Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER YISCAWO'S EXPLORATIONS ALONG THE CALIFORNIA COAST. Chap. The time had come, when, unless Spain m' would consent to let go quietly a vast region 1596. that might be a barren desert, or might be an El Dorado ? unless she would see her bitterest foe inherit, before her own decay, an immense territory that she had earned by discovery ? unless she would see her Indian possessions fronted by her spoiler, the tune had come for action. In 1596, Philip II., from Madrid, forwarded a dispatch to Monterey, Viceroy of Mexico, conjuring him to explore and seize California. In accordance with this command, Viscaino, with three ships, sailed from Acapulco, crossed over to the peninsula, established a garrison, built a small church, and out of the branches of trees constructed some rude huts at La Paz ? a name given to the bay and the new settlement in token of the peaceful reception that they received from the Indians. But speedily they ran across the misfortunes that seemed to be, VISCAINO AT SAN DIEGO. 29 inseparable from all enterprises in the Gulf, Chap. and were compelled to return, abandoning the settlement before the expiration of the year. 1002 Philip HL, hearing the result of the attempt, gave orders to survey the ocean side of the peninsula. Viscaino, cheerfully accepting the charge, left Acapulco with three vessels, in the spring of 1602, for an expedition that proved 1602. notably successful. The unceasing head-winds made the passage up the coast tedious and slow, but that gave the better opportunity to survey it faithfully. At Barbary Bay (near Cape St. Lucas) he found a well-behaved people, incense- trees, pearly shells, and salt. About Magdalena Bay he found friendly though naked savages, frankincense, and eatable mussels. He stopped at several points ...