DAWN AND THE DONS 36
way. But on the whole, the members of the land parties arrived in San Diego in reasonably good health and spirits. The four divisions were all now at the agreed rendezvous, but the situation confronting Portola was both unexpected and perplexing. Scurvy had demoralized the expedition and destroyed the possibility of carrying on as planned. The responsibility was Portola’s, and being unable to communicate with either Galvez or Croix, he must himself determine the course to be pursued. Under the plans formulated by Galvez, both the San Carlos and the San Antonio were to proceed from San Diego with men, tools, seed, church vestments and sup-
plies, and find and occupy the harbor of Monterey. But this was not possible now, and the alternative was presented of abandoning the enterprise or approaching Monterey by land. Portola determined upon the latter course. It was thereupon decided that the San Carlos should remain at San Diego, that the San Antonio should return to Mexico for fresh crews and additional supplies, and that a force under Portola should undertake the land journey to Monterey. Accordingly, with a scant crew of eight, all the men available, Perez set sail for Mexico on July 9, 1769, and
five days later, on the fourteenth, Portola began his northward land journey with a reorganized force. The expedition now included Portola in command; Rivera, who had been commander of the first land division from Velicata; Fages, captain of the Catalans; Crespi, one of
