15' S. This island afforded
little else beyond herbs, but they found here a sour fruit resembling
plums, which cured all their sick men in fifteen days.
They sailed from
thence for Port Desire, in lat 47 deg. 40' S. on the 16th June, and reached
that place on the 20th September, after enduring much bad weather. They
procured abundance of penguins and fish, at an island three miles south
from Port Desire; killing to the number of 50,000 penguins, which are
nearly as large as geese, and procured a vast quantity of their eggs, by
which their people were greatly refreshed, and the sick restored. Going
up the river on the 5th October, and landing in the country, they found
animals resembling stags, together with buffaloes, and ostriches in
great numbers, and even found some of the nests of these birds, in which
were as far as nineteen eggs. The 20th, the admiral went ashore to view
the country, leaving orders with those who were left in charge of the
boats, not to leave them a moment on any account: But they, having a
mind also to see the country, ventured upon a short ramble, when they
fell into an ambush of the savages, who slew three of their number, and
wounded the fourth. These savages were very tall portly men, painted,
and armed with short bows, and arrows headed with stone.
Leaving Port Desire on the 29th September, they reached Cape Virgin at
the entrance into the Straits of Magellan on the 24th November.
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