the Two Sisters; and beyond these again, four islands which they called las Volcanes.  On the second of October they came in sight of Farfana, beyond which there is a high pointed rock, which throws up fire in five places.  Sailing in this manner, for some time, in 16 deg. of north latitude, they were obliged by continual contrary winds, to bear up again for the Philippine islands, and in their way back, had sight of six or seven additional islands, but did not anchor at any of them.  They found also an archipelago, or numerous cluster of islands, in 15 or 16 degrees of north latitude, well inhabited by a white people, with beautiful well-proportioned women, and much better clothed than in any other of the islands of these parts; and they had many golden ornaments, which was a sure sign that there was some of that metal in their country.  These people likewise had barks or vessels of forty-three cubits long, by two fathoms and a half in breadth, constructed of planks five inches broad, and which were rowed with oars.  The people told the Spaniards that they were in use to sail in these vessels to China, which was not above five or six days sail from thence, and offered to supply them with pilots, if they were inclined to go thither.  Several of these barks, handsomely decked, came off to the Spanish ship, in which the master, and other principal people, sat on a high platform, while the rowers sat underneath, who were blackamoors or negroes with frizzled hair.  Being asked whence they had these negroes, they answered that they were brought from certain islands near Sebut, where there were abundance to be had.  The Spaniards wondered much at finding negroes in this place, being above 300 leagues from the nearest land of the negroes.  It is therefore probable that these people were not originally natives of this part of the world; but that they have been scattered somehow in various places over the circuit of the earth, as they are found in the islands of Nicobar and Andaman, in the bay of Bengal.  From thence, for the space of 500 leagues, we do not know of any other black people:  Yet Vasco Nunnez de Valboa pretends to have discovered them, when he went to explore the coast of the South Sea, in a country which he named Quareca; but there never were any found in New Spain, Castilia del Oro, or in Peru.

In the year 1544, Don Gutierre de Vargas, bishop of Placenza, the cousin of Mendoca, sent a fleet from Seville to the straits of Magellan, instigated by the advice of the viceroy.  Some said that this fleet was destined for the Moluccas, others for China, and others again, that it was meant only to explore the coast from the straits along Chili to Peru.  However this may have been, the fleet was unable, from contrary winds, to get through the straits, except one small bark which got into the South Sea, and sailed along the whole coast, till it came to Chirimai and Arequipa, which is above 500 leagues, which were now explored; all the rest of the coast having been formerly discovered by Diego de Almagro, Francis Pizarro, and their people, at various times[105].