38 DAHLGREN, THE DISCOVERY OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 



encountering the same fäte is far from remote. We must therefore once again go to the 

 historical sources in order to see whether any accöunt of such an occurrence has been 

 preserved. 



Andres de Urdaneta, who on theoretical grounds pointed out the way that should 

 be followed to get back to Mexico from the Philippines, was not, however, the first man 

 to show in practice he correctness of the theory. 



Legazpfs squadron included a small vessel, a ipataclie, the "San Lucas", under the 

 command of Don Alonso de Arellano. 1 Only ten days after the beginning of the voyage 

 this vessel separated from the other vessels — prevented by storm, according to the cap- 

 tain's report, from keeping the prescribed course, but, in the opinion of the commander- 

 in-chief, turning aside from deliberate treachery. After the separation he seems to have 

 steered a more southerly course than Legazpi: probably he passed right through the Mar- 

 shall and Caroline archipelagos. He came across a number of islands, which he regarded 

 as new discoveries, and some of which received names such as Islas dos Vecinos, Nadadores, 

 and Mini como vaz, the last name imparting a warning of the dangers which here threat- 

 ened the sailor from numerous coral reefs. Arellano at length reached the Philippines; 

 and after he had there, as he alleged, sought in vain for the other ships, he started, on 

 22 April 1565, on his return-journey to Mexico, steering the northerly course concerning 

 which he had quite certainly had information from Urdaneta. During the voyage on the 

 open sea only one little rock (peilol), in 31° lat., was seen. Arellano says that it was like 

 a house, and that it was so high that in all the world there could scarcely be found a 

 tower so high; moreover there was to be found in the neighbourhood neither shoal or 

 reef, and on it some albatrosses bigger than ostriches had their abode. This rock is cer- 

 tainly identical with that which låter appeared on the maps under the name of TJna 

 Coluna, and which in our own days is usually called Lotfs Wife. The tendency to exaggera- 

 tion which is conspicuous in Arellano's description is a trait that permeates his narrative 

 and may have been caused perhaps by the desire to cover up his criminal desertion with 

 stories of dangers and adventures undergone. In the most exaggerated terms he describes 

 the dreadful cold in 43° N., the highest latitude that he seems to have reached — the foggy 

 weather, however, prevented all observations for a whole month — ; Arellano doubts 

 whether even during winter it ever could be so cold as here in the middle of the summer, and 

 on 11 June, "the longest day in the year in these latitudes", it had snowed up to noon, 

 and a barrel of oil that was kept under deck had frozen so härd that it did not melt even 

 when it was placed by the fire; and despite this the oil could only be cut in pieces like 

 butter. After all these disagreeables, New Spain was at length seen on 16 July in 

 27° 45' N. lat.; and on 9 August 1565 the voyage terminated safely in Acapulco. 



ese vessel: the three survivors of the original crew, thirtyfive men strong, said that seventeen months before 

 they had sailed from Osaka for another Japanese harbour, but had been overtaken by a storm and had since 

 drifted helpless around on the sea. See Otto von Kotzebue, Entdeckungs-Eeise in die Siid-See, Bd. II, Wei- 

 mar 1821, p. 36. 



1 Arellano's narrative, whose correctness was confirmed on oath by the pilot Löpe Martin, is published 

 in Colecciön de docum. ined. 2 a Ser., III, pp. 1 — 76. 



