Colonial Expeditions to the Interior of California Central Valley, 1800-1820

by Sherburne Friend Cook

19th day and 9 [October]. In the morning of this day the expedition went to the east and, having gone eight leagues, reached a place covered with small willows, in a dry stream bed but with a few pools. This spot is situated at the foot of a hill the summit of which carries some small bush oak trees. The place is inconvenient because of its restricted pasturage. The whole trail today has been very rocky and for this reason very troublesome. About a league before reaching this spot we found a stream, also dry but with a large pool at the foot of a cliff. However, there was no firewood.

20th day and 10 [October]. The party followed the same course today and at about two leagues encountered a line of oaks and willows which contains the bed of a large stream. It may be very sizable in the rainy season but at present has only a few pools and patches of grass. At about five leagues in the same direction a river with two or three channels was encountered, but with water only in pools on account of the great expanse of sand. It has grass, willows, oaks, and ash. At this place we spent the night. A scouting party went into the mountains but found nothing worth noting. All the country traversed today has very poor grass and is very stony. Many pebbles are found, which are very brilliant and, from their beautiful appearance, are, or would seem to be, rock crystal. The first arroyo discovered in the morning is called Santo Domingo. That at which the camp is situated is [called] the Tecolote [owl] because of the great abundance of these birds.[26]

21st day and 11 [October]. This morning we kept on in the same direction, toward the east, and, having traveled about four leagues, we came upon an arroyo well populated with willow and some oak. It was found to be dry but had one huge pool. We called it the Santa Ana. It has low banks in that portion which trends toward the plain, or valley. We continued on the same course and after another four leagues, approximately, we reached the San Joaquin River, mentioned in the account of the 4th day of the expedition. All the country we observed between the Tecolote (mentioned yesterday) and the Santa Ana is worse than bad. From the Santa Ana to the San Joaquin there is a little pasturage, although it is sparse and spread out widely. Some other stream beds are seen but none merit consideration: they might carry some water in the winter. From the Santa Ana to the San Joaquin River the land is flat and free from stones or pebbles. The neighboring hills and the Sierra itself are covered with oaks.[27]

22nd day and 12 [October]. Today the expedition rested because it was Sunday and in order to give some rest to the horses which needed it badly.

23rd day and 13 [October]. In the morning of this day the party went to scout and explore the San Joaquin River. One section of the group went down the river and the other up the river toward the mountains. The latter discovered an abundance of pine and redwood but farther in the interior of the mountains, on the bank of the river they descried a village called Pizcache[28] of about 200 souls, with a chief named Sujoyucomu. From this chief the following information was obtained, the testimony being from eyewitnesses. Other soldiers from the other side of the mountains—who we presume were from New Mexico—appeared about twenty years ago, according to the communication of the Indian. The heathen Indians having acted in a hostile manner, the soldiers began to fight and killed many of the Indians. The latter awaited with extreme apprehension the return of the soldiers a second time, but they saw that we did not come from the other side [of the mountains] but from this side and were amazed at the kindness shown them when they expected their annihilation. He [the chief] added that on the other side of the mountains toward the north—according to the way he pointed—was the sea, and that it took them ten days to go there. He said that toward the south there was no sea but that the land continued as low hills. The soldiers who had come previously did not differ at all from our own as far as concerns horses and clothing. This Indian had been present at the skirmish with the soldiers. He supported the fact that he had seen the ocean with all kinds of signs, having been there himself. For this reason, and also because the signs made by the Indian were very clear, we concluded that New Mexico is very close to the other side of the Sierra.[29]

In this village two old men and two old women were made Christians. In the middle of the mountain range is the source of a big river which separates into two branches, one to the other side of the range, the other being the San Joaquin. That portion of the expedition which went down the river found nothing but bad lands, with little grass and saline in places. It might be possible to found a mission on this river where there are good level areas and an abundance of timber, but it lacks firewood and grazing in this region. A cross was engraved on an oak tree at the bank of the river near the camp. This is all that could be discovered.

24th day and 14 [October]. Today the camp on the San Joaquin River was raised and we turned in the same direction as previously, toward the east. After traveling five leagues we came to the Kings River [Río de los Santos Reyes][30] already discovered[31] in the preceding year of 1805. The country appeared to have moderately good pasturage, excellent in the river bottoms. All the meadows are well covered with oak, alder, cottonwood, and willow. The river abounds with beaver and fish. It is a location suitable for a mission, although there would also have to be a presidio. The land is fine for crops, etc. On this same day we came upon a small village but in it we found only two old women and one sick man. The rest of the people had gone to gather seeds. We did not stop, because the cloudy sky threatened us with rain. And indeed as soon as we had pitched camp and had thrown up a few small shelters the water poured down with great fury.

25th day and 15 [October]. Today the expedition could not go on because of the heavy rain and so we all remained inactive, waiting for clearing weather in order to continue with our explorations and discoveries.

26th day and 16 [October]. Today, the weather being better, and leaving enough men to guard the camp, we divided the party into two groups. One went up the river toward the mountains and the other followed down the river. The first group discovered a village of about 60 souls under the leadership of a chief named Achagua. Nine persons were made Christians, one old man and eight old women. All these people want a mission and wish to be baptized. Furthermore the same story was told as on the 23rd day about the coming of the soldiers and the existence of the sea. This village is called Ayquiche. In addition, word was obtained of six other villages situated on the bank of the river toward the mountains.[32]

The other group of the party, which went down the river, discovered three villages which all together might contain 400 souls. All three are close to each other in a wide, pleasant plain along the banks of the river. In the first one visited eleven persons were made Christians, two old men and the others old women. The chief is named Chaochay. In the second village only one old woman was baptized for, although it was a large village, as soon as they spied us in the first village, the people all fled to the willow thickets. The chief of the second village is called Chayalate. In the third village ten persons were baptized, all old women. Here the chief is called Chatene. In the mountains there is pine and redwood timber. The streams make it easy to get out. All the Indian population has showed itself to be very docile and anxious to be baptized and have a mission.