KUNGL. SV. VET. AKADEMIENS HANDLINGAR. BAND 57. N:0 4. 73 



penetrate", and in the occurrence of turtles and sea-fowl, "which are sure signsof land". 

 Once more they made for higher latitudes and strove in every possible way to find the 

 longed-for islands, for the General would not return without certain knowledge as to 

 whether they existed or not; but all was in vain. At last the sailors began to murmur, 

 and the chief pilot declared "that there were no such islands in the whole world, that lie 

 had done everything in his power, and more than the Viceroy had commanded him to 

 do". Despite this, they kept sailing about for some days in a heavy storm, which, after 

 the mainmast had been cut away and everything on deck had been thrown overboard, 

 compelled them to turn back to Japan. On 7 November they again put in at Urangava; 

 and as the ship was found to be unseaworthy, they commenced the return-voyage to 

 Mexico, on 27 October 1613, in a ship built in Japan. In the course of this voyage also 

 some fruitless attempts were made to discover the Gold and Silver Islands; and in January 

 1614, after more than two and half years absence, the expedition arrived at Zacatula 

 on the west coast of Mexico. 



It is not to be wondered at that, after such a thorough failure, the Spaniards should 

 lose their zest in seeking after the chimerical islands; though it does not appear that 

 belief in their existence entirely vanished. The indefatigable Fernando de los Rios again 

 brought forward the question of their existence in a letter to the King (1619 or 1620), where 

 amongst other things he says: — 



Inasmuch as that voyage is so long, and no fresh provisions can be obtalned on the way, very 

 many fall sick. For a remedy to that, God has placed, midway in the sea and on the voyage, an island 

 that serves as an inn in the middle of their way, just as the Portuguese in their voyage have one at 

 the island of Santa Elena, where they get fresh food. That island, which I call Rica de Platå, is large, 

 and över one hundred leagues in circumference. Although some ships sight it in passing, inasmuch 

 as its ports are unknown, no one dåres to get fresh food there. It is thought to be inhabited, for some 

 signs of habitation have been seen. It is very necessary that a small vessel sail from Manila to explore 

 it, and that it look there for a good port, so that the ships can get water and wood, and repro vision. 

 The exploration of it may be of the highest importance. It is necessary also because near that region the 

 ships generally lose their rigging in storms, and they can be refitted and repaired there, and can con- 

 tinue their voyage without having to put back to Manila. I advised your Highness of that some years 

 ago; as it is so important for that voyage I believe that a decree was sent to the governor in a former 

 year to explore it; but that must be ordered again. A man of experience should be sent, so that he 

 may display the prudence and make the exploration requisite, in accordance with the art and science 

 of hydrography; and hkewise so that he may live in Manila and examine the pilots of that line, and 

 make faithful and accurate sea-charts. For that purpose I shall give him considerable enlightenment 

 by giving him the documents of the demarcations, and the information that I possess, on which I 

 have laboured much in order to serve your Highness. Nbwhere does your Highness need a cosnio- 

 grapher so much as in that land, for many things that arise and may arise. 1 



It is striking that the author of this letter expresses himself so vaguely about 

 Vizcaino's voyage, in the preparations for which he had taken so great a part and about 

 the results of which he could not have been ignorant, and also that he does not repeat his 

 assertion that he himself had seen the islands. Possibly he succeeded now too in gaining 

 a hearing for his proposal to search for them, or at least in bringing about a renewed 



1 Bl. & Eob. XVIII, pp. 326—7. 



K. Sv. Vet. Akad. Handl. Band 57. N:o i. 10 



