The expedition followed practically the route which afterwards became
the Camino Real. Its fourth jornada (day's journey) brought it to the
pretty valley where later was established the mission of San Luis Rey.
They called it San Juan Capistrano, but that name was afterwards
transferred to a mission forty miles north of this place. The command
rested here, July 19th. Resuming the march on the 20th, the sierra (San
Onofre), whose base they were skirting, drew so near the sea that it
seemed to threaten their advance, but by keeping close to the shore,
they held their way, and on the 24th they encamped on a fine stream of
water running through a mesa at the foot of a sierra, whence looking
across the sea, they could descry Santa Catalina Island. This was San
Juan Capistrano, and here they rested on the 25th. On the 28th they
reached the Santa Ana river, near the present town of that name; a
violent shock of earthquake which they experienced caused them to name
the river Jesus de los Temblores[19]. July 30th and 31st they were in
the San Gabriel valley, which they called San Miguel, and on August 1st
they rested near the site of the present city of Los Angeles. The stop
this day, in addition to the needed rest and the necessity for
exploration, was to give opportunity for the soldiers and people of the
expedition to gain the great indulgence of Porciuncula.[20] The priests
said mass and the sacrament was administered. In the afternoon the
soldiers went to hunt and brought in an antelope (barrendo), with which
the land seemed to abound. The next day they crossed the Los Angeles
river by the site of the present city, and named it Rio de Nuestra
Senora de Los Angeles de Porciuncula[21]. Passing up the river, they
went through the canon and came into the San Fernando valley, which they
called Valle de Santa Catalina de los Encinos - Valley of St. Catherine
of the Oaks. Five days they spent in the valley, and crossing the Santa
Susana mountains, perhaps by the Tapo canon, they came to the Santa
Clara river near the site of Camulos, and there rested, August 9th.