So the Spanish names constitute our legacy from the Mission Fathers.
It is now nearly three hundred and fifty years since Alta California
was discovered, one hundred and twenty years since it was colonized by
white people, and a little over forty years since it became a part of
our republic. In 1542, Cabrillo had sailed up the coast as far as Cape
Mendocino. In 1577, Sir Francis Drake came as far north as Point
Reyes, where, seeing the white cliffs of Marin County, he called the
country New Albion. Better known than these to Spanish-speaking people
was the voyage of Sebastian Vizcaino, who, in 1602, had coasted along
as far as Point Reyes, and had left a full account of his discoveries.
The landlocked harbor which Cabrillo had named San Miguel, Vizcaino
re-christened in honor of his flag-ship, San Diego de Alcalá. Farther
north, Vizcaino found a glorious deep and sheltered bay, "large enough
to float all the navies of the world," he said; and this, in honor of
the Viceroy of Mexico, he called the Bay of Monterey. To a broad curve
of the coast to the north, between Point San Pedro and Point Reyes, he
gave the name of the Bay of San Francisco,[2] dedicating it to the
memory of St. Francis of Assisi. A rough chart of the coast was made
by his pilot, Cabrera Bueno, who left also an account of its leading
features.

For a hundred and sixty years after Vizcaino's expedition, no use was
made of his discoveries. In Professor Blackmar's words: "During all
this time, not a European boat cut the surf of the northwest coast; not
a foreigner trod the shore of Alta California. The white-winged
galleon, plying its trade between Acapulco and the Philippines,
occasionally passed near enough so that those on board might catch
glimpses of the dark timber-line of the mountains of the coast or of
the curling smoke of the forest fires; but the land was unknown to
them, and the natives pursued their wandering life unmolested."