History of Australia and New Zealand from 1606 to 1890 — John Shaqi
History of Australia and New Zealand from 1606 to 1890Sutherland, Alexander
History
History of Australia and New Zealand from 1606 to 1890
Sutherland, Alexander
Australia -- History; New Zealand -- History
The Spaniards spent a few pleasant days among the fruit plantations,
and slept in cool groves of overarching foliage; but subsequently they
had quarrels and combats with the natives, of whom they killed a
considerable number. When the Spaniards had taken on board a sufficient
supply of wood and of fresh water they set sail, but had scarcely got
out to sea when a fever spread among the crew, and became a perfect
plague. They returned and anchored in the bay, where the vessels lay
like so many hospitals. No one died, and after a few days they again put
to sea, this time to be driven back again by bad weather. Torres, with
two ships, safely reached the sheltering bay, but the vessel in which De
Quiros sailed was unable to enter it, and had to stand out to sea and
weather the storm. The sailors then refused to proceed further with the
voyage, and, having risen in mutiny, compelled De Quiros to turn the
vessel's head for Mexico, which they reached after some terrible months
of hunger and thirst.
#3. Torres.#--The other ships waited for a day or two, but no signs being
seen of their consort, they proceeded in search of it. In this voyage
Torres sailed round the land, thus showing that it was no continent, but
only an island. Having satisfied himself that it was useless to seek for
De Quiros, he turned to the west, hoping to reach the Philippine
Islands, where the Spaniards had a colony, at Manila. It was his
singular fortune to sail through that opening which lies between New
Guinea and Australia, to which the name of "Torres Strait" was long
afterwards applied. He probably saw Cape York rising out of the sea to
the south, but thought it only another of those endless little islands
with which the strait is studded. Poor De Quiros spent the rest of his
life in petitioning the King of Spain for ships to make a fresh attempt.
After many years he obtained another order to the Governor of Peru, and
the old weather-beaten mariner once more set out from Spain full of
hope; but at Panama, on his way, death awaited him, and there the
fiery-souled veteran passed away, the last of the great Spanish
navigators. He died in poverty and disappointment, but he is to be
honoured as the first of the long line of Australian discoverers. In
after years, the name he had invented was divided into two parts; the
island he had really discovered being called Espiritu Santo, while the
continent he thought he had discovered was called Terra Australis. This
last name was shortened by another discoverer--Flinders--to the present
term Australia.
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.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account