hore regained the fleet at ten o'clock,
and it continued its voyage. The landing-party had been well received
by the natives who had not decamped--an old man, his wife, and a
young woman with her child--who showed them their houses, fruits,
and articles of food, giving them some of the latter. They showed
signs of regret at the departure of the Spaniards. "The Indian was
well built and the women good looking. They were clad in garments
made of palm-leaf mats, which are very thin and skilfully made. They
had many Castilian fowl, quantities of fish and cocoanuts, potatoes,
yams, and other grain, such as millet." They used canoes, and made
fish-hooks from bone and other articles. "Their hair is loose and
long." This island was named Barbudos. [48] No weapons, offensive
or defensive, were seen. On the tenth they reached another larger
island and many small islets, which they called Los Plazeles from
the surrounding shoals. They appeared uninhabited. The same day
they passed another uninhabited island, which they called the isle
of Birds, from its many wild-fowl. On the twelfth they passed other
uninhabited islands which they called Las Hermanas ["The Sisters"]. On
the fourteenth, they passed islands which Urdaneta declared to be
the Jardines of Villalobos. The pilots ridiculed this assertion,
saying that they were much farther on their course. In a general
council on the seventeenth the best course to the Philippines was
discussed, as it was advisable to avoid entering at the hunger-point
of Villalobos. It was agreed to sail along the thirteenth degree,
in which course Urdaneta declared they must meet the Ladrones. On the
twenty-second of January land was sighted which the pilots declared
to be the Philippines, but which Urdaneta said might be the Ladrones,
which he afterwards affirmed to be the case from the lateen-sails
of the native boats, "which the inhabitants of the Filipinas do not
make." The pilots continued to ridicule him, but Urdaneta's reasoning
was correct. The fleet was surrounded by a multitude of boats, whose
occupants, all talking at once, invited them with word and sign to
land, offering refreshment. Some knives, scissors, beads, a mirror,
and other articles were given to the occupants of the nearest canoe. On
the following Tuesday the vessels succeeded in finding an anchorage,
and the instructions as to behavior on land were carefully enjoined
on all the men. [49] They were immediately surrounded by the ca