and so we sailed on till at the end of 37 days we reached a land which we deemed to be a continent:  which is distant westwardly from the isles of Canary about a thousand leagues beyond the inhabited region within the torrid zone:  for we found the North Pole at an elevation of 16 degrees above its horizon, and (it was) westward, according to the shewing of our instruments, 75 degrees from the isles of Canary:  whereat we anchored with our ships a league and a half from land:  and we put out our boats freighted with men and arms.

We made toward the land, and before we reached it, had sight of a great number of people who were going along the shore:  by which we were much rejoiced:  and we observed that they were a naked race:  they shewed themselves to stand in fear of us:  I believe (it was) because they saw us clothed and of other appearance (than their own):  they all withdrew to a hill, and for whatsoever signals we made to them of peace and of friendliness, they would not come to parley with us:  so that, as the night was now coming on, and as the ships were anchored in a dangerous place, being on a rough and shelterless coast, we decided to remove from there the next day, and to go in search of some harbour or bay, where we might place our ships in safety:  and we sailed with the maestrale wind, thus running along the coast with the land ever in sight, continually in our course observing people along the shore:  till after having navigated for two days, we found a place sufficiently secure for the ships, and anchored half a league from land, on which we saw a very great number of people.

This same day we put to land with the boats, and sprang on shore full 40 men in good trim:  and still the land’s people appeared shy of converse with us, and we were unable to encourage them so much as to make them come to speak with us:  and this day we laboured so greatly in giving them of our wares, such as rattles and mirrors, beads, spalline, and other trifles, that some of them took confidence and came to discourse with us:  and after having made good friends with them, the night coming on, we took our leave of them and returned to the ships:  and the next day when the dawn appeared we saw that there were infinite numbers of people upon the beach, and they had their women and children with them:  we went ashore, and found that they were all laden with their worldly goods which are suchlike as, in its (proper) place, shall be related:  and before we reached the land, many of them jumped into the sea and came swimming to receive us at a bowshot’s length (from the shore), for they are very great swimmers, with as much confidence as if they had for a long time been acquainted with us:  and we were pleased with this, their confidence.