.
Queiroz saw all this from the ship where he was, with great regret to
find peace turned into war. It appeared to him best to land more men in
the direction taken by a number of natives, who were trying to surround
the Spaniards. The supporting party got into such conflict with the enemy
that the captain was obliged to fire two pieces. The balls, tearing the
branches of the trees, passed over the natives; but, after this, and the
resistance made by the soldiers, the enemy retired.
At the same time, the natives who were on the beach moved forward,
brandishing their clubs, and with arrows fitted to their bows--and darts
poised to throw, menacing with loud shouts. Then a tall old native
advanced making a sound on a shell with great force. He seemed to be the
same chief who had spoken to the soldiers, and they understood him to say
that his people would defend their country against those who came to it
killing their inhabitants. Eight of the musketeers were in ambush, and
one of them, unfortunately, as he afterwards stated, killed this chief,
and presently the rest desisted.
Three or four raised their dead on their shoulders with great celerity,
and went inland, leaving the neighbouring villages deserted. The narrator
here remarks: "Such was the end of the peace that the captain hoped for
and sought for, the means of discovering the grandeur of the land, and
all was contained in it."
Shortly after Queiroz went on shore again and instituted an order of
knights of the Holy Ghost, with a badge, or insignia, in the shape of a
cross of a blue colour, to be worn on the breast.
Towards evening of the same day all three vessels displayed many lights,
and they sent off many rockets and fire-wheels. All the artillery was
fired off; and when the natives heard the noise and the echoes resounding
over hills and valleys, thy raised great shouts.
The Spaniards sounded drums, rang the bells, had music and dancing, and
had other forms of rejoicing, in which the men showed great pleasure...
Next morning it was not quite dawn when the camp-master and ministers,
taking with them an armed party in the two boats, went on shore. They
landed near the launch with four small pieces of artillery to be used in
a fort in case of necessity. Within, the monks arranged a clean and
well-ordered altar under a canopy. This was the first church, and was
named by the captain "Our Lady of Loreto."
Everything having been arranged as well as the
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