spanish 

 government, as highly important ; a short notice of them was 

 published in the official gazette, at Madrid, which was copied, with 

 many additions, (nearly all of them erroneous,) into the London 

 newspapers ; * and orders were sent to the viceroy of Mexico, to 



* " Several Spanish frigates having been sent from Acapulco to make discoveries, 

 and to propagate the gospel among the Indians, to the north of California, in the 

 month of July, 1774, they navigated as high up on the coast as the latitude of 58 

 degrees 20 minutes, six degrees above Cape Blanco Having discovered several 

 good harbors and navigable rivers upon the west coast of this great continent, they 

 established, in one of the largest ports, a garrison, and called the port the Presidio 

 de San Carlos, and, besides, left a mission at every port where the inhabitants were 

 to be found. The Indians they here met with are said to be a very docile sort of 

 people, agreeable in their countenance, honest in their traffic, and neat in their dress, 

 but, at the same time, idolaters to the greatest degree, having never before had any 

 intercourse with Europeans. M. Bucarelli, the viceroy of New Spain, has received 

 his Catholic majesty's thanks for these discoveries, as they were made under his 

 direction; and the several navy officers upon that voyage have been preferred. It is 

 imagined that those new discoveries will be very advantageous, as the coast abounds 

 with whales, as also a fish, equal to the Newfoundland cod, known, in Spain, by the 

 name of BaccaJao." 



The above notice appears in the London Annual Register for 1776, under date of 

 June 28th, which was a few days before the departure of Captain Cook from England 

 for the North Pacific. 



