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| INTRODUCTION TO CALIFORNIA AS AN ISLAND |
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As early as Columbus rumor spread of a magnificent island ruled by the Amazonian Queen, Califa. A lush and wondrous island, gold was the only metal and precious stones were as pebbles on the shore. First introduced into literature in 1510 by Montalvo, Las Sergas de Esplandian recorded the tale of the island California, inhabited exclusively by woman warriors clad in suits of gold armour. This fabulous land was supposedly located near a terrestrial paradise. Columbus on his first voyage reported that he had heard of, but had not time to investigate, an island inhabited only by women. In his later voyages, he claimed to have sailed near this paradise. Thus the first appearance of the name California is associated with an island, an island of fantasy and riches in the area of the New World.
In 1533, Cortez landed on the tip of Baja which became the first recorded discovery of what was to become California. Two years later, Cortez launched a further expedition which produced the first map of these newly discovered lands. This map left the relationship of this new land to the mainland of Mexico ambiguous. California was depicted as a penisula throughout the 16th century. One hundred years after the expedition by Cortez, a map appears featuring California as a full-fledged island. Dated 1622, Father Kino confirmed this popular misconception. And thus, the state appeared as a island until 1751 in a total of 249 maps. These maps are rare, beautiful, and important, highly collectible documents of cartography at its best.
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