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
Meanwhile Saavedra, during the intervals of peace, did not neglect to
load up his good ship with spices, and, in the beginning of June, 1528,
he set sail for New Spain. The prevailing winds that had favored his
outward passage were now against him. He tried to avoid them by taking a
southerly course, and, in doing so, he fell in with the northern coast of
New Guinea, the shores of which, as I have intimated, he followed for no
less than 250 leagues.
The Spaniards found traces of gold all along this part of the country,
and Saavedra named the island _Isla del Oro_, the Island of Gold; but his
description of the natives, whom he found to be black, with short crisped
hair or wool, similar to those of the coast of Guinea in Africa, gave
rise, no doubt, to the alteration in the name, for at a later date the
island became known as _Nova Guinea_, or New Guinea.
Upon leaving the shores of New Guinea, Saavedra hoped to be able to reach
New Spain, but the head winds which still prevailed compelled him to
return to the Spice Islands.
The following year, in May, 1529, in another attempt to reach New Spain,
he again coasted along the northern shores of New Guinea; he then sailed
to the north-east, as in his previous voyage, and discovered some islands
which he called _Los Pintados_, from the natives being painted or
tattooed.
The people were fierce and warlike, and from a canoe boldly attacked the
ships with showers of stones thrown from slings.
To the north-east of Los Pintados several low inhabited islands or atolls
were discovered, and named _Los Buenos Jardines_, "The Good Gardens."
Saavedra cast anchor here, and the natives came to the shore, waving a
flag of peace; they were light-complexioned and tattooed. The females
were beautiful, with agreeable features and long black hair; they wore
dresses of fine matting. When the Spaniards landed, they were met by men
and women in procession, with tambourines and festal songs. These islands
abounded in cocoanuts and other vegetable productions.
From the Good Gardens Islands they set out again towards New Spain.
On the 9th of October, 1529, Saavedra died; and the next in command,
vainly attempting to make headway in an easterly direction, returned once
more to the Spice Islands.
The remnant of Saavedra's expedition reached Spain, by way of the Cape of
Good Hope and Lisbon, seven years later, in 1536.
According to Galvano, the Portuguese historian, Saavedra's discoveries in
1529 were more extensive than in 1528. He says the Spaniards coasted
along the country of the _Papuas_ for five hundred leagues, and found the
coast clean and of good anchorage.
The year that witnessed the return from the Spice Islands of the
survivors of Saavedra's expedition, 1536, witnessed also the sailing of
another fleet sent out from New Spain by Fernand Cortez to discover in
the same waters.
It consisted of two ships commanded by Grijalva and Alvarado.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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