Early Voyages to Terra Australis, Now Called Australia:: A Collection of Documents, and Extracts from Early Manuscript Maps, Illustrative of the History of Discovery on the Coasts of That Vast Island, from the Beginning of the Sixteenth Century to the Time of Captain Cook.Major, Richard Henry
History
Early Voyages to Terra Australis, Now Called Australia:: A Collection of Documents, and Extracts from Early Manuscript Maps, Illustrative of the History of Discovery on the Coasts of That Vast Island, from the Beginning of the Sixteenth Century to the Time of Captain Cook.
Major, Richard Henry
Australia -- Discovery and exploration; Discoveries in geography -- Portuguese; Voyages and travels
We sailed from the above island W. by N., and found nearly a point
easterly variation. We continued this course till in full 10° S.
latitude. In this situation we found a low island of five or six
leagues, overflowed and without soundings: it was inhabited, the people
and arms like those we had left, but their vessels were different. They
came close to the ship, talking to us and taking what we gave them,
begging more, and stealing what was hanging to the ship, throwing
lances, thinking we could not do them any harm. Seeing we could not
anchor, on account of the want we were in of water, our commander
ordered me ashore with two boats and fifty men. As soon as we came to
the shore they opposed my entrance, without any longer keeping peace,
which obliged me to skirmish with them. When we had done them some
mischief, three of them came out to make peace with me, singing, with
branches in their hands, and one with a lighted torch and on his knees.
We received them well and embraced them, and then cloathed them, for
they were some of the chiefs; and asking them for water they did not
choose to shew it me, making signs as if they did not understand me.
Keeping the three chiefs with me, I ordered the sergeant, with twelve
men, to search for water, and having fallen in with it, the Indians came
out on their flank and attacked them, wounding one Spaniard. Seeing
their treachery they were attacked and defeated, without other harm
whatever. The land being in my power, I went over the town without
finding anything but dried oysters and fish, and many cocoa-nuts, with
which the land was well provided. We found no birds nor animals, except
little dogs. They have many covered embarcations, with which they are
accustomed to navigate to other islands, with latine sails made
curiously of mats; and of the same cloth their women are cloathed with
little shifts and petticoats, and the men only round their waists and
hips. From hence we put off with the boats loaded with water, but by the
great swell we were overset with much risk of our lives, and so we were
obliged to go on without getting water at this island. We named it
Matanza.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account