The latitude in the text falls near Point Palmas, on the
coast of Yumba, in what is called the Kingdom of Congo.
Mayumba bay,
perhaps the Manicongo of the text, is in lat. 4 deg. 30' S.]
After several ineffectual attempts to procure refreshments for their
men on the coast of Africa and the island of Annobon, they put to sea on
the 3d January, 1599, from that island, with the intention of sailing
direct for the Straits of Magellan. The 22d they passed the shelves and
rocks on the coast of Brazil, called the Abrolhos. The 9th March, one
of the seamen in the vice-admiral's ship was hanged, for repeatedly
breaking open the cupboard belonging to the cook, and stealing bread.
About this time, the sick beginning to recover, got such good appetites
that their allowance was not sufficient. The 12th, being near the Rio
Plata, the sea appeared as red as blood, and some of the water being
drawn up was found full of small red worms, that leaped out of it like
fleas.
Sec. 2. The Fleet passes through the Straits of Magellan into the South
Sea, and is forced to return.
The 6th of April, the fleet got into the Straits of Magellan, and
towards evening cast anchor under the smaller of the two Penguin isles,
fourteen leagues within the mouth of the straits. They here saw vast
numbers of those birds called plongeons or divers, because they dive
into the water to catch fish. They killed there ten or fourteen of them
with sticks, and might have killed as many as would have served the
whole fleet, but would not lose the opportunity of a fair wind. The 9th
they proceeded through the straits; and next day the admiral sent fifty
men on shore, to look for inhabitants or cattle, but after travelling
three leagues along shore, they found nothing. They arrived in a fine
bay on the 15th, twenty-one leagues from the mouth of the straits,
called Muscle bay by the English, because of the great quantities of
muscles found there, and here they provided themselves abundantly with
fresh water and wood. The 17th they sailed between two rocky shores, so
close and so high that they hardly thought to have got through. The
mountains on both sides were covered with snow. On the 18th, they cast
anchor in a bay on the north side of the straits, in lat. 54 deg. S. called
Great bay, having good anchorage on fine sand. In this bay there are
three small islands, the least of which is farthest east.
In these parts, there grow great quantities of trees, resembling bay
trees, but somewhat higher, the bark of which is very bitter, and has a
hot taste like pepper.[86] They here found abundance of muscles, some of
which were a span long, and when boiled, the fish of three of them
weighed a pound. The wind being contrary, they lay here at anchor till
the 23d of August,[87] without taking the sails from the yards, to be
ready to sail on a change of wind.
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