The First Discovery of Australia and New Guinea: Being The Narrative of Portuguese and Spanish Discoveries in the Australasian Regions, between the Years 1492-1606, with Descriptions of their Old Charts. — John Shaqi
The First Discovery of Australia and New Guinea: Being The Narrative of Portuguese and Spanish Discoveries in the Australasian Regions, between the Years 1492-1606, with Descriptions of their Old Charts.Collingridge, George
History
The First Discovery of Australia and New Guinea: Being The Narrative of Portuguese and Spanish Discoveries in the Australasian Regions, between the Years 1492-1606, with Descriptions of their Old Charts.
Collingridge, George
Australia -- Discovery and exploration -- Portuguese; Australia -- Discovery and exploration -- Spanish; Oceania -- Discovery and exploration -- Portuguese; Oceania -- Discovery and exploration -- Spanish
On the 21st, in the evening, they discovered land in the S.E. They
manoeuvred cautiously all night. They then sailed along the northern
shores of what proved to be a small island. The captain of the Almiranta,
Luis Vaez de Torres, went in a canoe to examine it.
He could not find an anchorage for the fleet; but he went near enough to
the land to converse with the natives, who offered him a present of nuts,
and a piece of stuff made of palm leaves woven together.
He learned from them that their island was caged TUCOPIA*; and they made
him understand by signs that, if he sailed southwards, he would meet with
extensive countries, where the inhabitants were fairer than those he had
yet seen. As this island afforded no shelter from the wind, they did not
remain there. In coasting along it, they perceived that it produced many
fruit trees, of which they saw several plantations. They say that "It
lies in latitude 12 deg. S."
[* The first island arrived at by the Spaniards bearing a native name
preserved to this day, and that can, therefore, be positively identified,
with reference to this voyage.]
QUEIROZ'S REGION OF ESPIRITU SANTO.
As we are coming now to islands which I have positively identified,* it
will be well to follow the itinerary on the maps given here.
[* See Portuguese, Spanish, and Victorian Geographical Societies'
Journals. 1903-1904.]
The fleet proceeded southwards, with variable winds, till the 25th of
April, when, at day-break, a very high land was seen in the latitude of
141/2 deg. (Bougainville's "Pic de l'Etoile," the "Star Island" or Merlav, of
modern charts.) They named it San Marcos.
From San Marcos they went on a S.W. course, with men at the mast-head;
and at 10 in the forenoon, at a distance of 12 leagues to the S.E., a
land of many mountains and plains was sighted, the end of which could not
be seen throughout the day. Queiroz gave it the name of _Margaritana_. It
is the island of the New Hebrides group which Bougainville named Aurora.
About 20 leagues to the west, an island was seen that looked so beautiful
that they determined to go to it. About a third of the way they saw
another island, 3 leagues off. It was flat, with a hill that looked like
a rock in the distance. Two canoes under sail came from it, from which
they knew that it was inhabited.
On account of its thick woods and pleasant appearance, the name of
_Vergel_, or Flower-Garden, was given to it. There was little wind, and,
owing to the necessary caution in navigating among unknown islands, they
hove-to during the night.
To the north of Vergel island, which is the Merig Island of modern
charts, they saw another large island running N.E. and S.W., and the
peaks of its numerous mountains gave the captain a strong desire to go
and see it; but he gave it up, owing to other things that occurred. Its
latitude they found to be 13 deg., and they named it _Las Lagrimas da San
Pedro_. The Tears of St. Peter.
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