HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF PLACER-MINING. 43
Castillo,
and Dormentes, with a negro named Estevancio," arrived at Culiacan, on
the gulf of California, from the peninsula of Florida. These were the
sole survivors of the three hundred Spaniards who in 1527 landed with
Pamfilo Narvaez on the coast of Florida with the intention of
conquering that country. Nunez subsequently conducted the expedition
which discovered the Rio de la Plata and effected the first conquest of
Paraguay.
Early Explorations—In
1542 Mendoza, Viceroy of Mexico, sent Rodriguez Cabrillo, a Portuguese,
to survey the west coast of California. He explored the coast, naming
the numerous headlands, the most northerly of which, in lat. 400 N., he called Cape Mendocino. Thence he proceeded further north to lat. 44°, which he reached March 10, 1543.
In 1578 Sir Francis Drake entered the Pacific and sailed north as high as lat. 480. According to Hakluyt's account of the voyage, Drake spent five weeks in June and July, 1579, in a bay near lat. 380 N.
First Mention of Gold.—The
narrative says: " Our General called this country New Albion. . . .
There is no part, of the earth here to be taken up wherein there is
not a reasonable quantitie of gold and silver." It is difficult to
reconcile this statement with the facts as known at present, since in
lat. 380 N. neither gold nor silver exists in " reasonable
quantitie " near the ocean. This is, however, remarkable as the first
mention of gold in California proper.
In
1602 the Count de Monte Rey, Viceroy of New Spain, by order of the
king, sent Sebastian Viscayno on an exploring expedition. He sailed
from Acapulco, May 5, 1602, with two vessels and a tender, with
Admiral Gomez in command. The expedition, composed of a large number
of men, was fully equipped for one year's voyage. Three barefooted
Carmelites accompanied the party, and the several departments were
entrusted to distinguished officers, volunteers from Brittany.
