JOUKNAL OF GALLEGO. 207 



low and beset with reefs. We sailed around it. It has many palms, 

 is inhabited ; and it was tliere we passed the night. When it 

 dawned, we wei'e desirous to land but could not on account of the 

 numerous shoals and reefs. It was named ' La Galera.' Here a 

 canoe came off to us carrying 50 men whom we perceived to be ready 

 for battle. . . .^ It preceded us to another large island which was a 

 league distant. It was soon joined by many canoes both small and 

 large ; and in (one of) them came a leading taurique. He came 

 and approached us in a friendly manner, and gave us beads 

 (cbaquiza), of the kind they wear, which resemble those that are 

 found in Puerto-viejo.^ The ' maestre de campo ' gave him a good 

 reception ; and in token of peace presented him with some things 

 which we had on board. Soon the taurique commanded the men 

 in the canoes to take the brigantine in tow and bring us into the 

 harbour, which they did. After we were inside, the ' maestre de 

 campo' landed with 18 soldiers ; and I remained with 12 on board 

 the brigantine. The Indians soon took up their weapons, and 

 hurled stones at u.s, and jeered at us because we asked for provisions. 

 Seeing their insolence, some shots were fired at them, and two 

 Indians were killed. Thereupon they fled, leaving their houses 

 defenceless. This island is called in the language of the Indians, 

 Pela.^ And there is a chain of five islands, which lie east and 

 west one with another. The first of these, which we came to, was 

 at the east end, for we Were pursuing our discoveries from East to 

 West ; it lies with the Cape Prieto north-west and south-east, 9 

 leagues from the said cape. It will be in circuit 12 leagues. It is 

 well peopled by natives and has many huts and towns and. . . .* 

 To this island we gave the name of Buena Vista from its appear- 

 ance; it seemed to be very fertile, and was well-peopled; and the 

 rest ai-e as above mentioned. They go naked, without any 

 covering whatever, and have their faces patterned (tattooed).^ 

 There are many inhabited islands around. I took the latitude 



1 As the meaning is obscure, I have here omitted the following : " and coming close to 

 us" which is followed in the Spanish by "no nos dijo cosa nise movieron contra nosotros,'' 

 which 1 have left vmtranslated. 



- A town in the province of Quito, in the kingdom of Peru. 



2 Gela is the present native name of the Florida Islands. (Codrington's "Melanesian 

 Languages," p. 522, circa). Consult I^ote VII. of the geographical appendix. 



* "Lugares forraados y juntos." These words, which I have not translated, are to be 

 found unaltered in Figueroa's account, and have been rendered thus by Dalrymple "places 

 cultivated and enclosed." 



' " Las caras labradas." 



