A Natural and Civil History of California; Containing an Accurate Description of That Country, Its Soil, Mountains, Harbours, Lakes, Rivers and Seas

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1759. Excerpt: ... vercd by Spaniards; and for a long time made part of our dominions: yet at prefent they are in the hands of the Englifh; and with equal cafe may they fettle on the coafts on the north of California, unlefs we prevent them by attempting the reduction of it, without delay. I therefore beg leave to repeat it that in all times, but efpecially at prefent, the conqueft of the poor and barren province of California has been confidered as of the utmoft importance to religion and the ftate;. and more defirable than that of many happier countries in America. . It fhould be remembered that we have aU ready fhewn the fituation of California itfelf, of Sonora, Pimeria, and other provinces contiguous to it, and the continent of New Spain. All that remains therefore to be done is to add the moft authentick memoirs exifting both ancient and modern, relating to the two coafts of this peninfula: and this is the intention of the firft appendix in this fourth part, which contains a Ihort defcription of Gomara; the voyage of captain Sebaftian Vizcaino in the year 1603; the laft furvey of the gulf of California, to its. furtheft extremity the river Colorado in 1746, by father Fernando Confag: and laftly the fhort defcription of the famous Englifh navigator capt. Woods Rogers. Next to thefe is is the account given of California, in the voyage of the Englifh commander George Anfon, efq; fince raifed to the peerage; aud wherein he mentions the commerce of the Philippines, and of that which he fuppofes thefe iflands carry on with California: this will give us an opportunity of correcting feveral pernicious miftakes; and of forming in the reader's mind the moft falutary ideas for the good of religion and the ftate, without any regard to the temporal iqtereft of the fociety. APPENDIX I. A fhort defcription of...