the Admiral doubted which to select. He, therefore,
ordering the squadron to anchor, put off himself in a boat, and rowed
forwards to survey the passage. Having found one of sufficient width,
he turned back to rejoin the fleet. On his way he fell in with a canoe
made of bark, and full of people. It was of a peculiarly elegant form,
turning up both at the stem and stern in a semicircle, the workmanship
being also excellent in the extreme. The people in it were of low
stature, but of compact form, and had their faces painted. They were on
their way to the island off which the ships lay at anchor. A visit was
afterwards paid to them on shore. Their dwellings were of framework,
covered with the skins of beasts. Their food appeared to be mussels and
other shell-fish. All their houses were of bark neatly sewn together.
Their knives were formed of mussel-shells of great size, and were so
sharp that they could cut the hardest wood with them, as well as bone,
out of which they made the fizgigs they used for killing fish.

On the 6th of September, to the joy of all on board, the three ships
sailed proudly into the South Sea, having accomplished the whole passage
in about a fortnight, which had occupied their predecessors--Magalhaens,
Loyasa, and Juan de Ladrilleros, who had come from the Pacific side--
several months.

The land to the south had been found to consist, not of a mainland, or
even of one large island, but of numerous islands, with broad passages
between them. In consequence of the cold weather which now came on, the
Admiral intended to sail northward, to get as soon as possible into a
warmer latitude; but, a furious north wind arising, the ships could in
no way make head against it, and were driven farther and farther south
and east.

Instead of finding it the Pacific Ocean, they, from their experience,
considered that it should be called the Stormy Sea. Day after day the
tempest blew with extraordinary violence. During that period, on the
15th of September, an eclipse of the moon occurred, which lasted for a
considerable time, adding to the horrors of the storm. For many days
they ran on under bare poles, being unable to face it. On the 30th of
the same month, the _Marigold_, commanded by Captain John Thomas, who
had rendered such service to the Admiral, and having many other of his
friends on board, was separated from her consorts. It was hoped,
however, that she might be able to rejoin them at t