risks of the long Pacific voyage for the richly-laden
galleons from Manila, made it evident that some halting-place for them
should be provided on the California coast. The vessel "San Agustin"
was despatched from Manila in 1595 to search for such a place, but
was wrecked in the present Drake Bay. In the preceding year Velasco
had made a contract with Sebastian Vizcaino for the exploration and
occupation for Spain of California; but he did not begin his task until
1597, when he was sent out by Monterey. This expedition accomplished
little; but Vizcaino was selected to command the one mentioned in our
text, which had the same object as that for which the "San Agustin"
was sent, and the pilot of that vessel accompanied Vizcaino. There
appear to have been four vessels in this expedition, which carried
nearly two hundred men: there were also three Carmelite friars, one of
whom, Antonio de la Ascension, kept a diary of the voyage, and assisted
the cosmographer, Geronimo Martin Palacios. They returned to Acapulco
in March, 1603, having explored and mapped the coast of California
beyond Cape Mendocino, and discovered the bays of Todos Santos, San
Diego, and Monterey. Vizcaino made another voyage (1611-14), which
was originally intended for the establishment and equipment of the
port of Monterey as a station for the Philippine vessels, but was
diverted to the Pacific Ocean and Japan. See Bancroft's account of
these explorations--with abundant citations of sources, and reduced
copy of Vizcaino's map--in his _History of North Mexican States_
(San Francisco, 1886), i, pp. 147-163.

[33] See _Vol_. XIII, p. 228, note 31.

[34] This admiral was Toribio Gomez de Corvan.

[35] The route of vessels to and from the Philippines is described by
Morga at the end of his _Sucesos_ (_Vols_. XV and XVI of this series).

[36] This total is as found in the MS., but is inaccurate. The correct
total is 6,533.

[37] Also written "pederero"--from Old Spanish _pedra_, "a stone;"
so named because of the use of stone for balls, before iron balls were
invented; a swivel-gun. For descriptions and illustrations of various
kinds of artillery, see Demmin's _Arms and Armor_ (London, 1877).

[38] Cf. "Foundation of the Audiencia," _Vol_. VI, p. 37, sec. 295.

[39] Referring to the famous hot springs and health resort of Los
Banos, situated on the southern coast of Laguna de Bay, thirty-five
miles from Manila, at the foot of the volcanic mountains Maqu