and the Hawaiian Islands, he arrived in Kotzebue Sound in July 1826, remaining in the far north until October, when he was obliged by the closing-in of winter and by want of supplies to sail for the south. He anchored at San Francisco November 6th,[1] and was hospitably received by Comandante Martinez and Padre Tomás Esténega. Supplies were, however, less plentiful than had been expected, and a party consisting of Collie, Marsh, and Evans was sent overland to Monterey. This party was absent from the 9th to the 17th,[2] during which time and subsequently Beechey and his men were occupied in making a survey of San Francisco Bay and scientific observations about its shores. No obstacles were thrown in his way, the authorities asking only for a copy of the resulting chart, which was given.[3] The Englishmen amused themselves chiefly by excursions on horseback over the peninsula, and especially from the presidio to the mission, the inhabitants gaining an extraordinary revenue from the hire and sale of horses. The navigators also visited Mission San José late in November. One man was drowned and buried at San Francisco.
"By Christmas day we had all remained sufficiently long in the harbor to contemplate our departure without regret; the eye had become familiar to the picturesque scenery of the bay, the pleasure of the chase
- ↑ Announcement of arrival dated Nov. 7th, in Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Cust.-H., MS., i. 24.
- ↑ Collie's party, with an escort of Californian soldiers, travelled by way of Sierra de S. Bruno, Rio de S. Bruno, Burri Burri, over the plain of Las Salinas, with Estrecho de S. José on the left, and Sierra del Sur on right. S. Mateo, Las Pulgas, Santa Clara, S. José, Ojo del Coche (?), plain of Las Llagas, Rancho de Las Animas, Rio de Pájaro, plain of S. Juan, S. Juan Bautista, Llano del Rey, Rancho Las Salinas, Monterey, and returned by the same route. They were kindly treated by Capt. Gonzalez and Mr Hartnell. The diary of this trip furnished Beechey a large part of the information published about California.
- ↑ Jan. 25, 1827, gov. to Martinez. Presumes that Beechey laid before him the necessary permit of the sup. govt to make a plan of the harbor. Orders him to forward the plan to S. Diego. Dept. Rec., MS., v. 13.
lieutenants Geo. Peard, Edward Belcher, and John Wainwright; master, Thomas Elson; surgeon and assistant, Alex. Collie and Thomas Neilson; purser, Geo. Marsh; mates, Wm. Smyth and Jas. Wolfe; midshipmen, John Rendall and Richard B. Beechey; clerks, John Evans and Chas. H. Osmer. The whole force was 100 men.
