100 DAHLGREN, THE DISCOVERY OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 



Evidently it is the discovery of this island which is also mentioned by Geinelli 

 Carreri. H»e says that the galleon had to keep between 36° and 42° lat. in order not to 

 miss las senas (the floating algae) and with their help attain the Californian coast: if they 

 sailed in a lower latitude, it was very difficult to get up toward the north. "It is this", 

 he continues, "that happened with the patache that sailed to New Spain after the loss of 

 the galleon "San José", for when, after reaching 35° lat., they did not keep that latitude, 

 they could never come upon the senas, and without doubt the whole crew would have 

 died of hunger if God had not caused them to encounter an unknown island in 18° 20' 

 lat., which they called San Sebastian because it was discovered on that day [20 January]. 

 They provided themselves with water from a lake which they found there, and with 

 meat by killing a number of those sea-fowl that are called bobos, which they salted and 

 packed in earthenware vessels. The island was small, low, and full of beautiful trees." 

 (Voyage du tour du Monde, V, p. 298.) 



It is impossible to determine with certainty what island is intended in this narrative. 

 To judge by the latitude, one would naturall y think of Wake or Mendaha's San Francisco 

 (19° 15' N. ); but Gemelli Carreri' s statements are in that respect little to be relied upon; 

 although, on the other side, Casimiro Diaz' allegation that no latitude observation could 

 be made seems somewhat incredible. The most probable supposition would seem to be 

 that the island discovered in 1694 was Marcus Island (24° 14' N. lat., 154° E. long.): in 

 about this position there is to be found on the old Spanish charts an Isla de Sebastian 

 Lopez; this name, however, may point to the island having been named, not after St. 

 Sebastian, but after Admiral Sebastian Lopez, who distinguished himself in the fights 

 against the Dutch in 1644 — 45, and died at Manila about the year 1650. (Concerning 

 this man see Bl. & Rob. XXV, pp. 215, 229; XXXVII, p. 2990 



1696. The Italian, Giovanni Francesco Gemelli Carreri, sailed in this year 

 from Manila to Acapulco on the galleon "San José", under the command of General Don 

 Migttel Martinez. His narrative is the most detailed given by any participator in 

 the voyages of the galleons; and though his veracity, especially as regards what he has 

 to tell us concerning his stav in China, has been called in question, his description 

 of the sea- voyage gives an impression of substantial trustworthiness; and his correctness 

 in many details can be established from other sources. 



The galleon left Cavite on 24 June, and on 10 August passed the Embocadero and 

 stood out to the oj>en sea. On 2 September they had a bad easterly storm in 18° 50' lat., 

 and on the 6th of the same month four of the northernmost Mariannes came in sight. 

 A contrary wind prevented the pilot carrying out his intention of passing through the 

 chain of islands in 19° 20' — i. e. between the islands of Agrigan and Asuncion, which 

 latter, incorrectly called Griga by Gemelli, is described as a volcano from whose summit 

 smoke was seen to ascend. They therefore steered north of the islands, and continued 

 on a course which, in the main, was NE. On 25 September, when they had reached 29° 3', 

 a sharp lookout was kept so that they should not, during the following night, strike two 

 little rocks which the charts placed in 30°; but neither of these came in sight — naturally 

 enough, as by these two rocks is undoubtedly meant Dos Colunas, probably Ponafidin 





