Diary of Miguel Costansó
Portola Expedition, 1769-1770
Wednesday, November 1 SP -- Some had not yet been convinced that we had left the port of Monterey behind, nor would they believe that we were at the port of San Francisco. Our commander ordered the scouts to set out to examine the land for a certain distance, and gave them three days within which to return, hoping that from this exploration they would, perhaps, bring back information that would remove the perplexity of the incredulous.
From the coast or inner shore on the south of the bay, the Farallones were sighted west by southwest; the Punta de los Reyes, west sixteen degrees northwest, and some ravines with white cliffs, farther in, northwest by west.
Thursday, November 2 SP -- Several of the soldiers requested permission to go hunting, as many deer had been seen. Some of them went quite a long way from the camp and reached the top of the hills so that they did not return until after nightfall. They said that to the north of the bay they had seen an immense arm of the sea or estuary, which extended inland as far as they could see, to the southeast; that they had seen some beautiful plains studded with trees; and that from the columns of smoke they had noticed all over the level country, there was no doubt that the land must be well populated with natives. This ought to confirm us more and more in the opinion that we were at the port of San Francisco, and that this was the estuary of which the pilot Cabrera Bueno spoke; we had seen its entrance between some ravines while descending the slope of the bay. In regard to this, in his sailing- directions, Cabrera Bueno uses the following words: "Through the middle ravine, an estuary of salt water enters without any breakers; coming in, you will find friendly Indians, and you will easily obtain fresh water and fire-wood."
We also conjectured from these reports that the scouts could not have passed to the opposite side of the bay, as it was no mere three days' undertaking to make the detour rounding an estuary, the extent of which was greatly enlarged upon to us by the hunters.
Friday, November 3 SP -- During the night the scouts returned to camp, firing salutes with their arms. They had kept us in a state of great expectation until we all went out to meet them on the road and began to satisfy our curiosity by asking questions and hearing their answers.
The reason for their demonstration of joy was none other than that they had inferred from the ambiguous signs of the natives that two days' march from the place at which they had arrived there was a port and a vessel in it. Upon this simple conjecture some of them had finally persuaded themselves that they were at Monterey, and they had no doubt that the packet San Joseph was awaiting us at that place.
Saturday, November 4 SP -- We set out in search of the port. We followed the south shore or beach of San Francisco until we entered the mountain range to the northeast. From the summit of this range we saw the magnificent estuary which stretched towards the southeast. We left it on our left hand, and, turning our backs on the bay, advanced to the south-southeast, through a canyon in which we halted at sunset. We travelled for two leagues.To the Cañada de San Francisco, 2 leagues. From San Diego, 191 leagues.
Sunday, November 5 SP -- We followed the coast of the estuary, although we did not see it because we were separated from it by the low hills of the canyon which we were following in a southsoutheasterly direction. We travelled for three leagues. The country was pleasant. The hills west of the canyon were crowned with savins, low live-oaks, and other smaller trees. There was sufficient pasture. We halted on the bank of a stream of good water. Some of the natives were seen; they invited us to go to their villages, and offered us their presents of seeds and fruits. Through the Cañada de San Francisco, 3 leagues. From San Diego, l94 leagues.
Monday, November 6 SP -- Without leaving this canyon we marched, in the same direction, for three more leagues over pleasanter land, more thickly covered with savins, white oaks,and live-oaks loaded with acorns. Two very numerous bands of Indians met us on the road with presents of pinole and some large trays of white atole, which supplied in large measure the needs of our men. These natives requested us earnestly to go to their villages, offering to entertain us well; they were disappointed because we would not yield to their solicitations. Some of the men asked them various questions by means of signs, in order to obtain from them information they desired, and they were very well satisfied with the grimaces and the ridiculous and vague gestures with which the natives responded-a pantomime from which, truly, one could understand very little, and the greater part of the men understood nothing. Meanwhile we arrived at the end of the canyon where the hilly country, which extended to our left and lay between us and the estuary, terminated. At the same time the hills on our right turned towards the east, and closed the valley which contained the waters of the estuary. We likewise directed our course to the east. We proceeded for a short stretch in this direction, and halted on the bank of a deep stream which descended from the mountain range, and flowed precipitately to the calm waters of the estuary. Through the same Cañada, 3 leagues. From San Diego, 197 leagues.
Tuesday, November 7 SP -- From this place the scouts were sent out in order to obtain definite particulars about the port and the ship concerning which the natives had made signs. For this purpose they were allowed four days, and they carried a supply of flour for the assigned period. The sergeant of the presidio went as head of the party, and some Indians accompanied it as guides.
Wednesday, November 8 SP -- Nothing of importance happened in the camp.
Thursday, November 9 SP -- Our men, being without meat or seeds, tried the acorns, but most of them suffered great injury to their health, (and had) indigestion and fever.
Friday, November 10 SP -- The scouts arrived at night, very downcast, convinced now that the port of Monterey could not be farther on, and undeceived in regard to the information of the natives, and their signs which at last they confessed were quite unintelligible.
They said that the whole country which they had gone over to the northeast and north was impassable on account of the absence of pasture, which the natives had burned, and, more than all, because of the fierceness and evil disposition of these people, who received them very badly and tried to prevent them from going on. They stated that they had not seen any evidences whatever that might indicate the proximity of the port, and that there was another immense estuary to the northeast, which extended far inland; that it was connected with that of the southeast; (and if they were to continue) it would be necessary to search for a way around it.
RETURN FROM THE PORT OF SAN FRANCISCO IN SEARCH OF THE PUNTA DE PINOS AND THE SIERRA DE SANTA LUCÍA.
Saturday, November 11 SP -- After hearing the report of the scouts, the commander decided to call together his officers in order to resolve jointly upon the course that might be suitable to adopt in the present circumstances, bearing in mind the service of God, and of the king, and their own honor.
The officers being assembled gave their votes in writing, and resolved to return in search of the port of Monterey which they knew, from consideration of the signs they had noted along the coast, must lie behind them. The missionary fathers likewise attended the meeting, and their opinion was asked for courtesy's sake. They concurred in the decision, recognizing that the return in search of the port of Monterey, which they also knew must lie behind, was necessary. The resolution was put into effect; in the afternoon the camp was moved two leagues from the stopping place at the estuary, retracing our steps on the return from the port of San Francisco.
Sunday, November 12 SP -- We travelled for four and a half leagues to the north- northwest. We halted near a small pond in the canyon which we followed coming from the port of San Francisco.To the Cañada de San Francisco, 4 1/2 leagues. From the Estero de San Francisco, 6 1/2 leagues.
Monday, November 13 SP -- We travelled two leagues, and arrived at the port of San Francisco.To the Puerto de San Francisco, 2 leagues. From the Estero de San Francisco, 8 1/2 leagues.
Tuesday, November 14 SP -- We travelled for one league, and halted in the Rincón de las Almejas, a name given because of the abundance of shell-fish on the rocks washed by the sea.
At this place we succeeded without difflculty in observing the meridian altitude of the lower limb of the sun, with the English octant,
| Facing it | 33° 50' |
| As (the observation) was made on a cliff about forty feet above sea-level, the inclination of the visual horizon was six minutes, subtract | 6' |
| Astronomical refraction, subtract | 1' |
| Semidiameter of the sun to be added | 16' 9' |
| Altitude of the center of the sun | 33° 59' |
| Zenith-distance | 56° 1' |
| Its declination resulting from the equations | 18° 30' |
| Latitude of the place, north | 37° 31' |
The southern shore or beach of the port of San Francisco is about four marine miles north of this place. Its latitude, then, would be about 37° 35'.To Las Almejas, 1 league. From the Estero de San Francisco, 9 1/2 leagues.
Wednesday, November 15 SP -- As the men were without provisions, save the very small ration of tortillas of flour, it was decided to rest at this place in order to give time to get a supply of shell-fish, which, as we said, were very abundant on the rocks along the shore.
Thursday, November 16 SP -- From the day we came in sight of the port of San Francisco until we left it the sky had been clear continuously, but, to-day, a thick fog covered the horizon; the wind was from the south. Nevertheless, we set out from the Rincón de las Almejas, and travelled for a little more than a league, as far as the place which the soldiers now called the Llano de los Ansares, because we saw such an abundance of geese. Some of the soldiers, going out to hunt, killed twenty-two. The Divine Providence was pleased, in this manner, to supply their needs.To the Llano de los Ansares, 1 league. From the Estero de San Francisco, 10 1/2 leagues.
Friday, November 17 SP -- The sky was very cloudy when we broke camp, and we had hardly begun our march when the wind changed to the south and became very strong. In a short time the rain began and lasted during the whole march. We travelled for three leagues until we arrived at a deep stream of good water, a little farther south than the Ranchería de las Pulgas.To the Arroyo Hondo, 3 leagues. From the Estero de San Francisco, 13 1/2 leagues.
Saturday, November 18 SP -- We travelled for three leagues, and passed through the Valle de los Cursos; we found this village deserted. We halted near a stream of good water, two leagues south of the village, dividing the distance so as to arrive on the following day at the Ranchería de la Casa Grande.To the south of the Ranchería de los Cursos, 3 leagues. From the Estero de San Francisco, 16 1/2 leagues.
Sunday, November 19 SP -- We passed one league from the Ranchería de la Casa Grande, which we likewise found deserted. We halted on a steep rock near the shore, and near a stream of good water, in sight of the Punta de Año Nuevo. We travelled for four leagues.To a point south of the Ranchería de la Casa Grande, 4 leagues. From the Estero de San Francisco, 20 1/2 leagues.
Monday, November 20 SP -- From the Punta de Año Nuevo we went to the Alto del Jamón, a distance of four leagues.To the Alto del Jamón, 4 leagues. From the Estero de San Francisco, 24 1/2 leagues.
Tuesday, November 21 SP -- On this day's march we travelled for two leagues-as far as the place called Las Puentes, where we halted.
During these days we killed many geese; it was impossible to estimate the number of flocks of these birds which were seen at every step; so no lack of food was felt in the camp.To Las Puentes, 2 leagues. From the Estero de San Francisco, 26 1/2 leagues.
Wednesday, November 22 SP -- We forded the Río de San Lorrenzo without stopping there, and continued the day's march as far as the Arroyo del Rosario, a distance of four leagues from the Alto del Jamón.To El Rosario, 4 leagues. From the Estero de San Francisco, 30 1/2 leagues.
Thursday, November 23 SP -- This day's march brought us to the Laguna del Corral, a distance of three leagues and a half from El Rosario.To the Laguna del Corral, 3 leagues. From the Estero de San Francisco, 33 1/2 leagues.
Friday, November 24 SP -- From the Laguna del Corral, the scouts set out to examine the country with renewed care, as the road which it was necessary for the animals and men to follow extended somewhat inland. We halted one league farther on than the Río del Pájaro, near a pond which was called Laguna del Macho.To the south of the Río del Pájaro, or to the Laguna del Macho, 2 leagues. From the Estero de San Francisco, 35 1/2 leagues.
Saturday, November 25 SP -- With the object of examining the coast with minuteness and care, we rested at the Laguna del Macho.
The scouts returned at night without any important information. They only said that they had found out that the tracks which we had seen on the way to the port of San Francisco were not those of bison, but of very large deer, of an extraordinary appearance; they had seen a herd of twenty-two near the shore. They said that these animals had high branching and heavy horns; that their color, from the breast to the chin, was white, the rest of the body a light chestnut, excepting the hind quarters, which likewise were white.
Sunday, November 26 SP -- From the Laguna del Macho we came to our old camping-place at the river which was thought to be the Carmelo, a distance of five leagues and a half from the Laguna del Macho.To the Río Carmelo, 5 1/2 leagues. From the Estero de San Francisco, 41 leagues.
Monday, November 27 SP -- We ascended the river about a league, and forded it at a place where its waters, before mixing with those of the sea, permitted the crossing. We directed our course to the southwest over a level country covered with thickets, without much pasture, with some clumps of small live oaks. We rounded a fair-sized pond, passing over some sand-dunes between it and the sea. We pitched our camp in sight of the Punta de Pinos, which, as we have said, had previously been examined. The watering-place was a small lake which was found to be muddy. There was pasture and fire-wood in abundance.
Here, when we came near the mountain range, we lost sight of the geese-a resource that had lasted up to this time. The day's march was five leagues.To the Punta de Pinos, 5 leagues. From the Estero de San Francisco, 46 leagues.
Tuesday, November 28 SP -- We broke camp in the morning, and, keeping near the coast, began to ascend the hill of pines. The pine wood began before we reached the skirt of the hill. We passed to the other side of the hill where another bay lies sheltered to the north and northwest, as the point, extending from east-southeast to west-northwest, is a protection from those winds. This bay has, to the south, another point which protects it from the south and southwest. We cannot say that the anchorage protected by these points is good, as many flat stones and rocks can be seen in the water and on the shore. There is no beach, except on the eastern side, where an estuary of salt water enters. This receives the waters of a small river of considerable flow coming from a canyon that can be seen in the same direction. Nor can we say what the character of the bottom of this bay is, nor what its depth may be.
We crossed the estuary, and camped at the edge of the water on the southern part of the bay, not far from a small stream of very good water.To the Ensenada de Pinos, 1 1/2 leagues. From the Estero de San Francisco, 47 1/2 leagues.
Wednesday, November 29 SP -- To-day was taken to rest the men and animals, as they were very much in need of it. At this place, however, the men were much worse off than the animals, as the land had plenty of pasture for the latter, but lacked everything necessary for the former. The sea, which did not yield even a single shell-fish, was no less barren, although it abounded in sea-gulls and pelicans-the only fishermen on these shores-to which our people gave no truce, for they ate as many as they killed.
Thursday, November 30 SP -- The town and bay of Cadiz is situated under this parallel.
| To-day, the meridian altitude of the sun was observed withthe English octant, facing the sun, and the altitude of its lower limb was found to be | 31° 23' |
| Semidiameter to be added | 16' |
| Correction in consequence of the elevation of the observer's eye above sea-level, subtract | 3' |
| Astronomical refraction, subtract | 2' 11' |
| Altitude of the center of the sun | 31° 34' |
| Zenith-distanee | 58° 26' |
| Its declination | 21° 50' |
| Latitude of the Ensenada de Pinos | 36° 36' |
The cold began to be felt intensely, and for two days the land wind from the north was very strong. As we were learning by experience, this wind usually blows without interruption for forty-eight hours, more or less. The coast, from the above mentioned point to the south of the bay, extends south by east.