as in March 1528, and anchored at the Island of Gilolo,
where he found the sea calm, the winds moderate, and no tempests; and he
estimated the distance from thence to New Spain at 2050 leagues, or 8200
miles. At this period, Fernando de la Torre was governor of the Molucca
islands, and lived in the city of Tidore, having been chosen instead of
Martin Yniguez de Carquicano, who was recently dead. Torre waged a fierce
war with Don George de Meneses, captain of the Portuguese; and in a fight
of the fourth of May, Saavedra took a Portuguese galliot, and slew
Fernando de Baldaya the captain. In June, Saavedra set sail on his return
towards New Spain, taking with him Simon de Brito, Patalin, and other
Portuguese prisoners; but, after several months sail, he was forced back
to Tidore by contrary winds, where Patalin was beheaded and quartered,
and the rest of the Portuguese prisoners hanged. In this year, 1528,
Cortes sent 200 infantry, and sixty cavalry, with a large force of
Mexicans, to explore and subdue the country of the Chihimecas, which was
reported to be rich in gold. He then took shipping for Spain, where he
landed with great pomp, bringing with him 250,000 marks in gold and
silver. On his arrival at Toledo, where the emperor then resided; he was
very graciously received. The emperor created him marquis _della Valle_,
and married him to the lady Jane de Zuniga, daughter to the Conde de
Aguilar; after which he returned to resume the government of New Spain.

Saavedra, of whom we have lately made mention, returned from the Moluccas
towards New Spain, in May 1529: and, during, the voyage, came in sight of
land, in lat. 2 deg.S. He ran along the coast to the S.S.E. from that time to
the end of August, upwards of 500 leagues, finding a clean coast, free
from shoals and rocks, with good anchoring ground, inhabited by a black
people, with curled hair. The people of the Moluccas named the inhabitants
of this coast _Papuas_ because they are black with frizzled hair and both
Portuguese and Spaniards have adopted the same name. Having reached to
four or five degrees south of the line, he returned northwards; and near
the equinoctial he discovered an island, which he called _de los Pintados_,
or of the painted people, as the inhabitants were of a white complexion,
but marked with a hot iron[62]; and, from various circumstances, he
concluded that they were originally from China. A kind of boat put off
from the shore, containing a n