Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 16.djvu/371

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went to New Spaine, others that they went to Maluco, but others also say to China, where they had beene with Ferdinando Perez de Andrada. Howsoeuer it was, they went first vnto the Canaries, and from thence to the streight of Magelan, without touching at the land of Brasil or any part at all of that coast. They entred into the streight in the moneth of December with contrarie windes and cold weather. The soldiers would haue had him turne backe againe, but he would not. He went into an hauen on the South side in 53. degrees: There the captaine Simon of Alcazaua commanded Roderigo de Isla with 60. Spanyards to goe and discouer land: but they rose vp against him and killed him, and appointed such captaines and officers as pleased them, and returned. Comming thwart of Brasil they lost one of their ships vpon the coast, and the Spanyards that escaped drowning were eaten by the Sauages. The other ship went to Saint Iago in Hispaniola, and from thence to Siuill in Spaine.

In this same yeere 1535. Don Pedro de Mendoça went from Cadiz towards the riuer of Plate with twelue ships, and had with him two thousand men: which was the greatest number of ships and men, that euer any captaine carried into the Indies.[1] He died by the way returning homewards. The most part of his men remained in that riuer, and builded a great towne containing now two thousand houses, wherein great store of Indians dwell with the Spanyards.

The riuer of Plata runneth vp to Potossi. They discouered and conquered the countrey till they came to the mines of Potossi and to the towne La Plata, which is 500. leagues distant from them.

In the yeere 1536. Cortes vnderstanding that his ship wherein Fortunio Ximenez was pilote was seazed on by Nunnez de Guzman, he sent foorth three ships to the place where Guzman was, and he himselfe went by land well accompanied, and found the ship which he sought all spoiled and rifled.[2] When his three other ships were come about, he went aboord himselfe with the most part of his men and horses, leauing for captaine of those which remained on land one Andrew de Tapia.

Saint Iago Isle. So he set saile, and comming to a point the first day of May he called it Saint Philip, and an Island that lieth fast by it he called Sant Iago. Within three daies after he came into the bay where the pilot Fortunio Ximenez was killed, which he called

  1. Gomara historiæ general. lib. 3. cap. 39.
  2. Gomara hist. gen. lib. 2. cap. 74. & 98.