Finally, they jumped overboard, where there were many natives; among them a woman with a child in her arms, who received the two with great joy.  It appeared that she was the wife of the first native, and that he was a chief, for all respected and obeyed his orders.  They seemed to be contented and gave each other many embraces, with gentle murmurings.  The chief, pointing with his finger, seemed to be saying that the Spaniards were a good people.  Many came to where the boat was, and they showed such confidence, that when one of the Spaniards asked the mother for her baby, she gave it.  Seeing that it was passed from one to another, to be seen and embraced, the natives were well pleased.  In fine, a good understanding was established.

The swimmer ran away, and presently came back with a pig on his shoulders, which he offered to his new friends.  The chief gave them another, and a bunch of curious plantains, their shape being like that of moderate-sized egg-plants without points, the pulp orange colour, sweet and tender.  The other natives emulously presented cocoanuts, sweet canes, and other fruits, and water in joints of cane four palmos long, and one thick.  Pointing to the ships, they seemed to say that they should anchor there, that they might give them all they had in the island.  The Spaniards took their leave and went on to the point, where they saw the coast of the island trending north, and the other of Belen at a distance of 4 leagues to the N.W.  Satisfied with their view, they returned to the ship.

All the natives of this island were not equally well disposed towards the Spaniards, for the boatswain’s mate of the Almiranta was wounded in one cheek by an arrow:  certain natives being envious of the friendship of the others, or being enraged because, when they called to the Spaniards, they did not care to stop and speak with them, shot off arrows, and had an answer from muskets.  The wound of the boatswain’s mate healed quickly, and they knew thereby that the arrows were not poisoned.  More mischief would have been done if their friend the swimmer had not come running, shouting, and making signs for the boat to keep away—­“a great proof of gratitude,” says the Spanish narrator.

Towards the end of April, one Melchor de los Reyes was looking out at the mast-head, when, at three in the afternoon, he saw at a distance of 12 leagues to the S.W. and S., more or less, an extensive land.  For this, and because the eye could not turn to a point that was not all land, the day was the most joyful and the most celebrated day of the whole voyage.

They went towards the land, and next day found themselves near a coast running to the west.  The name of Cardona * was given to this land in memory of the Duke of Sesa, who had taken a deep interest in the voyage, as well at Rome as at the Court of Spain, and because the captain felt very grateful.

[* The name of the Duke of Sesa was Don Antonio de Cardona, Y Cordova.  On a visit to Rome, as a pilgrim, Queiroz was well received by Cardona, who was the ambassador from Spain at that Court.  The land which Queiroz, named Cardona was Aoba Island of the modern chart.]