Page:Oregon, her history, her great men, her literature.djvu/28

Rh between the island described in the novel and the peninsula now called Lower California, the name of the fabled island was applied to the latter. California came to include the territory along the coast north to the 42nd parallel. The peninsula, or southern division, was then called Lower California; the northern, Upper California. Later "Upper" was dropped from the latter name.

Cabrillo Discovers San Diego and Monterey. Being much encouraged by the discoveries made by Coronado and Alarcon, Mendoza equipped Cabrillo for a northeriy expedition, following the general outline of the coast. The navigator soon passed Cedros Island, and, on the 28th day of September 1542, discovered what we call San Diego, but which he named San Miguel. From San Miguel Cabrillo sailed to Monterery. He was very methodical in preparing charts and maps of his explorations; hence was enabled to give valuable detailed information concerning the country and people discovered by him.

Ferelo Sails Near Oregon. Cabrillo died at San Miguel Island, January 3, 1543, and Ferelo, his pilot, assumed charge of the expedition. Thirty years after Balboa's first effort to explore the coast, Ferelo may have sailed to the parallel of 42°, which is the southern boundary of Oregon. There is a possibility, therefore, that Oregon was seen by this navigator more than sixty years before the first settlement was made in Virginia.

Juan Perez Sails to San Margarita. Juan Perez, a Spanish navigator, sailed from California, June 11, 1774, and within a month, anchored at San Margarita near the southern coast of Alaska. Later he found in latitude 49° north a crescent-shaped harbor, which he named Lorenzo, since called Nootka Sound.

Heceta Nearly Entered the Columbia. In the year following (1775), while Washington was taking command of the continental troops on the eastern coast, the "Santiago" and "Sonora," under the command of Captain Bruno Heceta