THE BEAUTIFUL WOMEN OF LIMA. 307 



stopped at faita, where they watered and enlisted four hundred 

 additional men, and on the 16th of June finally started in quest 

 of the long-lost islands. A month afterwards, being in latitude 

 11° south, Mendana discovered a group of three islands, to 

 which he gave a collective name as well as individual names. 

 He called them Las Marquesas de Mendoga, in honor of the 

 Marquis of Mendoc,a, a Spaniard of distinction. They are still 

 known as the Marquesas Islands. The natives manifested a 

 remarkably thievish disposition, and received several rounds of 

 grape for pilfering the jars of the watering party who had gone 

 ashore. Though the chronicler draws a comparison in speaking 

 of the women, he yet skilfully contrives to compliment all parties 

 mentioned. He says, " Very fine women were seen here. Many 

 thought them as beautiful as those of Lima, but whiter and not 

 so rosy ; and yet there are very beautiful at Lima. They have 

 delicate hands, genteel body and waiste, exceeding much in per- 

 fection the most perfect of Lima ; and yet there are very beau- 

 tiful at Lima. The temperament, health, strength, and corpu- 

 lency of these people tell what is the climate they live in : cloaths 

 could well be borne with night and day ; the sun did not molest 

 much ; there fell some small showers of rain. Our people never 

 perceived lightning or dew, but great dryness, so that, without 

 hanging up, they found dry in the morning the things which 

 were left wet on the ground at night." A singular fruit was 

 noticed, which the men eat green, roasted, boiled, and ripe. It 

 had neither stone nor kernel, and the Spaniards called it blanc- 

 mange. They likewise admired another fruit "inclosed in 

 prickles like chestnuts, and which resembled chestnuts in taste,, 

 but was much bigger than six chestnuts together." Mendana 

 ordered a grand mass to be said, during which the islanders 

 remained on their knees w T ith great silence and attention. 



Mendana took possession of the islands in the king's name, 

 and sowed maize in many spots which he thought favorable to 

 its growth. The chaplain taught one of the natives to bless 



