Having entered the “Sweet Sea,” Cabot proceeded until he reached an island which he named after _Gabriel_. There leaving his vessels, he explored from a boat the coast of the mainland. A safe anchorage was afforded on the northern shore, where he found one of the Spaniards who had landed with De Solis, and who had escaped the cannibals. Throwing up a small earthwork to protect a portion of his men, he proceeded to explore the upper portion of the river. When he had reached the junction of the _Paraná_ and the _Uruguay_ he sent one of his officers with a vessel up the latter stream, whilst he himself ascended the former until he reached the _Carcaraña_ or _Tercero_, where he erected a small fort called _San Espiritu_, leaving in it a garrison of seventy men. Still pursuing his course, he duly reached, after having surmounted countless difficulties, the junction of the _Paraná_ with the _Paraguay_, nearly nine hundred miles from the sea. Having explored the _Paraná_ a hundred and fifty miles further, he then returned to the junction and ascended the latter stream, and whilst there he received unexpectedly a welcome reinforcement from Spain. Cabot passed the following two years in friendly relations with the _Guaranís_, in whose silver ornaments originated the name of _La Plata_ and thence of the _Argentine_ Republic, the name having been applied by Cabot to the stream now called the _Paraguay_. That able and sagacious man now sent to Spain two of his most trusted followers with an account of _Paraguay_ and its resources, and to seek the authority and reinforcements requisite for their acquisition. Their request was favourably received, but so tardily acted on that in despair the distinguished navigator quitted the region of his discoveries after a delay of five years. [Sidenote: 1534.]