KUNGL. SV. VET. AKADEMIENS HANDLINGAR. BAND 57. N:0 4. 63 



Our ships sail between the two Islands of Guan and Oarpana toward the Filipinas and the cape of 

 Espiritu Santo, a distance of 300 leguas farther on, in the latitude of about 13 degrees. This distance 

 is made in ten or twelve days with the brisas; but it may happen, if the ships sail somewhat late, that 

 they encounter vendavals, which endanger their navigation, and they enter the islands af ter great 

 trouble and stormy weather. 



From the cape of Espiritu Santo, the ships enter the strait of Capul at the islands of Mazbate 

 and Burias; thence they sail to Marinduque and the coast of Calilaya, the strait of Mindoro, the shoals 

 of Tuley, and the mouth of Manila Bay. Thence they go to the port of Cabit. This is a voyage of 

 one hundred leguas from the entrance to the islands and is made in one week. This is the end of the 

 voyage, which is good and generally without storms, if made in the proper time. 



These vessels now make the return voyage from the Filipinas to Nueva Espaha with great diffi- 

 culty and danger, for the course is a long one and there are many storms and various temperatures. 

 The ships depart, on this account, very well supplied with provisions, and suitably equipped. Each 

 one sails alone, hoisting as much sail as possible, and one does not wait for the other, nor do they 

 sight one another during the voyage. 



They leave the bay and port of Cabit at the first setting-in of the vendavals, between the same 

 islands and by the same straits, by the 20th of June and låter. As they set out amid showers, and are 

 among islands, they sail with difficulty until they leave the channel at Capul. Once in the open sea, 

 they catch the vendaval, and voyage east, making more progress when they reach the latitude of 14 

 or 15 degrees. 



Then the brisa starts. This wind is the ordinary one in the South Sea, especially in low latitudes. 

 Since it is a head wind, the course is changed, and the bow is pointed between the north and east, 

 as much as the wind will allow. With this they reach a higher latitude, and the ship is kept in this 

 course until the vendaval returns. Then, by means of it, the ship again takes an eastern course in 

 that latitude where it happens to be, and keeps that direction as long as that wind lasts. When the 

 vendaval dies, the ship takes the best course that the winds allow, by the winds then blowing between 

 north and east. If the wind is so contrary that it is north or north-west, so that the ship cannot take 

 that course, the other course is taken so that they may continue to maintain their voyage without 

 losing time. At 400 leguas from the islands they sight certain volcanoes and ridges of the islands 

 of Ladrones. which run north as far as 24 degrees. Among these they generally encounter severe 

 storms and whirlwinds. At 34 degrees is the cape of Sestos, at the northern head of Japan. 600 

 leguas from the Filipinas. They sail among other islands, which are rarely seen, in 38 degrees, 

 encountering the same dangers and storms, and in a cold climate, in the neighbourhood of the islands 

 Rica de Oro and Rica de Platå, which are but seldom seen. After passing them the sea and open 

 expanse of water is immense, and the ship can run free in any weather. This gulf is traversed for 

 many leguas with such winds as are encountered, until a latitude of 42 degrees is reached, toward 

 the coast of Nueva Espana. They seek the winds that generally prevail at so high a latitude, which 

 are usually north-west. After a long voyage the coast of Nueva Espana is sighted, and from Cape 

 Mendocino (which hes in 42 1 / 2 degrees) the coast extends 900 leguas to the port of Acapulco, which 

 lies in 16 1 / 2 degrees. 



When the ships near the coast, which they generally sight between 40 and 36 degrees, the cold 

 is very severe, and the people suffer and die. Three hundred leguas before reaching land, signs of it 

 are seen, by certain aguas malas, as large as the hand, round and violet coloured, with a crest in the 

 middle like a lateen sail, which are called caravelas. This sign lasts until the ship is one hundred leguas 

 from land; and then are discovered certain fish, with half the body in the form of a dog; these frolic 

 with one another near the ship. After these perrillos are seen the porras, which are certain very long, 

 hollow shoots of a yellow herb with a ball at the top, and which float on the water. At thirty leguas 

 from the coast are seen many great bunches of grass which are carried down to the sea by the great 

 rivers of the country. These grasses are called balsas. Also many perrillos are seen, and, in turn, all 

 the various signs. Then the coast is discovered, and it is very high and clear land. Without losing 



