APPENDIX, NO. II. 27 



was to be apprehended. And here let me remark, that if 

 our enemies have not occasioned us any very great losses in 

 the South Sea, it is because they possess not a port of such 

 consequence as that of the Strait of Anian. And now that 

 I am commanded by your Majesty and the Council of 

 State to give some account of this voyage, and of the 

 method of fortifying the strait, it will be proper also to 

 give the course to be steered, and the situation and harbour 

 of that strait, with all the circumstances of my voyage ; 

 and beginning with the navigation, by attending to the fol- 

 lowing narrative, any good seaman will readily discover the 

 strait. 



Departing from Spain, suppose from Lisbon, the course 

 is N.VV. for the distance of four hundred and fifty leagues ; 

 when the ship will have arrived at latitude 60°, where the 

 Island of Friesland will be seen, anciently called File or 

 Fule. It is an island somewhat less than Ireland. From 

 thence the course must be taken to the westward, running 

 upon the parallel of 60^ for one hundred and eighty leagues, 

 which will bring the navigator to the land of Labrador, 

 where the strait of that name or Davis's Strait begins, the 

 entrance of which is very wide, somewhat more than thirty 

 leagues ; and the land on the coast of Labrador w hich is to 

 the w^est is low, but the opposite side the mouth of the strait 

 is composed of very high mountains. Here two openings 

 will appear; between which are these high mountains. 

 One of these openings runs E.N.E. and the other N.W.; 

 that which runs E.N.E. must be left, which is the one on 

 the right hand looking towards the north, because it lead* 

 to Greenland, and ultimately to the sea of Friesland. 

 Taking therefore the contrary opening, and turning the 

 prow N.W., by proceeding in this direction eighty leagues, 

 the ship will be found in latitude 64*^. Here the strait 

 takes another turn to the north, continuing one hundred 

 and twenty leagues, and as far as latitude 70°, when it 

 again turns to the N.W. and continues in that direction 



