Page:Vol 2 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/532

512 command of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo. After touching at several points along the coast and passing through the Santa Bárbara Channel, he died, and his successor, Ferelo, advanced in March 1543 past snowcapped mountains to what he called latitude 44°, but found the cold so excessive that he turned back.

During Cabrillo's absence two ships and three smaller craft, also remnants of Alvarado's fleet, were despatched by order of Mendoza from the western coast, probably from Navidad. These vessels, sailing in November 1542 in command of Ruy Lopez de Villalobos, carried three hundred and seventy men, including several Austin friars destined for the islands of the Pacific.

The original object of the expedition seems to have been to found a colony on Zebú, and Villalobos was particularly enjomed not to touch at the islands whereof the Portuguese held possession. This command, however, was disregarded, either from necessity on account of stress of weather, or by miscalculations of the course, after many other islands had been sighted or touched. The expedition is but a continuous record of troubles in which the Spaniards became involved, largely by their own fault, with each other, with the natives, and especially with the Portuguese. It was at this time that the Philippines were named, and more than one effort was made to send a vessel