Relates how they came in sight of the third inhabited island,
and what happened there.
Still with a westerly course we proceeded, with much anxiety arising
from the confusion in determining the distance of our ships from the
port of Lima, and still more owing to the allowance being so short that
neither our thirst was quenched nor our hunger satisfied. At last God
sent us a good shower of rain, and plenty of water was collected. The
people derived much consolation from this provision of Heaven, and at
seeing soon after many snakes, fish found in shallow water, turtles,
wild fruit, cocoa-nuts, trunks of trees, land birds, currants, and
other signs of the approach of land. We therefore navigated at night
under small sail, keeping a good look-out, the lanterns lighted, with
the launch ahead, having orders to signal with lights if there were
rocks or land. So we continued until the 7th of April. On that day,
at three in the afternoon, a man at the mast-head of the Capitana cried
out: "I see land to the N.W., high and black." The voice sounded well
to all; the sails were trimmed, and the bows turned to the land. We
lay-to that night, and in the morning we found ourselves on a bank,
where the least depth was 12 fathoms. There was a great excitement
over this, which lasted during the two hours that it took to cross
over the shoal, always sounding, and with the anchors ready and
look-out men at the mast-heads to report what they saw.
We arrived near the island, and saw some smoke rising on the north
side, which doubled our delight and gave us hopes of getting water,
which chiefly engaged our thoughts. Night closed in, and next
day the Captain ordered the Admiral, with the launch and a boat,
to go and reconnoitre the island, while the ships, at the position
where they were, found a port, where they anchored with incredible
joy. The Admiral returned in the afternoon, very well satisfied with
the appearance of the land, and it was settled that the next day we
should seek a better port, fuel, and water.
It was scarcely dawn when the Admiral left the ships with an armed
party in the launch and boats, and at a distance of 2 leagues found a
village on a small reef. The natives, in great haste, took their women
and children inland, and all that they could carry away, while 150 of
them took their arms. One came forward shouting--it was not understood
for what purpose,--a musket was fired off merely to astonish them,
and when they heard it they all dived into the water except the first
native. This man came near us, and by signs told us not to fire,
and that he would make his people put down their bows and arrows;
so this was done on both sides. He came to the boats, and gave his
hand to the Admiral in token of friendship, giving him to understand,
by pointing to his head, that he was the lord of the land, and that
he was called Tumai, and by another name--Jalique.
Presently another native came and looked at us with astonishment,
and we looked at him with no less care: owing to his colour being so
white, and so brown as regards beard and hair, that our people called
him "the Fleming." His name was Olan.
The Admiral asked Tumai to order the natives not to shoot their arrows,
and to go away from there, that his men might land. At one word from
Tumai they all went away to the island, and he alone remained. Then
our people landed peacefully, before anything else forming a corps de
garde in one of the houses, placing sentinels in appropriate places,
and the rest lodged in the village.
By signs Tumai showed the Admiral his houses, and asked him not
to set them or the others on fire. He further said that he would
assist and give what his island contained. The Admiral showed him
great friendship; and, the better to impress him with it, he dressed
him in shot silk, [93] which he seemed to value highly. Presently
a boat was sent to report to the Captain all that had taken place,
and that there was a very good watering-place near the village. The
ships should shift their berths to a port much nearer, and the launch
anchored still nearer the village, between the land and a rock.
When the ships were anchored, all the friars landed and went to the
village; and at the request of the Captain they performed the First
Mass of Our Lady of Loreto, with a commemoration of St. Peter. The
natives, while they were saying Mass, were present, very attentive
on their knees, beating their breasts, and doing everything they saw
the Christians do. It is certainly a great pity, when one comes to
think of it, with what facility all the people of those parts would
receive the Faith if there was any one to teach them; and yet what
a great perdition there is of such a vast number of souls as are
condemned here! God will be best served if the time is made to come
very quickly that will bring the blessing of blessings, of which
these people are so ignorant, of others so desired.
Next day, at the request of Tumai, the Admiral sent him to the ship
with a soldier, that he might tell the Captain that the Chief had come
to see him, and who he was. The Captain received him with a cheerful
countenance, and embraced him, and Tumai gave him the kiss of peace
on his cheek. They were seated in the gallery, and the table was got
ready that he might eat. But he declined to eat anything, though he
was pressed to do so.
The Commissary was present; and that Tumai might understand that he
was a person to be respected, the Captain kissed his hand, and told
Tumai that he should do the same, which he did.
The Captain asked Tumai whether he had seen ships or people like us. He
gave it to be understood that he had not, but that he had received
reports about them. He was asked about the volcano that had been seen
in the former voyage, and he said, by signs with fire, that it was
five days' voyage to the west, and that in his language it was called
"Mami," and that there the Island of Santa Cruz was near and in sight,
the native name of which was "Indeni." The Captain also told him of
the death inflicted upon the Chief Malope during the other voyage,
and of the head which the Adelantado Mendaña sent as payment, as may
be read in the account of the voyage. [94] It was understood that
this was the reason why he and all his people showed themselves to
be so alarmed when they saw arquebuses, and explained their knowledge
of ships and people like us.
The Captain further asked Tumai whether he knew of other lands far or
near, inhabited or uninhabited. For this he pointed to his island,
then to the sea, then to various points of the horizon; and having
explained by these signs, he began counting on his fingers as many as
sixty islands, and a very large land, which he called "Manicolo." The
Captain wrote down the names, having the compass before him, for
noting the bearing of each island from the one where they were,
called "Taumaco," to S.W., S.S.W., and N.W. To explain which were
small islands, Tumai made small circles, and for larger ones larger
circles; while for the large land he opened both his arms and hands
without making them meet. To explain which were the distant islands,
and which were nearer, he pointed to the sun, then rested his head on
his hand, shut his eyes, and with his fingers counted the number of
nights one had to sleep on the voyage. In a similar way he explained
which people were white, black, or mulattos; which were mixed, which
friendly, which hostile. He gave it to be understood that in one
island they ate human flesh, by biting his arm, and indicated that
he did not like such people. In this way and in others it appeared
that what he said was understood. He repeated it many times until
he was tired, and, pointing towards the S.W., W., and other parts,
he gave it to be well understood how many more lands there were. He
then showed a desire to return to his house, and the Captain, the more
to please him, gave him things brought for barter, and he departed
after embraces and other tokens of love.
Next day the Captain went to the village where our people were, and in
order to corroborate what Tumai had said, he assembled the natives on
the beach. Holding a paper in his hand, with the compass before him,
he began asking them all once and many times respecting the lands
to which Tumai had given names, and all agreed. They gave tidings of
other inhabited islands, and also of that great land. Other persons,
on that day and at other times, put the same questions to the natives,
and always with the same result, so that it appeared that these people
were truthful. They were much astonished at seeing one reading a paper,
and, taking it in their hands, they looked at it in front and behind.
One day the natives were seen eating certain pieces of meat, and they
were asked cautiously what it was. That they might be understood,
they showed a piece of raw hide with the hair on, and one put his
hands on his head, intending it to be understood, with other very
intelligible signs, that in those great lands there were cows and
buffalo; and when they were shown pearls on the button of a rosary,
they said they had them.
They liked much to see us place our guard. They showed themselves
well contented at the way they were treated. All they gave was eaten
without scruple, and all they were given was taken with good will. They
established great friendship with each of our people that they took a
fancy to, exchanging names, calling them comrades, and treating them
as if their acquaintance had been of long standing. It came to such
a point that some of our people went alone to their villages without
causing any offence, or any of our things being missed, such as our
clothes left in the streams where they were being washed, or pots
and copper kettles.
An agreement was made with Tumai about wood and water for the ships,
all which he sent with great good will--as much as we needed--by
natives in canoes. Some concealed themselves, others went on board
and asked for bells, which they esteemed very much, and other things
that were given them, with which they returned contented.
Tumai was lord of this and other islands. His age was fifty; a man with
a good body and face, handsome eyes, well-formed nose, colour rather
brown, beard and hair turning grey. He was grave and sedate, prudent
and wise in what he did, and what he promised he performed. Once he
wanted to go to a village, to see two women he had there. He asked
leave, and left one of his sons as a hostage.