During the absence of the explorers, the people of the expedition were
compelled for want of meat to eat oak acorns, which caused them much
suffering from indigestion and fever.

Portola called a council of officers, on November 11th, to determine the
best course to pursue. The decision was unanimous to return to the Point
of Pines and renew the search for the elusive Puerto de Monterey, which
they believed they had left behind. This was at once acted upon, and the
command took up the march in the afternoon of that day, returning by the
route of its coming, and on the 27th camped in sight of the Point of
Pines at a little lake of muddy water. They had partly subsisted on wild
geese which they shot, and on mussels gathered from the rocks of the
coast. The following day, November 28th, they moved across the Point of
Pines and camped in the canada of the Carmelo, where was plenty of wood
and good water from the river. After giving his men a rest, the governor
sent ten soldiers, under command of Rivera, with six of the Indian
pioneers, who undertook to guide them by the coast trails, with
instructions to thoroughly explore the coast to the south and see if the
Port of Monterey was concealed in some "rincon" of the Sierra de Santa
Lucia.

The exploring party returned on Monday, December 4th, at night. They
were tired out with their travels over the rough mountain trails, and
they reported that no port of Monterey existed south of their camp; that
the mountains belonged to the Sierra de Santa Lucia, and that there was
no passage along the shore.

Vizcaino had said that Monterey was just north of the Sierra de Santa
Lucia. "It is all that can be desired for commodiousness and as a