latitude, which would be about one degree south of St. Francisco. I am
inclined, however, to believe from the narrations themselves that the
Spanish early discoveries did not extend much beyond the 34th degree of
latitude, being little higher than the Peninsular or Lower California. In
all these accounts, however, distinct mention is made of abundance of gold.
In one of them it is stated that the natives used plates of gold to scrape
the perspiration off their bodies!

The most curious and distinct account, however, is that given in "The
famous voyage of Sir Francis Drake into the South Sea, &c. in 1577", which
will be found in the third volume of Hakluyt, page 730., _et seq_. I am
tempted to make some extracts from this, and the more so because a very
feasible claim might be based upon the transaction in favour of our
Sovereign Lady the Queen. At page 737. I find:

"The 5th day of June (1579) being in 43 degrees wards the pole Arctike,
we found the ayre so colde, that our men being grievously pinched with
the same, complained of the extremitie thereof, and the further we
went, the more the colde increased upon us. Whereupon we thought it
best for that time to seeke the land, and did so, finding it not
mountainous, but low plaine land, till we came within thirty degrees
toward the line. In which height it pleased God to send us into a faire
and good baye, with a good winde to enter the same. In this baye wee
anchored."

A glance at the map will show that "in this baye" is now situated the
famous city of San Francisco.

Their doings in the bay are then narrated, and from page 738. I extract the
following:--