During The 14th And 15th, The Pioneers Labored To Open A Way
Into The Sierra Through San Carpoforo Canon, And On The 16th The Command
Moved Up The Steep And Narrow Gulch, With Inaccessible Mountains On
Either Side.
It is impossible to follow their route through this rugged
mountain range with any degree of accuracy.
Their progress was slow and
painful. On the 20th, they toiled up an exceedingly high ridge to the
north, and from its summit the Spaniards looked upon a boundless sea of
mountains, "presenting," writes Crespi, "a sad prospect to us poor
travelers worn out with the fatigue of the journey." The cold was
beginning to be severe, and many of the men were suffering from scurvy
and unfit for service, which increased the hardship for all; yet they
did not falter but pressed bravely on, and on the 26th emerged from the
mountains by the Arroyo Seco, which they named the Canada del Palo
Caido[24] (Valley of the Fallen Tree), and camped on the Salinas river,
which they christened Rio de San Elizario. From now on the march is an
easy one down the Salinas valley to the sea.
On the last day of September, the command halted near the mouth of the
Salinas river, within sound of the ocean, though they could not see it.
They were persuaded that they were not far from the desired port of
Monterey and that the mountain range they had crossed was unquestionably
that of the Santa Lucia, described by Torquemada in his history of the
voyage of Vizcaino, and shown on the chart of the pilot Cabrera Bueno.
The governor ordered the explorers to go out and ascertain on what part
of the coast they were. On the morrow, Rivera, with eight soldiers,
explored the coast to the southward, marching along the shore of the
very port they were seeking, while Portola, with Costanso, Crespi, and
five soldiers, climbed a hill from whose top they saw a great ensenada,
the northern point of which extended a long way into the sea, and bore
northwest at a distance of eight maritime leagues, while on the south a
hill ran out into the sea in the form of a point, and appeared to be
wooded with pines. They recognized the one on the north as the Punta de
Ano Nuevo and that on the south as Punta de Pinos, while between the two
lay the great ensenada[25], with its dreary sand dunes. This was as laid
down in the coast pilot (derretero) of Cabrera Bueno, but where was the
famous port of Monterey?
They thought that perhaps they had passed Monterey in the great circuit
they had made through the mountain ranges. For three days the search was
continued. Rivera reported that south of the Point of Pines and between
it and another point to the south (Point Carmelo) was a small ensenada,
where a stream of water came down from the mountains and emptied into an
estero; that beyond this the coast was so high and impenetrable they
were obliged to turn back, and he believed that it was the same sierra
which compelled them to leave the coast on the 16th of September.
Much perplexed by these reports, the governor called a council of
officers to deliberate as to the best course to pursue. On Wednesday,
October 4th, the council met and after hearing mass, the commander laid
the matter before them. He set forth the shortness of their store of
provisions, the seventeen men on the sick list, unfit for duty, the
excessive burden of labor imposed on the rest in sentinel duty, care of
the animals, and continual explorations, and to the lateness of the
season. In view of these circumstances, and of the fact that the port of
Monterey could not be found where it was said to be, each person present
was called upon to express freely his opinion.
Costanso spoke first; Vizcaino had put Monterey in 37deg.; they had only
reached 36deg. 42'; they should not fail to explore up to 37deg. 30', so as
either to find the port or decide it did not exist. Fages was for going
up to 37deg. or a little more. Rivera thought they should establish
themselves somewhere. Then the resolute commander determined to go
forward and put his trust in God. If they found the desired port of
Monterey and therein the supply-ship San Jose, all would be well. If
Monterey did not appear, they would find a place for a settlement; but
if it should be the will of God that all were to perish, they would have
discharged their duty to God and man in laboring until death in their
endeavor to accomplish the enterprise on which they had been sent. To
this decision all agreed, and signed their names to the compact.
Ortega and his scouts were now dispatched to lay out the route and
locate camping places for several days in advance, and on the 7th of
October, the march was resumed. Sixteen sick men had now lost use of
their limbs. Each night they were rubbed with oil, and each morning they
were put into hammocks swung between two mules, tandem, and thus carried
in the mode of travel used by the women of Andalusia[26]. The march was
slow and painful. Some of the sick were believed to be in the last
extremity, and on October 8th, the holy viaticum was administered to
three, who were thought to be dying.
On this day they crossed the Rio del Pajaro, which they named because of
a great bird the Indians had killed and stuffed with straw, and which
measured seven feet and four inches from the tip of one wing to that of
the other. It was thought to be a royal eagle, and that the natives were
preparing it for some ceremony when they were frightened away by the
approach of the Spaniards. Crespi, who still had a supply of saints on
hand, gave the river the name La Senora Santa Ana, but again the saint
was ignored, and the river is known as the Pajaro (Bird). On the 17th
they crossed and named the Rio de San Lorenzo, at the site of the
present city of Santa Cruz.
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