Meanwhile, however this may be, until more certain results are arrived at, I do not think that their statements should be absolutely rejected, but merely accepted provisionally.  This bay appeared to be of great extent, and had rather the appearance of a strait.  Therefore admiral Magellan directed two ships to survey the bay; and himself remained with the rest at anchor.  After two days, they returned, and reported that the bay was shallow, and did not extend far inland.  Our men on their return saw some Indians gathering shell-fish on the sea-shore, for the natives of all unknown countries are commonly called Indians.  These Indians were very tall, ten spans high [seven feet six inches], clad in skins of wild beasts, darker-complexioned than would have been expected in that part of the world; and when some of our men went on shore and showed them bells and pictures, they began to dance round our men with a hoarse noise and unintelligible chant, and to excite our admiration they took arrows a cubit and a half long, and put them down their own throats to the bottom of their stomachs without seeming any the worse for it.  Then they drew them up again, and seemed much pleased at having shown their bravery.  At length three men came up as a deputation, and by means of signs requested our men to come with them further inland, as though they would receive them hospitably.  Magellan sent with them seven men well equipped, to find out as much as possible about the country and its inhabitants.  These seven went with the Indians some seven miles up the country, and came to a desolate and pathless wood.  Here was a very low-built cottage roofed with skins of beasts.  In it were two rooms, in one of which dwelt the women and children, and in the other the men.  The women and children were thirteen in number, and the men five.  These received their guests with a barbarous entertainment, but which they considered to be quite a royal one.  For they slaughtered an animal much resembling a wild ass, and set before our men half-roasted steaks of it, but no other food or drink.  Our men had to cover themselves at night with skins, on account of the severity of the wind and snow.

Before they went to sleep they arranged for a watch to be kept; the Indians did the same and lay near our men by the fire, snoring horribly.  When day dawned, our men requested them to return with them, accompanied by their families to our ships.  When the Indians persisted in refusing to do so, and our men had also persisted somewhat imperiously in their demands, the men went into the women’s chamber.  The Spaniards supposed that they had gone to consult their wives about this expedition.  But they came out again as if to battle, wrapped up from bead to foot in hideous skins, with their faces painted in various colours, and with bows and arrows, all ready for fighting, and appearing taller than ever.  The Spaniards, thinking a skirmish was likely to take place, fired a gun.  Although nobody was hit, yet