DAWN AND THE DONS 48
Portola began his march the following day, taking substantially the same route as that over which he had twice traveled, and with whose landmarks he had become familiar.
The land party reached Monterey Bay on May 24, thus completing their five hundred mile march in thirtyseven days, slightly less than half the seventy-eight days consumed in the initial march over the same route. Guided by a kindlier fate, they discovered
the identi-
fying marks set down by Vizcaino, including the celebrated
oak, under
which
Father
Ascension
had
said Mass, and under whose spreading branches Vizcaino had proclaimed the occupancy of Spain a hundred and fifty years before.
A rather interesting incident occurred shortly after the arrival of the land party. It will be remembered that
