[ 4*3 ] 



As foon as We had anchored, fome Indians in canoes came on 

 board, who, without the leaft ftiynefs, trucked fome Ikins for 

 bugles. 



And here it may be right to obferve the inaccuracies of the 

 French map l , both with regard to the capes, and the lying of 

 the coaft. It fhould feem indeed that the abfolute want of 

 authentic materials hath been the occafion of laying down at ran- 

 dom fome large bays, which we neither found to the N. or to 

 the S. as we mud: certainly have fallen in with them above Cape 

 Fortuna, which is placed 1 8 leagues to the S. of Cape Mendo- 

 cino m , whereas we were twenty leagues to the N. which makes 

 an error of two degrees of latitude ". 



On the 1 1 th we had fixed every thing with regard to our 

 anchorage, and we determined to take poffeffion of the country, 

 upon the top of a high mountain, which lyes at the entrance of 

 the port. For this purpofe our crews divided into different par- 

 ties, which were properly ported, fo that the reft might proceed 

 without any danger of an attack. We moreover placed ceiiti- 

 nels at a confiderable diftance, to reconnoitre the paths ufed by 

 the Indians, who poffefled themfelves of thofe parts from which 

 we had moft to fear. With thefe precautions the crews marched 

 in two bodies, who adored the holy crofs upon difembarking, and 

 when at the top of the mountain formed a fquare, the centre of 

 which became a chapel. Here the holy crofs was again raifed, 

 ■mafs celebrated, with a fermon, and pofleffion taken, with all 

 the requifites enjoined by our inftruclions. We alfo fired both 



1 Of Monf. Bellm. 



m So called from Mendoza, a Viceroy of Mexico, who fent fome 

 fhips on difcovery. Moft maps place this on the N. W. point of Cali- 

 fornia. 



n De ocho cavos. 



our 



