Diary of Captain Gaspar de Portolá

Portola Expedition, 1769-1770

6/1/1769 -- The 1st of June, we proceeded for three hours and a half along a gully full of water with many marshy places and rocks and with many trees.

6/2/1769 -- The 2nd, we proceeded for three hours and a half over very steep hills; on one of these the captain [Rivera] had cleared a path. We halted in a gully where there was sufficient water and pasture. Here we rested [for one day].

6/4/1769 -- The 4th, we proceeded for four hours, the entire road over very rough slopes, and halted without either pasture or water.

6/5/1769 -- The 5th, we proceeded for two hours and a half. Here a water-hole was dug and there was almost no pasture.

6/6/1769 -- The 6th, we proceeded for six hours and a half; there were many agaves along the road. We halted at a very large pool of water-a most beautiful place to pasture many animals, possibly for the entire year — where there was much good land for sowing. We saw many signs of natives and some of the people themselves. We rested here for two days and saw an endless number of antelopes, hares, and rabbits.

6/9/1769 -- The 9th, we proceeded for about three hours and a half on a good road; we halted in a gully where there was much pasture and water, many trees and much land for sowing.

6/10/1769 -- The 10th, we proceeded for five hours and a half; the entire road was over very steep hills. We halted in a very large gully where there was much pasture and some water for the animals.

6/11/1769 -- The 11th, we proceeded for about four hours and a half; the entire way was perfectly level ground and without stones. We halted in a large gully where there was pasture but little water. In this gully we saw cottonwood trees; there was much good land.

6/12/1769 -- The 12th, we proceeded for about four hours and a half, up and down hill. Here there was no water, neither for land nor beast.

6/13/1769 -- The 13th, we proceeded for about three hours and a half over a winding road with very steep ascents and descents. Water-holes were dug, but there was water only for the men.

6/14/1769 -- The 14th, we proceeded for about three hours and a half; part of the way we had good ground and part of the way hills. We halted in a wide gully where there were several springs. This place, from appearances, I regard as excellent and very suitable for a mission because of the facilities for raising grain and, obtaining water. We named it San Antonio. Here we rested for one day [qu. two days] to allow the animals to recover [from the effects] of the two preceding hard days.

6/17/1769 -- The 17th, we proceeded for a little more than three hours . . . the greater part of the way was good. There was an abundance of water only it was rather warm but, on being left to cool, which took but a short time, we found it very good.

6/18/1769 -- The 18th, we proceeded for four hours on a very bad road. We halted without having any water nor the means to obtain it.

6/19/1769 -- The 19th, we proceeded for about three hours and a half; the road was fairly good. We halted where there was no water and, having reconnoitered the ground, we could only make a water-hole by dint of hard work; there was moderately good pasture.

6/20/1769 -- The 20th, we proceeded for six hours. We halted at a distance of two leagues from the seashore. No water either for man or beast. Half of the road was up and down hill and the remainder through a wooded plain.

6/21/1769 -- The 21st, we proceeded for four hours on a good road in sight of the ocean. We halted in a gully where there was much water and pasture. Here the expedition rested for one day. During this interim, some natives came [to the camp] and one of them made signs that he had come across other people ahead [of us], indicating that in twelve days we would reach the place where they had halted and were living in houses, and that there were [still] other people in that place. This served to cheer us as we thus understood from the chief that the ships were there. In this place we noticed that there were two islands; it is a large bay with the landmarks that Cabrera Bueno gives for the bay of Todos Santos.

6/23/1769 -- The 23rd, we travelled for four hours on a good road; we had sufficient water and pasture. We halted opposite a very large Indian village and the inhabitants immediately came to the camp; they made us a present of fish and we made them a suitable return.

6/24/1769 -- The 24th, we travelled for about five hours; at the outset we had to climb a very large and steep hill, but the remainder of the road was good. The inhabitants of a village, numbering about twenty-five natives, accompanied us as far as the watering-place. We halted in a pleasant gully where there was much pasture and water.

6/25/1769 -- The 25th, we proceeded for five hours on a good road with the exception of the descent to the gully which was very bad. Here we halted [having] much pasture and water, and many trees; there was also an extensive lagoon of fresh water.

6/26/1769 -- The 26th, we proceeded for five hours up a very steep slope; the remainder of the road was good, with the exception of the descent necessary to enter the gully where there was sufficient water and pasture, and many trees. Here there came [to the camp the inhabitants of] two villages consisting of about fifty natives.

6/27/1769 -- The 27th, we proceeded for seven hours, almost continually along the seashore, having come upon seven villages during this day's march. We halted in a gully where there was much pasture and water, and many trees. There came immediately [to the camp the inhabitants of] two villages . . ., and it is noteworthy that the natives are so intensely sordid that they importuned us to receive their women whom they offered so that they might be given articles of clothing as they did not wish for anything to eat. Here we rested for one day.

6/29/1769 -- The 29th, we proceeded for about three hours along the beach. Here a water-hole was dug for the men. A few natives came to the camp.

6/30/1769 -- The 30th, we proceeded for about four hours along the beach. We halted on the neck of land of the Port of San Diego.