Who Discovered the Golden Gate?: The Explorers' Own Accounts; How they discovered a hidden harbor and at last found its entrance

First Edition. No. 111 of 1500 copies. Original publisher's dark blue cloth binding with gilt lettering on spine. 7 3/4" x 10 3/4." 173 pages, complete. Many black-and-white illustrations, complete. Index in back. Pages are virtually pristine and intact except for slight smudging and several small tears on fore-edges. Covers are virtually pristine and intact except for slight fading and rubbing along spine. Binding is tight. A Fine copy. This volume discusses the first Spanish discovery of San Francisco Bay in the eighteenth century and the early years of its subsequent settlement by the Spanish Empire. The volume focuses on the years 1769-1776 and Spanish expeditions that took place during that time period. The book begins with a brief chronological history of the Spanish discovery and exploration of San Francisco Bay from 1769-1776. Noted historical figures are highlighted such as Gaspar de Portola, Fernando Rivera, Miguel Constanso, Juan Crespi, Pedro Fages, Junipero Serra, Francisco Palou, Juan de Ayala, Juan Bautista de Anza, and Vicente de Santamaria. Authors Frank M. Stanger and Alan K. Brown describe the general events and arduous nature of the early Spanish expeditions to San Francisco Bay such as Portola's expedition in which he and his men had to navigate difficult terrain and endure long periods of starvation. Stanger and Brown credit the Spanish discovery of San Francisco Bay to several parties such as Fages, Rivera, and Ayala. The authors also discuss the relations between the Spanish officials and explorers and the motives behind exploring San Francisco Bay (it was discovered while the explorers were trying to locate Monterey Bay). Following this is a brief discussion of what Ayala's packet ship, the San Carlos, looked like. The San Carlos was notably the first ship to enter San Francisco Bay. Included are several illustrations of maps credited to Costanso, Crespi, Ayala, Pedro Font, Frederick William Beechey, and the United States Coast Survey. Concluding the book is a series of English-language extracts of the original accounts written by several of the Spanish explorers. Among the accounts are the journals of Porta, Costanso, and Crespi from October 1-November 15, 1769; selections from correspondence between Crespi and Juan Andrew, Crespi and Ortega, Costanso and the Viceroy, Rivera and the Viceroy and Armona, and Armona and Ventura Belena and the Viceroy; 1770 letter and journal of Fages; 1772 journals of Fages and Crespi; journals of Rivera and Palou from November 26-December 5, 1774; and 1775-1776 documents including log of the San Carlos from August 4-September 17, commentary by Ayala and Canizares about San Francisco Bay, report to King Charles III, reports by Santamaria, Santamaria's commentary about Angel Island, and commentary about Anza's "San Francisco Exploration." Back colophon: "Typography by Sibbert Typesetting Service, Redwood City, Calif.; Lithographed and bound by Peninsula Lithograph Company, Menlo Park in an edition limited to 1500 copies, of which this is number 111; Designed by Arnold E. Olds.". …