RANCHERÍA DE LA ESPADA
Of the Ranchería de la Espada (village of the sword), Captain Fages, of the Portolá expedition says: “Two and a half leagues northwest of Point Conception, another glen is found with a population of twenty hearths, with 250 Indians, more or less. The natives of the settlement here are extremely poor and starved, so that they can scarcely live, being without canoes, in rugged land, and short of firewood. While here a soldier lost his sword, leaving it carelessly fastened, so that they took it from his belt. But the Indians who saw this theft themselves ran in pursuit of the thief, and deprived him of the article in order that its owner might recover it.” From this the place received the name of the Ranchería de la Espada, and the little story is still commemorated in the name of Espada Landing.