During This Part Of The Voyage, Two
Ships Of The Squadron Separated From Saavedra, And Were Never More Heard
Of.
Sailing on from island to island, he arrived at the Island of Candiga,
where he ransomed two Spaniards for seventy ducats, who had belonged to
the crew of Loaisa, who was shipwrecked in that neighbourhood.
Saavedra
reached the Moluccas in March 1528, and anchored at the Island of Gilolo,
where he found the sea calm, the winds moderate, and no tempests; and he
estimated the distance from thence to New Spain at 2050 leagues, or 8200
miles. At this period, Fernando de la Torre was governor of the Molucca
islands, and lived in the city of Tidore, having been chosen instead of
Martin Yniguez de Carquicano, who was recently dead. Torre waged a fierce
war with Don George de Meneses, captain of the Portuguese; and in a fight
of the fourth of May, Saavedra took a Portuguese galliot, and slew
Fernando de Baldaya the captain. In June, Saavedra set sail on his return
towards New Spain, taking with him Simon de Brito, Patalin, and other
Portuguese prisoners; but, after several months sail, he was forced back
to Tidore by contrary winds, where Patalin was beheaded and quartered,
and the rest of the Portuguese prisoners hanged. In this year, 1528,
Cortes sent 200 infantry, and sixty cavalry, with a large force of
Mexicans, to explore and subdue the country of the Chihimecas, which was
reported to be rich in gold. He then took shipping for Spain, where he
landed with great pomp, bringing with him 250,000 marks in gold and
silver.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 123 of 812
Words from 33890 to 34160
of 224388
