In this last island, Mendana, with many of his companions, died; and the shattered remains of the squadron were conducted to Manilla, by Pedro Fernandes de Quiros, the chief pilot.
This same Quiros was the first sent out, with the sole view of discovering a southern continent, and, indeed, he seems to have been the first who had any idea of the existence of one.
He sailed from Callao the 21st of December, 1605, as pilot of the fleet, commanded by Luis Paz de Torres, consisting of two ships and a tender; and steering to the W.S.W., on the 26th of January, 1606. being then, by their reckoning, a thousand Spanish leagues from the coast of America, they discovered a small low island in latitude 26° S. Two days after, they discovered another that was high, with a plain on the top. This is probably the same that Captain Carteret calls Pitcairn's Island.
After leaving these islands, Quiros seems to have directed his course to W.N.W. and N.W. to 10° or 11° S. latitude, and then westward, till he arrived at the Bay of St Philip and Jago, in the Island of Tierra del Espirito Santo. In this route be discovered several islands; probably some of those that have been seen by later navigators.
On leaving the bay of St Philip and St Jago, the two ships were separated. Quiros, with the Capitana, stood to the north, and returned to New Spain, after having suffered greatly for want of provisions and water. Torres, with the Almiranta and the tender, steered to the west, and seems to have been the first who sailed between New Holland and New Guinea.[4]
[4] Two relations have been given of Mendana's voyage; one by Quiros above-mentioned, in a letter to Don Antonio Morga, lieutenant-general of the Phillipines, when Quiros landed at Manila, which was inserted in a work published at Mexico in 1609; and the other contained in Thevenot's French collection, being, as Mr Dalrymple has remarked, a transcript from Figueroa's history of Garcia Hurtado de Mendoça, and of less authority. The discoveries of Quiros, real and supposed, have attracted very peculiar notice, and deservedly so. Almost every collection specifies them. That which the president de Brosses has given on the authority of several Spanish works, has been generally followed. Mr Dalrymple is earnest in securing to this immortal name, the honour of discovering the southern continent. It is most certain that he did discover something in the Pacific Ocean, but it never yet has been shewn, that this something any way corresponds with the wonderful description he thought proper to give of it, in his memorial to the Spanish king. "Its longitude," says he, (we copy from Mr Dalrymple's translation) "is as much as that of all Europe, Asia- Minor, and to the Caspian Sea, and Persia, with all the islands of the Mediterranean and Ocean, which are in its limits embraced, including England and Ireland. That unknown part is a quarter of the whole globe, and so capacious, that it may contain in it double the kingdoms and provinces of all those your majesty is at present Lord of: And that without adjoining to Turks or Moors, or others of the nations which are accustomed to disquiet and disturb their neighbours!" This was a discoverer after our own heart, worth a dozen or two of Ansons, Byrons, and Cooks! Amongst his real discoveries must be particularly regarded the Tierra del Espirito Santo above- mentioned, which was visited by Bougainville in 1768, and called by him the New Cyclades, a name since supplanted by that which Cook gave, the New Hebrides.--E.
The next attempt to make discoveries in the South Pacific Ocean, was conducted by Le Maire and Schouten. They sailed from the Texel, on the 14th of June, 1615, with the ships Concord and Horn. The latter was burnt by accident in Port Desire. With the other they discovered the straits that bear the name of Le Maire, and were the first who ever entered the Pacific Ocean, by the way of Cape Horn.
They discovered the island of Dogs, in latitude 15° 15' S., longitude 136° 30' W.; Sondre Grondt in 15° S. latitude, and 143° 10' W. longitude; Waterland in 14° 46' S., and 144° 10' W.; and twenty-five leagues westward of this, Fly Island, in latitude 15° 20'; Traitor's and Coco's Islands, in latitude 15° 43' S., longitude 173° 13' W.; two degrees more to the westward, the isle of Hope; and in the latitude of 14° 56' S., longitude 179° 30' E., Horn Island.
They next coasted the north side of New Britain and New Guinea, and arrived at Batavia in October, 1616.[5]
[5] See our account of this voyage in vol. x. It was perhaps more fruitful in discoveries of islands, than any preceding expedition, and was remarkable, besides, for the small loss of lives during its continuance, viz. only three men. The interesting enough discovery of the Strait which bears the name of Le Maire, would have been sufficient to signalize the spirited undertaking of that merchant. Nor can it be any thing to his discredit, considering his circumstances and profession, that he had his golden dreams about a southern counterpoise. Technical habits might readily suggest to him the propriety of an exact balance.--E.