on he will place a still higher value on it
with much reason. He says that it is a miraculous thing that the
Sovereigns of Castile should have lands so near the equinoctial as 6
degrees, Ysabela being distant from the said line 24 degrees.

Having seen the land then to the great consolation of all, he left the
course which he desired to follow in search of some of the islands of the
Canibales in order to provide himself with water, of which he was greatly
in need, and made a short excursion towards the land which he had seen,
towards a cape which appeared to be to the west, which he called "Cabo de
la Galera,"[332-1] from a great rock which it had, which from a distance
appeared like a galley sailing. They arrived there at the hour of
compline.[332-2] They saw a good harbor but it was not deep, and the
Admiral regretted that they could not enter it. He pursued his course to
the point he had seen, which was seven leagues toward the south. He did
not find a harbor. On all the coast he found that the groves reached to
the sea, the most beautiful coast that eyes ever saw. He says that this
island must be large; a canoe appeared at a distance filled with people
who must have been fishing, and made towards the land to some houses
which appeared there. The land was very cultivated and high and
beautiful.

Wednesday, August 1, he ran down the coast toward the west, five leagues,
and arrived at a point, where he anchored with all three ships, and took
water from fountains and streams. They found signs of people, instruments
for fishing, signs of goats, but they were only of deer of which there
are many in those lands. He says that they found aloes and great groves
of palms, and very beautiful lands: "for which infinite thanks may be
given to the Holy Trinity." These are his words. He saw much tilled land
along the coast and many settlements. He saw from there towards the
south, another island, which is distant more than 20 leagues. (And he
might well say five hundred since this is the mainland which, as he saw a
part of it, seemed to him to be an island); to this he gave the name of
"Ysla Sancta." He says here that he would not take any Indians in order
not to disturb the land. From the Cape of Galera to the point where he
took the water, which I believed he named "Punta de la Playa," he says
that having been a great way, and running east-west (he should say that
he went from east to west) there was no port in all that way, but