land lay down and mark certain
signs and limits of the longitude; they appear to me rather to have
made some error in their method of reckoning of the longitude than
to have attained any trustworthy result.

Meanwhile, however this may be, until more certain results are arrived
at, I do not think that their statements should be absolutely rejected,
but merely accepted provisionally. This bay appeared to be of great
extent, and had rather the appearance of a strait. Therefore admiral
Magellan directed two ships to survey the bay; and himself remained
with the rest at anchor. After two days, they returned, and reported
that the bay was shallow, and did not extend far inland. Our men on
their return saw some Indians gathering shell-fish on the sea-shore,
for the natives of all unknown countries are commonly called
Indians. These Indians were very tall, ten spans high [seven feet
six inches], clad in skins of wild beasts, darker-complexioned than
would have been expected in that part of the world; and when some of
our men went on shore and showed them bells and pictures, they began
to dance round our men with a hoarse noise and unintelligible chant,
and to excite our admiration they took arrows a cubit and a half long,
and put them down their own throats to the bottom of their stomachs
without seeming any the worse for it. Then they drew them up again,
and seemed much pleased at having shown their bravery. At length three
men came up as a deputation, and by means of signs requested our men
to come with them further inland, as though they would receive them
hospitably. Magellan sent with them seven men well equipped, to find
out as much as possible about the country and its inhabitants. These
seven went with the Indians some seven miles up the country, and came
to a desolate and pathless wood. Here was a very low-built cottage
roofed with skins of beasts. In it were two rooms, in one of which
dwelt the women and children, and in the other the men. The women and
children were thirteen in number, and the men five. These received
their guests with a barbarous entertainment, but which they considered
to be quite a royal one. For they slaughtered an animal much resembling
a wild ass, and set before our men half-roasted steaks of it, but no
other food or drink. Our men had to cover themselves at night with
skins, on account of the severity of the wind and snow.

Before they went to sleep they arranged for a watch to be kept;
the