In The Morning The Air Was Temperate And Delightful, Like The
April Weather Of Andalusia.
When about 360 leagues westwards of Ferro,
another water-wagtail was seen; and on Tuesday the 18th September, Martin
Alonso Pinzon, being before in the Pinta which was an excellent sailer,
lay to for the admiral, and reported that he had seen a numerous flock of
birds flying westwards, from which he had hopes of discovering land that
night, at about fifteen leagues to the northwards, and even fancied he had
seen it: But the admiral did not credit this, and would not lose time by
deviating from his course in search of the supposed land, though all the
people were much inclined to have made the attempt. That night the wind
freshened, when they had sailed eleven days always before the wind to the
west, without ever having to handle a sail. During the whole course, the
admiral constantly noted down every circumstance; as the winds, the fishes,
birds, and other tokens of land, and continually kept a good look out,
frequently trying for soundings.
[1] This is about L.260. - Churchill
Equal to about L.2600 of our present money in effective value: But is
difficult to conceive how the eighth part of this small armament
should require so large a sum, which would extend the total amount to
L.2080 of solid money, equal in efficacy to L.20,800 in our times: and,
besides the crown had advanced L.520, equally to L.5200, as its
contribution for seven eighths.
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