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 in this parallel thirty-two days. In all this route we had
very strong currents, and many drifts of wood and snakes, and many
birds, all which were signs of land on both sides of us. We did not
search for it, that we might not leave the latitude of the island of
Santa Cruz, for we always supposed ourselves near it; and with reason,
if it had been where the first voyage when it was discovered had
represented; but it was much further on, as by the account will be seen.
So that about sixty leagues before reaching it, and 1940 from the city
of Lima, we found a small island of six leagues, very high, and all
round it very good soundings; and other small islands near it, under
shelter of which the ships anchored. I went with the two boats and fifty
men to reconnoitre the people of this island; and at the distance of a
musket shot separate from the island, we found a town surrounded with a
wall, with only one entrance, without a gate. Being near with the two
boats with an intention of investing them, as they did not by signs
choose peace, at length their chief came into the water up to his neck,
with a staff in his hand, and without fear came directly to the boats;
where he was very well received, and by signs which we very well
understood, he told me that his people were in great terror of the
muskets, and therefore he entreated us not to land, and said that they
would bring water and wood if we gave them vessels. I told him that it
was necessary to remain five days on shore to refresh. Seeing he could
not do more with me he quieted his people, who were very uneasy and
turbulent, and so it happened that no hostility was committed on either
side. We went into the fort very safely; and having halted, I made them
give up their arms, and made them bring from their houses their effects,
which were not of any value, and go with them to the island to other
towns. They thanked me very much: the chief always continued with me.
They then told me the name of the country: all came to me to make peace,
and the chiefs assisted me, making their people get water and wood and
carry it on board the ships. In this we spent six days.
The people of this island are of an agreeable conversation,
understanding us very well, desirous of learning our language and to
teach us theirs. They are great cruizers: they have much beard; they are
great archers and hurlers of darts; the vessels in which they sail are
large, and can go a great way. They informed us of more than forty
islands, great and small, all peopled, naming them by their names, and
telling us that they were at war with many of them. They also gave us
intelligence of the island Santa Cruz, and of what had happened when the
adelantado was there.
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