always been given to understand that his opinion would be
followed on this voyage. But it was certainly considered best by the
Audiencia; for, besides their fulfilling in it his Majesty's will,
they observed that the journey to Nueva Guinea embraced many things,
and Father Urdaneta could not discover so quickly the return voyage
from the Filipinas to Nueva Espana--and this was the chief aim of
that expedition, and the object of greatest importance that was sought.

After they had understood, then, his Majesty's will, by the
instructions that were read in their presence, all obeyed them as loyal
vassals, and in pursuance thereof, began to lay their course, which
with so certain a beginning as that of obedience and the sacrifice
of their own wills, already promised a prosperous end. They changed
their course, descending to the nineteenth degree, in which lie the
islands of Los Reyes [15] and Corales. [16] From this point they
began to take a direct course to the Filipinas. In order to do this,
an order was issued to steer west by south, and all the fleet was
ordered to do the same, and, as far as possible, not to separate from
the flagship. But should the vessels be separated by any storm, they
were given to understand that they were to follow the said route,
until they made some of the islands of the Filipinas, where they
would all meet. Upon this they again invoked the most sweet name
of Jesus, and sailed with favoring breezes until they reached the
ninth degree; and then the commander again called an assembly to
discuss the voyage. There they took the latitude, and all the pilots
disagreed by as much as a point of the compass, some of them making
it two hundred leguas more than the others; and they could agree on
neither the latitude nor the daily runs.

Father Urdaneta asserted that the Corales Islands had already been
passed, and that they were farther on their journey. Accordingly he
gave orders to make the tenth degree and sail toward the Arrecifes [17]
and Matalotes [18] Islands, which are very much farther. They sailed
along this course until January 9, when they discovered land. They went
closer to it, and saw a small island, which was seemingly about three
leguas in circumference. It was covered with trees and cocoa-palms,
but as it was surrounded by reefs, they could not anchor at it. They
sailed about the island, and spied a settlement situated among
some palms, and some Indiana on the shore. But they were l