[182-6] Salvation Yeo is a big white-haired man, older than Amyas, who spent his early life in wild adventure with Drake and other sailors in the Southern Seas. After incredible sufferings while in the hands of the Spaniards, Salvation becomes a most ardent and devoted Christian, but with a fierce hatred of the Spaniards and all things Spanish that makes his acts strangely inconsistent.
[182-7] This is Sir Francis Drake, the discoverer of the Pacific Ocean, a leader in many thrilling expeditions and exciting conflicts with the Spaniards.
[186-8] Casus belli means cause of war.
[191-9] Will Cary is the lieutenant and right-hand man of Amyas.
[192-10] Sir John Brimblecombe is the chaplain of the expedition.
[192-11] Ayacanora is a beautiful Indian princess whom the Spaniards met in the Indian village described in the preceding chapter. She seems quite different from others of the tribe, and is thought to be a descendant from one of the light-skinned Peruvian Incas, whom the Spaniards had almost entirely extinguished. Much later in the story she is discovered to be of real white descent, and at the end of the book she becomes the wife of Amyas.
[195-12] The Piache is the chief medicine man of the tribe of Indians among whom Ayacanora was regarded as a powerful princess.
[200-13] The old hermit proves to be one of the survivors of Pizarro’s company. He took part in the destruction of native civilization and was guilty of all the cruelties and barbarities that his race practiced. He is living now in the wilderness in an effort to atone for his terrible sins.
[205-14] A caiman, or cayman, is a species of alligator.