[030] A Spanish account of the discoveries in the Americas
Here California is depicted as an island for the first time, this being a revised edition of the title page of Antonio de Herrera’s ‘Novis Orbis …’ (ref. 22).
It introduces, as claimed in the title panel, to contain: ‘A complete revelation of all the West Indian Countries, islands, sea coasts, rivers lakes, harbours and landing places, mountains, borders and divisions into provinces, including actual descriptions of the towns, market places, convents and monasteries, how many inhabitants they have and how high their incomes are, about the trade and business potential of each place …’. The title panel is surrounded by Mexican gods, the first king and a temple from Mexico, along with medallions of Columbus and Vespucci. Below, an outline map of the American continent, is revealed on a scroll by Magellan and Pizarro.
Title Page
(29.1x19.2), from Part XII(g), first published in 1623 with German text and in
1624 with Latin text: 
http://www.infoamerica.org/museo/expo_bry/bryxiii/bryxiii01.htm
[093] Francis Drake lands in California
In June 1579, Drake’s fleet anchored in ‘a convenient and fit harbour’ on the North West Coast of America in about 38° (believed today to be San Francisco). They discovered Indians living in log huts, pointed at the top, with earth piled up all round. Inside the occupants sat on straw, round fires. When the English landed, their chief led a procession of twelve thousand men to meet the new arrivals. Drake lined up his men for battle, but the Indian herald gave a long speech, then placed a crown on Drake’s head. The English named this place ‘New Albion’ in the misguided belief that this ceremony was to signify the Indian’s subjugation of their land.
Plate 5
(13.4x17.7) with Latin text, and Ad. Plate 5 with German text, from Part
VIII(g), first published in 1599:
http://www.chezbabcock.com/genealogy/images/dwell.html
http://memory.loc.gov/intldl/drakehtml/rbdkactors.html
[092] Map: A reduced state of Drake’s Broadside Map
This is the only known derivative of Hondius’s Boadside Map: ‘Vera Totius Expeditionis Nauticae …’ (ref. 49, Entry 188). It served as an introduction to Drake’s round-the-world voyage from December 1577 to September 1580. Although reduced in size from the original, none of the geographic detail is lost. The two hemispheres are set against an ornate rectangular strap-work background and above them is a medallion portrait of Drake, while below is a broadside view of his ship the ‘Golden Hind’. Marked on the map itself is Drake’s track round the world, including his landing at, what is thought to be, San Francisco on the north-west coast of North America (see above: [093])
Third Title Page (11.4x22.4) to Part
VIII(g), first published in 1599 with Latin text, or 1600 with German text:
http://memory.loc.gov/intldl/drakehtml/rbdkactors.html
The End of this Geographical Category