ELDORADO 201 



l)een so disastrous to his companions. He resolved, 

 therefore, in order to "avoyde these hazards, to go 

 forward to the islands of the Malucos and then hence 

 to Layle, the course of the Portugals by the Cape of 

 l^uena Esperance." 



"L'pon this resolution he began to think of his best 

 way to the Malucos, and finding himself where he was 

 now becalmed, he saw that of necessitie he must be 

 forced to a Spanish course, namly to sayle somewhat 

 northerly to get a winde. We, therefore, set sayle and 

 sayled six hundred leagues at the least for a good 

 winde and thus much we sailed from 16 of April 

 till the 3 of June. The 5 day of June, being on 43 de- 

 degrees towards the pole Arctic, we found the aver so 

 cold that our men being greviousl\- pinched with the 

 same, complained of the extremity thereof, and the 

 further we went the more the cold increased upon us. 

 Whereupon, we thought it best for that time to seeke 

 the land, and did so, finding it not mountainous, but 

 low plaine land till we came within 38 degrees towards 

 the line. In which height it pleased God to send us 

 into a fair and good Baye with a good wind to enter 

 the same, where we found a good and convenient 

 harborough." 



The harbor referred to in this ancient record, from 

 which [ (|uote, was undoubtedly the l^ay of San Fran- 

 cisco. 



The following quaint and interesting description of 

 the country at that time illustrates the difiference be- 

 tween the sixteenth century conditions and the present : 

 "The next day after our coming to anchor in the 

 aforesaid harborough the people of the country showed 



