KUNGL. SV. VET. AKADEMIENS HANDLINGAR. BAND 57. NIO 4- 119 



the search for the appointed harbour next morning, uiiaiiimovisly declared that that was 

 impossible. They steered towards Guadalupe instead, passed Cape San Lucas on 29 

 December, and arrived at Acapulco on 20 January 1732. — From there they sailed on 31 

 March, passed the Mariannes on 10 Jnne and the Embocadero on 2 July, and arrived at 

 Cavite on 11 July. 



The diary kept on the almiranta "San Cristobal" by the Piloto Accompahado Don 

 Sebastian de Salasak, begins on 12 October 1731, the day on which they löst sight of the 

 capitana in 35° 12' N. lat. and 32° 13' long. As early as 12 November, more than a month 

 before they encountered the seiias (17 December), it was resolved in a Junta to abandon 

 the plan of seeking harbour in San Diego. The reasons adduced for this course were that 

 the ship had been badly battered in the struggle against constant headwinds; if one leak 

 was stopped, another immediately appeared; the pumps had to be kept goingincessantly; 

 and as the deck had ceased to be watertight, the cables and other cordage stowed beneath 

 had begun to rot. To all this it must be added that they had no boats to survey unknown 

 inlets; so it was in every respect more prudent to lay the course for the known harbour 

 of Acapulco, where the ship could be repaired. They arrived there on 26 January 1732, 

 that is only six days after the capitana. - — The two ships started from Acapulco together 

 on 31 March, but separated on 4 April; and when the almiranta put in at Guam on 16 

 June, it was resolved in a Junta, probably without knowledge of the fact that the capitana 

 had passed the Mariannes a week earlier, not to wait for it but to make for the Embocadero 

 at once. That strait was passed on 30 June; and on 7 July they cast anchor at Cavite, 

 where the capitana did not arrive until five days låter. 



1732. The galleon "Nuestra Sehora de Guia", General Don Francisco Sanches 

 deTagle, Piloto Mayor Don Feliz Ponse, Piloto Segundo Don Pedro Lavor de Tanctos, 

 which last kept the log-book from Avhich is taken the following account. From Cavite, 

 11 July; Embocadero, 28 July. After getting out into the open sea, they met with such 

 persistent easterly winds (brisas) that they could not double the Mariannes even after 

 a month's effort. On 26 August, in 19° 41' N. lat., and 14° 12' long., it was resolved to 

 change the course to south, so as to avoid Parece Vela and Vela, two reefs which in reality 

 are only one, the Douglass Reef. On 28 September it is said that they had passed the 

 two volcanoes, Malabrigo Chico and Isla de Patos (24° 58' N. lat., 20° 17' long.) without 

 seeing them; and on 7 October they were, in 29° 31' N. lat., 21° 50' long., north of "the 

 island of Guadalupe and the whole of that group of islands" (toda esta cuadrillera). 1 The 

 sight of some birds on 23 October gave occasion to the remark that they had got as far 

 as Las Colunas, which are situated between 28° 30' and 32° 30 r N. lat., and in 32° 30' long.; 

 but these islands did not come into sight, because they passed 140 leagues north of them, 

 naturally according to their imaginär}^ position on the chart. It was also clearly the chart 

 that caused the pilot, on 30 and 31 October and on 5 November, to determine his position 

 with reference to Rica de Platå: they did not, however, come nearer than 47 leagues to 



1 All these names are found on the charts of the period, together with the previously named San 

 Agustin, Fortuna. San Alessandro, San Juan etc. of which they are merelv doublots. 



