The result of this information was to give a better organization to the maritime department of San Blas and better regulations for California.  It was also ordered that a settlement should be made at San Francisco; that better means of communication be established between San Diego and Monterey, and that an expedition should be sent to ascertain if the Russians had made settlements on the coast of California.

[41] Manuel Orozco y Berra, Apuntes Airs. la Historia de la Geografia an Mexico, Anales del Ministerio de Formento de la Republica Mexicana Tomo VI, p. 269.  Documents in the Archives of the Indies, Seville.

The Log of the San Carlos

Alias Toison De Oro (Golden Fleece)

Under Command of

Lieutenant of Frigate of the Royal Navy Don Juan Manuel de Ayala

From the Port of San Blas to the Port of San Francisco

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The First Ship to Enter the Port of San Francisco.  Transcript of a Certified Copy of the Original, now in the Archives of the Indies, at Seville, Spain[42].

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On the 19th of March, 1775, Lieutenant of Frigate, Don Juan Manuel de Ayala had the schooner under his command anchored near the white rock in the harbor of San Blas, waiting the sailing of the frigate Santiago to the west coast of California, when the commander of the expedition, Don Bruno de Ezeta, ordered him to deliver to Lieutenant of Frigate, Don Juan de la Bodega y Cuadra, the command of his schooner and take command of the packet boat, San Carlos, as her captain, Don Miguel Manrique, was sick and unable to make the voyage.  Ayala obeyed the order and waited until the morning of the 21st, for the return of the launch which carried his predecessor to San Blas.  He made everything ready on board to follow the frigate and schooner and he asked the commander of the expedition, Don Bruno de Ezeta, to take in his frigate some brown sugar and provisions which he could not accommodate in his boat except on deck where they were liable to be damaged.

At 3 p. m. of the 21st he sailed from the anchorage of San Blas with the wind east-northeast and on the following day came in sight of Isabela Island, lying about five miles to the west.  On the 23rd he came in sight of the Maria Islands and saw the frigate and schooner going to the southeast of the islands, where he lost sight of them.  Contrary winds and calm weather prevented the San Carlos from making any considerable progress.  On the 26th, Ayala sent his pilot to see if he could obtain some water to replace that which had been consumed[43].  The pilot could not make a landing and consequently did not obtain any water.  On April 2d, he saw Mazatlan and the packetboat Concepcion.  The following day he came near the Concepcion, and the captain informed him that he had on board the governor of California[44].  From the Concepcion Ayala obtained six kegs of water.  On the 4th of April a serious accident happened to the commander.  When his predecessor was taken sick, he had a number of loaded pistols.  Ayala ordered them placed where they could not injure anyone.  In doing this, one fell and was discharged, the bullet entering the commander’s foot between the second and third toes, coming out under the big toe.  This accident caused him to keep his bed.