Page:Early voyages to Terra Australis.djvu/180

 dZ RELATION OF

In latitude 26° S., it appeared proper to our commander not to pass that latitude, because of changes in the weather : on which account I gave a declaration under my hand that it was not a thing obvious that we ought to diminish our latitude, if the season would allow, till we got beyond 30 degrees. My opinion had no effect ; for from the said 26° S., we decreased our latitude in a W.N.W. course to 24^° S. In this situation we found a small low island, about two leagues long, uninhabited and without anchoring ground.

From hence we sailed W. by N. to 24° S. In this situa- tion we found another island, uninhabited, and without anchorage. It was about ten leagues in circumference. We named it San Valerie.

From hence we sailed W. by N. one day, and then AV.N.W. to 21 g° S., where we found another small low island without soundings, uninhabited, and divided into pieces.

We passed on in the same course, and sailed twenty-five leagues : we found four islands in a triangle, five or six leagues each ; low, uninhabited, and without soundings. We named them las Virgines (the Virgins). Here the variation was north-easterly.

From hence we sailed N.W. to 19° S. In this situation we saw a small island to the eastward, about three leagues distant. It appeared like those we had passed. We named it Sta. Polonia.

Diminishing our latitude from hence half a degree we saw a low island, with a point to the S.E., full of palms : it is in 185° S. We arrived at it. It had no anchorage. We saw people on the beach : the boats went to the shore, and when they reached it, they could not land on account of the great surf and rocks. The Indians called to thcui from the land : two Spaniards swam ashore : these they received well, throwing their arms upon the ground, and embraced them and kissed them in the face. On this friendship, a chief