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120 Islands. On December 17, 1826, she sailed for San Diego, in quest of documents by which she might raise the Mexican flag. José Cárdenas was to be master. Nothing more is known of the San Rafael, as it was proposed to call her, from contemporary documents; but two Californians tell us that she was sent with a cargo to San Blas, and not allowed to return by the Mexican authorities, who did not like the idea of California having a vessel of her own.

The visit of Captain Frederick William Beechey, R. N., in H. M. S. Blossom, deserves notice as a prominent event, by reason of the books to the publication of which it gave rise, and the information they contained about California. ''Beechey, Narrative of a Voyage to the Pacific and Beering's Strait, to Co-operate with the Polar Expeditions, performed in His Majesty's Ship Blossom, under the command of Captain F. W. Beechey, R. N., F. R. S., etc., in the years 1825, 26, 27, 28. Published by authority of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. A new Edition.'' London, 1831. 8vo, 2 volumes, maps and plates. This edition is not mentioned by Sabin, being published by Colburn and Bentley. The original in 4to form, 2 vols., had the same title, date, and publishers. There were published in 1832, according to Sabin, an American edition and a German translation. In the edition used by me the California matter is found in vol. i. p. 471-2; vol. ii. p. 1-88, 319-21, 403; with descriptions of S. Francisco and Monterey harbors on p. 422-9; and observations of latitude and longitude on p. 443. Only one plate relates to California, that of 'Californian throwing the lasso.' In Huish, A Narrative of the Voyages and Travels of Capt. Beechey, etc., London, 1836, the California matter is given on p. 415-60, somewhat condensed, and a portrait of Beechey forms the frontispiece. Hooker and Arnott, The Botany of Captain Beechey's Voyage; comprising an account of the plants collected by Messrs. Lay and Collie, etc. London, 1841. 4to, plates. The matter is arranged geographically in order of the countries visited; and California occupies p. 134-65, with one plate so far as Beechey's voyage is concerned; but on p. 315-409 is given a more important California Supplement, made up chiefly of a description of specimens collected by Douglas later, with 23 plates. Richardson and others, The Zoölogy of Captain Beechey's Voyage; compiled from the collections and notes made by Captain Beechey, the officers and naturalist, etc. London, 1839. 4to. The matter on California is scattered through the volume. The plates are splendidly colored. From p. 160 there is a chapter on geology, which contains a 'geological plan' and description of the port of S. Francisco, which I copy elsewhere. Beechey had sailed from England in May 1825, despatched to Bering Strait, there to await the arrival of Franklin and Parry of the arctic expeditions. Sailing by Cape Horn, Valparaiso,