Portola named the river Santa Clara, which name it still bears, in honor
of the saint, whose day, August 12th, was observed by them. Five days,
by easy jornadas, they traveled down the river, and arrived on the 14th
at the first rancheria[22] of the Channel Indians. It being the vespers
of the feast of La Asuncion de Nuestra Senora, Portola named the village
La Asuncion. It contained about thirty large, well-constructed houses of
clay and rushes, and each house held three or four families. These
Indians were of good size, well-formed, active, industrious, and very
skillful in constructing boats, wooden bowls, and other articles.
Portola thought this pueblo must be the one named by Cabrillo, Pueblo de
Canoas (Pueblo of the Boats). This was the site selected for the mission
of San Buenaventura, founded March 31, 1782. The natives received them
kindly, gave them an abundance of food, and showed them their well-made
boats, twenty-four feet long, made of pine boards tied together with
cords and covered with asphaltum, and capable of carrying ten men each.
The next four days they followed the beach and camped, on August 18th,
at a large laguna, called by them La Laguna de la Concepcion. This was
the site of the future presidio and mission of Santa Barbara. Everywhere
were large populous rancherias of the Indians, and everywhere they were
received in the most hospitable manner and provided with more food than
they could eat. The next stop was three leagues beyond, on the shore of
a large lagoon and marsh, containing a good-sized island on which was a
large rancheria, while four others lined the banks of the lagoon.
Portola gave to this group the name In Mediaciones de las Rancherias de
Mescaltitan - The Contiguous Rancherias of Mescaltitan. The name of
Mescaltitan is still attached to the island, though the marsh is mostly
drained and contains some of the finest walnut groves in California. On
the 28th, they turned Point Concepcion and camped just north at a place
called by them Paraje de los Pedernales. Point Pedernales, about five
miles beyond, preserves the name. On the 30th they crossed a large