X7L 



botanist of Tasmania. He congratulated the Society upon that evening 

 returning to consider such subjects as formed the raison d'Stre of its 

 existence. He had observed that rust in wheat was more liable to be 

 present in soils which were deficient in silica. 



YOYAaE OF ALYAEADO. 



Mr. J. R. McClymont, M.A., read a very interesting paper entitled 

 *' An Explanation of the Voyage of Alvarado, as narrated by Galvano." 

 The author said that when Uortes had accomplished the conquest, and, 

 what was called euphemistically, the pacification of Mexico, he re- 

 solved to despatch an expedition to the Moluccas by a course near to 

 the Equator. Galvano states that Cortes undertook this task in order 

 that the new Viceroy, Mendoza, should not rob him of his honour. 

 When we remember that Cortes had solicited the position of Viceroy in 

 vain, the motive ascribed to Cortes will not appear wholly improbable, 

 although his career, the writer said, was rather that of a man actuated 

 by love of achievement than by mere ordinary ambition. Whatever 

 the motive may have been, it appears certain that immediately after 

 the arrival of Mendoza in Mexico Cortes equipped two ship?. The 

 account of this expedition, Mr. McClymont said, were strangely 

 divergent, and could only be made intelligible by supposing that the 

 Spanish historians had followed the fortunes of the ship commanded by 

 Hernendo de Grjgalva, whilst the Portuguese historian, Galvano, 

 follows the fortunes of the other ship commanded by one Alvarado, 

 a hidalgo. There can be no doubt, the writer of the paper says, of 

 the authenticity of Galvano's narrative, for he was actually Governor 

 of the Moluccas when Alvarado arrived there, and his veracity and 

 fairness are recorded as celebrated throughout the Portuguese dominions. 

 The writer said it was not necessary to follow the course taken by the 

 ship of Grigalva, because he had recently done so in a paper read 

 before the Society, entitled " Early Voyages to Papua." It was shown 

 that the first destination of the two ships was San Miguel de Tan- 

 garaga, in Peru, they having been sent there with reinforcements of 

 Fizarro, in compliance with the request of that general. San Miguel 

 does not appear, the writer said, on modern maps, but it was not 

 far from Payta, in about 6deg. S. lat. Both of these places, it was 

 pointed out, were mentioned as the port of departure of the ships for 

 their great voyage. Galvano makes it San Miguel. Mr. McClymont 

 said there was a discrepancy as to the [instructions given to the com- 

 manders. Spanish writers say they were to search for certain rich 

 islands supposed to lie to the west, not the Moluccas, for these would, 

 no doubt, have been mentioned by name, or under the name of the 

 *• Islands of Spices," had they been intended. This was pointed out 

 what Grigalva understood he had to do. But Alvarado thought he had 

 to sail to the Moluccas, keeping near the Equator. The writer said 

 possibly the jealousy between Cortes and Mendoza explains this 

 difference in the designs of the two commanders. Mendoza, being dis- 

 appointed that the instructions for the commanders had been taken 

 out of his hands by Cortes, may have persuaded Grigalva to deviate 

 from his instructions, and he may have consented to do so in the hope 

 that he would thereby not only curry favour with the Viceroy, but also 

 gain greater renown and wealth than the mere discovery of a new route 

 to the Moluccas would bring to him. His share, Mr. McClymont said, 

 of tke expedition ended in total disaster. Galvano does not, the 

 writer states, give the exact date of 'departure from Peru. Spanish 



