INTRODUCTION. IX 



The story of the raft we already know. The 

 remainder was to the effect that he entered into 

 the service of the Viceroy of Mexico, by whom 

 he was sent, in a small caraval, to explore the 

 California!! coast. He managed to reach lat. 

 47 N., and finding the coast inclined towards 

 the N. & NE., and that a wide expanse of sea 

 opened out between 47 lat., his position, and 

 48, he entered the Strait, and sailed through it 

 for twenty days. Finding the land still tended 

 to NE. & NW. and also E. & SE., he proceeded, 

 passing through groups of beautiful islands, and 

 so sailed on until he came into the North Sea; 

 but being quite unarmed, and finding the natives 

 veiy hostile, he made his way back, and reported 

 his discovery of the entrance to what he believed 

 the North- West Passage. 



But the Viceroy was not impressed with the va- 

 lue of the old man's report, and paid him nothing 

 for it. Disgusted with the government and all 

 belonging to it, he worked his way back to 

 the Mediterranean, and we next meet with him 

 as a pilot on the Adriatic. 



Master Locke at once wrote to Sir Walter 

 Raleigh, Master Hakluyt, and to Lord Cecil, 



