loo ovalle's historical relation of chile. 



kingdoms all the commodities of China and Japan ; and that without carrying any gold 

 or lilver, which might be preferved all for Europe. Thus the greateft part of this 

 new world being enriched by its own produdt, the king's revenues will be the 

 greater, as well as the returns in gold and filver the greater ; and all things thus well 

 accommodated, the fervice of God, and the divine cult and worlhip would be better 

 carried on. 



CHAP. V. — Of the Fleets ; fome of which have been loji, andfome have happily paffed 



the Straight of Magellan, 



AMONG the fleets which have been loft in the ftraight of Magellan, the firft was 

 that of four fliips fet out by the bifhop of Placentia for~ the Molucca iflands ; which 

 having got to the ftraight with good weather, and being entered into it about twenty 

 leagues, there rofe from the weft a ftorm, which blowing diredly a-head, forced three 

 of the fhips aftiore, they not having room to turn or run before it ; but all the men 

 were faved. The fourth had better fortune ; for going before the ftorm, (he got out 

 of the ftraight ; and when the foul weather was over, came into the ftraight again, 

 where the other fhips were loft, and found the men, who had faved themfelves on 

 Ihore, who prefently made figns and cries to be taken on board ; but they with hearts 

 full of grief anfwered them. " What would you have ? We cannot relieve you, for 

 the provifions we have on board are not fufficient for usj and fo we may fear to perifh 

 all of us together." They could not fay to them the other words of the Gofpel, " Go 

 rather to thofe who fell," becaufe they were in a defart country, where tiiey had no 

 remedy, but to fend lighs to heaven, accompanied with inconfolable tears and cries, 

 capable of moving the ftones themfelves. Thus they left them, purfuing their voyage,^ 

 much afflicted to be forced to forfake them, and not be able to do any thing for them ; 

 but thefe are accidents and hard cafes belonging to the fea-faring men. 



It is not known to this day what has become of thefe men ; only there is a tradition, 

 that a great way within land, on the continent of Chile, near the ftraight, there is a 

 nation called Ceflares, who were endeavoured to be difcovered by Don Hieronimo Luis 

 de Cabrera, governor of Tucuman, about eight and twenty years ago, with a good 

 army raifed at his own charge ; but his diligence was in vain, as we have marked 

 already, and told the caufe of his mifcarrying. It is thought, and it is very probable, 

 thefe Ceflares may be defcended from thofe Spaniards who were faved in this fliip« 

 wreck ; becaufe it was pofllble, that feeing themfelves without any other recourfe, they 

 might go on into the Terra Firma, where, contrading alliance with fome Indian na- 

 tion, they may have multiplied, and the fame of them may have reached the neigh- 

 bouring nations, and fo on to others. This is certain, that this tradition is much kept 

 up, that there is in thofe parts an European nation called Ceflares. Some fay, that 

 there has been heard the found of bells, and they have founded cities where they live ; 

 but, in fine, there is no certainty of all this. A gentleman born in Chiloe, and who 

 has been a colonel in thofe parts, gave me in writing a relation of feveral traditions and 

 informations of great numbers of people that inhabit the land within, and who have much 

 gold. There has been made feveral attempts to difcover them, though all have mifcar- 

 ried for want of provifions, or by other accidents, which in time may be remedied when 

 it pleafes God. And at this very time I have received letters, which acquaint me, 

 that father Hieronimo de Montemayor, apoftolical miflionary of that archipelago of 

 Chiloe, had entered into the Terra Firma in company of Captain Navarro, a man very 



I of famous 



