_Abella's Diary (1811)_
_October 15._ At 10 o'clock in the morning we left the
embarcadero at the port and stopped at the Island of Los Angeles
because the tide was changing. At about 4 o'clock in the
afternoon when the tide was favorable we set out and arrived at
the point of the Huchunes, and stopped on the south side of this
point. All day we went about five hours, all by oar, the sea
being calm. The Island of Los Angeles and the points of Huchunes
and Abastos form a double bay. That on the side of the Port
[i.e., San Francisco], the big one, has eight islands, most of
which are small. One of them must be passed in sailing to the
point of the Huchunes. It has a sandbar and must be passed a
little distant to the west. It is noticeable only at low tide
and on the western side is entirely covered with trees.
_October 16._ We left the said point of the Huchunes, which we
called San Pablo. Where we slept there is a beach good as a
camping place, with water and firewood. This Point San Pablo has
opposite it another point which we called San Pedro, and between
them are two little islands. From one point to the other might
be twice the distance from the fort to the opposite shore [i.e.,
across the Golden Gate]. These two points enclose the bay as we
have said, and form another one, much larger, which we estimate
to be 4 leagues from the center to the periphery. This bay is
square in shape. On the north and west it has 5 rancherias which
are still unconverted. On the western side is a cove which,
according to the Indians, is quite large. But Alferez Gabriel
Moraga has explored it twice, on the expeditions he has made to
those parts.
At a league and a half we encountered another headland, which we
called San Andres [i.e., Point Pinole]. Between the latter and
that of San Pablo, all mainland of San Jose, is an estuary which
terminates in a stream [i.e., mouth of San Pablo Creek] which,
according to those who have been there and to the Indians, is
like that of the pueblo, except that it is deeper and is well
wooded. From one point to the other the depth of the water is
four varas, becoming shallower to two, when one sails close to
the shore. Farther into the bay conditions would be the same as
at the port for there is a channel which carries a considerable
current. This is all the land of the Huchunes. It is quite bare,
although there are some oak trees.
As far as the strait of the Karquines, including what we have
covered yesterday and today, we must have spent about eight
hours, all to the northeast, one-quarter north from the Mission.
Here ends the above mentioned bay, estimated at 8 leagues. The
strait is formed by an island [i.e., Mare Island] and the
mainland of San Jose. The island soon ends and is replaced by
mainland on both sides. The strait runs to the southwest and
makes a half-turn to the south. It carries a heavy current,
depending on the rise and fall of the tide. This strait is about
two and a half leagues long and about a quarter of a league
wide, in some places somewhat wider. It ends in the land of the
Chupunes, where it becomes broader. Here we stopped at half-past
eleven o'clock at a little beach which is dry at low tide and
where the boats have to retreat 200 varas in order not to be
stranded. Here at low tide is seen a rock, which otherwise is
covered with water and which might damage the boats on landing.
However, a little farther down toward the hill is a sort of
little valley, which is good. This place we called la Division
[probably at or near Martinez]. It has a large pool of water and
plenty of firewood. Here we passed the night without incident.
The shore of the strait of the Karquines which is opposite the
mainland of San Jose is very barren.