Francisco de Ulloa

The Spanish Francisco de Ulloa (death in 1540) explored the Western coast of current the Mexico for the account of Hernán the Cortes. The accounts of its forwardings along the Péninsule of Low-California are famous to be at the origin of the erroneous design which prevailed at the 17th century, according to which existed a Île of California.

It is not known if the Cortes were accompanied by Ulloa during its first forwarding in Nouvelle Spain. According to Bernal Díaz del Castillo, it arrived at Mexico later while bringing to the Cortes letters of his wife. According to other historians, Ulloa took part in the tender of the capital Aztèque Tenochtitlan by a naval support.

In 1539, it embarked for a forwarding of three small vessels, financed on the private funds of the Cortes, sailing in the north of Acapulco to explore the peaceful Coast, hoping to find mythical the Détroit of Anián which was supposed to lead to the Golfe of the St. Lawrence and to thus prove the existence of the Passage of the North-West. Forwarding left the July 8th sailing towards north along the coast; it reached the Golfe of California six weeks later. Ulloa named it " Sea of Cortés" in honor with its silent partner. When one of its ships was lost in a storm, Ulloa made a pause to repair the two others then took again its voyage the September 12th to reach the bottom of the gulf finally.

Incompetent to find the Strait of Anián, Ulloa put the course at the south and set sail along the Eastern coast of the Péninsule of California to approach on the Baie of Paz. After being itself supplied out of wood and water Ulloa turned around the extremity of the Peninsula with great difficulty and sailed towards north in the Pacific Ocean.

Its small vessels were slowed down by the strong winds and the tempestuous seas which it met what finally forced it to turn over towards the Spain News. It had reached the 28th degree in north close to the Île of Cedros.

Although its discoveries accredited the idea that the Point of California is a peninsula, its accounts were used to create charts which described California like an island. According to Díaz del Castillo, Ulloa was stabbed with died by a sailor after his return in 1540. According to other sources, its ship was lost without leaving of trace at the time of its return of low California.

See too

External bonds

  • Catholic Encyclopedia Franciso de Ulloa
  • AmericanJourneys.org Francisco de Ulloa

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