The First Discovery of Australia and New Guinea

trade between the Spice Islands and their newly acquired colonies on the western shores of

of the Pacific Ocean as the land of promise, the El Dorado of their dreams; Saavedra's

placed the islands from which King Solomon derived the gold and othe

traditions handed down in the Royal Incarial families of Peru, seem to hav

now firmly established in Peru and it came to pass that a certain Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa, a Spanish officer of unusual erudition in maritime and other matters, having collected and translated many historical documents, or guipus,* relating to the Incas, became aware that one of them, their wisest and greatest monarch

nd instead of writing they made use of strings of various make, colour, and length, and, with th

ir guipus relative to these islands, which were also believed to be the outposts of

ials to Philip II, he represented that he knew of many islands in the South Sea which were undiscovered by Europeans until his time, o

na's

that lay in his power, but also offered him the sole command of the fleet. But, Sarmiento in

we may also attribute to his refusal of the sole command, the fact that his name has hitherto remained ignored not only i

the conduct of the discovery and navigation, and th

in Peru, on the day of the feast of Santa Ysabel, the 19th of November

reached the tropic of Capricorn,* and this d

tropic of Capricorn. In the charts of the period a port or bay was marked on the coa

course without Sarmiento's permission, and in defiance of

o and Mendana, persisted in this more northerly course for forty days, evidently with the in

islands and continent that he was

ays, Mendana became alarmed and requested S

.W., announcing at the same time that land would b

e name of Nombre-de-Jesus. It has been ide

ater, they sighted the small islands and rocks which they called Baixos de la Candelaria, Candle

d called Atoglu by the natives. The Spaniards gave to it t

n crescent-shaped

at 10 o'clock in the morning, they called this bay the Baya de la Estrella

t-shape

taken out in pieces; in fifty-four days it was put toget

oitering expedition inland, but m

p-master, examined the coast on board the bri

if any, was found i

a Maior, was also projected with the brigantine, but soon aband

ea, and the inference, as we know, was not, far from the truth; it led, however, to a curious mistake, whic

Ysabel

islands of the group, they cast anchor off the coast of a large island

he interior, ascending a high mountain and enjoying a magnificent panorama. Afterwards a b

canal

ere they remained for forty days, refitting and taking in supplies, and here the briga

s discovered by the Inca Tupac Yupanqui, and submitt

and notwithstanding the remonstrances o

Santiago de Colima, refitted at Realejo, and returned t

eements, and Mendana intended to bring charg

onduct, Sarmiento considered it to be the wisest course to leave the ship at Realejo

the Solom