Anno 1579. Peter Sarmiento weigh’d Anchor with two Ships, and Sailing from Callao de Lima through the Straights of Magellan to Spain, ran by the Isles Felix and Amber, discover’d in one Inlet eighty five Isles, most of them desolate, sounded all the Havens, found abundance of Oysters with Pearls in them, call’d an Inlet Francisco, and a Mountain on the right-hand, Punta de la Gente Rubra, because the Inhabitants thereof painted their Bodies red, found the Havens Misericordia and Candelaria, and the Island Sataynes, where five of the Natives gave him an Account of Sir Francis Drake, for whom he Cruis’d, and had sight of a snowy Mountain, whose top vomited Fire. On the Promontory Ana he erected a woodden Cross, and laid a Writing under the same, wherein he advertis’d all Persons to take notice, that Pope Alexander the Sixth had freely given the King of Spain all the Countreys thereabouts. Not long after he Steer’d through the Straights of Magellan along the Coast of Brasile, to Spain.
The Sea-Coast from Chili to Magellanica.
Concerning the Sea-Coast, which extends from Chili to Magellanica, it is as followeth: Next to the Promontory Felis lie Cypriaen, Clara, Cabo de las Islas, the Island Socora, the Haven Domingo, the Point Gallego, the Road Stevan, the Cape Andres, and Ochavario, and the Valley Nuestra Sennora, between two Hills. Along the Southern Ocean lie Abra de San Guillen, Punta del Gada, Los Reyes, Innocentes, Augustine, Roia, Catalina, Amaro, and Victoriano; before which the three Isles call’d The Sorlings, are seen in the Mouth of the Straights against the South Sea.
Magaglianus Steering hither, Winter’d within the Straights in an Inlet call’d St. Julian, stay’d two Moneths before the Mouth of the River Santa Cruiz, where he took abundance of Fish, and from thence ran along the Shore to the Promontory Las Virgines, which receiv’d that Denomination, because it was discover’d on the Day Consecrated to St. Ursula and her eleven thousand Virgins: Going a League up into the Countrey, he found a Hut, in which above two hundred dead Bodies were bury’d after a strange manner, and on the Shore a great Whale, driven on the Sands by a Storm. He nam’d the Countrey to the Southward, Terra del Fuego, because from the Promontory Severino in the Night he espy’d several Fires. He was exceedingly delighted with the pleasant Coasts on each side of the Straights, which were the more pleasant, by reason of several Hills overgrown with sweet-smelling Trees, whose tops lay cover’d with Snow.
The Expedition of Garcias Loaysa, Alcazova, and others.
Magaglianus was follow’d, Anno 1525. by Garcias Loaysa, who Sailing into the Straights near the Promontory Virgines, endur’d great Colds; in the Haven St. George he found store of green Cinamon: The People he reported to be of so monstrous a stature, that they might well be accounted Giants; some of whom went naked, others wore a Net of Feathers made fast about their Wastes, and others a loose Garment all over their Bodies. Loaysa gave this Countrey, inhabited by Giants, the Denomination of Terra del Patagoni. He judg’d the Straights of Magellan to be a hundred and ten Spanish Miles long between the two Promontories, Virgines at the North Sea, and Deseado at the Southern Ocean. Within lie three Inlets, which have seven Leagues in breadth.
Simon Alcazova Sailing hither nine years after Loaysa, shunn’d the Land on the left-side of the Straights, because it lay most under Water, and was forc’d by his Men to return to the Haven Leones, where he and all his Seamen were put to death.
Not long after the Bishop of Placentia fitted out three Sail, which entring the Straights, Anno 1540. lost their Admiral; the Vice-Admiral Wintering at the Inlet Las Zorras, (so call’d, because they took many Foxes on a Champain Countrey without Trees) return’d to Spain without any farther success: the third Ship with much ado arriv’d also at Arequipa.
The Voyages of Hawkins, Drake, and Candish.
The English Captain, Richard Hawkins, also Sailing hither, found the Land on the South side of the Straights, most broken, and in some places a few Huts.