Diary of Juan Bautista de Anza
Exploratory Expedition, 1774
From Friday the 1st to Monday the 4th of April SP -- we continued to be here.
Tuesday, April 5 SP -- At noon today the men who went to San Diego returned. The commanders of the frigate and the port replied to me that the supplies which they are sending are all they can spare without injuring themselves, and that they can not spare any mounts. The provisions consist only of six fanegas of maize, half spoiled, a tierce of jerked meat, unfit to eat, a tierce of flour and two fanegas of beans. Having made a calculation from the foregoing of the number of days which these things would maintain the men of my expedition, it was found that they would last scarcely sixteen days, even with the beans, which can be useful for my troop here only, because they do not use or carry pots in which to cook them.
In view of the foregoing, and because these supplies were not sufficient to make our journey to Monte Rey; and not being able to acquire for this purpose the saddle animals which were asked for; and it not being possible without having both one and the other to undertake what we agreed to on the 23d just past; I therefore resolved anew, with one of the fathers who at present is with me, the other having gone to San Diego, that when he returns he shall go back with this father and the rest of the troops to the Colorado River, to await my return from the presidio of Monte Rey, whither I decided to go in person in light order of marching, with six soldiers, to examine its situation, and in the light of this to decide upon the road which may be opened from Sonora at some other time, since for the present, for the reasons expressed, we are prevented from opening it.
Because of this return to the Colorado River; having no information as to when the new commander will arrive at these establishments; and since the missionary fathers tell me of the delay suffered by letters in going to the port of Loreto and from there to San Blas or some other port, I considered it well that from the Colorado River two soldiers should escort as far as the presidio of Altar the extraordinary courier who brought me the order of his Excellency the Viceroy to undertake this expedition, so that as soon as possible he may get the news that it has been accomplished in the main, for this purpose sending to his Excellency the diaries kept as far as this place, since he ordered me to report to him from the port of Monte Rey in case I should succeed in arriving there.
From Wednesday the 6th to Saturday the 9th of April SP -- we remained at this mission without any other happening than the continuation of the rains.
Sunday, April 10 SP -- In view of the decision made on the 5th of this month, I charged the Reverend Father Fr. Juan Diaz that as soon as Father Fr. Francisco Garces, his companion, arrives at this mission, they shall set out on the return to the Colorado River, with all of the soldiers remaining here, and having arrived at the river they shall dispatch this extraordinary courier, and I have requested likewise that this journey shall be made in the same manner as when we came, so that there may be no disturbance among the tribes living along the way. With this caution, together with others, I separately charged our soldiers.
At nine o'clock today I set out from the mission of San Gabriel, and going to the west-northwest I traveled four leagues, as far as the Porciuncula River; I followed this stream for two more leagues, and the remaining distance, up to fourteen leagues, I made to the west, traveling until vespers -- From Tubac to the vicinity of El Triunfo, 282 leagues.
Monday, April 11 SP -- Shortly after sunrise I set out in the same direction, passing among many docile heathen. Toward the end of the afternoon, having journeyed sixteen leagues, I halted for the night on this side of the Rio de la Carpinteria, and of the first village of the Channel of Santa Barbara. -From Tubac to Rio de la Carpinteria on the Canal de Santa Barbara, 298 leagues.
Tuesday, April 12 SP -- At six o'clock I continued along this channel towards the west, until I arrived at this side of the village of Mestletlitán, having traveled sixteen leagues.
Wednesday, April 13 SP -- Along the same channel and in the same westward direction I made fifteen leagues today, halting very close to the village of Los Pedernales.
Thursday, April 14 SP -- Going west I traveled four leagues along the same channel, reaching the end of it, which is at Point Concepcion, where likewise the river of Santa Rosa joins the point. We could not cross the river because we arrived at high tide, and although it is true that the tide does not enter the river more than three-fourths of a league, farther up it does not offer a passage anywhere because of the gorge and the thick growth along the river, therefore it was necessary to wait until the tide receded, which I did, remaining here today -- From Tubac to the end of the Channel at Punta de la Concepcion, and the vicinity of Santa Rosa River, 333 leagues.
All of this channel is thickly populated with heathen, who are more numerous than I have seen in any place between the Colorado River and here. Like most of the heathen they go naked. They are robust and tall, and are fairly well armed with bow and arrow, both of which are small, and they are very timid. They live close together, for each town consists of forty houses or more, which they make round like a half orange. They are much given to trade and to industry, in which respect their equal will not be found in their class of heathen.
Many occupy themselves in building their launches and in making the necessary equipment for them. They make them with two prows, from thirty-six to forty palms long, and of corresponding width. All are made of more than twelve pieces, but so well joined, seamed, and calked that they do not leak. They make them so light that two persons carry them with little difficulty. The tools with which they build them are of flint, with which I saw them making them, and I even bought some. And I was forced to admire both their ingenuity and their patience. In each village they have fifteen or twenty canoes in use and in each one they were making not less than from seven to ten new ones.
Many other persons occupy themselves in working stones, from which they make vessels for cooking. They hollow them out with such perfection that it appears as if done with a wheel, and this not only with small pieces, but with large ones and of different forms, of which likewise I bought some from them, as well as others made of wood or of hard timber, like oak and madrono. Their women cooperate equally in these tasks, and especially in making what we call coritas, which they use for various purposes, and of which I had never seen finer specimens. All the Indians make them, since the materials of which they construct them are not found in other regions.
In their launches, with which the sea is covered nearly all day, engaged in fishing with hooks made of shell but as perfectly fashioned as those made of iron, these people go to the islands which are to the south of them, some of which I believe must be distant four or five leagues. I have seen in accounts the estimates which they made of these inhabitants of the channel, and they reach eight or ten thousand souls, and in these figures they do not include those who live on the islands or on the mainland at some distance. But of those recognized as Channel Indians it does not seem to me there are so many. All the lands which they occupy are as fertile and beautiful as the regions independent of this channel, and the sight of them is certainly a recreation, especially to one who has witnessed the extreme sterility along the Gulf of California, where there are neither trees nor even useless herbs to be seen, while here, on the contrary, fields as verdant as they are flower covered touch the very waters of the sea.
Friday, April 15 SP -- Having crossed the Santa Rosa River, at daybreak I continued west-northwest for twelve leagues, when I encountered more than two hundred extremely docile heathen, and some springs of asphalt which they have in abundance. After this I traveled four more leagues to the north in order to reach the mission of San Luis. Here there are four missionaries from San Fernando de Mexico, like the others mentioned, and a guard of eight soldiers, who gave me the same welcome that I received at San Gabriel -- From Tubac to the mission of San Luis, 345 leagues.
Saturday, April 16 SP -- Continuing north-northwest thirteen leagues, I halted for the night at Nacimiento River.
Sunday, April 17 SP -- Continuing in the same direction for seven leagues, I arrived at the mission of San Antonio, where there are the same number of friars and soldiers as in the foregoing mission. Taking up the march from here at two in the afternoon, and going north, I traveled six leagues, as far as the place of Los Ocitos, where I halted for the night -- From Tubac to the mission of San Antonio, 365 leagues, and to the place of Los Ossitos on Rio de Monte Rey, 371 leagues.
Monday, April 18 SP -- At daybreak I continued my march, going west-northwest and west for thirteen leagues. At the end of this distance I arrived at the presidio of Monte Rey, whose commander and troops welcomed us with the same joy and satisfaction as those noted herein before. They were persuaded that with the opening of a road, recently effected, the stability of these missions and presidios would be assured, and that they would emerge in a short time from the infelicities and misery to which in all respects they are reduced because of the misfortunes suffered, as has been said, by the vessels in reaching this port, where all the inhabitants, our people, have told of their troubles, which at present are greater than those related of the mission San Gabriel. In view of these trials and of their long continuation, I cannot find words adequate to praise the merit of the friars, the commander, and the troops for remaining in these places.-From Tubac to the presidio of Monte Rey in California Septemptrional, 384 leagues. These 384 leagues comprise the entire distance traveled to this presidio.
Tuesday, April 19 SP -- I remained in this presidio.
Wednesday, April 20 SP -- I went to the mission of San (Carlos del) Carmelo, distance from the presidio a little more than a league, both to see this new establishment, the last in northern California, and to return the visit made me yesterday by the reverend father superior of its missionaries.
A few days before my arrival here the mast of a ship was stranded on the nearby beach, whose construction and the wood of which it is made are unknown to those of our people who live here, but they believe it was broken two-thirds off. It is entirely run through with very strong nails with long heads, and with two points which do not pass through to be clinched. Their iron has not rusted at all nor are the points blunt which projected where it was broken. From these last two circumstances the few persons who are experienced in the matter of vessels infer that it cannot be very long ago that the vessel from which this mast came was wrecked. At the first opportunity that offers it will be taken to the port of San Blas in order that it may be carefully examined.
Thursday, April 21 SP -- After attending Mass, which was celebrated by the father superior of the missionaries, for the same purposes as were stated for the one at San Gabriel, I returned to the presidio of Monte Rey. Having suggested to its commander, Don Pedro Faxes, that it would be well for some of the soldiers in his command to become acquainted with the road or way out to the Colorado River (since for the road to Sonora there are plenty of guides), he agreed that this should be done, and for this purpose he detailed a squad of six soldiers.
Friday, April 22 SP -- I set out from the presidio of Monte Rey to return to the one in my charge, by the marches and directions opposite to those by which I went, in the execution of which I made camp for the night at the place of Los Ossitos.
Saturday, April 23 SP -- By the road named I arrived at the mission of San Antonio.
Sunday, April 24 SP -- I camped at the Nacimiento River.
Monday, April 25 SP -- I arrived at the mission of San Luis.
Tuesday, April 26 SP -- I camped for the night near the Santa Rosa River.
Wednesday, April 27 SP -- At two in the afternoon I met Fray Junipero Serra, the father president of the establishments of this northern California, who was going to the last establishment mentioned, on his way from the City of Mexico. He importuned me several times to stop with him so that he might learn about my journey. I yielded to his request, remaining with him for the rest of the day and for the night.
Thursday, April 28 SP -- I came to camp for the night at the place which they call Dos Rancheras.
Friday, April 29 SP -- I camped at La Cuesta.
Saturday, April 30 SP -- I came to halt for the night at the Porciuncula River.