May 30.  Monday, on the said bridge.  The judges for Portugal presented the following notification, read by Francisco de Melo:  that because of the differences in the globes they believed it necessary to investigate and make certain of the longitudes in question.  For this they proposed four methods, namely:  The first, on land by taking distances from the moon to some fixed star, as might be agreed upon; the second, to take the distances of the sun and moon in their risings and settings, and this upon land having its horizon above the water; the third by taking a degree of the sky without any limit for sea and land; and the fourth, by lunar eclipses.  “Let us examine the method that we must use,” they say, “and let us consider how to end the negotiation.  If the time remaining seems short, it should be prorogued as long as may be necessary and for such prorogation we notify,” etc., and they did notify Acuna and Acevedo to prorogue it for all of June.

Acevedo gave his vote [the same as in the records of possession].  Acuna said that he heard it, and Don Fernando Colon read immediately the following writ, which in brief showed the subterfuges of the judges for Portugal, the differences between the said judges and the globes which they presented concerning the distance from the meridian of La Sal eastward to Maluco, for they say it is one hundred and thirty-seven degrees but in one globe there were one hundred and thirty-four degrees and in another one hundred and thirty-three, a difference which proved falsehood; that both word and drawing showed their [the Castilians’] truth, and reasons and experience proves the said distance to one hundred and eighty-three degrees, and by way of the west one hundred and seventy-seven.  The principal matter could have been determined in the time set; and this proposition of methods, which would require a long time, proved that they wished to delay matters.  Neither was one month sufficient for the examination by these methods foreign to the spirit of the treaty, and they were opposed to this thing.  They notified the Portuguese deputies to vote definitely on the demarcation and ownership at four o’clock in the afternoon on the following and last day of the time set.  If they did not do so they would be to blame ... we protest that we shall vote, etc.

The licentiate Acuna immediately handed in a negative vote on the question of continuation, as is seen in the Records of Possession.  The notification of Acevedo and the confirmation of Acuna are also the same as in the said Records.

May 31. Ibid.  In reply to the deputies of Castilla; those of Portugal presented a writ to the following effect:  that the case was far from being in a state to pass a definitive sentence upon it.  Only three preliminary points had been touched upon, and discussion of the principal things passed by.  Therefore they were to agree upon the distances by virtue of certain observations; to place, by common consent, the lands and seas on a blank globe; and to draw the line of demarcation.  The difference in our globes proved nothing.  Also they [the Castilians] had altered their only globe and map, based on the voyages of Juan Sebastian del Cano.  Therefore believing that all the globes and maps were in error, we have proposed certain astrological methods.  Meanwhile we cannot vote, etc.