On
Saturday They Passed Close Within Sight Of The Rock _De La Cruz_, And
Being Loath To Pass The _Rio Del Infante_, They Stood Out To Sea Till
Vespers, When The Wind Came Round To The East, Right Contrary.
On this,
the general stood off, and on plying to windward, till Tuesday the 20th
December, at sunset, when the wind changed to the west, which was
favourable.
Next day at ten o'clock, they came to the before-mentioned
rock, being sixty leagues a-stern of the place they wished to have
attained[15].
This rock is the cause of the great currents on this coast, which were so
powerful, that the fleet had much ado with a brisk favourable wind to
stem the current between that place and Rio Infante in three or four days;
but at length they joyfully passed these currents without damage, as Diaz
had done formerly, and the general, encouraged by his good fortune, gave
thanks to God, saying, he verily believed it was the good pleasure of God
that they should attain to the discovery of the Indies.
Thus continuing the voyage till Christmas day, they had discovered
seventy leagues to the eastwards, and had arrived in the latitude in
which India was said to be in his instructions. The fleet continued to
sail for so long a time without going to land, as to be in want of water,
insomuch that they had to dress their provisions in sea water, and were
forced to reduce the allowance of drink to one pint of water per man each
day.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 470 of 812
Words from 130135 to 130398
of 224388
