in Peru. Alvaro de Mendana was general, Pedro de Ortega Valencia, commander of troops, Fernando Enriquez was royal ensign, and Gallego was chief pilot. They had four Franciscan friars, and, with soldiers and sailors, the expedition counted one hundred men. They felt capable of conquering any amount of continents. They sailed about thirty leagues a day, watching the flight of birds and flying-fish. On the 15th January they sighted and came to an island. Seven canoes came out and then went back; the natives lit fires at night and hung up flags. Now whose flags or what flag did they hang up? These people were nude and brown. This was named the Isle of Jesus. On 1st February they sighted some islands and reefs, which they named “Los Bajos de la Candelarea,” thought to be identical with those called “Ontong Java” by Tasman, in 1643, and seen by Le Maine and Schouten, 1616.
On 7th February, the eightieth day out from Callao, these gallant little ships, the Almiranta and the Capitana, sighted more land, and reached it the next evening. Natives visited them, and they inspected the shore. On the 9th, guided by a star in daylight, they entered a harbour with an island, and named it Santa Isabel de Estrella, and the island Santa Isabel, though the natives called it Camba. They disembarked, set up a cross, and took possession in the name of the King, and at once commenced building a brigantine. Pedro de Ortega, with fifty-two men, comprising soldiers, sailors, and negroes, went a seven days’ expedition inland, and, as they put it, burned many heathen temples—one soldier being wounded and dying. On the 15th March fourteen canoes came to Santa Isabel and sent the general as a present a portion of a boy with hand and arm— he had it buried in their presence as a reproof.
