Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 1.djvu/639

 COLONIES. 515 such an extent that only five of them, with &ve hundred and thirty 1684-6 persons on board, entered the Straits in February, 1584. One of the ships ran aground and was wrecked there, while three of the others sailed away in the night-time for Spain, leaving Sarmiento with only one ship, four hundred men, and thirty women, with provisions for eight months. The foundations of two towns — Two towns named Nombre de Jesus and San Felipe — shaving been laid, Sar- ^^ **"*• miento sailed for Brazil in order to obtain supplies. Still pursued by misfortune, his ship was driven on the coast and wrecked, while another vessel which he had chartered and loaded with pro- visions for the colony was unable to reach the Straits. Sarmiento then sailed for Spain, and the colonists were left to their fate — Deaertod. which is thus described in Burney's History of the Discoveries in tho South Sea, vol. ii, p. 68 : — January the 6th [1586] Mr. Cavendish [an Englishman who had fitted out three small ships for a buccaneering cruise against the Spaniards] arrived at the entrance of the Straits of Magalhanes, and in the evening anchored with his squadron near the First Angostura. During the night, lights were observed on the north Rescue, shore, which were supposed to be intended as signals to the ships, and lights were shown in answer. The next morning the General went in a boat to the northern side of the Strait, and as the boat ran along by the land three men were seen on shore, who made signals by waving a white flag. The General stood in, and when Awhitefla?. the boat drew near the men on shore enquired in the Spanish lan- guage to what country the ships belonged. These men were Spanish soldiers, part of the garrison that had been brought from Europe by Sarmiento to guard the Strait. The General, wh6 had received information, before he left England, of the distressed condition of the Spaniards in this part of the world, and which no doubt was confirmed by the appearance of these men, ordered one of hi^ people, who understood the Spanish language, to tell them that the ships were English ; but that if they chose tx> embark with him he would carry them to Peru. The Spaniards, on hearing to what nation the people in the boat belonged, said they would not trust National themselves with the English for fear that they should be thrown ^^*»<^- overboard. The Englishman answered that they might safely embark, for the English were better Christians than the Spaniards. After this dialogue, the Spaniards resolved to abide by their own determination ; but, after a short consultation among themselves, they agreed in opinion that it could not be worse to trust the English than to stay where they were certain to perish. They accordingly called after the boat, which returned to the shore, and one of the Spaniards stepped into her. The General enquired of him what other Spaniards were on shore, and was answered, that Digitized by Google