Californiahow distinguish’d.
Having before made mention ofCalifornia, as it is by some taken for that large portion ofNorthern Americawhich lies most Southward, and also utmost West of all that is known of theNew World, and having treated of those several Provinces which are generally reckon’d to be comprehended in it, (exceptingCaliforniastrictly taken, as it is generally granted to be an Island)viz.Quivira,Cibola, andNova Albion, lying on the Continent (though there want not those who makeNova Albiononely the North part ofCalifornia) we shall close up our Discourse of these Islands that lie Northward of theEquinoctial Linewith the aforesaidCalifornia, specially so call’d, which was by many thought and describ’d to be but aPeninsula, or half Island, by reason that the Bay which divides it fromQuiviraandNew Gallicia, towards the North runneth much narrower than it doth Southerly, which made them think, that somewhere or other at the North it was joyn’d to the Main Land ofAmerica; But later Discoveries, as hath been said, have found it to be a perfect Island, and altogether separate from the Continent: for about the Year 1620. some Adventurers beating upon those Coasts Northward, accidentally, and before they were aware, fell upon aStraight, the Waters whereof ran with such a Torrent and violent Course, that they brought them intoMar Vermiglio, whether they would or no, and before they knew it, and by that means discover’d thatCaliforniawas an Island, and that the Waters which were observ’d to fall so violently into that Sea towards the North, were not the Waters of any River emptying it self into the Bay from the Main Land, as was formerly thought, but the Waters of the North-West Sea it self, violently breaking into the Bay, and dividing it wholly from the Continent: It lieth North and South, extending it self in a vast length, full twenty Degrees of Latitude,viz.from twenty two to forty two; but the breadth nothing answerable: The most Northern Point of it is call’dCape Blanche; that to the South,Cape St. Lucas, memorable for that rich and gallant Prize which CaptainCavendish, in the Year 1587. being then in his Voyage about the World, took from theSpaniardsnear to this Place. As for the Island it self, it is at present little, if at all inhabited by theSpaniards; whether it be that they want Men to furnish new Plantations, or that they find no matter of invitation and encouragement from the Countrey, or perhaps that the access thither be not so easie: for ’tis reported to be wonderfully well peopled by the Natives, and that there were found onely upon the Coasts and along the Shore ofMar Vermiglio, twenty or twenty three Nations, all of different Languages; though from the particular Narrations that have been made of the Voyages of several eminent Persons into these Parts, it appears that theSpaniardshave taken great pains in the discovery thereof, and also from the severalSpanishNames of Places, that they have had Plantations here formerly, however neglected at present.
The Customs and Manners of the Natives.
The Countrey is abundantly well stor’d with Fish and Fowl, as appears partly by the Natives, who take a huge pride in making themselves gay with the Bones of the one, with which they load their Ears, and sometimes their Noses also; and with the Feathers of the other, which ordinary People wear onely sticking about their Wastes; but Great Persons, and such as will be fine indeed, beset their Heads strangely with them, and have commonly one Bunch of them bigger than ordinary hanging down behind them like a Tail.
Having no knowledge of the true God, they worship what the Devil will have them, that is, the Sun, attributing to it onely the increase of their Plants, healthful Seasons, and most of the other good things they enjoy, or are sensible of.
Their Government.
Their Government is said to be onelyOeconomical, each Father ordering the Affairs of his Family apart, without subjection to any other Superior; yet so well manag’d, that they live in good Peace one with another; not without many good Laws and Customs,viz.That they allow but one Wife to one Man; That they punish Adultery with Death; That they suffer not Maids to talk or converse with Men till they be Married; That Widows may not Marry till they have Mourn’d at least one half year for their Husbands deceased; and divers others of like nature, which perhaps, if the truth were known, do more properly belong to the Natives ofUtopia, orNew Atlantis, than to these ofCalifornia.
Places of note.
The Places therein, as yet observ’d, are onely upon the Sea-coasts, 1. TheCapesofSt. ClaraandSt. Lucas, the one at the South-East end of the Island, looking towardsNew Gallicia, the other at the South-West, looking into the Sea, and towardsAsia.
2.St. Cruce, so nam’d from its being first discover’d onHoly-Rood-Day, being a large and convenient Haven, not far fromCape St. Clara.
3.Cabo de las Playas, so call’d from a company of little bare Hillocks appearing from the Sea, and is more within the Bay.
4.Cabo Baxo, so term’d, as lying towards the bottom of the Gulf.
5.St. Andrews, another convenient Haven upon an Island of the same Name.
6.St. Thomas, an Island at the Mouth of the Gulf or Bay, of about twenty five Leagues in compass, rising Southerly with an high mountainous Point, under which is a convenient Road for Shipping, and twenty five Fathoms of Water.
On the other side of the Island, towards the Main Sea, there is 1.St. Abad, a good Haven, and almost surrounded with a pleasant and fruitful Countrey.
2.Cape Trinidado, a noted Promontory.
3.Cape de Cedras, so call’d (together with a small Island near it) from the store of Cedars growing thereabouts.
4.Enganno.5.Puebla de las Canoas, so nam’d from the abundance of those little Boats which theAmericansgenerally use, and do callCanoos, whereof perhaps some store are made there.
6.Cabo de Galera, from its resemblance to a Rat.
It is believ’d there are many more Promontories and Bays on both sides of this Island, besides Rivers and Islets, yet not nam’d, and altogether unknown. Moreover Dr.Heylinhath well observ’d, that those above-mention’d are the Names onely of Places, and not of Towns and Villages, though doubtless there must needs have been some scatter’d Houses, built formerly by theSpaniardsin so many Expeditions.
Cortezthe first Discoverer of these Parts.
The first Discoverer of these Parts wasFerdinando Cortez, who having in the Year 1534. set out two Ships to that purpose fromSt. Jago, a Haven ofNew Spain, and not finding the Success answerable to his Expectation, went next Year himself in Person, and pass’d a good way up the Gulf, but for want of Provisions was forc’d to return without having done any thing to the purpose.
In 1539. oneFrancisco, a Companion ofCortezin the former Expedition, Set outupon his own Charges, and having Coasted all about, both upon the Eastern and Western Shores, he at last Landed, but not without notable opposition from the Natives, who with much clamour, and many antique Gestures set upon his Men so furiously with Stones and Arrows, that they had met with a shrew’d Repulse, had it not been for the Valor of their Auxiliaries, the Mastiff Dogs, which it seems they us’d to carry along with them in those kind of Voyages; but at last he got footing so far, that he took possession in the Name of the King ofSpainwith the usual Formalities; and following the Example ofColumbusset up a Cross in the Place for a Memorial and Testimony of his having been there.
Marco de Nisahis Relation of these Parts.
Much about the same timeMarco de NisaaFranciscan, undertaking a Voyage into these Parts, reported Wonders at his Return, of the plenty of golden Mines, stately Cities, set out with magnificent Buildings, the very Gates whereof were enrich’d withTurquoises, and other Precious Stones, and whose meanest Inhabitants went glittering in Gold and Mother of Pearl, and of the flourishing Condition of the Kingdoms ofAcu,Tonteac, andMarata; whereupon the Governor ofNew Galliciawas sent by the then Vice-Roy ofMexico, with great hopes of bringing back a Confirmation of these Reports; but whether out of spite to be deceiv’d in his Expectation, or having real cause so to do, he represented all things as mean and despicable, as the Fryer had proclaim’d them rich and glorious.
De Alarconhis Voyage.
The next that went upon this Design wasFerdinando de Alarcon, who is reported to have Sail’d many Leagues up a River call’dBuena Guia, and there to have receiv’d Homage ofNaguacatus, one of the Heads of theCalifornianTribes.
Cabrillohis Expedition.
One more Attempt was made in the Year 1642. byRoderico Cabrillo, who discover’d the Island ofSt. Luke, and another call’dThe Island of Possession; and this was the last we hear of that thought it worth while to go an Undertaker to these Coasts, and ever since all Undertakings hither have been so wholly laid aside, that what-ever was once discover’d in these Parts, seems rather to be lost and forgotten, than any way improv’d.
As forNova Albion, whereas many determine it to be onely the utmost Northern part ofCalifornia, though it doth not absolutely appear to be so from the Relation of SirFrancis Drake’s Discovery of it, we judge it agreeable to Method and Decorum not wholly to omit the mention of it in this place, though it hath been already spoken of, and the aforesaid Relation deliver’d at large amongst the rest of those Provinces of largely-takenCalifornia, which were taken for granted to be upon the Continent.
DrakesAccount of the Countrey.
Drakeand his Company brought home this Description of the Countrey and its Inhabitants,viz.That the Countrey was exceedingly well stor’d with Deer, Grazing up and down the Hills by thousands in a company; That the Men generally went naked all over, the Women using onely a piece of a Mat, or some such thing instead an Apron; That their Houses were built onely of Turf and Osier, yet so wrought together, that they serv’d very well to keep out the Cold; in the midst of it was their Hearth where they made their Fire, and lay all round about it together upon several Beds of Bull-Rushes. What their Towns Were, or whither they had any, is altogether unknown.