OVALLE*S HISTORICAL RELATION OF CHILE. 1^3 



and others, have done to the North-Sea, and fo to the Cape of Good Hope and the 

 Red-Sea ; or, the fleet being in the South-Sea, might fail weft to the Philippine iflands ; 

 and from thence coafting along thofe parts we call the Eaft-Indies, it might take in all 

 the eaftern commodities ; and fo having gone round the world, return laden with all 

 the riches of eaft and weft, with pearls, diamonds, rubies, and other fine ftones, as 

 alfo mufk, amber, ivory, and other valuable eaftern commodities ; and from the weft, 

 with gold, filver, odoriferous woods, pearls, emeralds, fine dyes, rich and fine wools, 

 amber, and other riches, which were wanting to make up the opulency of Solomon. 



Neither Ought this to be thought impracticable, fince it is made out already in thefe 

 books, how eafy the navigation would be from Chile to the Philippine iflands in two 

 or three months : the conveniences of which navigation have been fet out in the fourth 

 chapter of the fecond book ; and we do know how the ftiip Vidory did return that 

 way, and fo have many others fince ; by all which the poflibility of Solomon's naviga- 

 tion is made out, and that within the compafs of the three years, in which they ufed 

 to return to their port in the Red-Sea ; and if it did not do this, it can hardly be 

 imagined how it could employ fuch a fpace of time. ' 



For thefe, and many more reafons of this nature, our moft learped Pineda retrafts 

 the contrary opinion, which he had publiflied in his commentaries on Job ; becaufe, 

 when he writ them, he had not fo well examined the grounds of the laft opinion, 

 nor weighed all the authority and ftrength of conjedures that attend it ; and, indeed, 

 fo far every prudent man would go, as not to defpife and contemn an opinion of which 

 he believed the contrary, if it were maintained with probability, and by perfons wor- 

 thy to be hearkened to. Though, to fay truth, if I muft fpeak what I think, that 

 one reafon which 1 gave above againft the Ronians having had knowledge of thofe 

 parts, ("which is, that it appears incredible, that having once made the difcovery, and 

 enjoyed thofe mines, not only the communication with them, but the very memory 

 of them ftiould be loft,) feems, in my opinion, to be as ftrong an argument againft 

 Solomon's fleet ; for if that did once overcome all the difficulties of that navigation, 

 what caufe could interrupt that commerce in fuch a manner, as that the total remem- 

 brance of it fliould be aboliftied ? It is true, that as to the Jev/s, they were a people 

 who did not care to live in foreign parts, nor fettle among other nations, nor inhabit 

 the fea-coafts ; for God Almighty was unwilling, that, by the communication with the 

 Gentiles, they ftiould contrad any of their cuftoms ; and therefore we do not know, 

 that of all the race of their kings, any more than three went about any fuch thing, 

 which were Solomon who corapafled it, and Jofophat and Ochofias, whofe under- 

 takings had no fuccefs. By which it may be infered, that when Solomon died, 

 and the temple was finiftied, this navigation was negledted, till at laft it was quite 

 forgot; befides, that it appears from the Chronicles, and other places of fcripture, 

 that in thofe times filver and gold were but little valued, the covetoufnefs of mankind 

 not being arrived to the height it is at now-a-days : they did not think it worth 

 leaving their houfes to endure labour in the fearch of them, and run all thofe hazards 

 which the voyagers to thofe parts do undergo. This therefore might take off" the 

 edge and defire which we fee in the Europeans, of continuing thofe voyages ; neither 

 would they defire to fettle in thofe parts ; or if they did, the memory of them might 

 be loft. See Padre Pineda, particularly in the fifth fedion of the fixteenth chapter, 

 where he anfwers the arguments of the negative opinion ; to which he gives very 

 handfome folutions ; and in particular, to thofe who fay, that Solomon's fleet could 

 bring nothing but gold and filver, as if this were nothing, or like ballaft ; and that 

 this were not motive enough for him to fend his fleets, for a thing of which it appears 

 he made fuch ufe, both for the temple and his own palaces ; fo that it does not 



feem 



