Htttorie of the Indies lib. 3* 



Creator vfcth this curiofitie of men, to communicate 

 the light ofhis holy Gofpell to people, that alwaies live 

 in the obfcure darkencffe of their errors. But to con 

 clude, theftraight of the ^//^Pole(iftherebcany) 

 hath not been yet difcovcred. It fliall not therefore be 

 from the purpofe, to fpeake what we know of the par 

 ticularities of the Antartike&m^ity already difcovered 

 and knowne^ by the report onuch as have feene and 

 obfcrvcd it. 



Ofthtfrtfcrties rftk Straight ^Magellan. 

 CHAP. I3.J 



THis Straight, as I have faid , is iuft fifiic degrees to 

 theSouth, and from onefca to another, fourfeorc 



mthnarrowefl:placc,it 

 is a league and little lefle, whert it was intended the 

 King fhould build a Fortto defend the paflage . It is fb 

 deepe in fome places , that it cannot be founded , and* 

 in fonic places they findc grovnd at 1 8. yea, at 15. fa- 

 domes. Of thcfc hundred leagues which it containes 

 in length from onefea vnto the other 5 it is plainely 

 fecne,that the waves of the South fea,runne so.leagues, 

 and the other 70. arc poflefled with thebiBowes and 

 wavesof the North fea But there is this difference, 

 that the 30. leagues to the South, runne betwixt die 

 rockes and moft high mountaines,whofe tops are con 

 tinually covered with fnow : fo as they feeme) by rca- 

 fon of their great height) to be ioyned together, which 

 makes the entrie of the Straight to the South fo hard 

 to difcover. In thefe 30. leagues, the fea is very deepe, 

 and without bottome , yet may they faften their fhips 



to 



