They now held their course westwards, being assisted by a strong current in that direction; yet had the wind from the north, and had heavy billows meeting them from the west. The 30th, the current and billows as before, they were fully assured of having the way open into the South Sea, and this day at noon they made their latitude 57° 34' S. The 31st sailing west, with the wind at north, their latitude at noon was 58° S. But the wind changing to W. and W.S.W. they passed Cape Horn, losing sight of land altogether, still meeting huge billows rolling from the west with a blue sea, which made them believe they were in the main South Sea. February 1st, they had a storm at S.W. and sailed N.W. and W.N.W. The 2d, having the wind at W. they sailed southwards, and came into the lat. of 57° 58' S. The 3d they made their latitude 59° 25' S. with a strong wind at W. but saw no signs of any land to the South.
SECTION II.
Continuation of the Voyage, from Cape Horn to the Island of Java.
Altering their course to the northwards, they plainly discerned the western mouth of the Straits of Magellan, bearing east from them, on the 12th February; and being now quite sure of their new and happy discovery, they returned thanks to the Almighty for their good fortune over a cup of wine, which was handed three times round the company. To this new-found passage or straits, leading from the Atlantic into the Pacific, they gave the name of the Straits of Le Maire, though that honour ought justly to have been given to Schouten, by whose excellent conduct these straits were discovered.
By the 27th of February they were in lat. 40° S. with fair weather, continuing their course to the north; but on the 28th, they determined to sail for the island of Juan Fernandez, to give some rest and refreshment to their sickly and wearied company. That day their latitude at noon was 35° 53' S. In the evening they shortened sail, fearing to fall in with the land in the night. Next day, being the 1st of March, they saw the islands of Juan Fernandez to the N.N.E. and got up to them at noon, being in the lat. of 35° 53' S.[110] The smaller of these islands is that to the westwards, [Masafuero,] which is very barren and rocky. The greater [Juan Fernandez,] to the eastwards, though also very high and mountainous, is yet fruitful and well shaded with trees. This island affords plenty of hogs and goats; and there is such excellent fishing all round, that the Spaniards come hither for that purpose, and transport vast quantities of fish from hence to Peru.
[Footnote 110: The latitude of Juan Fernandez is only 33° 42' S. The two islands mentioned in the text under this name, are Juan Fernandez and Masafuero; the former in long. 77° 80', the latter in 79° 40', both W. from Greenwich. Or perhaps, the second island may be the Small Goat's or Rabbit Island, off its S.W. end, called Isola de Cabras, or de Conejos.--E.]
The road or haven of Juan Fernandez, [named la Baia, or Cumberland Harbour,] is at the east end of the island; but they shaped their course to the west end, where they could find no place in which to anchor. The boat being sent in search of an anchorage, brought an account of a beautiful valley, full of trees and thickets, and refreshed by streams of water running down from the hills, with a variety of animals feeding in this pleasant spot. The boat brought also great store of fish on board, being mostly lobsters and crabs, and reported having seen many sea wolves. Finding the island inaccessible, they took a considerable quantity of fish, and procured a supply of fresh water, after which they determined to pursue their voyage.
The 11th March they passed the tropic of Capricorn to the north, the wind in general being E.S.E. and they held their course N.N.W. till the 15th, when being in lat. 18° S. they changed their course to W. The 3d April they were in 15° 12' S. being then much afflicted with the flux, and that day they saw a small low island which they got up to at noon. Finding no bottom, they could not come to anchor, but sent some men ashore in the boat. They found nothing here fit for refreshment, except some herbs which tasted like scurvy grass, and saw some dogs which could neither bark nor snarl, and for which reason they named it Dog Island. It is in lat. 15° 12', and they judged it to be 925 leagues west from the coast of Peru.[111] The interior of this island is so low, that it seemed mostly overflowed at high water, its outskirt being a sort of dike or mound, overgrown with trees, between which the salt water penetrates in several places.
[Footnote 111: Dog Island is in lat. 15° 18' S. and long. 137° W. about 1200 marine leagues west from the coast of Peru under the same parallel. By the description in the text it seems one of those which are usually termed lagoon islands--E.]
The 14th, sailing W. and W. by N. they saw a large low island in the afternoon, reaching a considerable way N.E. and S.W. At sun-set, being about a league from this island, a canoe came to meet them, in which were some naked Indians of a reddish colour, having long black hair. They made signs to the Dutch to go on shore, and spoke to them in a language which was not understood; neither did the Indians understand them, though spoken to in Spanish, Moluccan, and Javan. Getting near the coast, no bottom could be found, though only a musket-shot from land. They now sailed S.S.W. along the island, making ten leagues during the night, and continued along the shore on the 15th, many naked people continually inviting them to land. At length a canoe came off, but the natives would not venture into the ship, yet came to the boat, where the Dutch gave them beads, knives, and other trifles; but they found them thievishly disposed, much like the natives of the Ladrones, and were so fond of iron, that they stole the nails from the cabin windows, and the bolts from the doors. Their skins were all pictured over with snakes, dragons, and such like reptiles, and they were entirely naked, except a piece of mat before them. A boat was sent ashore well armed, and immediately on landing, about thirty of the natives rushed from a wood, armed with clubs, slings, and long staves or spears, and would have seized the boat and taken away the arms from the soldiers; but on receiving a discharge of musquetry they run off. Not being able to anchor here, they called this the Island without ground. It is low, and mostly composed of white sandy ground, on which are many trees, which were supposed to be cocoas and palmitos. It is not broad, but of considerable length, being in lat. 15° S. and about 100 leagues from Dog Island.[112]