132 DAHLGREN, THE DISCOVERY OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 



sented by the sailor Pedro, is evidently no supporter of this proposal, which his friend 

 Juan can only defend in a weak fashion. In the course of the conversation a number of 

 instances are adduced to show that it would be best to holdfast to the old arrangement. 1 

 Cavite, therefore, ought to continue to be the harbour for the galleons: what ought to be 

 done for the improvement and safeguarding of the navigation was to use smaller ships 

 instead of large ones — for the pro verb said grande nao, grande förmenta (big boat, big 

 storm) — and above all to see to it that the galleons began their voyages in good time. 

 This last suggestion gives the sailor Pedro occasion to make the following utterance, 

 which brings the conversation to a close: — 



During my time the ships to Acapulco have sailed, as a rule, from this harbour [Cavite] at the close 

 of July or the beginning of August. At that time they usually encounter a vendaval which lasts for twc 

 or three weeks and which detains them at Batan and prevents them making their way out at Mariveles. 

 As every one knows, this wind is followed by calm, swell, and headwind, which delay the arrival at 

 the Embocadero for many days, so that in most cases they cannot get clear of it until 4 — 6 September, 

 at which time the vendavales cease and the brisas begin to blow. If by any chance they do get wind 

 from any other quarter, they can sail with that for 50 leagues on the other si de of the Ladrones. It 

 is a well known fact amongst all practical men that in those waters brisas prevail which compel them 

 to tack about and detain them during September and part of October. Still greater difficulties meet 

 them here if they choose a south-easterly course in order to remain in a lower latitude, for in addition 

 to the risk they run thereby, they are prevented from fulfilling their purpose: it was like following a 

 thread in order to get into a tangled skein, or like making use of a little stream in order to reach a 

 sea with intolerable winds. On the other hand, if they steer northwards to higher latitudes in search 

 of more favorable winds, they are exposed to severe storms which carry away their masts and compel 

 them, after sailing has been found impossible, to return to the point of departure. That was what 

 took place in 1629, when the ship "San Luis", 200 leagues on the other side of the Ladrones in 30° lat., 

 fell in with frightful storms, and löst all her masts and her rudder; and thus badly mauled, she came 

 to San Bernardino, which was passed without further disaster. In 1631 the ship "Santissima Trinidad" 

 was attacked by a storm 200 leagues from the Embocadero and arrived at this harbour dismasted. 

 In 1641 the ship "Nuestra Senora de la Concepcion Cambojana", in the neighbourhood of the Ladrones 

 in 20° lat., encountered the weather that usually prevails there, which is called "San Miguel's storm". 

 Entirely dismasted, she became a complete wreck at Mauban. In 1643 the ship "Nuestra Senora de la 

 Encarnacion", a few days after passing the Embocadero and because they had not succeeded in getting 

 sufficiently far from land, was driven back by the unusually strong brisas and had to seek harbour in 

 Lampon. In 1650 the ship "San Diego", after passing the Ladrones, was assailed by storms in 28° lat., 

 löst her mainmast, and had seventeen men washed overboard by a great sea; finally she came to anchor 

 in the roads of Naga. Still worse is it that the ships run the risk of being wrecked when they come 

 into the neighbourhood of quantities of islands and reefs; as happened in the case of the ship "Nuestra 

 Senora de la Concepcion", which in 1638 was cast by the force of the wind on the island of Sarpan 

 Grande [in the Ladrones], and some time earlier in the case of the ship "Santa Margarita", which was 

 löst on Sarpana. 



Such are the disasters that await those who sail too late. Even supposing that they pass ihe 

 Ladrones in 28° — 30° latitude, like the others, and that they succeed in being free of violent storms, yet 

 in any case the late departure involves their having to sail during the worst part of the winter, when 

 the sun, as it approaches the Tropic of Capricorn, rapidly passes away from them, makes the sea cool 

 and the air sharp; and as they increase the latitude to 40 degrees they have to endure härd weather 



1 The information which can be drawn from this conversation as to the dates of the voyages has been 

 inserted above in the chronological account, 



