And,
As The Wind Was Scanty, They Steered Towards The N. E. In Lat.
16 deg.
N.
where they found two islands, which they named the Islands of St John. In
lat. 20 deg. N. they came to another island, which they called _la Griega_,
where some of the simple natives came on board, whom they kept to shew in
New Spain. Continuing their course to the N. E. for four months, they
came into lat. 42 deg. N. where they saw numbers of seals, and tunnies; and
the climate appeared to them so cold and inhospitable, that partly on
that account, and partly owing to contrary winds, they returned towards
Tidore, having been the first Spaniards who had been in so high a
northern latitude in these seas. On their return to Tidore, they found
one Antonio de Britto employed in building a fortress, who took their
goods from them, and sent forty-eight of them prisoners to Malacca[44].
In the same year 1522, Cortes was desirous to possess some harbours on
the South Sea, on purpose to open a trade with Malacca, Banda, Java, and
the other spice islands. For this purpose he sent four Spaniards with
Indian guides to Tecoantepec, Quahatemallan, and other harbours, where
they were well received, and whence they brought back some of the natives
to Mexico. These people were much caressed by Cortes; who afterwards sent
ten pilots to examine the coast, but they could find no good harbour,
after a survey of seventy leagues.
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