198 JOUIINA.L OF GALLEGO. 



direction for 30 leagues, experiencing much rain and varying winds. 

 Tlieir water supply was failing, and the minds of many were the 

 more depressed ; for these reasons they ran on with eased sheets 

 and did not shorten sail. 



But the long-expected land was near, and I will permit Gallego 

 for the time to tell his own story. " On the Thursday the 15th of 

 January, we had heavy showers of rain and such thunder and 

 lightning as we had not seen in all the voyage. We were distant 

 from the land of Peru, on the course which we had steered, 1450 

 Icatjues. In the foUowincr^ morning we ran with a light wind 15 

 leagues south-west-by-west, and were in the latitude of 6^°. A 

 seaman went to the top and discovered land in the shape of a small 

 island, which appeared on the port hand to the sou th-west-by- west. 

 We were about six leaf^ues from it, because beinsj a low island it 

 could not be seen at a greater distance. Keeping away, we reached 

 it at sunset. This island is low and level. It has many reefs 

 around it, and has quite a bay of the sea in the middle of it. After 

 we had arrived, I found the latitude to be 6f°. We were eager to 

 send a boat in ; but, however, it was thought best to await the 

 arrival of the '' Almiranta ' which was much behind us. 



" In the meantime seven canoes full of people started from the 

 island. Some turned back to the shore and the remainder came 

 off to the ship. But when they saw so many persons, they returned 

 to the beach and made groat bonfires. That night they put up 

 Hags, seemingly for the protection of tlie island. We were not able 

 to determine whether they were mats of palm-leaves or of cotton, 

 they were bbached so white.^ The people in the canoes were 

 naked and of a tawny hue. When the 'Almiranta' arrived, we 

 agreed that no boats should land until thu next day, as it was then 

 evening. And when it dawned, it blew so strong from the north- 

 west that we drifted a quarter of a league to leeward of the island. 

 I wi.shed to reach it, but could not, as the wind was so strong that 

 we could carry no sails. I advised that, if we beat up to reach the 

 island with the wind so strong and contrary, the ships might be 

 broken in pieces (on the reefs) ; that it would not be wise to run 

 • the risk of losing all our lives for an island so small ; and that 

 seeing that the island was inhabited, the rest could not be far away. 



' The word "following" has been added by me, since from the subsequent remarks of 

 Gallego, it is evident that this land was sighted on the 16th. 



- Mats of very fine quality are manufactured in many of the Pacific islands. 



