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SPANIARDS NAMES IN THE COASTOF ALASKA
(FINISHING THIRD OF THE CENTURY XVIII)
Consellor
Officer of the Embassy of Spain in Washington One day already years ago, I crossed from Vitoria to Port Angeles the sea arm that separates, the south of Vancouver ,en's island the British Columbia, of the northern costs of the state of Washington ,District of Columbia, and I discovered that that sea arm you Narrow named of Juan of Fuca. I followed my trip and soon I knew that the imposing Mount Olympus that to 2.400 meters on the level of the sea raises their summits snowed in the center of Olympic National Park, it had been baptized Mount of Santa Rosalía firstly by Juan Pérez, Spanish marine.
Where? For what reason? They bestirred me these vestiges of our people's step for the North American costs of the Pacifico, so up of Mexico and of California. I studied my maps ,looking for a hint that pointed out me the rake of other Spanish singladuras. very to the north of the points already mentioned, I discovered in the costs of the Canada, a big island, the island of Aristizábal. I looked above and not scarce my astonishment went when reading, in the map of Alaska, anything less ,tres Spanish, sound and unmistakable names in spite of the spelling of two of them ,Valdez, Córdova and Revillagigedo. Nobody had never spoken to me that no relationship class existed between Spain and such a remote region and when I tried to deepen in her the result it was negative. Said to me; some day I have to find out of for that there are Spanish names there. Now I have just returned of Alaska and although I still know little of the matter that so much bestirred me, I know something more than what knew and also of what would have to make to enlarge my poor knowledge In lands of Alaska and after the aboriginal aleutianos, Eskimos and Indians, the Russians were the first .Spanish the seconds, the remote cause that the Russians arrived first in Alaska it was a defeat suffered by Cossack contingents in the Southwest of Asia at the beginning of the XVII century. Consequence of her was the collective emigration from the conquered ones to the Siberian costs of the Pacifico. On1628 arrives to the river Lena and four years later found the city of Yakutak, capital of the Oriental Siberia. Okhstsk is founded later in 1630.Nine years after, the Cossacks arrived to Chukchi, settling down beside the river to Add. In 1690 their descendants occupied the peninsula of Khamchatka, to the north of the Japón .Travelling for earth a trip until Kamchatka; the first marine voyage from Okhstsk to that peninsula didn't take place up to 1716. Those Cossacks were, according to a North American commentator of the XIX century, singular people, brave as Spaniards, rude as gipsies. To likeness of that happened to the first ones our conquerors in Mexico, the first Russians in Siberian lands were worshipped by the natives and considered by them as half gods.That this happened to the Spaniards, the same commentator says, is not of missing gallant of airy ships they Disembarked with splendid white sails. Their martial aspect, their sparkling armors, the religious ceremonies that carried out to their arrival, must impress the Indians deeply. Besides those Spaniards came sent by bosses of behavior worthy and soft manners, able to contain their men with the look. On the other hand the first Russians in Khamchatka were as those that discovered Alaska in 1741, dirty, not well adorned people, bowed to the murder and the cruelties... .Cossack filibusters, organized for the combat in form of slight infantry and acquaintances among his with the promyslenki name. They arrived in Alaska in skin-minx search, mink, fox, bear, otter, seal and oysters - of whose abundance and rich quality had received news in the Siberian lands that occupied. The trade of skins is lucrative and its hosts didn't take in reinforced .But it turns the gradual establishment of the Russian supremacy in remote lands of the northwest of America it didn't happen inadvertent in Spain. Floridablanca and Carlos III, alerted from San Petesburgo by their credited agents and for their spies and alarmed in the face of the possibility of a Russian threat against the costs of California, they studied orders to the viceroy from Mexico. Revillagigedo so that investigated the case and it will take possession from the lands to the north of that region. This happened in 1773 and for the expedition that had to be carried out, the viceroy designated the frigate Santiago, sent by Don Juan Pérez. More cautious than the king from Spain and their minister. Revillagigedo was limited to commend Juan Pérez the exploration of the American costs until the height of the parallel one 60 - corresponding in Alaska to the peninsula of Kenai, located to the south of the city of Anchorage and the costs to the west of the mountain range of San Elías-abstaining when carrying out it of all intent of perturbing the Russians. January 24 1774 weighed anchor of San Blas the frigate Santiago, putting heading for the North. Two ends, located to both sides of the current ones limit southern of Alaska the 15 and 17 of July were sighted by Juan Pérez returned to their starting point in Mexico without reaching the objectives that had been pointed out and without to establish contact with the Russians neither to discover news of their activities. March 16 1775 another expedition sent for Don Bruno Heceta with second Pérez in the Santiago and supported by the Sound one to the control of which the lieutenant of Ship went Don Juan Francisco Bodega y Quadra, it weighed anchor of San Blas with direction and instructions seemed those that Juan Pérez had taken in his first north trip of the call today Prince of Wales Island they discovered a pick tothey gave the name of Mount of San Jacinto and an end to which called Cabo Engaño, today Cook Cape They continued their route and still more to the North discovered a bay to which they baptized Bay of Guadalupe ,todays Port Mary. They disembarked in the port of the
Remedios and to the south of Bucareli place that evokes the name of another viceroy from Mexico, the Spanish marines discovered and they named to San Blas's islands, Santa Margarita, Santa Cristina, Santa Magdalena and San Agustín. Fact this returned prow to the starting point, surely before the threat that stops their ships it meant the premature arrival of the winter, in northern seas without possibly reaching the parallel one 60 for lack of time. At most they would arrive at the
57º of North latitude.
In 1776 is prepared a third expedition that didn't end up being under conditions of weighing anchor up to February of 1779, 11 for unknown circumstances in whose date the celebrated Cook had already carried out its trip to Alaska. This time the ships were the Princesa and the Favorita one; they left San Blas sent by the Lieutenant of Ship Don Ignacio Arteaga, with Bodega y Quadra as second . May 2 reached the bay of Bucareli, anchoring in the port of Santa Cruz. To explore the bay and their lands threw to the water with the boats with well trained and willing crew people. May 13 took place in earth a solemn mass accompanied by music and artillery
shots. A cross was erected in prominent place they waved the flags and the pieces were shot at the same time that the Commandant of the expedition was appropriated of the place on behalf of his king and
owner. May 18 sailing the boats with five Officials four soldiers and 24 sailors, given of provisions it not stops less than eighteen days. It was this the first and better exploration carried out in so important bay of Prince of Wales Island. For their defense they took the Spaniards eight falconetes,20 muskets and enough ammunition to shoot each one twenty times .Giving names toSan Bartolomé, San Antonio's ports, the Asunción ,of the Real Marina, of the Bagial, of San Nicolás ,of the Caldera and of Estrella, of the Refugio and of the Dolores; to San Ignacio's islands, Santa Rita, San Fernando, Saint John the Baptist and Madrid of Dios; to the Channel of the Portillo and that of San Cristóbal ,a the bay of Esquibel, to the Admiral's mouth and the pipes of the Trocadero. While the two boats and their crew took their exploration ahead, the next Indians to our main ships gave samples of great restlessness, adopting turbulent samples .More of a thousand threw to the water their canoes, refusing to be dispersed even when some gunshots were shot against them. The energy of the Spaniards that they ended up sinking some canoes with its shots was imposed finally and in the last days of the month of June both ships weighed anchors to anchor in San Antonio's bay, of which the 1º of Julio weighed anchor, sighting the day 9 the summit from a mount to the one that called San Elías, located to 5.400 mt on the level of the sea. They gave the name of Island del Carmen to which takes the name today of Kaye Island and the port from Santiago to the current bay of Nuchik ,taking Arteaga possession of both points with similar ceremonies to those taken place in them by Cook in 1778 and for the Russian Zaikof and their men in August 1779.August 1st the Spaniards discovered a good roadstead, constituted by several islands, taking possession of the bigger than them, called island of the Regla .To volcano Iliamna gave the name of Miranda, fact that which August 7 weighed anchor and sailing for Mexico, finishing this way the main phase of an expedition that would have had bigger historical interest if the one directed by Cook, of the one that the Spaniards anything knew, has not taken place before one year. These explorations served as base for the Spanish titles to the possession of the northern costs of America until the parallel one 58 of part of which Arteaga had seized solemnly after discovering them. Of having followed the north Arteaga more it would have established contact with the Russians and unnecessary fact another expedition sent by Martínez and for Haro that took place years after but it takes and it gave place to incidents with the Englishmen, motivated by the possession of Nutka. The Viceroy from Mexico was shown satisfied with that carried out by Arteaga and Bodega y Quadra, those which together with the Officials to her orders were ascended to the immediate superior employment and the explorations of the costs northern Americans were suspended at the moment. Those referred trips with English expeditions coincided, already censored with hardness by the American commentator above mentioned. Russian and Spanish .some were guilty of cruelty with the natives of these lands, but in the touching acts of cruelty innate and pure barbarism, made with cold blood against defenseless people and savages any town of the earth in the course of the XVIII century, it has exceeded that made by men of Anglo-Saxon race. The Indian Chugastches would have murdered John Meares insincere man and without scruples - the English marine that gave the name from Mont Olympus to the one baptized before by Juan Pérez years with the name of Santa Rosalía-without the opportune intervention of a Indian youth to the one that had bought for the winter. During the years 1787 and 1788 English ,portugueses, Spaniards and Russians navigated for the costs of Alaska, being appropriated on behalf of their respective governments of all the lands that sighted. In 1787 the Spanish Government ordered the Viceroy from Mexico that sent a new expedition taking charge it of investigating the informations brought by the Perouse after traveling those costs partly and of exploring them with a view to the occupation of all those that gathers susceptible conditions of waking up the greed of other powers. March 8 1788 weighed anchor ,sailing of San Blas the frigates
Princesa and San Carlos sent by the Second lieutenant of Ship Don Esteban José Martínez being their Pilot Don Gonzalo López of Haro with orders of reaching the parallel one 61 without bothering for anything to the Russians. The frigates anchored in Prince William Sound May of the same year 17 being appropriated Martínez subsequently the port of Flowers. Cordial relationships settled down with the natives and with the Russians but for these by means of their boss Delarof manifested Martinez in unequivocal form that the CZar had already established firmly their domains until the parallel one 52. The advances of Declarof in connection with the occupation of Nutka determined on the part of Martínez and on behalf of Spain, performances that a North American commentator describes as a precipitated point, considering them responsible for the retreat and final humiliation to that possibly gave place. Martínez ended up being appropriated of the most northern piece in the remote island of Unalaska, with that that the Spanish explorations and, rising earth occupations extended approximately from the 132 to the 168º of longitude West it distances equivalent to the one that is necessary to travel for sea among the southeast and Southwest of Alaska exception made of some islands Aleutianas-of those that Unalaska is situated more to the West. When arriving to Monterrey he gave part Martínez to the Viceroy-Flores of the Russian purposes, hiding, with their reports on them, the fact of not having completed the mission that .But had been amended him the Viceroy totally dispatched it again for the North taking charge him this time of depriving Russia or to who outside of the bay of Nutka that which the moment would be arrived if the King ordered it of taking possession of other places. To second Martínez it was designated the Lieutenant Don Salvador Fidalgo ,that he went who name gave to the bays of Menéndez, Gravina, Revillagigedo, Fidalgo and Valdés. Delays in their own sailings made that Martinez arrived it takes to the appointment concerted in the island of Kodiak with the expedition Billyings. Influenced by contrary winds it changed the direction and it desisted of anchoring in Nutka That written up reflective the version of the North American Hubert Howe Bancroft
author Cook in 1778 it had already pointed out the importance that could have Nutka to trade with Asia, called by him Friendly Cove, of which I don't find mention in the maps that I prepare. When arriving Martínez there it found anchored two Anglo-American ships, one Portuguese and another English. It captured at the four, leaving in you liberate soon after at the three first. The English ship was
sent together with the Argonaut freighted in London by the Company of the South to establish a factory in Alaska to the Viceroy from Mexico who liberate them
with under a deposit. In 1779 the Count of Floridablanca took charge to the Marquis of the Campo
Embassador of Spain that will complain about the usurpation intents in Nutka. The English answer was it sours: there were threats of war and before them Floridablanca thought of being attracted Russia against England. The English Cabinet didn't consent to ratify the agreement project that Madrid had presented him, becoming inflamed the so much matter that fearful
Luis XVI of a general conflict, it must intervene in him. Finally an agreement was signed with England in which the Spaniards consented to allow the English trade in Seas of the North. Another signed agreement November 28 1790 restored the Englishmen the lands and districts that the Spaniards had deprived
them. According to Bancroft the controversy with England on the possession of the bay of Nutka was produced by the nimbleness with which the Spaniards worked, possibly convinced that the one mentioned point constituted an ideal base to control the accesses to a nonexistent passage interoceánic ,a what gave certain sustenance the called today's Cook's Inlet same depth, located between the peninsula of Kenai and the costs to the north of that of Alaska and that when going into toward the current location of Anchorage and the anchurosas margins of the river Susitna, it gave place to a supposition that in fact lacked of base. As
soon of returning Fidalgo to Mexico, made their arrival to Acapulco Malaspina that to the control of the
Descubierta and Atrevida corvettes , he carried out to the service of Spain a scientific expedition around the world. Heading for the North ,Malaspina it left of Acapulco May of 1791, 1 going
directltly to it Cape Edgecumbe and Nutka in Alaska, with the purpose of determining the longitude and latitude of both
points.The investigations of Malaspina dissipated the belief that a marine passage existed to the north of the port of Bucareli. Their trip was repeated soon after by official Maldonado of our Marina of
war. The Spanish navigators that discovered them should give name to an infinity of places located in the intricate costs of Alaska. Later the Englishmen and others erased some of those names and they substituted them for other his.
It can be that the main reason that the Spanish nomenclature didn't subsist totally it was also certain lack of zeal in publishing the feats of our scanners and sea men. This way
and all made , is that the coast of Alaska is at the moment covered with Spanish denominations. Apart from those mentioned up in the map of the region of Craig that is the Prince of Wales Island and their vicinities sandal from the 132 to the 132,30 degrees of longitude West and from the parallel one 55 at the 56 - I have found the following ones: Spanish islands, of Heceta, of
Anguilas, of Esquivel, of San Lorenzo, of San José, of the Culebra, of San Fernando ,de Catalina, of the Cruz, of San Alberto, of the
Ballena, of the Balandra, of Saint John the Baptist, of the Cabras, of Arboleda, of the
Ladrones, of the Madre de Dios, of Coronado, of Rancheria and of Culebrinas;
puntas Desconcocida, of Bocas, of the Encarnacion, of Santa Teresa,Lontana, of San Antonio, of
Cocos, of San Rafael, of San Roque, Arrecife, Maravilla, of Santa Gertrudis, of
San Tomás, of the Cuervo, of Milflores, of Azucenas, of Arboleda,Quesada,de San José, of the Rosario, of the
Refugio, of the Cangrejo, of the Providencia, of Amargura, Tranquila, of the Batán, of the
Lomas, of the Perlas, of San Sebastián,de Miravalles and of the Blanquiazul; mouths of
Finas; Sierra Derrumbas; bays of Anguilas, of Aguirre, of Veta of the Fortaleza and of San Alberto; Gulf of Esquivel, passage of
Sonora; channel of the Portillo, peñonof the Gaviotal, of Granito; of the Arcada; lake and high of the
Fortaleza; end and mount of Bartolomé; port of San Antonio, of Alonso, of the Asunción, Carocal, Mayoral, real, of the Real Marina, of Dolores, of Santa Cruz and of the
Estrella; mount of the Pepper; channel of San Nicolás, paso of the Palmas and
pasoof the Cruz; MonteJuna, channel of Ulloa, Cape Félix, Cala Adrián, bay of the
Farallon and mount of the Mother the passage of Decisión, island Parisa and
punta Cayman.
The island of the Vegas is in Prince Rupert; in the region of Ketchikan encounter the creek and Santa Ana's town and punta Caamaño; in the island of Gravina, very distant by the way of the port and island of Gravina, in the proximidade of Córdova, the bay ,point and the peñonof Vallenar are; the deep mouth of Quadra has next to the mounts North Quadra and South Quadra and the Canal Revillagigedo. Cape Decision and port Toledo appears in Port Alexandre's map and in that of Dixon Entrance the end and Agustín's bay, that of Cordova, the end Magdalena, the port and the tip of Bazán, the cape Muzón the port and peñon of Núñez and the capeChacón. The punta and the first floor of Fortune are near Sitka, the port of the Sea, the bay of the Islands, in that of Chichgof one of those bigger than Alaska and also punta engaño, in Mount Edgecumbe's vicinities same , that took the end name Cook during some time.
Of highlighting it is the sonority and grace of these reminiscent Spanish names whose single mention tells so much of the personality of the Officials of our Marina of war that baptized the places that take them - contrary to the French L a Perouse that also stays for Alaska and that obsessed by gastronomic memories and others of the good one to live, it denominated to the places that Chambertin Baussole discovered, (Beau Sole9 Margery, Craves, Grillon and Polka and of the feelings, nostalgias and loves of ours .By fortune ,the names mentioned up subsists still: I have copied them of maps published in the year 1950.All the costs of the United States in the Pacifico and in other seas ,keep these or resemblances names like testimony of the passage of ours, almost always the first ones in arriving to them; and if from Alaska we run the view more to the South, we discover them in the coast of the state of Washington again, where we already find to the mentioned cape Alava and vestiges of Juan Pérez's step and Bodega y Quadra. In Oregon I have visited cape Blanco Earth of the Sea and cape Perpetua and also the punta, the lighthouse and the great beach that take the name of Heceta, evoking in one of the most beautiful pieces in this coast the memory of Don Bruno Heceta, Spanish marine, explorer of Alaska and columnist of risky sailings. Juan of Fuca is the version in certain spanish mode of the name of a Greek sailor, Apostolides Valerianos that was part of
one Spanish expedition freighted in the Mexican costs the year 1560 and that it reached the northwest extremity of the current State of Washington. We approach to the fourth centennial of that expedition that we should highlight somehow in the United States where little suspects that four centuries ago ours already knew about places that the Anglo-Saxons would take more two hundred years in
knowing.. It is not difficult to surmise the causes for which the Spanish explorations in Alaska and the rising occupation for ours on behalf of their southern costs have fallen in forgetfulness. The same chronology of the facts is enough for indicate it.Reasons of State they maintained them in silence while they happened: then the French Revolution the wars napoleónics, the loss of Our Empire in Center and South America and the jumbled nacionals, they deprived them of present time or they erased them of the memory of all. However they form a page of the History that acquires relief when entering Alaska like State of the similar Unión.Páges to these they continue without leaving to the light their publication it would contribute to increase our prestige before the world to combat to the black legend and to clarify the history of the United States, incomplete or distorted in many aspects that affect us.
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