158 



THE DISCOVERY OF AUSTRALIA 



the blessing and raising of the standard, as if the under- 

 taking was not for the service of His Majesty ! " How- 

 ever all the people confessed, and took the Sacrament. 

 The standards and banners were embarked, rolled upon 

 their staves ; the six Friars came forth, and were "lovingly 

 embraced by many people, for at such partings many 

 tears are shed, and we all went on board together." " Our 

 dresses," says the Pilot de Leza, " were those of the Fran- 

 ciscans, adopted by the Captain and all his officers. " 

 " The sails were set, and the men on their knees prayed 

 for a .good voyage to Our Lady of Loretto, saying that 

 the fleet is dedicated to her name, and sails trusting to 

 her favour and protection." 



Quiros commanded three ships, " painted with no little 

 art " ; the holy standards and carvings are described 

 in loving detail. The Capitana, the ship " well adapted 

 for such service," in which he sailed as Captain, was named 

 the " St. Peter and St. Paul." The Almirante, " the 

 rather small ship " in which the Admiral Luis Vaez 

 de Torres was to sail a very famous voyage, was named 

 the " St. Peter." The third ship, a Labra or launch, 

 of small size but strong and a good sailor, was named 

 " The Three Kings " : the three Kings of the Eastern 

 Spice-lands, who had seen the Star and followed the 

 Gleam. " In the three ships embarked nearly three 

 hundred men, sailors and soldiers, with some small pieces 

 of artillery, arquebuses and muskets, provisions of all 

 kinds for one year, iron implements, fruits and animals 

 of Peru for those who should form a settlement, and the said 

 six Friars of the Order of St. Francis, also four Brothers 

 of Juan de Dios to cure the sick." 



The " instructions " which Quiros issued to Torres for the 

 direction of the voyage express the fervent religious spirit 

 which animated him, and which he sought to kindle in those 

 joined to him in a divine mission. Torres is to maintain 

 " Christian, political, and military discipline." But he 

 is also to " use much diligence in treating kindly and 

 lovingly all the people under his charge, .... to acquire 

 those methods and habits which are necessary to keep 



