The Voyages Of Pedro Fernandez De Quiros Part 18

CHAPTER VII.

Recounts how they came in sight of the third island that was discovered, and a great storm.

Following the W.N.W. course, on the 3rd of February, the Captain put out a flag on the topmast for the ships to close and the pilots to report in what lat.i.tude they were, how many leagues from Lima, the observations the ships had taken respecting lee-way, winds, and the variation of the needle, also the bearing of the islands of Las Marquesas de Mendoza. The ships closed, and the pilots said that, owing to the clouds, they had not been able to take the sun for three days; that they thought Las Marquesas de Mendoza bore N.N.E.; and that after they had got the sun's meridian alt.i.tude they could make a more formal report.

While this was going on land was sighted to the west, which, being concealed by clouds, was near; and as it was late, all sails were set. Night came on, and, having gone a short distance, a dark and thick cloud rose in the north-east in three parts, which soon became one, and made its way towards the ships with such speed and fury that all began to seek for remedies against the evils that menaced them. The ships, trembling, received the force of the storm, and went over on their sides. The sea rose, and all were horrified. The lightning in the air seemed to rend the heavens and blind the sight. Three thunderbolts were heard to fall; the thunder was awful, the pouring rain terrible, and the squalls of wind so violent that it seemed as if the least damage would be the fall of the masts. The launch being close to, her Pilot shouted in a hoa.r.s.e voice: "The Capitana ahoy! Alter course--ahoy! Luff up!" All was confusion, hurry, and noise. The night was fearful, decision doubtful, and great the anxiety to know whether the position of the ships was safe.

Our Father Commissary, with a cross in his hands, pa.s.sed the whole night conjuring the sea and winds. St. Elmo appeared, as the sailors say, which they saluted with great devotion three times. In short, it was a dark, confused, ugly, and long night which we pa.s.sed, confiding, after G.o.d, in the soundness of our ships and the stoutness of our sailors. When the long-wished-for daylight came, we saw that our land was an island surrounded by a reef. Neither port nor bottom could be found, though sought for with care, as we were in want of water, and for fuel we only had brushwood. Seeing that the island was so useless, we left it for what it was; and, considering the night it had given us, it would have been dear even if it had been a very good land instead of a very bad one. This island was calculated to be 1,030 leagues from Lima, 36 leagues round, in lat.i.tude 20 30'. It was named St. Elmo.

CHAPTER VIII.

Four other desert islands are sighted, and what else happened.

Steering W.N.W., on the following day, we sighted an island about 6 leagues off, and presently another, and then two more, and at none of the four was there bottom or port. There are reefs and shoals almost continuous. The distance from one to the other was four or five leagues, and from the City of the Kings 1,050. Their lat.i.tude is 20, and they were named Las cuarto coronadas. [80]

The Captain, considering that on all these seven newly-discovered islands neither a port nor water could be found, and finding that there were fewer water-jars than he ordered to be embarked, he made some discourses with respect to the time and the present state of affairs, and deemed it necessary to reduce, as he did reduce, the allowance of water. Twelve or fifteen jars of water that were consumed each day he reduced to three or four jars. He was present when it was served out, saw the hatchway closed, and kept the keys.

Presently he ordered a brick oven to be built over one of the hearths, in order to make sweet water from sea water, with a copper instrument he had with him, by means of distillation. They got two or three jars full every day, very good and wholesome. On the least productive day there was a jar and a-half, and altogether fifty jars. This invention, with certain improvements, promises, with little expenditure of fuel, to turn out in fifteen hours eight, nine, and ten jars of fresh water, and more if it is necessary. [81]

This was Ash Wednesday. Our Father Commissary gave ashes to every person on board the ship. The course was W.N.W., and at a distance of 75 leagues from the four isles astern we sighted another small island to the N.E., but could not approach owing to being to windward. We judged its lat.i.tude to be 18 30'. It received the name of San Miguel. Owing to threatening weather and darkness, we were hove to this night with all the ships.

CHAPTER IX.

The first inhabited island is sighted; what happened there with the natives.

Next day, which was the 10th of February, having a look-out man at each mast-head, constantly watching all parts of the horizon, the Almiranta fired a piece, and land ahead was reported in all three ships. As all the other islands were desert, it was expected that this one would be the same, so the report was received with very moderate rejoicing. We presently steered towards it, and soon a high and thick smoke was seen to rise between two palms. Those in the launch presently shouted: "People, people on the beach!" The news was as joyful as incredible to many, from having been so long desired, fearing lest it should prove a mistake, until, coming nearer, we clearly saw men, and the sight was hailed as if they had been angels. [82]

Of this glory the Captain got a large share, for until now he had been saying: "G.o.d shows us in this sea millions and millions of natives." The people were restless from sheer satisfaction, so that they had not attended to the sails. The launch anch.o.r.ed near the slope of the beach, and the two ships presently stood out to sea, as there was no port for them. They got the boats out to search, but could not find one, sounding until they came opposite to the place where the natives stood in a row, with clubs and lances in their hands. Our people who saw them thought it was war, but looked at them and spoke by signs. They said our men should land, also by signs.

The place was dangerous, and little satisfaction could be got from the natives; so our people in the boats determined to return to the ships to avoid any collision. The waves did their office, and the natives, when they saw the high ones, told the boats to keep away, owing to the danger they ran. As it appeared to our people that these demonstrations were all made out of kindness, two undressed and jumped into the water. As soon as they landed the natives, putting down their lances, all together at one time bowed their heads and arms, and saluted three times. Apparently, the welcome and smiles were to receive our men, and when one was knocked over by a wave, they picked him up, embraced him, and kissed him on his cheeks, which is a way of showing friendship used also in France. When the people in the boats saw the loyalty with which the natives received complete strangers, not knowing their intentions, two others went on sh.o.r.e. One of them was very white, and the natives, when they saw him, came and felt his back, breast, and arms, showing much astonishment, and they did the same with the other three. All four gave them what they had, which the natives received with signs of love. The one who appeared to be chief over the others gave to one of our people a palm branch as a sign of friendship, and also did more. He crossed his arms, making very friendly signs to our people that they should come to the village, to which they pointed with their fingers, to give them to eat.

With this they took their leave, and our men embarked, to the sorrow of the natives. Eight of them followed the boats, and to see them the men laid on their oars and invited them to get in, but they were afraid. The launch and the boats returned to where the ships were at sunset. Presently, the Chief Pilot asked the Captain what was to be done, who replied that they would beat to windward that night, and on the following day return to the same point, or to another, and search again for a port or anchorage, or for water, which was much needed. The Chief Pilot went aloft, and said from the mast-head that he saw a bay to leeward, much better than the bay of Cadiz.

All night we stood off and on, rather joyful at the thought of finding this port, and at dawn we found ourselves 3 leagues to leeward of the place where the natives had been seen; and looking out a first and a second time, there was no sign of that bay, but only a narrow and long reef almost covered by the water. There was one place where there were some palm trees, for which reason the Captain sent both the boats, well manned and armed with jars, to seek for water. They found the beach very difficult, most of it rocks, on which the waves broke with great fury. But undaunted by this, our people jumped into the water up to their waists, loaded with arquebuses, spades, and crowbars, and the last, whose name was Belmonte, [83] had such difficulty that, if Ensign Rozo [84] had not helped him with his spear, which enabled him to get out, there would have been an end of his career. Marching in good order, they entered a palm grove, where they found, at the foot of a tree, a number of brown stones, and one in the form of an altar, covered with branches. It was supposed that this was a burial-place, or a place where the Devil spoke to and deceived these miserable natives, without there being any one to obstruct him. Our people, to sanctify the place, set up a cross, [85] and gave G.o.d thanks on their knees for being the first to hoist His royal standard in an unknown place inhabited by heathens. In sorrow for their evil condition, they spoke thus: "How long, O pious Lord, is the darkness in which they live to last for these people?" They said this with all due reverence; and, leaving the cross, they began to dig for water, which they did not find, but were able to quench their actual thirst with cocoa-nuts.

When they went down to embark they saw a shape, which appeared to be that of a man, coming towards them at a short distance. They went to see what it was, and found that it was an old woman, who appeared to be a hundred years of age: a tall and large woman, with fine and long black hairs and only four or five grey ones, her colour brown, face and body wrinkled, teeth few and decayed, and with other faults caused by a long life. She came along, waving with soft palm leaves. She carried some cuttle-fish dried in the sun, in a basket, and a knife made from a mother-of-pearl sh.e.l.l, also a skein of thread. A little speckled dog accompanied her, which ran away.

With this good capture the boat returned to the Captain, to show her to him, who was highly delighted at seeing a human creature. He seated her on a box, and gave her meat and soup from a pot, which she ate without scruple; but she could not manage the hard biscuit. She showed that she knew well how to drink wine. A mirror was put into her hand, and she looked at the back, then at the front, and when she saw her face she was much pleased. All noticed her good manners, and concluded that, when young, she was not bad-looking. She looked at all the men with attention, but she displayed the greatest pleasure in looking at the boys. She looked at the goats as if she had seen them before. There was a gold ring with an emerald on one of her fingers. She was asked for it, but replied by signs that she could not give it without cutting off her finger, and she seemed sorry for this. She was offered one of bra.s.s, which she did not care for. Having given her things to dress herself with and take away, we saw four canoes coming from the village under sail, out of a lake which the island has in its centre, and they anch.o.r.ed near the palm grove. The Captain presently ordered the old woman to be landed, in order to rea.s.sure the natives. They no sooner recognised her than they came to see her, and looked at her as if she had been long absent. They came to our people with the confidence of friends. There were seventy-two natives, and by signs they said that they were going, as they presently did go, to see the cross. As well as they could our people tried to make them understand its value, and that they should place themselves before it on their knees. Finally, they did all that they were told.

When it was asked which of them was the chief, they pointed out a robust, tall, and well-proportioned native, with a good well-complexioned face, who appeared to be fifty years of age. He wore on his head a tuft of black feathers, and towards the front some skeins of golden hairs whose ends reached half way down his back. According to their custom, it should be the hair of his wife. He also wore round his neck a large plate of mother-of-pearl. He had a serious manner, and all the others paid him great respect. He was asked whether he would like to go on board the ship, and, having given us to understand that he would, he was taken to the boats with some followers. One of the boats having been swamped, they helped to raise her. The chief got into one boat, and several natives into another, but when they had gone a short distance they jumped overboard, apparently from fear, and began to swim. The chief wanting to do the same, we detained him. He tried to do so by main strength, which was great, and to take a knife from a soldier, but failed. He made other attempts, but nothing availed him. The boat arrived alongside, and four men took hold of him and tried to make him go up; but it was labour in vain, for he would not stir. The chief was stretched out at his whole length, fencing with his nervous arms, and in this way he strove to get clear and escape by swimming. Seeing he could not do this, he put one foot against the ship's side and sent the boat some distance. When we saw how much trouble he was giving, he was fastened to a whip, to hoist him into the ship; and when he found himself secured he got into such a fury that it shocked our eyes.

The Captain went down into the boat, and the first thing he did was to take in his hand the palm branch the other had given him, and to remove the cord which had caused the chief such anger. He showed that he felt this release very much, both by his face and his hands; but not for this did he consider himself in safety. With melancholy looks he gazed at those who were in the boat, then at the ships, the sails and masts, and at the land, pointing with his finger that he wanted to return there. The Captain was sorry to find him so discontented. He dressed him in a pair of breeches and shirt of yellow silk, put a hat upon his head, a tin medal round his neck, gave him a case of knives, embraced him, and ordered the boat to go on sh.o.r.e. This quieted him.

A sergeant and some men had remained on sh.o.r.e, collecting cocoa-nuts. Three, who were together, saw the natives collected in order with their lances, and appearing to be determined to force them into their canoes, as their chief had been forced to go to the ship. Eight of our people got together, and pointed out to the natives that they had remained as sureties, and that their chief was now coming on sh.o.r.e in the boat. With this, and owing to two of us showing off by fencing with their swords, the natives remained peaceable until their chief landed, when they were astonished at his being clothed. He gave them to understand what had happened, and they ran to receive him. One of these was a well-made youth, and very handsome. He was supposed to be the chief's son, for he was the only one he embraced, and the two together showed an expression of sentiment at which the others helped.

These and other strange doings having been finished, in the order of drilled soldiers, all carrying the chief in their midst, they marched slowly to their canoes, and some of our men, who were looking on and noting all this, went with them. The natives, who were now contented, gave them water to drink, and some fish they had brought to eat. The chief, who had left his garland of plumes and tresses on sh.o.r.e, gave it into the hands of the sergeant, to be given to the Captain who had released and clothed him. This was the final act of a man who knew and was grateful, though himself unknown, causing confusion to some of the company who received much greater benefits, and gave a bad return. The natives then departed, and our people, to give them joy, fired their arquebuses into the air, and returned on board.

To this island the name of the "Conversion of St. Paul" was given. It is in lat.i.tude 18, distant from Lima 1,180 leagues. [86]

Its circ.u.mference is 40 leagues, and in the centre there is a large shallow lake. The people are corpulent, and of very good shape and colour. Their hair is fine and loose, and they have their parts covered. Their arms are thick and heavy lances of palm-wood, about 30 palmos long, and clubs of the same wood. The anchorage, where the launch found bottom, is on the east side near the palm grove above referred to, near which is the village on the sh.o.r.es of the lake.

As soon as the people had come on board, it seemed desirable to the Captain that the ships should lie-to that night, in order to go next day to where the natives were. The Chief Pilot said that as it was well to windward, and not to waste the water, it would be better to stand on, as we did, with the wind E. to N.E. Next day another island was sighted to the N.E., and named "Decena." [87] We could not go either to it or to other islands that were sighted later. The first was named "Sagitaria," [88] the second "Fugitiva." [89] Afterwards, in lat.i.tude 14, the pilots were asked for their positions, who gave them, some much more, others much less.

CHAPTER X.

Relates how the Captain received reports that there was a plot to seize the ship, and of the discourses he made and precautions he took in consequence.

The Captain already had seen that the Chief Pilot altered the course, and it was intimated he wanted to mutiny with the crew, and that if there was two days' delay there would be no remedy. One man there was who said that, with this object, it was determined to stab the Captain and throw the body overboard. This and other things were told to the Captain, which he did not believe, except some things that came to him through base rumours, and that which he himself saw, that appeared bad. He considered that a mutiny can only begin between two or three, and that to corrupt the rest there must be sounding of people, friendships, and much intercourse, and that such things must be seen. It was observed that the Chief Pilot showed little zeal in seeking for what was needed; that he wasted the water and provisions among his particular friends, and others whose friendship he obtained in that way, and who might well be innocent; that he showed favour to all. The noise they made together in the ship, the quarrels with the officers, the consultations continually held by day and night, were suspicious.

One day the Captain said to the whole crew that the Royal Majesty despatched those ships at great expense, to see whether there was in this unknown part of the earth the land which was supposed to exist. With this object all might be quite sure that they would have to search for it, ploughing all the ocean with long turns until it was found, even if it cost all their lives. To the Chief Pilot he said that he should know his duties, saying much respecting them. But this did not lead him into better courses, and he sent to say that he wanted leave to go on board the Almiranta with the Father Commissary. To this the Captain answered that he might go presently; but he did not go, nor did he refer to the matter again. There was not wanting one who said that these invitations were misunderstood by the Captain, and added that discoveries always cost the finders dear, and that the Captain could not put down the discontents nor satisfy the others. For all this, patience and vigilance were two very necessary things.

The Captain, seeing the low lat.i.tude they had reached without having found the mother of those islands we had left behind, hearing the Chief Pilot shout to the Captain of the launch that winter was near, and other things that it was not well for the men to hear; that others said that if the course had been S.S.W. the coast of the land of which we were in search followed the same course; that now we should never reach it, but should be engulfed by contrary winds, where it would be impossible to live, and that in the end all would perish; that these sayings were witnesses of the little love some had for the service, and of the great love they had for themselves; and that they were far from having the valorous minds which ought to animate the searchers for unknown lands, to uphold the original motives and perform heroic deeds, or at least make them merit a good name--owing to these shortcomings and many others, he said in public that they should know how to value and enjoy having been chosen to the lot of searching for and discovering the fourth part of the globe which is yet unknown, and not show themselves ready to turn back and be tired without occasion. And mark! what services are there without requiring that men should be ready to suffer all the blows that may come? I ordered that the course should be N.W. as far as lat.i.tude 10 40', so as to reach the east of the Island of San Bernardo, which in the other voyage I helped to discover, although we did not then arrive at it.

CHAPTER XI.

Relates how we came in sight of the Island of San Bernardo, and what happened there.

We continued to navigate on the same course until the 19th of February. On that day we altered course to west, and on the 21st the Pilot of the Almiranta, Juan Bernardo de Fuentiduena, said that on that very day we should see--as we did see--the island we sought. We lay to under little sail for the night. Next day we proceeded towards the island, the launch next ahead, and anch.o.r.ed close to the land, and thence the crew shouted to the other ships, which were coming up to anchor, that there was no port for them.