First English Voyage to the Moluccos. The Year before, being 1579, about the Beginning of it, Q. Elizabeth of England, seeing the Princes of Europe, particularly those in the Western Parts, make Warlike Preparations, as being divided in Opinions; form Leagues, and direct all their Designs towards the Kingdom of Portugal, she to make some Diversion with Security, had on a sudden fitted out four Ships, of eighteen Brass Guns each, and in them two hundred Men, and ten young Gentlemen, who besides employing their Valour, on such Occasions as it should offer, were to be very intent upon the Business of Navigation for greater Ends. She appointed Francis Drake of the County of Devon their Commander in Chief; who at his own, or at the Charge of John Hawkins, from whom he stole a great Quantity of Gold and Silver at S. John de Ulva, Sir Francis Drake his Voyage. in the Year 1566, added some more Ships. He set sail from the Port of Plymouth, for the South Sea, and to find out that Streight of Magellan, scarce believed by the Vulgar, and declar’d by several Cosmographers. He promis’d to sail as much as might be to the Northward, and to take rich Prizes, infesting all those remote Seas, and to return Victorious into England, through the same Streight. This presumptuous Hope he grounded on his own Valour, on the Negligence of the Spaniards, who are intrusted with the Places of Strength; on our want of Ships; and above all on that Opportunity, or Season so full of sundry and extraordinary Commotions. He touch’d on the Coast of Africk, and refitted all his Ships at Cape Bojador. The Moors took two of his Men, and a Portuguese Ship pay’d for it, he robbing her at Cabo Blanco of an hundred Quintals, or hundred Weight of Bisket, besides much Fish, and many Arms. He touch’d at the Islands of Cabo Verde, where he took another small Portuguese Vessel, richly Laden with Wine, Cloth, Holland, and several other Commodities, with Sylva, the Pilot in it, who was well acquainted with those Seas, and better on the Coast of Brazil. But six or seven Days after the Vessel sunk, and not a Man was sav’d except only the said Pilot. Drake went on to the River of Plate, and Winter’d for some Months in S. Julians Bay, which is not well shelter’d, but expos’d to excessive cold Winds, in 50 Degrees of South Latitude, where he lost some Men.
One Thomas Haughton rais’d a Mutiny there, in order to Debauch the Squadron, Drake laid hold of him, and struck off his Head. Here they Giants. saw eight Indian Giants to whom the tallest Englishman look’d like a Dwarf. They show’d their Bows and Arrows, and an Englishman, who valu’d himself upon his Dexterity at those Weapons, breaking the Peace establish’d with those People, let fly an Arrow at one of them, which pierced him through, and he dropt; the others in Revenge discharged theirs, and kill’d two of the English. The rest then assail’d the Indians, but they fled so swiftly that they seem’d not, to those English who saw and writ this, to set their Feet on the Ground. They departed thence, as soon as the North Winds they had expected to blow, and holding on their Course to the Southward, in fifteen Days came to the Mouth of the Streight. From thence to the second Narrowing they spent five Days, by reason of the Currents and Shoals; at a small distance from them they found no Bottom. They met with some Calms and Storms, and being come into the South-Sea had one which lasted forty Days, and in it lost some Ships. The Vice-Admiral return’d through the same Streight into England, where the Queen order’d him to be Hang’d for having forsaken his Admiral; but he was repriev’d till Drakes Return, and the Pardon’d, at his Request. He went on with only his own and some other Ships, but wanted not Men, Provisions, nor Ammunition, he took some belonging to private Persons, and the Kings, loaded with the Plate they were bringing for Spain, a Robbery of Drake takes the Kings Plate. great Consequence, not so much for the Quantity of the Treasure, as for the Use it is apply’d to in our Monarchy, which is the Advancement of the Catholick Church, and which thereby ceas’d, and deplorable for the unjust Abuses it was to be apply’d to in Scismatical Kingdoms. Having wander’d, Steering various Courses, in which his Pilots made their Observations by Sounding and their Charts, he touch’d at six Islands, to some whereof he gave Names, in Imitation of the fabulous Heroes, and even of true Catholicks, who assign such Names according to their particular Devotion. One he call’d S. Bartholomew, another S. James, and a third, which He gives Names to Islands. he thought larger and more fruitful, New Albion, from the Ancient Name of England, this is California. There he stay’d a Month and a half, refitting his Ships, and sailing thence to those call’d de los Ladrones, or of Thieves, in nine Degrees of North Latitude, kill’d 20 Indians, because they attack’d him with 100 Canoas. Twenty Days after, he came to an Anchor at the Molucco Islands, having before touch’d at others, without any Action Arrives at the Moluccos. worth remembering. His Cruelties, and Robberies might well gain him the Title of the greatest of Pyrates, in those remotest Parts, as he had it in Europe. He came to Ternate, but succeeded not at first, that People being War-like, and at that time Arm’d by their own Malice, and an implacable King. He attempted to barter for Clove, without his Leave, was inform’d how severely he handled such as Transgress’d, and slighting the Advice, the King came to hear of it, and order’d him to be Kill’d. It came very near the Execution; but Drake, whose Genious well experienced in Frauds was no Stranger to Dissimulation, retir’d to his Ships, to make his Escape by Flight. Thence he contriv’d to appease the King, which was no difficult Matter, by means of some Presents he sent him. With them he purchas’d the good Will, and an Audience of that cunning Tyrant, and going ashore several Times to visit him, agreed he should enter into Amity with the Queen, and Nation of England, and that Factories should be settled out of Hand. The King consented, and Drake promis’d him the Protection and Arms of England; and taking with him, among other Gifts, a rich Ring the King gave him for the Queen, he sail’d homewards, with a great quantity of Clove. He met a Portuguese Ship crossing the small Channel of Tydore, but either durst not, or thought not fit to attack her, whether it was for being Inferior in Strength, or out of a Desire of securing the new acquir’d Wealth. Scarce was he got clear of Ternate, before the Winds began to toss him, in that Sea full of Flats, whence they forc’d him, in order Is in a Storm. to deliver him quite up to Tempests. He was oblig’d to lighten his Ships, and among other Things of Value, threw over-Board a Cannon, of an extraordinary Bigness, which the King of Ternate, hearing afterwards of the Storm, caused to be taken out of the deep Sea. Then he built a House before his Palace, on the Roof whereof he planted it openly, and pointing over, either on Account of its Magnitude, or by way of Ostentation, and in Memory of the first Englishman, that came into his Kingdoms, from whom and the Sea he had taken that new offensive Booty. Drake went on to the greater Java, where he laid in Provisions of Cazabi, Plantans, and Floul, in exchange for Cloth. Next he put into another Island, in four Degrees of North Latitude, where he stay’d six Weeks. There he left a Woman, and two Men, all Blacks, that belong’d to him, giving them Fire, Rice, and some Grain, that they might People the Place. An Heroick Foundation of a Colony. Then he continu’d his Voyage, turning in and out to several Places, with unexpected Dammage to all those he touch’d at.
It is to be observ’d, that it being possitively believed in Spain and the Indies, Reflection of the Spanish Author. that none had ever pass’d the Streights of Magellan, since the first Discoverer, except F. Garcia de Loaysa, and one of the Ships sent by Don Gutierre de Vargas, Bishop of Palencia, to the Spice-Islands, it was look’d upon as incredible, that any Pyrates were come into the South-Sea, especially through the Streight, and to the Islands of Ternate, and that Archipelago. This Man was the first that open’d the Passage to the Sectaries Hugonots, Lutherans, and Calvinists, who afterwards pierc’d into those Seas, with Ship Loads of perverted Texts, Heretical Bibles, and other Books of unsound Doctrine; but the Divine Providence has given Proofs, that it is so much Offended at this Hellish Innovation, tho’ it permits Idolatry, and Mahometanism, that it has not suffer’d those Souls which through its profound Judgments, lie involv’d in the Shades and Darkness of Ignorance, to imbibe that Poyson, till it sent them the Gospel in its Purity. It has Oppos’d those new Apostacies making use of, as Instruments of Spanish Religious Men, giving Strength to our King, who protects them, his main Design being the Support of Religion. This Truth plainly appears in the many Victories the Church has obtain’d through his Officers, and the Armies maintain’d in the remotest Parts of the Monarchy, for the Propagation of the Faith preach’d to the most distant Indians.
But the better to demonstrate this true Forecast and Care, I think it a Reason for this Digression. necessary Digression, so far from being superfluous, to relate the Preparations made by the Viceroy Don Francisco de Toledo, directing his Actions to this End, as became a Minister who follow’d his Princes Designs, in Order to secure himself against Drake’s surprizing Celerity and Boldness; for as much of this as concerns the Molucco Islands, obliges us to write it, and we will slightly run over all the particular Passages.
Preparations of the Viceroy. The Viceroy of Peru was of Opinion, That in Order to secure the Indies, their Peace and Religion, and for the removing, at first, of all Obstacles to its Exaltation, and making Examples for a Warning, it was of the greatest Consequence to erect Forts, as divine and humane politick Precautions, and to Arm against that Pyrate, so to give a Check to the Northern Parts by his Punishment. To this Purpose, and in Order to his Destruction, a more exact Observation was to be taken of the Passes into the South-Sea, and more particularly of the Way he was to take, to return into his own Country. He was egg’d on by Fear, or the Loss of Reputation, because some English Ships, Part of Drake’s Squadron, ran along the Coasts of Chile and Arica, obliging the People to Arm; it being apprehended that Drake had erected Forts to secure the Passage, for carrying on the Trade of Spice and Jewels, and the bringing in of perverting Ministers with their poisonous Doctrines. For this Effect, he pitch’d upon Peter Sarmiento de Gamboa, a Gentleman of Galicia, who had twice already engag’d with that Pyrate. The first in the Port of Callao near Lima, where he took from him a Spanish Ship, laden with Commodities of Spain; the second a few Days after, pursuing him as far as Panama. The Viceroy resolv’d he should go to discover the Streights of Magellan, an Enterprize look’d upon as impractable by the South Sea, by Reason of the many Mouths and Channels which obstruct the Access to it, where many Difficultie of the Streight of Magellan. Discoverers sent by the Governours of Peru and Chile have been lost. Others have attempted it, entering from the North Sea, and miss’d of the Streight; some were cast away, or beaten back by Storm, and all generally despair’d of finding it. But now that Terror being remov’d, they can take a fix’d Latitude, settle a Rumb, and steer a safe Course to the Streight, so to secure the Passage before an Enemy possesses himself of it. The Viceroy made Choice of two Ships, which he took Care to see well rigg’d, arm’d and provided. Sarmiento call’d the Bigger, Our Lady of Hope, which was Commodore; the other being subordinate, had the Name of S. Francis. Two Hundred Seamen and Soldiers were put into them, with virtuous and learned Religious Men, fit for that Employ. Sarmiento sent after Drake with two Ships. Captain John de Villalobos was appointed Vice-Admiral. Ferdinand Lamero Head Pilot, and under him Ferdinand Alonso and Antony Pablo, all of them very able Pilots in both Seas. These took an Oath of Fidelity, and the Viceroy gave the Admiral particular Instructions, the Purport whereof was, That they should pursue the Pyrate, fight him till taken or kill’d, and recover the great Booty he had taken upon the King’s Lands His Instructions. and Ships, whatsoever the Hazard might be, since they had sufficient Men, Arms and Ammunition to overcome the Enemy. That they should sail into 50 or 54 Degrees of South Latitude, as might be most Advantageous, about the Mouth of the Streights of Magellan. That both Ships should have Lights out at Night, that so they might not lose Sight of one another in the Dark, but always keep together. He charg’d them to be unanimous in their Consultations, particularly the two Commanders; which Direction was not so well observ’d, as it ought to have been, thro’ the Vice-Admiral’s Fault. They were commanded to lay down the Ports, and Seas in exact Draughts. To take Possession of any Country they landed on for his Majesty. When they met with any Towns of Indians, to mollify and endear them by discreet Courtesy, and gain their Affections with such Gifts, as should for that Purpose be deliver’d to the Commodore, being Sissars, Combs, Knives, Fishing-Hooks, Buttons of several Colours, Looking-Glasses, Hawks-Bells, Glass-Beads, &c. To carry with them some Indians to serve for Interpreters; and so provided discreetly for all other material Points. Then to encourage them he made a Speech, intermixing it with Hopes and Exhortations. The Commodore having conferr’d with his Vice-Admiral and Pilots, concerning the Design of their Voyage; they agreed, That if any Stress of Weather should happen to part the one Ship from the other, they should carefully seek one another out, or make the Mouth of the Streight in the South-Sea to the Westward, there to wait for one another. The next Day being Sunday, the 11th of October, 1579, when they had all confess’d and receiv’d the Holy Eucharist, they embark’d in order to introduce the Faith into those Nations void of all Worship. On Board the Capitana, or greater Ship, the General, or Commodore Sarmiento, F. Antony de Guadramiro, of the Order of S. Francis, and Vicar-General of this Expedition; the Ensign John Gutierrez de Guevara, Antony Pablos, and Ferdinand Alonso, Pilots, with 54 Soldiers. In the other Ship, with John de Villalobos, F. Christopher de Merida, of the said Order of S. Francis, Ferdinand Lamero, chief Pilot of that Ship, His Strength. with whom, and the Seamen and Soldiers, they made 54; and the whole Number in both Vessels as was said above.
They sail’d from the Port of Callao, belonging to the City of Lima, and that Night came to an Anchor at the Island, two Leagues from Callao, in His Voyage. 12 Degrees and a half of South Latitude. On the first of November they pass’d in Sight of those they call Unfortunate, in 25 Degrees, 20 Minutes, which were accidentally discover’d by the Pilot John Fernandez, being bound for Chile the second Time, immediately after Magellan’s Discovery, since the Year 1520. They are now call’d, the Islands of S. Felix, and S. Ambor. Here Sarmiento observ’d the Difference, betwixt this Course, which he calls the True one, and the Imaginary. This he noted down His Care and Capacity. with extraordinary Curiosity, employing all the Care and Art of his Pilots, and his own, which was not inferior to theirs, nor to others in any Martial Knowledge, as will appear by his Treatises, if publish’d, of Navigation, casting great Guns and Bullets, Fortification, and Knowledge in Astronomy, for failing in all Seas. They never quitted the Lead, the Astrolabe, and the Charts, either in the Deep, in Ports, Bays, or among Mountains, and Currents, which produc’d a very ample Relation he sent to King Philip, whence we took this Abridgement. There he sets down the Points in the Heaven answering to the Earth, the Dangers, Islands, Promontories and Gulphs, Geographically and Corographically. He lays down the Rumbs that are to be follow’d, and those to be avoided; and thus distinctly leads us into and thro’ the Streight, giving visible Signs, and also invisible of the Winds for all Ports. At the first unknown Land, where he anchor’d, they found the Latitude to be 49 Degrees and a half Land at the Mouth of the Streights. South. They saw no People, but Tokens of them, as the Prints of Mens Feet, Darts, Oars, and little Nets. They climb’d up vast high Mountains, above two Leagues in the Ascent, over Stones, some of them so sharp, that they cut their Shoes. Others, to avoid them, made their way on the Boughs of Trees. From the Top they discover’d great Channels, Inlets, Rivers, and Harbours, and all the Land as far as their Sight could reach, seem’d to them cut and rent asunder. They judg’d it to be an Archipelago. It is to be observ’d, that our Discoverers give the Name of Archipelagos, to Seas in the New World, which are strew’d thick with Islands, as it were great Stones, like the Archipelago of Greece, so well known to all Nations in the Egean Sea, which contains the Cyclades, tho’ the Name is not ancient. They perceiv’d the Channel to run on, Wide, Spacious, Open and Clean; and were satisfi’d that Drake came out that Way into the South Sea. They found the Latitude by three Astrolabes to be 50 Degrees. The Harbour they call’d of, Our Lady of the Rosary, and the Island of the most Holy Trinity.
The next Sunday, Sarmiento order’d all the Men to land, in order to take Possession, and perform’d all that is contain’d in the Authentick Instrument Sarmiento takes Possession of the Land. of what happen’d that Day, the express Words whereof are thus,
‘In the Name of the most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, three Persons, and one only God, who is the Beginning, Maker and The Form of it. Creator of all Things; without whom nothing that is Good can be done, began, or preserv’d. And in regard that a good Beginning must be in God, and through God, and in him it is requisite to begin, to his Honour and Glory, and in his most Holy Name, Be it known to all those who shall see this Instrument, that this Day, being Sunday the 22d of November, 1579, this Royal Navy of the Mighty Renowned Lord, King Philip of Spain, and its other Dominions, my Sovereign, being arriv’d in this Country by Order of the most Excellent Lord, Don Francisco de Toledo, Viceroy, Governour, and Captain General of Peru, to discover the Streight of Magellan, under the Command of the General Peter Sarmiento, the Land by him nam’d, Our Lady of the Rosary, and the Bay of, The most Holy Trinity. The said Lord General having landed with most of the Sea and Landmen belonging to his Navy, and the Religious Men, he brought ashore a Cross, which he devoutly worshipp’d, with all his Men. The Religious Men sang the Hymn Te Deum laudamus, and he with a loud Voice, said, That in the Name of his Majesty Philip the Second, our Lord, King of Castile and Aragon, and their Dependencies, whom our Lord God long preserve, with the Addition of greater Kingdoms and Dominions, for the Glory of God, and Good and Prosperity of his Subjects; and in the Name of the most Potent Kings his Heirs and Successors for the Time being; he, as his Commander in chief, and Admiral of this same Navy, and by Virtue of the Order and Instructions given him in his Majesty’s Royal Name, by the said Lord Viceroy of Peru, took, did take, seiz’d, and did seize the Possession of this Land on which he is now ashore, and which he has discover’d for evermore, in the said Royal Name, and of the said Crown of Castile and Leon, as has been said, as being his own, and really belonging to him, by Virtue of the Donation and Gift the Holy Father Alexander the Sixth, Pope of Rome, pass’d Motu proprio, in Favour of their Catholick Majesties Ferdinand the Fifth and Isabel his Wife, King and Queen of Castile and Leon of glorious Memory, and to their Heirs and Successors, of the one half of the World, being 180 Degrees of Longitude, as is more fully contain’d in the said Bull, dated at Rome, on the 4th of May, 1493. By Virtue whereof, these said Lands fall, lye, and are included within the Limits and Meridian of the said Partition of 180 Degrees of Longitude, belonging to the said Royal Crown of Castile and Leon. And as such he takes, and did take Possession of these said Lands, and their Territories, Seas, Rivers, Creeks, Ports, Bays, Gulphs, Archipelagos, and of this said Harbour of the Rosary, where at present this Navy is at Anchor. And he subjects, and did subject them to the Power, Possession and Dominion of the said Royal Crown, as has been said, as being their own Property. And in Token of Possession, or as it were, drawing the Sword he had by his Side, with it he cut Trees, Branches, and Grass, and remov’d Stones, and walk’d over the Fields and Shores, without any Opposition; requiring such as were present to be Witnesses thereof, and me the underwritten Notary, to give him a Testimonial thereof in publick Form. And immediately, taking up a great Cross, and the Men belonging to the Navy being drawn up in a martial Manner, with Muskets and other Arms, they carry’d the Cross in Procession, the Religious Men, F. Antony de Guadramiro, the Vicar and his Companion, singing the Litany, and all the others answering. And the said Procession being ended, the said Lord General planted the Cross on a hard Rock, and rais’d a heap of Stones at the Foot of the Cross, in Token, and as a Memorial of Possession of all the Lands and Seas, discover’d, adjacent, and contiguous. And he gave the Name of Our Lady of the Rosary to this Port, as has been said. And as soon as the Cross was set up, they worshipp’d it a second Time; and they all pray’d, beseeching and intreating our Lord JESUS CHRIST, would be pleas’d that what they did might be for his Glory, and to the End that our Holy Catholick Faith might be exalted and dilated, and the Holy Gospel preach’d and spread abroad among these barbarous Nations, which have hitherto been remote from the true Knowledge and Doctrine; that it may defend and deliver them from the Frauds and Dangers of the Devil, and from the Blindness they are in, that their Souls may be sav’d. And then the Religious Men sung in Honour of the Cross, the Hymn Vexilla Regis. Next the Father Vicar said Mass on an Altar there erected, being the first that was ever said in that Country, to the Honour and Glory of our Almighty Lord God, and for the Extirpation of the Devil and all Idolatry. And he preach’d to that Purpose, and some confess’d and communicated. And as soon as the Mass was said, the General, for a more absolute Token and Memorial of Possession, caus’d a large Tree to be trimm’d, and on it caus’d a very high Cross to be made, and on it plac’d the most Holy Name of our Lord JESUS CHRIST. J. N. R. I. And under it, Philippus Secundus Rex Hispaniarum. Of all which, I John de Esquivel, Royal Secretary to this Navy and Admiral Ship, do give Affidavit and true Testimony, that it was so done as is said. Then follows Esquivel’s Subscription.’
Sarmiento gives Names to Places. Four Days after, Sarmiento, in the Vice-Admiral’s Boat, with the Pilots, Pablos and Lamero, and ten Sailors and Soldiers, with Muskets, Bucklers and Swords, and four Days Provision, set out of this Port to discover the Channels they saw, that they might not endanger the Ships. Going out by the Ridges of Rocks, he run along the Gulph, close to the Shore, all which he observ’d, and sounded the Harbours, giving Names to them and the Mountains, according to their Shapes, such as Sugar-Loaves, Pitchers, Guinea Peppers, and the like. He observ’d the Trees, the Plants and the Birds. At one Place on the Shore he found several Tracts of People, and two Poniards or such Weapons made of Bone, with a Cross on the Handles, near a small Stream of fresh Water, whose Sands are Red, and therefore he call’d it the Red-River, which falls into a Harbour, and that also took the same Name. They saw abundance of Fish, and among the Shells thrown up by the Sea, vast Quantities of Oysters and Mussels, and in those that were left upon the Rocks above the Water, great and small Pearls, some Grey, others White. This Sort of Pearls despis’d for Hunger. Fish, at certain Times, the Shells being first open, gape with their Mouths, and receive the pure and substantial Dew, which, as it were, impregnates them with Pearls, which are in Colour answerable to the Nature of the Dew. If they receive it pure, they produce them white; if disturb’d, they are of a Dark, or other Muddy Colours. Sarmiento describes the Vexation that tormented him and his Men; for being eager to satisfy their Hunger with Oysters and Mussels, and they being unfit to Eat, because of the Hardness of those Pearls they found in them, they threw them away, cursing the Inventors of putting a Value on those Productions, or Hornynesses of Fishes, which Nature had trebly hid in the Waters of the Sea, in Shells, and in the Fish it self. They said, that true Wealth consisted in tame Cattle, Fruit, and Corn brought up by Tillage, as they had in Spain; for that precious Obstacle to feeding, then not valu’d, depriving them of the Sustenance of the Shell-Fish, and being forc’d to live ten Days on the Provision they brought for four, the Fast made them all Philosophers. From this Red Harbour, he was obliged to return to the Ships left in that of the Rosary, no Day passing without violent Storms; when they had run backward, and forward, above 70 Leagues, landing on Islands, and taking Possession of them. They were Fruitful and Habitable, but till then Untill’d and Desart. From a very high Hill, he discover’d the main Chanel, which runs out into the great Ocean, and so many other Channels and small Islands, that they could not be reckon’d up in a long Time. Whilst he staid, he sounded Harbours, Deeps, Channels, Creeks, Inlets, Flats, Roads and Bays, making Draughts of, and giving them Names. He settled the Latitude, and certain Course to be steer’d, in the Presence, and with the Opinion of the Pilots, Seamen, and Soldiers, in order to reconcile those disagreeing Persons by examining all that were present.
Here the Vice-Admiral began to cavil, saying, They were imbay’d, and Vice-Admiral disagrees with Sarmiento. that it was impossible to hold on their Voyage that Way; and would have quitted his Admiral, as he did afterwards. From Red-Port they held on their Course, trying those in other Islands. Sarmiento came to a Bay, which he call’d S. Francis’s, where, as they were taking their Station, a Soldier fired a Piece at some Birds, and in Answer to the Gun, certain Indians, near a Mountain, on the other Side of the Bay, gave horrid Shouts. By the first Noise, the Spaniards thought it had been made by Sea-Wolves, till they discover’d the naked Red Bodies. They afterwards Painted Indians. found the Reason of that Colour, for they daub’d themselves from the Head to the Feet with a glutinous Red-Earth. Sarmiento took some of his Company into a Boat, and coming to a Thicket, found them in the closest of the Trees, without any other Cloathing but that Clay as Red as Blood. Only one old Man, who talk’d to, and commanded, and was obey’d by them, appear’d cover’d with a Cloak of the Skins of Sea-Wolves. Fifteen Youths came out upon the open Shore, near the Sea and drawing near, with peaceable Demonstrations, very earnestly pointed, lifting up their Hands towards the Place where the Ships remain’d. The Spaniards did the same. The Indians came close, and Sarmiento giving them two Towels and a Night-cap, for he had nothing else then, and the Pilots some other Trifles, they were well pleas’d. They gave them Wine, which they tasted and then threw away. They eat of the Bisket, but all this did not satisfy them; for which Reason, and because they were on an open Shore, in Danger of losing the Boat, they return’d to their Station, making Signs to the Indians to go to the Boat. They did so, and Sarmiento posted two Sentinels for the more Security, then forcibly seiz’d one of the Indians for an Interpreter, put him into his Boat, embrac’d him lovingly, cloath’d and fed him. This Place he call’d, The Point of People, as being the first where he found any. Thence he proceeded to Three small Islands, lying in a Triangle, and lay there. They went on, taking Draughts of the Lands, and being before a very craggy Country, the Indian who had never ceas’d shedding Tears, throwing off a Shirt they had put him on, leap’d over-board, and swam away. They held on their Way, quite weary of seeing so many Islands, containing strange Productions of Nature, but without any Inhabitants. Only in one of them, which they call’d, The Cleft Rock, near a deep Cave, they found much Tract of Men’s Feet, and the whole Skeleton of a Man or Woman. They went on thence with Storms through incredible Solitudes, which it would be too much to describe, tho’ our Design were to treat only of this Voyage. At another Land, where they arriv’d full of Uncertainty, as it were by Accident, in the Bay they call’d, Our Lady of Guadalupe, thinking to discover whether one Channel ran to the East, and another to the North; they saw a A Piragua. Piragua, being a Vessel made of Planks put together, without any Sides, and sometimes of Rushes, and of Calabashes, and properly a Float, coming along on the Water, and in it five Indians, who getting to the Shore, left the Piragua, and ran up a Mountain in a Consternation. The Pilot went into the Piragua, with four Soldiers, and the Boat proceeded further.